13

was slick in tails and white tie, and he looked jacket and white gloves. I combed a lick of too wide for that outfit too.

hair down over my forehead like the late Two other men were with Miss Feni-Adolf Hitler, and hardly knew myself.

song and Gross. One of these was somewhat taller than the other, and the taller one had the redder face. There was an air about PRESENTLY they began introducing them that spoke of something in common, each other to Doc Savage. Mr. Alfred Gross although it probably wasn’t a family tie. It was introduced Mr. McCutcheon to Doc Savage.

hard to say what they shared, but it was Then Mr. McCutcheon introduced Mr.

probably something in their minds, a com-McGraff and McGraff introduced Miss Feni-mon interest or purpose.

song, who introduced Mr. Gross who had The four didn’t have but one engraved started the whole thing. They had it straight-invitation between them—the other three had ened out now; between the four of them, they been in Albert Gross’ coat and I had them—had introduced each other to the bronze but they got in all right. A fine-looking old fel-man.

low at the door was checking names off a list, The girl remarked that it was a wonder-and he had their names on the list. I went ful affair, wasn’t it?

over, asked him who they were, and he

“Yes, isn’t it. Quite nice,” he said, with showed me.

something less than enthusiasm.

Miss Paula Fenisong.

“So many eminent people here,” she Mr. Albert Gross.

added.

Mr. Alec McGraff.

“Indeed?”

Mr. J. B. C. McCutcheon.

I wondered if Savage was married, had

“Fellow, aren’t you one of the waiters?”

a jealous girlfriend, or was just cautious.

The fine-looking old gentleman was scowling Probably by the time you have become as at me. He must have noticed my bowl of ice important as he seemed to be, you have cubes and tongs.

learned to be cautious. If Miss Fenisong had

“Waiter!” I sneered at the idea. “I’m the been giving me the kind of office he was get-bus.” I went back to my work.

ting, they would have had to sandbag my feet The words that came out of the little to keep me on the ground.

groups that had gathered to talk were long on They were working on him like a bas-syllables and, as far as I was concerned, ketball team in slow-motion. They were using short on meaning. They talked isotopes and signals—one eyebrow higher than the other, alpha particles; the arrangement of carbides a small smile, a head gesture—to keep in and ferrite in relation to martensite. Not all of touch with each other. They probably had it was that dry though, and a few of the good other signals I didn’t catch.

scientists were conducting mild experiments But I got it when one of the Macs came with their own bodily tolerance to alcohol.

in from the terrace and ran his hand through The doings of Miss Fenisong’s little his hair. I didn’t know which Mac was which, party were more interesting. Miss Fenisong but he was the taller one with the redder began by waving her eyelashes at Doc Sav-face. He could be McGraff or he could be age. She could have only one idea there; but McCutcheon.

the pickup didn’t work—the big one either Miss Fenisong took the signal with a wasn’t interested, or wasn’t showing it.

widening of the eyes. She said: “Mr. Savage, Albert Gross gave a little coöperation.

will you look at the moon with me?”

He moved a place-card from the dais at the Would he look at the moon with her!

head of the room, where the great ones were Would the mouse like some cheese! Only he to sit, to another position at a side table that didn’t take her up very happily.

was more secluded. It was Doc Savage’s Mostly she had to drag him toward the place-card he moved, and he put it next to terrace, and from the others present she got Miss Fenisong’s.

the kind of looks that a beautiful babe always The ice-man job afforded an opportu-gets when she drags the lion away from the nity to circulate and watch the conniving pro-party.

gress. I was nicely disguised—the manage-So they wanted him on the terrace, and ment had fitted me out with cadet-striped were going to a lot of trouble to get him there.

oversized black trousers, a brick red mess

. . . I moved that way myself.