36

DOC SAVAGE

Ham Brooks got me aside and said: self to show either respect for the departed or “Keep your smart suggestions to yourself, politeness to the living.

pumpkin-seed.”

Around eleven o’clock I accidentally

“Oh!” I said.

happened to overhear a conversation between the Macs and Miss Fenisong. This accidental bit of news was interesting, even if IF they were fixing something for the the only accident about it was that they didn’t Macs, Sherlock Holmes and his magnifying happen to hear me ease along behind a row glass couldn’t have seen what it was. Rela-of bookcases in the library until I was in ear-tions were most amiable.

shot. For once I was light-footed as a leaf.

It

was

one

of

the

Macs—

Short Mac—McGraff—was saying, “—

McCutcheon—who suggested that we all not deny for a moment your contention that stay together, which possibly saved Doc the man has personality, a presence, and Savage from making the same motion.

surroundings.” He gestured at the surround-McCutcheon used too many words to say ings, added, “This layout, as you can see, that, although he realized the facts did not cost a fortune. How does Savage explain it?

substantiate the belief fully, it was conceiv-Why, on the basis that he needs such labora-able that we might all be in danger, not so tory and research facilities for his profession, much because of what we knew, but be-which is righting wrongs and punishing evil-cause our antagonist—man, machine, or doers—to use the words I heard somebody man-from-Mars, whichever it was—might feel speak. Now I ask you—what do you think of that we knew more than we did. In view of that for a profession?”

such hypothetical danger, perhaps we should “I—well—it seems unusual,” Miss stick together for mutual protection. Savage Fenisong said.

agreed it was a sound idea, so we stuck to-They already had her doubtful.

gether.

We had breakfast—discovering that Savage had his own food privately pre-McGRAFF closed with her, selling his pared—and some of us tried to sleep. I proposition at full speed. He said: “Look, how hadn’t had a wink last night, my eyes felt like old are you, Paula? Twenty-three? Let’s say golf balls and my tongue tasted like last you’re twenty-three, that you’ve been around week’s cigar stub, but I was able to get just this world that many years. Then I want to as much sleep as everyone else—none at ask you how many knights in shining armor, all.

good fairies, or just plain Good Samaritans “Do you mind not hanging around in you’ve met in that time.”

here?” Savage asked when I tried standing “I’ve met some Samaritans,” she said, around in the laboratory.

not entirely with him yet.

The big bronze man had dropped eve-

“Well, it’s ridiculous! A grown man, rything to work on some kind of a contrap-righting wrongs for a career! Even with salt, I tion, and I was curious about what it was.

can’t take that,” McGraff said.

“Go keep Miss Fenisong company,” he Miss Fenisong frowned. “What are you added.

getting at?”

I liked the advice, but the Macs were “Something pretty serious,” he told her.

moving in on that territory. They had smooth “It’s this: Why do you suppose Albert was manners, voices as confidence-building as interested in Doc Savage—and so secretive insurance salesmen, they didn’t find their about it? Doesn’t that strike you as peculiar?”

work unpleasant, and they had an additional “It certainly did.” She was emphatic advantage in having known the deceased about that.

half-brother. They did plenty with the last, “Maybe,” said McGraff, “Albert knew building Gross up as a great guy, their pal, a what he was doing in being secretive.”

fellow who had been kind to dumb animals.

“Oh!”

It is not supposed to be cricket to “Yeah—maybe it was Savage whom speak ill of the dead, but Albert Gross was Albert was afraid of,” said McGraff grimly.

down in my book as a large stinker. Right “McCutcheon and I know Albert—and we alongside him were the Macs. I did not par-know he was as honest as a July day is long.

ticipate in the conversation, not trusting my-Albert was no crook; I don’t care what hap-NO LIGHT TO DIE BY