009 - The Czar of Fear

THE CZAR OF FEAR
A Doc Savage Adventure By Kenneth Robeson

Originally published in “Doc Savage” magazine November 1933
The Czar Of Fear

Strange, queer things happen in a thriving
community, a rich section, bringing about
poverty and desolation. A marvelous
field for Doc Savage and his com-
panions to show their mettle!
A Complete Book-length Novel
By KENNETH ROBESON
Chapter I The man on the lunch-room stool sat

GREEN BELL sidewise, so he could watch the door. His eyes
were staring; pale fright rode his face. He
THE midget radio squawked away wolfed his sandwich as if it had no taste, and
noisily beside a cardboard sign which read: gulped at his fourth mug of scalding coffee. He
“Our Special Today—Roast Beef Plate Lunch, was tall, light-haired, twentyish.
Twenty-five Cents.”
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One of the two women beside him was The young man whipped off his stool
also tall and light-haired, and in her twenties. and spun to face the radio. His face was
She was some degrees more than pretty— distorted; his eyes bulged.
hers was a striking beauty. A mudfreckled His sister also leaped erect, crying out
raincoat and a waterlogged felt hat seemed to shrilly. Her coffee cup, knocked to the concrete
enhance her charm. floor, broke with a hollow crackle.
Her eyes were dark-blue pools of fear.
The other woman was a pleasant-
faced grandmother type. Around sixty was EVEN the noise of the breaking cup
probably her age. She had a stout, efficient was not enough to drown the strange sound
look. Her cheeks were ruddy as apples, and which had come abruptly from the radio.
pleasant little wrinkles crow-tracked from her It was a tolling, like the slow note of a
eyes. big, listless bell. Mixed with the reverberations
Her jaw had a grim set, as if she was an unearthly dirge of moaning and wailing.
expected trouble, and was steeled to meet it. The din might have been the frenzied crying of
She was not eating, and she was watching the some harpy horde of the ether, shepherded by
door more intently than the man. the moribund clangor of the hideous bell.
The young man and the girl were The lunch-room proprietor got off his
obviously brother and sister. The elderly stool behind the cash register. He was startled,
woman was no relative, but they called her but more by the terrified actions of his three
Aunt Nora. customers than by the hideous uproar from the
“You had better eat, Aunt Nora,” said radio. However, the bewildered stare he
the girl. Her voice was liquid, quiet, with a faint directed at the set showed he had never heard
quaver that went with the terror in her eyes. “It this sound before.
is more than an hour’s drive to New York. And The fanfare in the radio ended as
we may be very busy for several hours, trying unexpectedly as it had arisen. The lunch-room
to find Doc Savage.” owner smiled, evidently from relief at the
“Eat!” Aunt Nora snorted. “How can I, thought that he would not have to pay a repair
Alice? The way you and Jim are acting takes a bill. The three customers stood in a sort of
body’s appetite away. Bless your Aunt Nora, white-faced, frozen immobility.
honey! You children are acting like two rabbits Rain strings washed moistly on the
about to be caught!” roof and swept the street like the semi-
The girl forced a faint smile, reached transparent straws of a great broom.
over impulsively, and gripped the older Aunt Nora was first to break the rigid
woman’s arm. silence.
“You’re a brick, Aunt Nora,” she said “Prosper City is around three hundred
gratefully. “You are just as scared as we are. miles from here,” she said hoarsely. “It’s not
But you have control enough not to show it.” likely the Green Bell was tolling for us—that
“Humph!” Sniffing, Aunt Nora grabbed time!”
her sandwich. Squaring both elbows on the “I suppose—not,” blond Alice
white counter, she began to eat. shuddered violently. “But that sound was the
Rain purred on the lunch-room roof. It Green Bell, and it always means death!”
crawled like pale jelly down the windows. It Jim made his voice harsh to hide a
fogged the street of the little New Jersey town. quaver. “Let’s get out of here!”
The gutters flowed water the color of lead. They paid a puzzled, curious
The little radio made steady noise. It proprietor for their lunch, and also for the
was picking up canned music from Prosper broken cup. He watched them leave, then
City, a manufacturing town in the Allegheny shrugged, winked at his cook, and tapped his
Mountains. Aunt Nora had tuned it to the forehead. He had decided his three late
Prosper City station when they first entered the customers had been slightly touched with
lunch room. insanity.
“Good little set,” she said, nodding at A somewhat ancient touring car stood
the instrument. “Prosper City is quite a ways at the curb, forlorn in the rain. The side
off, and the set brings in—” curtains were up, but the windows were
She stood up suddenly, splayed both cracked, some entirely gone, and the car
hands tightly to her cheeks, and screamed.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx THE CZAR OF FEAR xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 3
interior was almost as damp as the drizzling The two women huddled in the rear,
dusk. raincoats drawn tight against the spray which
“Got plenty of gas, son?” Aunt Nora sheeted through the broken side curtains.
asked with gruff kindness. “I guess—that belling—couldn’t have
Jim roved his fear-ridden eyes alertly. been meant for us,” the girl, Alice, said jerkily.
“Sure. You remember we had her filled at the “I wouldn’t be too sure of that!” Jim
last town. The gauge isn’t working, but the tank called back sharply.
should be nearly full.” Aunt Nora leaned forward, jaw out,
Starter gears gritted worn teeth. arms akimbo.
Sobbing, the motor pulled the old car away in “Jim Cash, you know something you
the streaming gloom, in the direction of New haven’t been telling us women!” she said,
York. almost screaming to get her voice above the
A few seconds after the elderly roar of car and rain. “I can see it in your
machine had gone, a blot stirred under the actions! You know more about the Green Bell
trees which lined the village street. In the than you let on—what the thing is, or
dripping murk, it seemed to possess neither something! You can’t fool me! You do know!”
substance nor form. Jim Cash replied nothing.
Down the street, a lighted window Aunt Nora snapped: “Answer me,
made pale luminance across the walk. The boy!”
moving black blotch entered this glow. It “You’re a good guesser, Aunt Nora,”
suddenly became a thing of grisly reality. Jim managed a gray smile.
There was, however, little of a human “What is it?” Aunt Nora bounced
being about its appearance. forward anxiously. “What do you know?”
It was tall, tubular, and black. It might “I’m not going to tell you.”
have been a flexible cylinder of black rubber “Why?”
standing on end, had an observer chanced to “For the good and simple reason that it
glimpse it in the fitful light. would mark you for death! Alice, too! The
On the front of the thing, standing out Green Bell would kill you so you couldn’t tell
lividly, was the likeness of a bell. The design what you know!”
was done in a vile green. “Rubbish!” Aunt Nora tried to sound as
Close against the sepia form hung a if she meant it. “They would have no way of
tin pail of ten gallons capacity. It was full to the telling—”
brim with gasoline. Gripped in the same “Yes, they would, aunty. It looks like
indistinguishable black tentacles which held they know everything.”
the pail was a long rubber siphon hose of the Aunt Nora whitened. The tendons
type used to draw fuel from automobile tanks. stood out on her plump hands.
The dusk and the rain sucked the “Listen, sonny—is the Green Bell
eerie figure into a wet black maw. aware that you know what you do?”
A moment later, a moist slosh denoted Jim Cash squirmed, almost losing
the bucket being emptied. Smell of gasoline control of the car.
seeped along the street, arising from the “I don’t know!” he cried shrilly, wildly.
gutters where the stuff was flowing away. “Maybe he does! I’m not sure! The suspense—
Silence now enwrapped the small expecting death any instant, and in the same
town, broken only by the sound of the rain and breath wondering if I’m not safe enough—has
the occasional moan of a car down the main been getting me! It’s driving me crazy!”
street, which was traversed by one of the main Aunt Nora settled back on the wet
highways leading to New York. cushions. “You’re silly not to tell us, Jimmy. But
that’s just like a man, trying to keep women out
of trouble. It don’t show good gumption, but I
THE ancient touring car was laboring respect you for it. Anyway we’ll soon be talking
along at perhaps forty miles an hour. Jim to Doc Savage and you can get it off your
drove, hunched far over the wheel, wan face chest.”
close to a small arc the swiping windshield
wiper kept clear of water.
JIM CASH muttered doubtfully: “You
seem to have a lot of faith in this Doc Savage.”
“I have!” Aunt Nora sounded the rear and thrust it into the tank. His gasp
vehement. was startled.
“But you admit you don’t even know “Empty! I don’t understand how that
him.” could happen!”
Aunt Nora snorted like a race horse. “I “Maybe that filling station was a gyp!”
don’t have to know him! I’ve heard of him! called blond pretty Alice Cash. “They might not
That’s enough.” have put in any gas.”
“I’ve heard a little talk of him, too.” Jim “I guess that was it honey,” Aunt Nora
Cash admitted. “That’s the only reason I let agreed. She opened a road map, peered at it
you and Alice talk me into going to him.” by the glare of a flashlight. “There’s a little
“A little talk!” Aunt Nora sniffed. “If you jumping-off place down the road about two
would have kept your ears open you would miles. You’d better walk to it Jim.”
have heard more than a little talk about him! Jim Cash hesitated. “I don’t like to
Doc Savage specializes in things like this. He leave you two.”
makes a life work out of going around getting Aunt Nora opened a capacious leather
other people out of trouble and punishing lads hand bag. She produced two big, businesslike
who need it.” blue revolvers. She gave one of them to Alice
Jim Cash began skeptically: “I don’t Cash, and the blond young woman handled it
think any man can—” in a way that showed she could use it.
“Doc Savage can! Take the word of an “Anybody who monkeys with us won’t
old woman who knows enough to discount half find it healthy!” Aunt Nora said dryly. “You go
of what she hears. Doc Savage is a man who on, Jim. We’ll be all right.”
was trained from the cradle for the one Relieved at sight of the weapons, Jim
purpose in life of righting wrongs. They say Cash slopped off through the rain. He walked
he’s a physical marvel, probably the strongest on the left side of the pavement, where he
man who ever lived. And moreover he’s could see the lights of oncoming cars and
studied until he knows just about everything evade them.
worth knowing from electricity and astronomy A few machines passed him, going in
to how to bake a decent batch of biscuits.” both directions. He did not attempt to flag
“Maybe you’ve been putting too much them, knowing it would be useless. Motorists
stock in wild talk Aunt Nora?” who pick up strange pedestrians late at night
“Didn’t I tell you I only believe half of are few and far between.
what I ever hear?” Aunt Nora demanded. He descended a small hill. At the
Jim Cash smiled. The elderly lady’s bottom, he crossed two bridges—one over a
optimism seemed to cheer him. stream, the other spanning the line of an
“I hope Doc Savage is up to electric railroad.
expectations,” he said grimly. “Not only for our He had barely crossed the second
sake but for those other poor devils back at bridge when several flashlights gushed brilliant
Prosper City.” white upon him. In the back glow of the
“You said a mouthful!” Aunt Nora flashes, he could discern the figures holding
agreed. “If Doc Savage isn’t able to help us them.
and Prosper City I hate to think what’ll Each was a tall cylinder of black. And
happen!” upon every figure was the green likeness of a
The touring car rooted on through the bell.
rain and gloom for nearly a mile. Then the
engine gave a few pneumatic coughs, died,
coughed a few more times and silenced THERE was something hideous in the
completely. way the raven figures stood there, saying
“You’re out of gas!” Aunt Nora nothing, not moving. The rain, streaking down
snapped. their forms, gave them a shiny look.
Jim Cash shook his head. “But I just Jim Cash stood as if blocked in ice. He
got gas. It must be water on the distributor—” had been pale before, now he became
“Out of gas!” repeated Aunt Nora positively white.
firmly. “I know how these old wrecks act!” “Green Bells!” he said thickly. “That
Easing into the drizzle Jim Cash got a radio—the tolling was meant for us as a—”
measuring stick from under the seat, walked to
His own words seemed to snap the desperate grasp and emitted a piercing bleat
chill spell which held him. He exploded in for help!
action. His right hand dived into his raincoat The Green Bells swarmed upon him,
pocket like a frightened animal. He wrenched silent, murderous. This time, they pitched him
wildly at a pistol which he carried there. at the rail feet first. One of his legs fell across
Another eerie black form glided out of the highpowered conductor.
the murk behind Cash. It whipped convulsively There was a tiny hissing play of
upon him. Taken by surprise, he was carried electric flame. Cash’s body seemed to bounce
down. up and down. It convulsed, tying itself in a tight
The flashlights now went out, as if knot around the rail of death.
directed by some occult signal. The cavernous It stayed there, rigid and still. A wispy
gloom which followed was filled with swishings plume of brownish smoke curling upward might
and slappings, as the ebony-cloaked, green- have been the spirit departing from his body.
belled figures charged. The Green Bells eased away in the
Cash’s gun was dislodged, and went rain-moist night like dread, voiceless ghouls
clank-clanking across the pavement. from another existence.
His raincoat tore. He tried to scream.
The yell was throttled, and ended in a sound
which might have been two rough rocks Chapter II
rubbing together. VISITORS
The fight noises trailed off. Several
moments of ominous quiet followed. Then the THE Triplex was New York’s newest,
entire group moved back to the bridge gaudiest, and most expensive hotel. It catered
spanning the railroad. to its guests with every comfort and
They turned off and came to a high convenience.
fence. There was another short, terrific fight Guests arriving by taxi, for instance,
while Cash was being put over the fence. Then did not find it necessary to alight at the
they descended to the railway tracks. sidewalks and enter before the stares of hoi
Once a light came on briefly. This polloi. There was an inclosed private drive for
disclosed the darksome figures in a compact the cabs.
wad, with Cash helpless among them. This drive was a semicircular tunnel
The railroad was electrified. The done in bright metals and dark stone, after the
current, instead of being carried by an modernistic fashion. In it, a taxi was disgorging
overhead line, was conducted by a third rail a passenger.
which ran close alongside the track. Use of The newcomer was a tall snake of a
such third rails was common in the vicinity of man. The serpentine aspect was lent by the
New York, where the presence of numerous fact that his body was so flexible as to seem
switches and sidings made overhead wiring boneless. His hair was carefully curled, and
too intricate. The charged rail was protected by had an enameled shine. His eyes were ratty;
a shedlike wooden shield. his mouth was a crack; his clothes were flashy
A light came on. A wad of black cloth enough to be in bad taste.
between Cash’s jaws kept him from crying out. He paid the taxi with a bill peeled from
He was thrown headlong at the a fat roll. Entering the lobby, trailed by a bell
electrified rail. With a frenzied contortion of his boy bearing two bags, he leaned elbows on
muscles, he managed to avoid landing upon it. the desk.
The somber figures pounced upon “I’m Mr. Cooley,” he said shortly. “I
him, and again hurled him at the rail. Again he wired you for a reservation from Prosper City.”
saved himself. He was fighting madly for his The man was conducted to his room.
life. The shed protector over the rail helped The bell boy was hardly out of hearing when
him. he picked up the telephone.
But one touch upon the strip of metal “Gimme Judborn Tugg’s room,” he
beneath, which bore a high voltage, would requested. Then, when he had the connection:
mean instant death. “That you, Tugg? . . . This is Slick. What room
The third time, Cash got an arm you got? . . . O. K. I’ll be right up.”
across the wooden shed and preserved his
life. He tore the gag from his jaws with a
The man rode an elevator up six “When that happens, we’ll rub him out, see!
floors, made his sinuous way down a corridor, And, presto, we’ve got the gravy.”
and knocked at a door. The panel opened, and Judborn Tugg shuddered violently.
he said familiarly: “Howzza boy, Tugg!” “Oh, goodness, Slick!” he wailed.
Judborn Tugg looked somewhat as if “Suppose the Green Bell—suppose some one
he had found a wolf in front of his door—a wolf should overhear us! Let us not talk about it!”
with which he must, of necessity, associate. “O. K.,” Slick leered. “What’re me and
“Come in,” he said haughtily. you to do now?”
Tugg was a small, prosperous-
appearing mountain. His dark pin-stripe suit, if
a bit loud, was well tailored over his ample JUDBORN TUGG put his handkerchief
middle. His chins, big mouth and pale eyes away, and fiddled with the ornaments on his
rode on a cone of fat. A gold watch chain watch chain. “Have you ever heard of a
bridged his midriff, and formed a support for gentleman by the name of Doc Savage?”
several lodge emblems. “Kinda seems like I have.” Slick
“Slick” Cooley entered, closed the smoothed his coat lapels. “New York is not my
door, and said: “We don’t have to worry any stompin’ ground, and this Savage bird hangs
more about Jim Cash.” out here. I don’t know much about him. Kind of
Judborn Tugg recoiled as if slapped. a trouble buster, ain’t he?”
His head rotated on its foundation of fat as he “Exactly! I understand he is a very
glanced about nervously. fierce and competent fighting man, who has a
Slick quickly folded his arms, both group of five aids.”
hands inside his coat, where he carried “A muscle man with a gang, eh?”
automatic pistols. “What’s the matter? “In your vernacular, I believe that is
Somebody here?” how you express it. The Green Bell had me
“Oh, my, no! It would be too bad if investigate Doc Savage. I did not learn a great
there was! You should be more careful!” Tugg deal about him, except that he is a man who
whipped out a silk handkerchief, and blotted at fights other people’s battles.”
his forehead. “It is just that I cannot get used to “Yeah? And what about this guy?”
the cold way you fellows have of handling “The Green Bell has ordered me to
things.” hire Doc Savage. I am to obtain the services of
“What you mean is the Green Bell’s the man and his five aids for our organization.”
way of handling things.” Slick leered. Slick swore wildly. He stamped around
“Yes, yes; of course.” Judborn Tugg the room, fists hard, mean face twisted with
ground his handkerchief in uneasy hands. “The rage.
Green Bell will be glad to know young Cash is “I won’t stand for it!” he gritted. “I was
satisfactorily disposed of.” to have charge of the rough stuff in this
Slick took his hands away from his business! I was to be third in command—takin’
armpits, and straightened his coat. “I didn’t get orders only from the Green Bell and you! Now
any time alone with Cash, so I couldn’t the Green Bell is fixin’ to ring this Doc Savage
question him before he was tossed on that in!”
third rail.” Judborn Tugg patted the air with both
“Your orders were not to question hands.
him,” Judborn Tugg said smugly. “My dear Slick, you misunderstand,”
Slick sneered slightly. “You don’t need he soothed. “You are to retain your position.
to pretend to be so damned holy with me, Doc Savage is to work under you! The Green
Tugg. We understand each other. We’d both Bell made that very clear.”
like to know who the Green Bell is. Jim Cash “He did, eh?” Slick scowled, but
knew. By questioning him, I might have gotten seemed mollified. “Well, that’s different. But
the low-down. But I didn’t dare. There was too that Doc Savage has gotta savvy that his
many guys around.” orders come from me!”
“Ahem!” Judborn Tugg cleared his “Of course. That will be made clear.”
throat and glanced about nervously. Slick lighted an expensive cigarette.
“One of these days, we’re gonna find “Supposin’ Doc Savage considers himself a
out who the Green Bell is!” Slick said grimly. big shot, and don’t want to take my I orders.”
“Any man will take commands, if the Sighting a mirror, Tugg halted and
pay is sufficient,” Judborn Tugg said, with the carefully surveyed his appearance. He wanted
certainty of a man who has money and knows to overawe this Doc Savage. That was the way
its power. to handle these common thugs who hired
But Slick was still uncertain. “What if themselves out for money.
Doc Savage ain’t the kind of a guy who hires Tugg lighted a dollar cigar. He had
out for our kind of work?” another just like it which he intended to offer
“There, again, my statement about Savage. The fine weeds would be the final
payment applies. Every man has his price. The touch. Doc Savage would be bowled over by
Green Bell needs more men, needs them the grandeur of Judborn Tugg.
badly. He does not want ordinary gunmen. Tugg did not know it, but he was
Therefore, I am to approach Doc Savage.” headed for one of the big shocks of his career.
“O. K. Where’ll we find ‘im?” He knocked on a door, puffed out his
Judborn Tugg shrugged. “I do not chest, and cocked his cigar in the air. The door
know. We shall see if the telephone opened.
information girl can tell us.” Judborn Tugg’s chest collapsed, his
He put in a call. The swiftness with cigar fell to the floor, and his eyes bulged out.
which he was given Doc Savage’s address A mighty giant of bronze stood in the
seemed to daze him. He blinked his pale eyes door. The effect of this metallic figure was
and hung up. amazing. Marvelously symmetrical proportions
“Doc Savage must be rather well absorbed the true size of the man. Viewed
known!” he muttered. “The phone operator had from a distance, and away from anything to
his whereabouts on the tip of her tongue. which his stature might have been compared,
Come, Slick. We shall go see this man.” he would not have seemed as big.
The two quitted the hotel room. The remarkably high forehead, the
muscular and strong mouth, the lean and
corded cheeks, denoted a rare power of
THE skyscraper before which Slick character. His bronze hair was a shade darker
Cooley and Judborn Tugg eventually alighted than his bronze skin, and it lay straight and
was one of the most resplendent in the city. It smooth as a skullcap of metal.
towered nearly a hundred stories. The thing which really took the wind
“What a joint!” Slick muttered in awe. out of Judborn Tugg, though, was the bronze
Doc Savage ain’t no cheap skate if he hangs man’s eyes. They were like pools of fine flake
out here!” gold, alive with tiny glistenings. They
“These surroundings show Savage is possessed a strange, hypnotic quality. They
good at his business,” Judborn Tugg replied made Judborn Tugg want to pull his coat over
stiffly. “That is the kind of a man we want. You, his head, so that the innermost secrets of his
Slick, will wait in the lobby.” brain would not be searched out.
“Why?” Slick demanded suspiciously. “Are—are—you Doc Savage?”
“How do I know but that you’ll pay this Savage stuttered Judborn Tugg.
more money than I’m gettin’?” The bronze giant nodded. The simple
“Nothing of the sort, Slick. You will gesture caused great cables of muscle to
stay here in case Alice Cash and Aunt Nora writhe about his neck.
should put in an appearance. They were Tugg felt an impulse to shiver at the
coming here to hire this Savage to do their sight. This bronze man must possess
fighting. They cannot pay Savage as much as incredible strength.
we can, but it would be better if they did not In a quiet, powerful voice, Doc Savage
see him.” invited Tugg inside. Then he gave him a cigar,
“Yeah,” Slick agreed with bad grace. explaining quietly: “I hope you’ll excuse me,
“I’ll stick below, then.” since I never smoke.”
An express elevator which ran That cigar was the final shock to
noiselessly and with great speed, lifted Judborn Tugg. It was a long, fine custom weed
Judborn Tugg to the eighty-sixth floor. He in an individual vacuum container. Tugg
strutted pompously down a richly decorated happened to know that cigars such as this
corridor. could not be obtained for less than ten dollars
each.
Judborn Tugg was a pricked balloon. Doc Savage asked gently: “Did the
Instead of overawing Doc Savage, he was other concerns cut wages before or after you
himself practically stunned. did?”
Judborn Tugg swallowed a few times.
He was startled. With that one question, Doc
SEVERAL moments were required Savage had grabbed the kernel of the whole
before Judborn Tugg recovered sufficient situation in Prosper City.
aplomb to get down to business. The truth was that Tugg & Co. had cut
“I have heard you are an—er—a wages first, and the other concerns had been
trouble buster,” he said, in a small voice, very forced to do the same in order to meet the low
unlike his usual overbearing tone. prices at which their competitor was offering
“You might call it that,” Doc Savage goods for sale. Tugg & Co. had turned itself
agreed politely. “More properly, my five into a sweatshop, paying their employees
companions and myself have a purpose in life. starvation wages.
That purpose is to go here and there, from one When this had happened, there had
end of the world to the other, looking for been no necessity for it. Business had indeed
excitement and adventure, striving to help been picking up. The whole thing was part of a
those in need of help, and punishing those plot conceived by that mysterious, unknown
who deserve it.” being, the Green Bell.
Judborn Tugg did not know that it was Other concerns in Prosper City had
a very rare occasion when Doc Savage gave been forced to cut wages, although not as
out even this much information about himself. much as Tugg & Co. But the cuts had been
Tugg did not like the speech at all. He enough to give agitators hired by Tugg & Co.
mulled it over, and reached a conclusion—the an argument with which to cause numerous
wrong one. He decided this was Doc Savage’s strikes. The hired agitators had even been
way of hinting that he and his men hired out directed to urge the strike at Tugg & Co., who
their services. The man, of course, could not paid them.
come right out and say he was a professional For months now, the agitators, under
thug. the direction of Slick Cooley, had kept all
“My case is right in your line,” Tugg business at a standstill. Any factory which tried
said, managing a faint smirk. “There are to open up was bombed, burned, or its
people who need help, and some others who machinery ruined. Every workman who sought
need punishing.” to take a job was threatened or beaten, or if
Doc Savage nodded politely. that failed, the Green Bell had a final and most
“Suppose you tell me the situation.” horrible form of death, which was in itself an
“It’s this way,” said Tugg, lighting the object lesson to other stubborn ones.
costly cigar. “I am one of the leading business The whole thing was part of the
men in Prosper City. I own Tugg & Co., the scheme of the unknown master mind, the
largest cotton-milling concern in the town.” Green Bell. No one knew what was behind it.
Tugg folded his hands and looked Judborn Tugg, if he knew, was not telling
pious. “Some months ago, because of terrible anybody.
business conditions, we were forced to cut the Tugg carefully avoided Doc Savage’s
wages of our employees. Much against our weird eyes, and decided to handle the bronze
wishes, of course.” man warily.
“I thought business was picking up,” “We were all forced to cut wages
Doc remarked. about the same time,” he lied uneasily. “But
Tugg acquired the expression of a the salary whacks were not at the bottom of
man who had been served a bad egg the trouble. It is all the fault of the agitators.”
unexpectedly.
“Business is terrible!” he said
emphatically. “It’s worse now, too, because all WHEN Tugg paused, Doc Savage
of my employees went out on a strike! And the said nothing. He had settled in a comfortable
workmen in the other factories and mines went chair. Several of these were in the outer office.
on strikes. It’s awful! Conditions are frightful!” There was also an expensive inlaid table and a
massive safe. A costly rug was underfoot.
Adjoining, was a library containing one he was not a hired thug. Tugg thought he saw
of the most complete collections of scientific the light. This Doc Savage could be hired, all
tomes in existence, and another room which right!
held an experimental laboratory so advanced “Just how big a gift would you want?”
in its equipment that scientists had come from he asked cannily.
foreign countries, just to examine it. The “In your case, and provided conditions
presence of these rooms was masked by a are just as you have outlined,” Doc replied
closed door, however. promptly, “the gift would be a million dollars.”
“Conditions in Prosper City are pitiful,” Judborn Tugg narrowly escaped heart
continued Judborn Tugg, secretly wondering if failure.
he might not be entirely mistaken about this
bronze man. “People are starving. There have
been bombings, beatings, killings. It is all the DOWN in the skyscraper lobby, Slick
fault of these agitators.” Cooley was also experiencing a shock; but
Doc Savage maintained a disquieting from a different cause.
silence. Slick had caught sight of Alice Cash
“Aunt Nora Boston is the leader of the and Aunt Nora Boston.
agitators,” Tugg said, telling an enormous lie The two women were mud-spattered,
without blinking. bedraggled, and sodden from the rain. They
Doc might have been a figure done in left wet tracks across the polished lobby tiling.
the bronze which he resembled, for all the Their faces were pale, frightened, and they
signs of interest he showed. But that did not seemed overawed by the magnificence of the
mean he was missing anything. Doc rarely giant building.
showed emotion. They trudged for the elevators, Aunt
Tugg sucked in a full breath and went Nora in the lead, strong jaw thrust out.
on: “Aunt Nora Boston is aided by Jim Cash, Slick gave his brain a mental whipping.
his sister Alice, and a young man named Ole He had best do something! Should the two
Slater, who is hanging around Prosper City, women get upstairs, they might complicate
pretending to be a play writer gathering local things. Aunt Nora would do that, at least. She
color for a manufacturing-town drama. Those was an old war horse when she got mad.
four are the ring leaders. They’re the head of a A brilliant idea hit Slick. He dashed
gang they call the Prosper City Benevolent forward. Before the two women saw him, he
Society. That organization is back of all the grabbed them savagely and jerked.
trouble. They’re just low-down trouble-makers. Aunt Nora’s big purse sailed to the
I’ll bet they’re paid by some foreign country.” floor.
This was so much more falsehood. Slick pounced upon the bag. He had
Judborn Tugg had not intended for his his roll of bills concealed in one hand.
talk to follow these lines. But he was afraid to Furtively, he got the purse open. He slipped
broach the truth. It was those eyes of the the money inside. In doing this, he saw the two
bronze man’s. Tugg would have been glad to revolvers.
get up and walk out, but he feared the wrath of He now seized the women. A violent
the Green Bell. tussle ensued.
“I want to hire you to—er—punish Aunt “Robbers!” Slick bellowed. “These two
Nora Boston and her gang,” he said bluntly. “I’ll dames held me up!”
pay you plenty!” Aunt Nora gave him a poke in the eye
“My services are not for sale,” Doc which made him bawl in real agony. Pretty
Savage said quietly. “They never are.” Alice Cash administered a few blows of her
Judborn Tugg’s head seemed to sink own.
in his fat cone of a neck. What manner of man A policeman dived in from the street.
was this? In a moment, he had stopped the fight.
Doc went on: “Usually, individuals who Slick jabbed a hand at the two women.
are assisted by my five men and myself are “These women held me up tonight! I recognize
generous enough to contribute a gift to worthy ‘em! Search ‘em officer! I’ll bet they’ve got the
causes which I name.” rods they used, and my coin!”
Tugg stifled a smile. So this was the
dodge the bronze man used to make it seem
The officer opened Aunt Nora’s bag, nose had been spread over most of his weasel
found the guns and the money. He counted the face.
latter. Aunt Nora began to bounce up and
“How much did you lose?” he asked. down in ribald delight, and to shout: “Glory be!
Slick gave him the exact amount of the Just what I wanted to hand him!”
roll. Entrancing Alice Cash bestowed a
“This is it!” the patrolman said grimly. grateful smile on the fellow who looked like a
He collared the two women. furry gorilla.
Alice Cash shrieked angrily: “We did The cop shouted: “You say this squirt
not rob him!” planted that roll of bills?”
“Evidence says you did!” rumbled the “He sure did,” said the hairy man.
officer. “Even if you didn’t, you’re carryin’ guns, Growling, the officer rushed for Slick.
and that’s against the law in New York.” Slick shoved up dizzily from the floor.
“You scut!” Aunt Nora flared at the He sprinted for the door. Glancing around, he
smirking Slick. “You framed us! You low-lifed, saw the policeman was sure to overhaul him.
slippery-haired sneak! I’ll wring your snaky He spaded his hands inside his coat, and
neck!” brought out two revolvers. Each was fitted with
She jumped for Slick, who back- a compact silencer.
pedaled hastily. The guns began to chung out deadly
“None of that!” shouted the officer. “It’s reports. The bullets missed the fast-traveling
into the jug for you!” patrolman. But he veered for shelter, tugging
He propelled his prisoners for the at his own weapon.
door. Slick hurtled through the door. A taxi
chanced to be cruising past. With a wild spring,
the fleeing gunman got into it. He jammed the
Chapter III hot silencer of a revolver against the shivering
THE COMEBACK driver’s neck.
The cab jumped down the street as if
AS the women were leaving, the dynamite had exploded behind it.
gorilla ambled upon the scene. The officer raced out, but did not shoot
This personage had, to give him his because of the traffic. He sped back into the
due, some manlike qualities. His finger nails skyscraper and put in a call to headquarters,
were manicured, even if the job had been done advising them to spread a radio alarm for the
with a pocketknife. His little eyes glistened with taxi.
keen intelligence in their pits of gristle. His face “The guy as good as got away!” he
attained that rare quality of being so homely advised the huge, furry man and the two
that it was pleasant to look upon. women, when he rejoined them. “Now—you
His clothing was expensive, although it two ladies! We’ve still got to settle about them
did look like it had been slept in. He would guns you were carryin’!”
weigh every ounce of two hundred and sixty “The ladies tell me they were on their
pounds, and his hairy arms were some inches way to see Doc Savage,” the hairy fellow
longer than his bandy legs. advised in his babylike voice.
He ambled up and stopped in front of The cop blinked. Then he grinned from
Slick. ear to ear.
“I saw you slip the money in that “That makes it different,” he chuckled.
purse,” he said in a voice so mild that it might Then he walked away, acting as if he had
have been a child’s. never seen the two women.
Then he hit Slick. Hit him on the nose! Alice Cash looked prettily incredulous
Slick’s curly hair was varnished at the magic which mention of Doc Savage’s
straight back on his head. The blow was so name had accomplished.
hard that it made the hair stand out suddenly in Aunt Nora gulped several times, then
front, as if blown by a wind from behind. smiled. “Bless you, you homely monkey!
Describing a parabola, Slick lit on his How’d you get us out of that? I know they’re
shoulders and skidded a score of feet. His very strict about people packin’ guns here in
New York.”
The human gorilla laughed. “The fact his movements, a natural lightness which
that you were goin’ to Doc Savage made it all indicated enormously developed leg muscles.
right.” Fat Judborn Tugg, instead of
“Doc Savage must have a big suspecting anything, was rather glad to have
reputation in this town,” Aunt Nora said Doc step outside for a moment. Tugg had not
wonderingly. “You ain’t him, are you?” yet recovered from the shock of having Doc
“Who, me? Hell—I mean, oh, my—no! suggest that his services would call for a
I’m just one of Doc Savage’s five helpers.” million-dollar donation. He welcomed the
“What’s your name?” chance to regain his balance.
“Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Blodgett Doc closed the corridor door. Shortly
Mayfair.” later, he was in the presence of the two
Aunt Nora snorted. “I’ll bet you’re not women.
called that much!” Aunt Nora let her mouth hang open in
“Not enough for me to know who’s unashamed astonishment at sight of the giant
bein’ wanted when I hear it!” the hairy fellow bronze man. Then she cocked her arms
grinned. “Call me Monk.” akimbo and smiled, wrinkles corrugating every
“Monk” might have added that he was inch of her motherly face.
a chemist whose name was mentioned with “Glory be!” she chuckled. “You’re the
reverence in scientific circles of both America answer to this old girl’s prayers!”
and Europe. But he was not addicted to Alice Cash did not exactly let her jaw
blowing his own horn. drop, but her lips parted slightly, and her blue
eyes became round with amazement. Her next
act was to glance down disgustedly at her
THE speedy elevator lifted them to the muddy, disheveled raiment.
eighty-sixth floor. When they were near the Doc Savage usually affected pretty
door of Doc Savage’s office, the murmur of a young women like that—set them wondering
voice within was distinguishable. about their appearance. Feminine eyes were
Aunt Nora gave a start of angry inclined to be quick to note that Doc was
surprise. “I’d know that voice anywhere!” she unusually handsome, a fact which escaped
gasped. “It’s Judborn Tugg!” men after they saw his amazing muscular
Monk’s little eyes showed interest. development.
“Who’s he?” Monk performed the introductions.
“A fat, conceited jaybird! He’s no friend “What has Judborn Tugg been tellin’
of ours! Slick Cooley—the fellow you pasted you?” Aunt Nora questioned anxiously.
downstairs—follows Judborn Tugg around like “A great deal,” Doc replied quietly. “He
a Man Friday. They’re tarred with the same is one of the most profuse liars I have ever
brush—both crooked!” encountered.”
Monk considered this, then waved the This would have pained Judborn Tugg
women back. He opened the office door, and exceedingly, had he overheard it. It was his
stood in the aperture. His big, hirsute hands belief that he could tell a falsehood as
moved nervously, as if he were embarrassed. smoothly as the truth. He would have been
“Oh, excuse me! I didn’t know you had shocked to know that Doc Savage, by close
company.” He started to back out. attention to his voice tones, had spotted almost
No one, other than Doc, had noticed every lie.
that the apparently aimless movements of Aunt Nora clenched her work-
Monk’s hands had spelled out a message in toughened hands, and gave Doc a look of
the deaf-and-dumb sign language. genuine appeal.
“Come out here without alarming your “I need your help!” she said earnestly.
visitor,” Monk had signaled. “But I haven’t got a cent with which to pay
Doc arose, saying to Judborn Tugg: “If you!”
you will excuse me—I wish to speak with this
man!” He strode rapidly to the door.
For all of his great weight and DOC’S strange golden eyes studied
swiftness of stride, he made no appreciable Aunt Nora and attractive Alice Cash. His
sound. There was an uncanny silence about bronze features remained as expressionless
as metal.
Without speaking, he turned. He downstairs. He sealed the money in the

entered his office. envelope, applied stamps, then put it in a mail
“I do not think I am interested in your box. The envelope was so bulky that he had to
proposition,” he told Judborn Tugg. insert it in the lid marked for packages.
Tugg picked the costly cigar from his Whistling cheerfully, Monk tramped for
pursy mouth, as if it had suddenly turned bitter. Doc’s office.
“I can pay you plenty,” he pointed out.
“I might even pay you that million, provided
you can do the work that I want done.” WHEN Judborn Tugg reached the
“No!” Hotel Triplex, he found his bags waiting for him
Judborn Tugg purpled. To him, it was on the sidewalk. The night manager in person
inconceivable that any man would dismiss a was watching over the valises.
million so abruptly. He would probably have “I am sorry,” the manager said coldly.
keeled over had he known that Doc intended “We do not want you here.”
to help Aunt Nora Boston, who had admitted Judborn Tugg, after nearly choking,
she could not pay him a copper cent. yelled and cursed and waved his arms. He
“If you change your mind, you’ll find threatened to sue the Triplex for a million
me at the Hotel Triplex!” Tugg said in a loud, dollars.
angry tone. “Get away from here, or I’ll have you
“There will be no change of mind,” Doc arrested for disturbing the peace!” snapped the
said, reaching out and grasping Tugg by the manager. Then he walked inside.
coat collar. A moment later, a dark limousine
Before Tugg knew what had rolled up to the curb. The rear was heavily
happened, he was hoisted off the floor. His curtained.
coat tore in two or three places, but held. The driver leaned from behind the
Helpless as a worm on a stick, Tugg wheel and advised: “Get in!”
was carried into the corridor and deposited It was Slick Cooley, partially disguised
urgently in an elevator. by a raincoat and a low-pulled hat.
“If you want to retain your health, you Judborn Tugg placed his bags in the
had better not let me see you again!” Doc front, then got in the back. At this point, his hair
advised him in the tone of a physician almost stood on end.
prescribing for a patient with dangerous The rear seat held a figure incased
symptoms. from head to foot in a black sack of a garment.
The elevator carried Tugg from view. On the front of the raven gown was painted a
Monk, an innocent expression on his big green bell.
homely face, ambled up and asked: “Didn’t I The unholy apparition in black held
hear that bird say he was staying at the Hotel two silenced revolvers in dark-gloved hands.
Triplex?” “Do not mind the guns,” said a hollow,
Doc nodded; then invited Aunt Nora inhuman voice from the murksome form. “I am
and Alice Cash into his office. the Green Bell, and the weapons are merely to
Grinning, Monk ambled to a public remind you not to snatch at my hood in an
telephone in the corridor. He got the number of effort to learn my identity.”
the Hotel Triplex from the phone book, then The limousine now rolled out into
called the hostelry. He asked the hotel traffic.
operator for the night manager. “I was walkin’ down the street when he
“You have a guest named Judborn called to me from the back of this car,” Slick
Tugg,” Monk informed the hotel man. “Doc advised. “There wasn’t any driver—”
Savage just threw this fellow out of his office.” “I simply parked the car ahead of you,
“In that case, we’ll throw him out of the before donning my hood,” interposed the
Hotel Triplex, too,” Monk was advised. sepulchral tones of the Green Bell.
Hanging up, Monk fished an envelope “Incidentally, this machine is stolen. But I do
out of his pocket and addressed it to the not think the owner will miss it for some hours.
Unemployment Relief Fund. Tugg—what happened to you?”
From another pocket, he produced Judborn Tugg started. He had been
Slick Cooley’s fat roll of bills. Monk had cudgeling his brain in an effort to identify the
managed to harvest this in the excitement
Green Bell’s voice. But there was nothing the Walking away from the car, they could
least familiar about the disguised tones. see in the distance what appeared to be a
Rapidly, Judborn Tugg explained the tower of gray freckles in the wet gloom. This
unhappy outcome of his visit to Doc Savage. was the skyscraper which housed Doc
“You have served me very Savage’s aërie.
inefficiently!” Anger had come into the booming
voice of the Green Bell. “This Doc Savage is
not at all the type of man you thought him to Chapter IV
be!” THE MURDER WITNESSES
Tugg, still smarting from his reception
at the hotel, said angrily: “This is my first IN his eighty-sixth-floor headquarters,
mistake!” Doc was listening to Aunt Nora Boston and
The Green Bell gazed levelly at him. Alice Cash tell their story. The homely Monk
The eye holes in the jet hood were backed by lingered in the background, furtively admiring
goggles which had deep-green lenses. The Alice Cash’s loveliness.
effect was that of a big, green-orbed cat. “My brother!” Alice said, whitefaced.
“I do not care for your angry tone!” “He has vanished! We ran out of gas in New
said the dark being. “You are fully aware, Jersey, and Jim walked ahead to find a filling
Tugg, that I can get along without those who station. That was the last we saw of him!”
do not coöperate fully with me. You are no “We thought we heard Jim scream,”
exception! You are of service to me only as an Aunt Nora amended grimly. “But we couldn’t
agent, a figurehead through which I can work. find him.”
You pretend to be Prosper City’s leading Alice put her fingers over her pale lips
citizen, and I choose to let you. Your milling and said between them: “And just before that,
concern, Tugg & Co., was ready to fail when I we heard the Green Bell from the radio!”
came upon the scene, thanks to your bad Aunt Nora grimaced. “The sound of
management. You have retained control of the the Green Bell over the radio nearly always
company only because I have furnished you means some innocent person is to die!”
money with which to pay the interest on your Alice shuddered, wailed: “Poor Jimmy!
loans. You are but a cog in my great plan.” I have a feeling something terrible happened to
Judborn Tugg collapsed like an him!”
automobile tire which had picked up a nail. Doc Savage could do remarkable
“I did not mean to offend you,” he things with his powerful voice. He now made it
mumbled. “I was excited because of the calm and soothing, a tone calculated to quiet
treatment Doc Savage gave me.” the excited women.
“I am going to take care of Doc “Your story is a bit disconnected,” he
Savage!” the Green Bell said ominously. told them. “Suppose you start at the first.”
Tugg shivered. “The man is Aunt Nora clenched her hand and
dangerous—especially if he has the brains to stared steadily at them as she talked.
match his unbelievable physical strength!” “The trouble in Prosper City started
“We do not want Savage against us,” many months ago, when Tugg & Co. cut
replied the Green Bell. “I have already put a wages. That caused the first of a series of
plan in operation which will keep Savage so strikes—”
busy that he will have no time to stick a finger “Judborn Tugg told me about that,”
in our pie.” Doc interposed. “All business in Prosper City is
“I’d like to see him dead!” said Judborn at a standstill. A gang of men, pretending to be
Tugg savagely. agitators, bomb or burn every factory and mine
“You may get your wish!” tolled the which attempts to start operations, and
Green Bell. “My little scheme will undoubtedly terrorize all men who want to go back to work.
result in Doc Savage dying in the electric Tugg said you were the chief of the agitators.”
chair!” “The liar!” Aunt Nora flared, “All I have
Ordering Slick down a dark street, the done is organize my Benevolent Society to
Green Bell eased out of the car, and was help some of the poor souls who are out of
swallowed by the drizzling darkness. A bit work.”
farther on, Judborn Tugg and Slick Cooley
abandoned the stolen limousine.
“Aunt Nora has kept lots of people plenty of others believe it. I’ve thought several
from starving!” Alice Cash put in. “She has times they were going to throw me in jail!”
spent all of her money, and all she can borrow, “They haven’t quite dared do that!”
in feeding those unfortunates.” Alice Cash explained. “The poor people Aunt
“You shut up!” Aunt Nora directed Nora has been helping would tear down the jail
gruffly. if she was in it. I don’t think they’ve dared harm
“I will not!” Alice snapped, “I think Mr. Aunt Nora for the same reason.”
Savage should know the truth! You’re an Aunt Nora laughed grimly. “I’ve told
angel!” everybody that if anything happens to me, it’ll
Aunt Nora blushed and stared at her be Judborn Tugg’s doing! If the Green Bells
big, muddy shoes. “I ain’t no angel—not with should murder me, or drive me insane, my
them feet.” friends would lynch Tugg. That’s why I haven’t
“What about these agitators back of been harmed.”
the trouble?” Doc asked. “What’s this about insanity?” Doc
“They’re hired thugs, of course!” Aunt interrupted.
Nora declared. “But just who they are, nobody Alice Cash shivered. “It’s something
knows. When they appear they’re always in that happens to workmen who are persistent
robes that look like black sacks, with green about going back to their jobs. No one knows
bells painted on the front.” how it is done. The men simply—go crazy. It’s
“Their leader is not known?” happened to more than a dozen of them.”
“No!” Aunt Nora made a fierce mouth. For a few moments Doc and Monk
“Alice and her brother and Ole Slater have mulled over what they had been hearing. It
been helping me try to find out who the Green was an amazing story, the more so because
Bell is.” the motive behind the affair was unclear.
“Who is Ole Slater?” Doc Savage “Why hasn’t martial law been
wanted to know. declared?” Monk demanded.
“A nice young lad who thinks he can “Chief Clements claims he has the
write plays. He’s stricken with the charms of situation in hand!” Alice Cash replied. “The
Alice, here. He’s gathering material for a play, distressing situation in Prosper City has come
and he stays at my rooming house. I forgot to about gradually. To an outsider, it merely looks
tell you that I run a boarding house.” like strike trouble.”
Doc asked: “And you think Judborn Aunt Nora had maintained a short,
Tugg and Slick Cooley are in the Green Bell’s tense silence. Now she exploded.
gang?” “Jim Cash as much as admitted he
“I ain’t got no proof!” asserted Aunt had found out who the Green Bell is!” she
Nora. “But they could be! One of them might announced. “And that very thing makes me
be the Green Bell, himself.” think he has been killed!”
Alice Cash gave a soft, grief-stricken
moan, and buried her face in her hands.
MONK entered the conference, asking Monk got up as if to comfort her.
gently: “Hasn’t the police chief of Prosper City There was a loud interruption from the
done anything about all this?” corridor outside. Blows chugged. Men grunted
“That old numbskull!” Aunt Nora and gasped.
sniffed. “His name is Clem Clements, and he Doc gilded over and whipped the door
thinks Judborn Tugg is the greatest man alive open.
and the soul of honor. I don’t think Chief Two men stood in the hall, hands
Clements is crooked. He’s just plain downright lifted, facing a third man who held a flat
dumb!” automatic.
“How come Tugg exerts such a The hands which one of the men held
sway?” Monk wanted to know. up were so huge it seemed a wonder they did
“Judborn Tugg tries to make himself not overbalance him. Each was composed of
out as the leading business man of Prosper considerably more than a quart of bone and
City!” snorted Aunt Nora. “He’s fooled a lot of gristle. He had a somber, puritanical face.
nitwits, including Chief Clements. Tugg has This man of enormous fists was
been spreading the story that I am behind the Colonel John Renwick, known more often as
Green Bell. He has made Chief Clements and “Renny.” Among other things, he was a world-
renowned engineer, a millionaire, and loved to excruciating pressure on his arm muscles
knock panels out of doors with his big fists. caused his fingers to distend like talons.
The other fellow with upraised arms He tried to kick backward. But pain
was slender, with a somewhat unhealthy had rendered him as limp as a big rag. His
complexion. He had pale hair and eyes. head drooped; his eyes glazed. He was on the
Alongside his big-fisted, rusty-skinned verge of fainting from the torture.
companion, he seemed a weakling. Doc tucked the slack figure under an
He was “Long Tom.” The electrical arm, entered the speed elevator, and rode
profession knew him as Major Thomas J. back to the eighty-sixth floor.
Roberts, a wizard with the juice. Aunt Nora, Alice Cash, and the others
Renny and Long Tom were two more were waiting in the corridor.
of Doc Savage’s five aids. Doc’s prisoner was hardly able to
The man with the gun was a chap Doc stand. His knees buckled. Doc grasped him by
had never seen before. He was tall, athletic, an arm, not too tightly, and held him erect.
and not unhandsome. Aunt Nora stared at the captive,
The fellow backed to an elevator, popeyed.
sprang inside, and the cage sank. Amazement also engulfed Alice
Cash’s attractive features as she gazed at the
young man.
RENNY and Long Tom looked “Know him?” Doc asked quietly.
sheepishly at Doc. “He is Ole Slater!” Alice exclaimed.
“We came upon that bird listenin’ “My—er—the boy who likes me!”
outside the door!” Renny said, in a roaring
voice, suggestive of an angry lion in a cave.
“We tried to grab him, but he flashed his HALF carried into the office, and
hardware on us!” deposited in a deep chair, Ole Slater found his
Doc was gliding down the corridor as tongue.
these words came. He reached the endmost “I got worried and followed you to New
elevator. His sinew-wrapped hand tapped a York,” he told Alice and Aunt Nora.
secret button. Sliding doors whistled back. “You should not have been sneaking
This lift was a private one, which Doc around that door,” Aunt Nora informed him
maintained for his own use. It was fitted with severely.
special machinery, which operated at terrific “Don’t I know it!” Ole Slater touched
speed. The ordinary express elevators were his arms gingerly, then eyed Doc Savage’s
fast, but compared to this one, they were slow. metallic hands as if wondering how they could
The floor dropped some inches below have inflicted such torment. “I stopped outside
Doc’s feet, so swiftly did the descent start. For the door a minute to listen. I was just being
fully sixty stories, he hardly touched the floor. cautious. Then these men jumped me. I guess
Then came the slow, tremendous shock of the I lost my head—I thought they were Green
stop. Doc’s five aids, all strong men, were Bells!”
usually forced to their knees when this Aunt Nora smiled at Doc. “This young
happened. man is our friend. I’m sure he didn’t mean any
So powerful were the bronze man’s harm.”
thews that he withstood the shock without “Of course he didn’t!” Alice Cash
apparent effort. added her defense.
He flashed out into the lobby of the “I’m terribly sorry about this,” Ole
towering building. The cage bearing the young Slater said meekly. “I was, well—worried about
man with the gun had not yet arrived. Aunt Nora and Jim and Alice.”
But it came within a few moments. The Grief returned to Alice Cash’s refined
young man got out, backing so as to menace features. “Jim has vanished, Ole.”
the elevator operator with his weapon. Ole Slater now received the story of
Doc grasped the fellow’s arms. Bronze what had happened on the New Jersey road,
fingers all but sank from view as they beginning with the awesome belling sound
tightened. which had come unexpectedly from the radio.
An agonized wail was forced through Aunt Nora Boston added a few more
the man’s teeth. He dropped his gun. The details about conditions in Prosper City.
Although Doc questioned her closely, he adventure. They found that aplenty with Doc
learned little that had not been brought out Savage. The strange bronze man seemed to
already. walk always on paths of peril.
Alice Cash, it developed, was private Undoubtedly the most amazing fact
secretary to Collison McAlter, a man who about this remarkable company of trouble
owned the Little Grand Cotton Mills. The Little busters was the ability of Doc, himself, to excel
Grand was the main competitor of Tugg & Co., any one of his helpers at his own profession.
in Prosper City, but was now closed down, like Doc’s fund of knowledge about electricity was
all the rest of the industries. greater than that of Long Tom, the wizard of
The master mind, the Green Bell, for the juice; the same supremacy applied to the
some reason as yet unclear, was keeping all others in their fields of chemistry, geology, law,
Prosper City business at a standstill by use of and engineering.
a reign of terror. That was what it amounted to. “What’s this about me being a
They had been talking the situation murderer?” Doc asked sharply.
over for about half an hour when two men “The New Jersey police have a
dashed excitedly into the office. warrant for you!” declared Ham, still flourishing
One gesticulated with a slender black his sword cane. “They have four witnesses
cane, and barked: “Doc! You’re in a frightful who say they saw you throw a man against the
jam!” third rail of an interurban line and electrocute
him!”
“And they’re bringing the witnesses
THE cane which the man waved over here to identify you!” Johnny added.
looked innocent, but it was in reality a sword Excitedly, he jerked off his spectacles which
cane with a blade of fine Damascus steel. The had the magnifier on the left side. “They’ll be
gentleman who carried it was slender, with here any time, now!”
sharp features and a high forehead. His Ham nodded vehemently. “They will! A
clothing was of the latest style and finest cloth. police officer in New Jersey, knowing I usually
He was Brigadier General Theodore take care of the law angles in our troubles,
Marley Brooks—”Ham” to Doc’s group, of called me and tipped me off about the thing.”
which he was a member. He was by way of “Who am I supposed to have
being the most astute lawyer Harvard ever murdered?” Doc queried dryly.
turned out. He was also such a snappy dresser Ham tapped his sword cane
that tailors sometimes followed him down the thoughtfully. “A fellow I never heard of. His
street, just to observe clothes being worn as name was Jim Cash!”
they should be worn. Alice Cash sank soundlessly into a
“You’ve been accused of a murder, chair and buried her face in her arms. Her
Doc!” exclaimed the second of the newcomers. shoulders began to convulse.
This man was tall, and so thin he Monk, who had prowled over to the
seemed nothing more than a structure of skin- window, and stood looking down, called
coated bones. He wore glasses, the left lens of abruptly: “Look at this!”
which was much thicker than the right. The left Doc flashed to his side.
lens was a powerful magnifying glass. The Far below, a car was sweeping in to
bony man had lost the use of his left eye in the the curb. Men got out. In the darkness and
War, and since he needed a magnifier in his rain, it was impossible to identify them. They
profession of archaeology and geology, he numbered nine.
carried it in the left side of his spectacles, for Faint light spilled from the front of the
convenience. skyscraper, revealing, painted on top of the car
He was “Johnny”—William Harper for easy identification from airplanes, the
Littlejohn, one-time head of the natural science lettered symbols of New Jersey State Police.
research department of a famous university, “The New Jersey officers with their
and possessor of an almost universal witnesses!” Monk muttered.
reputation for proficiency in his line.
The addition of these two completed
Doc Savage’s group of five unusual aids. Each
was a man with few equals at his trade. They
were men who loved excitement and
Chapter V The New Jersey officers and their four

PERIL’S PATH witnesses had undoubtedly been passed
somewhere en route.
DOC backed from the window. Without Doc led his party along a white
apparent haste, but none the less with passage. They entered a private garage which
deceptive speed, he crossed to the massive the bronze man maintained in the basement.
table and touched several inlaid segments. This held several cars, all excellent machines,
These depressed under his fingers, but but none in the least flashy.
immediately sprang back into place, so as to Doc stepped to a large limousine. He
conceal the fact that the table top was one produced two objects from a door pocket. One
great cluster of push buttons. of these resembled a greatly overgrown wrist
“Monk, you and Ham stay here and watch. The other was a flat box with numerous
stall these fellows!” Doc directed. dials and switches, and a harness by which it
Monk surveyed the sartorially perfect could be carried under a coat, out of view.
Ham and made an awful grimace. “O. K. I’ll try The two objects were joined by a
to put up with this shyster!” flexible conduit.
At that, Ham glared and hefted his Doc flicked switches. On the glass dial
sword cane suggestively. His expression said of the oversize wrist-watch contrivance
that nothing would give him more pleasure appeared a picture of the office upstairs.
than to stick the blade into Monk’s anthropoid Aunt Nora looked at this picture, noting
frame. the presence of the big, furry Monk and the
“Some of these days, I’m gonna take dapper Ham. Her eyes threatened to jump out
that hairy hide of yours home for a rug!” he of her head when she saw the two go to the
promised. door and admit a string of men.
This exchange, accompanied by fierce “Land sakes!” she gasped. “A
looks, was nothing unusual. Ham and Monk television machine! I didn’t know they made
were always riding each other. Their good- ‘em that small!”
natured quarrel dated back to the Great War— “The only ones of that size are in
to an incident which had given Ham his Doc’s possession,” Long Tom advised her,
nickname. To have some fun, Ham had taught with the natural pride of an electrical expert
Monk some highly insulting French words, discussing a remarkable accomplishment in
telling him they were the proper adjectives with his profession. “Doc made them. The
which to curry the favor of a French general. transmitter is concealed in the wall of the room
Monk had used them—and landed in the upstairs.”
guardhouse. “But I didn’t see it turned on!”
Shortly after his release from the “Doc did that when he pressed the
military calaboose, the dapper Brigadier inlaid table top.”
General Theodore Marley Brooks had been There was a radio set in the limousine.
hailed upon a charge of stealing hams. Doc spun the dials. The words which came
Somebody had planted the evidence. The from the loud-speaker showed the set was
nickname of Ham had stuck from that day. tuned to a transmitter relaying sounds picked
What irked Ham especially, was the up by secret microphones in the office room
fact that he had never been able to prove it above.
was Monk who had framed him. Between the televisor and the radio,
Monk only leered nastily at Ham, and Doc and the others were able to follow what
asked Doc: “Where are you goin’?” went on above almost as perfectly as if they
“If you do not know, you can tell the had been present.
truth when those fellows ask you where we
are,” Doc informed him dryly.
Every one but Monk and Ham now left FOUR of the men who had just arrived
the office. They entered the high-speed wore uniforms of New Jersey State Troopers.
elevator. A breath-taking drop followed. Doc A New York detective was also with them. If an
sent the cage to the basement level. arrest was to be made, he would have to make
it, jailing the prisoners until they were
extradited to New Jersey.
Any water-front dive might have been Doc Savage was not in the picture at
combed to get the other four. They were attired all. Ham hoped to trick the men into a false
in suits, neckties, and hats which looked identification.
brand-new. This was productive of a suspicion It failed to work.
that they had been dressed up for the “What d’you think we are!” jeered one
occasion. of the men. “Savage ain’t there!”
“Where is Doc Savage?” demanded Ham wondered if he looked as worried
one of the troopers. as he felt. These charlatans, he was now sure,
Monk’s homely face was very had been shown a picture from which they
innocent. “Search me, officer.” could identify Doc.
“This is a regretful mission for us,” said This meant that Doc was certain to
another of the policemen. “Knowing Doc face a murder charge.
Savage to be a man of fine character—” The police of both New York and New
“He ain’t so damn fine!” sneered one Jersey held the bronze man in great esteem.
of the four somewhat sinister witnesses. “We But that would not keep Doc out of jail—not
saw ‘im murder a man!” with four witnesses saying he had committed a
Ham beetled his brows and bent a murder.
hard stare on the quartet. This was Ham’s There was no such thing as bail on a
element. As a lawyer, he had handled many murder charge.
lying witnesses. “Can you tell us whether or not Doc
“You saw the murder?” he challenged. Savage will give himself up?” asked one of the
“Yeah!” they chorused sullenly. officers.
“And you are sure it was Doc “Naw—he won’t!” Monk rumbled. “Not
Savage?” Ham’s tone of voice called them to get himself throwed in jail on a fake charge!”
frauds as plainly as words could have. The officers became somewhat grim at
“Yeah! We’ve seen the bronze guy’s this. “Then we’ll have to spread a general
picture in the newspapers! It was ‘im!” alarm for him.”
Ham leveled his sword cane “Don’t pay any attention to what this
dramatically at the four. “The Green Bell hairy dope says!” Ham interpolated, glaring at
showed you Doc Savage’s picture, and gave Monk. “He hasn’t got good sense, so he don’t
you money to swear that he murdered Jim know what Doc will do. I am sure Doc will take
Cash! Isn’t that right?” every measure to help the police.”
This blunt accusation failed to have The troopers showed plainly that they
the desired effect. The spokesman of the were distressed about the whole thing.
quartet winked elaborately at one of the “This is—a case of murder, you know,”
troopers. the New York detective said reluctantly. “I am
“This guy must be nuts!” he said. “We afraid we shall have to issue an immediate
don’t know anything about any Green Bell. We pick-up order for Doc.”
saw Doc Savage push that poor feller onto that The officers and the quartet of
third rail. Like honest citizens should do, we mountebank witnesses now took their
told the police!” departure.
“That’s right!” snarled another of the “You had better watch those four
four. “We don’t have to stand here and listen to closely!” Ham warned the police.
this little snort of a mouthpiece razz us, either!” “Don’t worry,” replied the trooper.
“Shut up!” growled one of the officers. “We’re going to pop ‘em in the can an’ keep
Then, to Ham: “Can you tell us where we can ‘em there!”
find Doc Savage?”
“I do not know where he is,” Ham said.
This was the truth to a letter. DOC SAVAGE gave the officers an
Ham now stepped into the library. He interval in which to get out of the building.
came back, bearing a large group picture. He Then he went to a telephone in the garage and
held the print up before the four men who called the office upstairs.
claimed they had seen the murder. “The thing looks pretty bad!” he
“Let’s see you pick out Doc,” he advised Ham. “If I surrender myself now, I’ll
invited. have to go to jail. I couldn’t get bail on a
charge that serious.”
“That’s right,” Ham groaned. took. Long Tom had an assortment of parts
“The thing to do is to get out of town. from which he could assemble an almost
So we’re leaving for Prosper City at once.” unbelievable number of electrical devices. Big-
“Great!” Ham brightened. “We’ll go and fisted Renny had a few engineering
clean up on this Green Bell right in his own instruments.
belfry!” Johnny, the archaeologist and
“You are not going!” Doc advised. geologist, carried most of his equipment in his
Ham squawked in disappointment. head in the form of knowledge. So he
“But listen, Doc—” burdened himself with machine guns,
“Some one must stay in New York and ammunition, and grenades, as well as a set of
fight this murder charge,” Doc pointed out. bullet-proof vests.
“You’re elected.” The machine guns which Johnny
Ham was groaning loudly when Doc packed were remarkable weapons. They
hung up. The thought that he might miss out resembled slightly oversized automatics, with
on some excitement was a big blow to Ham. big curled magazines. Doc had perfected
He was the logical one to remain behind, them. They fired shots so swiftly that they
however, because of his profession. sounded like gigantic bull fiddles when they
It was Doc’s custom to assign his men went into operation.
tasks for which their particular profession fitted These weapons were carried more for
them. This was an emergency calling for a the terror they caused foes, than for lethal use.
lawyer, which happened to be Ham’s specialty. Doc and his aides never took human life if they
It was his hard luck if he was forced to remain could help it.
behind and miss anything. However, Doc’s enemies had a way of
Monk soon entered the basement perishing in traps which they themselves had
garage. His homely grin was so wide that it set for the bronze man.
threatened to jam his little ears together on the
back of his head. He was well aware of Ham’s
disappointment—and tickled in proportion. THE group gathered in the skyscraper
“We shall leave for Prosper City in half basement and entered the large limousine. A
an hour,” Doc stated. “Can you make it?” special lift carried the car to street level. Few
The query was directed at Aunt Nora, persons, other than the building attendants,
Alice Cash, and Ole Slater. As for his own knew of the presence of the garage.
men, Doc knew they would have no trouble Ham, tapping his sword cane
getting away in that interval. disconsolately against a polished toe, saw
“Our bags are in our old car in a them off from the curb. He figured he was in
parking lot near here,” Aunt Nora told him. for a dull time.
“When we get our grips, we’ll be ready to hike.” As a usual thing, when there was
“It will not take me long to get my danger, Doc rode either in an open car or
Gladstone from the railway station check room, outside, clinging to the running board. He did
where I left it!” Ole Slater offered. this as a matter of safety. The manner in which
As guards to accompany Aunt Nora his strange golden eyes could detect a lurking
and Alice Cash, Doc dispatched Renny and enemy was uncanny.
Monk—much to Monk’s pleasure. A pretty girl Doc broke his rule this time, and
always took Monk’s eye. ensconced himself in the rear seat. To ride
Ole Slater declared he would need no outside, where he could be seen, would mean
protection. “I doubt if they know I am in New difficulties with the police.
York, anyway.” With Renny at the wheel, the car rolled
It was noticeable that Ole favored toward the Hudson River.
Monk with a faint scowl when the homely Except for an occasional lonely drop,
fellow offered the attractive young lady a the rain had ceased. The streets glistened
gallant arm. wetly. Out on the wide Hudson, two tugboats
Each of Doc’s men assembled were hooting deep bass whistles, each
equipment which they might need. This was stubbornly contesting for the right of way.
their usual procedure. Warehouses loomed—flat, monster
Monk, for instance, had a marvelously hulks.
compact little chemical laboratory which he
Renny drove directly toward one of suspended around their necks by thin strings
these. The headlights brought out a name on which could be broken with a jerk.
the front of the structure.
THE HIDALGO TRADING CO. THE seven sinister figures ran a few
feet within the warehouse.
If one had taken the trouble to “Give it to ‘em!” snarled one.
investigate, he would have learned the Hidalgo Automatics and machine guns opened
Trading Co. owned nothing but this one up in a hideous roar! Empty cartridges chased
warehouse. Also, Doc Savage was the whole each other from the breeches of the
concern. automatics, and poured in brassy streams from
At Doc’s quiet warning, no one got out the ejectors of the rapid-firers. Powder noise
of the limousine. By now, they had all noted cascaded through the capacious warehouse in
that the windows were bulletproof glass, more a deafening salvo.
than an inch thick, and the body of the Alice Cash shrieked, and shoved Aunt
machine itself was armor-plate steel. Nora into the shelter of the sedan. Quick
Renny depressed a switch on the thinking, that! Ole Slater followed them with a
instrument board. This produced no visible leap.
phenomena. But big doors in the front of the Doc Savage and his four friends
warehouse opened silently. merely stood there empty-handed, and
Actually, Renny had turned on a watched the exhibition of murderous fury.
lantern which projected ultra-violet rays Something mysterious was happening
invisible to the human eye. These had to the bullets. A few feet from Doc and his
operated a special photo-electric cell men, the slugs seemed to stop in mid-air and
concealed in the front of the great barn of a splatter like raindrops. Some halted and hung
building. This cell had set the door mechanism in space, strangely distorted.
in action. None of the bullets were reaching
As the car glided forward, the lights Doc’s group.
illuminated the warehouse interior. Aunt Nora, The truth dawned on the gang of
Alice Cash, and Ole Slater emitted three gasps Green Bells. They ceased shooting as abruptly
of surprise which blended as one. as they had started. They goggled at the
The place held several planes. These bullets which seemed suspended in the air.
ranged from a vast, tri-motored craft which was Their leader tried to yell a command.
streamlined to an ultra degree, to various small Amazement had gripped him so strongly that
gyros and auto-gyros. Every ship was an he made several unintelligible choking noises
amphibian—capable of descending on land or before he could get words out.
water. “Beat it!” he gulped. “This joint is
The automobile heaved gently over hoodooed, or somethin’!”
the threshold, and rolled several yards into the As one man, the seven veered around
vast warehouse hangar. Every one alighted and pitched for the outer darkness. What had
and began unloading the duffel. just occurred was startling. But what happened
“Hey!” Monk ripped. “Lookit what’s now was far worse—at least to the Green
comin’!” Bells.
Seven ominous figures materialized They seemed to smash headlong into
soundlessly from the darkness outside. There an invisible wall. Bruised, noses spouting
was barely room for them to come abreast crimson, they bounced back. Two piled down
through the large door. They resembled a on the floor, stunned.
charge of crows. The survivors now realized what had
Each was mantled from crown to toe in happened. Walls of glass—thick, transparent,
a black sack of a garment. The bells, painted and bullet-proof—had arisen in front and
on the fronts of the gowns, had a green hue behind.
which seemed particularly vile. The one in front must have been up
Three figures held automatics; the when they entered; the rear panel had arisen
others gripped submachine guns. Extra after their feet had operated a hidden trip in the
ammunition drums for the rapid-firers were floor.
Howling in terror, they flung shots, and we want to get out of here before
themselves against the transparent barricade. they arrive.
They shot at it. The bullets only splattered, or This order was carried out with swift
stuck. They could see tiny cracks radiating like efficiency.
cobwebs from points where the bullets made Aunt Nora bounced about, highly
contact. This fact had escaped their notice excited by the lightning speed of recent events.
before. “This disguised hangar—these
They skittered their hands along the planes—that office of yours!” She waved her
cold, vertical expanse, seeking an escape. arms. “These things have cost a lot of money!
Doc Savage glanced at his You must be rich as sin!”
companions, and said quietly: “Hold your The bronze man only gave her one of
breath—at least a minute, if you can.” his rare smiles.
Drawing several small glass globes The somewhat fantastic truth about
from his clothing, Doc advanced. The bulbs Doc’s wealth was destined to remain a mystery
were thin-walled, and held a liquid. to Aunt Nora, just as it was an enigma to the
Before the almost invisible barrier, Doc rest of the world.
sprang high into the air and flung a fistful of the Doc possessed a fabulous hoard of
glass balls over the top. The tiny squashing gold. The trove lay in a lost valley in the
noises as they broke was lost in the frightened remote mountain fastness of a Central
wailing of the trapped Green Bells. American republic. Descendants of the ancient
Doc waited. He was holding his Mayan race lived in this valley and mined the
breath; his friends were doing likewise. The treasure.
two women and Ole Slater had followed suit, When Doc was in need of funds, he
without knowing what it was all about. had merely to broadcast, at a certain hour, a
The Green Bells began to act like men few words in the Mayan language. This was
who had gone to sleep on their feet. They picked up by a sensitive radio receiver in the
collapsed in quick succession. Some fell lost valley. A few days later, a burro train laden
heavily; others reclined with more care, as if with gold would appear in the capital of the
tired. The two who had dazed themselves by Central American republic.
butting the glass wall, ceased their nervous The cargo was always deposited to
twitchings. Doc’s credit in a bank. It was a slim trip when
Perhaps a minute elapsed. one of these burro trains did not bring out a
Then Doc gave a signal, and his treasure of four or five million dollars.
companions began to breathe. The warehouse floor sloped
downward. The outer end, a concrete apron,
was under water. The big plane was quickly
Chapter VI rolled down and set afloat. Electric motors
FEAR’S DOMAIN pulled great doors back on oiled tracks.
Doc took the controls. The motors
“LAND sakes!” Aunt Nora sputtered. started. They were equipped with efficient
“What happened? I don’t mean the glass walls! silencers, and made only shrill hissings.
What put ‘em to sleep like that?” A few minutes later, the giant plane
The homely Monk took it on himself to was streaking over the surface of the Hudson;
explain, probably for the benefit of pretty Alice it cocked its nose up in a steep climb.
Cash. Looking backward, using binoculars,
“There was an anaesthetic gas in the Doc’s men could see red lights crawling about
glass balls. It spreads quickly, and produces in the vicinity of the warehouse. These were
instant unconsciousness if breathed. After police cars putting in a tardy arrival.
mixing with the air for something less than a Prosper City lay to the westward, but
minute, the stuff becomes ineffective.” Doc flew north. He soon turned the controls
Working rapidly, Doc Savage operated over to Renny. All of the bronze man’s aids
small levers at one side of the warehouse. The were expert airmen.
glass walls sank noiselessly.
“Put the Green Bells in the big plane,”
he directed. “The police will be drawn by those
MOVING to the seven sleeping Doc tried one more question. “Did the
prisoners, Doc stripped off the green-belled Green Bell send you to New York, in the first
black gowns. place, to murder me?”
Aunt Nora eyed the faces which were “I don’t think so. He just sent us so
disclosed, and snapped: “I’ve seen those rats we’d be handy in case something went wrong.
loafing around Prosper City!” His first idea was to get you on his pay roll. He
Alice Cash nodded, then relapsed into thought you were a common muscle man.”
a white-faced silence. She was grieving over “Did you and this gang here murder
her brother’s murder, and saying very little. Jim Cash?”
Ole Slater scowled, causing his “No. Some more of the Green Bell’s
features to lose some of their handsomeness. men done that.”
“I’ve seen them around town, too!” This summed up the information Doc
Doc now used a hypodermic needle was able to secure from the man. He
and administered a stimulant to one of the awakened the other six, and put questions to
captives. This soon revived the fellow. them, but learned little more. Nothing, in fact,
The man quailed from the bronze giant that was valuable.
and began to whimper in terror. “It was all a
mistake—”
Doc grasped the craven’s face RENNY veered the giant plane inland,
between muscular palms and began to stare toward the mountainous, thinly populated up-
steadily into the wavering eyes. state portion of New York.
The onlookers soon understood what The huge speed-cowled motors were
he was doing. Using hypnotism! But the victim almost wide open. The ship was making a
was too frightened to realize what was speed considerably in excess of two hundred
occurring, or to combat the effects of the weird and fifty miles an hour. It was one of the
golden eyes. fastest craft for its size to be found.
The fellow finally became still, staring Doc went to the radio transmitter and
at Doc like a bird at a big serpent. sent a brief message.
“Who is the Green Bell?” Doc Later in the night, when they landed in
demanded in a compelling tone. a clearing in the northern wilderness, three
“I dunno,” the man mumbled ghostly ambulances were waiting. These had
tonelessly. “None of us knows.” been summoned by Doc’s radio message.
Under normal conditions, Doc would White-clad men, their faces lost in the
not have believed a word the man told him. But shadows beneath their cap brims, loaded the
now he knew he was hearing the truth. seven prisoners into the ambulances. Few
“Who told you to spring that trap at the words were exchanged.
warehouse?” he persisted. The ambulances departed. Doc took
“The Green Bell telephoned us,” was his plane off. The whole incident had been
the droned answer. “He just said for us to grim and spectral.
follow you and kill you and your men when we Aunt Nora was bewildered. “What’ll
got a chance. We were not to harm the two happen to those seven men?”
women and Ole Slater.” “They will be taken care of,” Doc said,
“Glory be!” exploded Aunt Nora. “Why and did not clarify the thing further.
didn’t he want Alice and Ole and me done Doc did not advertise what happened
away with?” to wrongdoers whom he captured. The bronze
Doc relayed this query to his source of man maintained a strange institution in this
information. mountain wilderness. There, the seven men
“It was on account of the effect their would undergo brain operations which would
death would have on their friends in Prosper cause them to completely forget their pasts.
City,” mumbled the Green Bell hireling. “They’d Next, they would be taught upright
lynch Judborn Tugg. Tugg is important in the citizenship and a trade. They would be turned
big scheme, whatever it is!” loose—honest men, unaware of their past
Doc queried: “Do Judborn Tugg and criminal careers.
Slick Cooley belong to the Green Bell’s gang?” No crook, once treated in this manner,
“I dunno—I guess so. I don’t know had ever returned to evil ways.
much. I’m a new man.”
Doc’s institution would have caused a master mind had moved quickly to give more
world-wide sensation, had its existence trouble to Doc and his friends.
become public. Doc did a bit of fast thinking, and
A hissing meteor, the plane hurtled decided the simplest thing he could do was to
through the night, bearing the remarkable avoid Chief Clements for the present.
bronze man, his four unusual aids, and the Turning in the pilot’s seat, Doc glanced
three unfortunates whom he intended to help. backward. There had been no rain in Prosper
City recently. The prop stream was pulling dust
from the grass roots, and squirting it back in a
PROSPER CITY—crisscrossed strings funnel. There was much more dust around the
of street lamps far below—appeared some hangars.
time before dawn. Doc locked one wheel brake, and
“The airport is north of town!” Alice slapped the throttles open. This pivoted the
Cash advised. plane. A dusty hurricane slapped the faces of
The drome was unlighted. It was Chief Clements and his men.
situated in the middle of an area of ripening They were blinded. They yelled
grain which looked yellow in the moonlight— angrily, and fired warning shots in the air.
there was a moon shining on Prosper City. The Doc dropped out of the ship. He
flying field was turfed with grass, which was seemed to flatten and vanish in the scrubby
very dark as seen from the air. grass. He left the vicinity like a startled ghost.
Three rusty hangars were hunched at
the edge of the tarmac. A junked plane stood
behind one shed. Faded pennants of fabric CHIEF CLEMENTS dashed up to the
clung to its naked skeleton. plane, rubbing his eyes and blowing dust out of
As far as could be seen, there was no his big mustache.
one about. “You done that on purpose!” he
Doc cranked the landing wheels down declared irately. He had a metallic, whanging
out of the wells, into which they had voice.
disappeared for greater streamlining. He Renny put his sober face out of a
planted the big ship on the ground as lightly as window. The twanging voice of Chief Clements
if it had been a glider. They coasted to a stop reminded him of a taut barbed wire being
perhaps two hundred feet from one of the plucked.
hangars. “We didn’t think of the dust!” he said
The sliding door of this hangar scooted meekly. This was not a prevarication—Doc
back and let out a flood of men. They wore had thought of the dust.
police uniforms. “We’re lookin’ for a murderer named
An incredibly tall, rawboned man led Doc Savage!” snapped Chief Clements.
the policemen. He had an enormous Renny heaved a relieved sigh. The
mustache, and a small red face. The policemen had been blinded by the dust so
combination was remindful of a cherry with a effectively that Doc’s departure had escaped
large brown caterpillar on it. their notice.
“The police chief—Clem Clements!” “Who put you up to this, Clem
Aunt Nora snapped. “I’ll bet some one has told Clements?” Aunt Nora shouted wrathfully.
him we’re criminals, and Clem has believed Chief Clements glared at Aunt Nora as
‘em! Clem is sure pin-headed!” if the motherly old lady had horns.
Chief Clements was flourishing an “None of your business!” he retorted,
official-looking document. somewhat childishly.
Doc Savage needed no close Aunt Nora jumped out of the plane.
inspection to tell him what this paper was—a “Was it Judborn Tugg?”
warrant for his arrest, perhaps, or a wire from Chief Clements pulled the ends of his
New York, requesting the bronze man’s mustache down in a scowl, giving the
apprehension. impression that the caterpillar on the cherry
A deduction that Doc would head for had bowed its back.
Prosper City would call for no great thinking on “Now don’t you start running down
the mysterious Green Bell’s part. But the Judborn Tugg!” he twanged. “He’s an upright
man, and the best citizen this town’s got! What
if he did wire me from New York that you was The taxi had not rolled far when it
mixed up with a murderer named Doc Savage, passed a pitiful little camp beside the road.
and might show up here? He was doin’ the There was a ragged tent and a litter of house
decent thing!” furnishings which had been virtually ruined by
“Tugg never did a decent thing in his the weather. It was a scene of utter poverty,
whole evil life!” Aunt Nora said scathingly. even when seen in the mellow glow of the
Chief Clements thrust his little red moonlight.
head forward. “I think you’re behind this “There’s a sample,” Aunt Nora
trouble, Aunt Nora Boston! I’ve just been muttered. “A year ago, that family was happy
waitin’ to get some proof, so I could throw you and buying their own home. The husband was
in jail!” one who wouldn’t go out on strike. Driver—
Aunt Nora cocked her arms akimbo. stop the car! I want these people to hear
“That sounds like some of Judborn Tugg’s something!”
advice!” The machine halted; the motor
“If I find Doc Savage in that plane, silenced. A sound which came steadily from
you’re gonna be locked up on a charge of the ragged tent could now be heard. It was a
helpin’ a murderer escape!” Chief Clements low, frightful gibbering. It kept up without end.
yelled. “That’s the poor husband,” Aunt Nora
“If you find Doc Savage in the ship, I’ll said brokenly. “He is insane! The Green Bell
go to jail willingly!” Aunt Nora snapped. made him that way in some horrible fashion!
Chief Clements and his men now As I told you, there’s more than a dozen others
searched the giant tri-motor. Their faces like him. They’re all men who wanted to stay at
registered a great deal of disappointment when work, and keep the mills and mines operating.
they found no bronze man. The Green Bell is trying to break every factory
“We’ll hang around the airport!” the in this town.”
Prosper City police chief whanged. “Savage Every one was silent as the car got
may show up in another plane. I’ve got a guard under way again. To Doc’s four men, this
around your house, too, Aunt Nora! And you’re incident had been an appalling sample of what
gonna be shadowed, every move you make. If they were up against. It brought home to them
Doc Savage tries to get in touch with you, we’ll the sinister power of this mysterious master,
nab ‘im!” the Green Bell.
Aunt Nora sniffed loudly. But her They soon saw other evidence of the
wrinkled face showed concern. terrible conditions in Prosper City. In more than
“I suppose it’s all right to call a car to one alley, there were furtive, slinking figures.
take us into town?” she snapped. These individuals were looking for scraps of
“I’ll send you in my car!” offered Chief food.
Clements, figuring this would make it simpler “The poor souls are starving!” Aunt
for his men to keep track of Aunt Nora and her Nora explained.
companions. “It’s ghastly!” Ole Slater groaned. “If I
“I wouldn’t ride in it!” Aunt Nora should put conditions such as these in the play
informed him. “I’ll telephone for a hack!” I am writing, people in other cities would say it
couldn’t happen! And no one knows what’s
behind it all!”
THE cab which Aunt Nora summoned Johnny, the gaunt geologist, took off
arrived something over half an hour later. his spectacles with the magnifying left lens.
The driver was a shabby individual, “Isn’t there a community chest, or some kind of
who slouched low behind the wheel. He had a a charity fund?”
purple nose, bulging cheeks, and he seemed “All of those were exhausted long
half asleep. He did not offer to open the door ago,” Alice Cash told him quietly. “Nine out of
for his fares. every ten men in Prosper City are out of work.
The luggage was piled in front with the That seems inconceivable. But it is true!”
chauffeur. The two women and Ole Slater got The car rolled on. It turned several
in the rear. Johnny and Long Tom turned down corners, behaving somewhat uncertainly, as if
the drop seats. Monk and Renny, the giants of the driver did not know where he was going.
the group, rode clinging to the running board. “You’re not going toward my house!”
Aunt Nora rapped.
The driver shrugged. “Which way is Chief Clements’s cops, stationed just
it?” outside Aunt Nora’s grounds, did not smell a
“You don’t know?” Aunt Nora asked mouse.
incredulously. Aunt Nora’s house stood on the
“No!” said the driver with the purple outskirts of Prosper City, at the foot of a range
nose and fat cheeks. of high, wooded hills, which the local citizens
“Humph! It looks like you have never called mountains.
been in Prosper City before!” Coal mines were located in the
“I haven’t!” mountains, Doc soon learned. Long galleries
Aunt Nora suddenly stood up and from these mines underlaid much of Prosper
thrust her face close to that of the driver. She City itself.
stared. Alice Cash grasped an opportunity to
“Glory be!” she ejaculated. “You’re impart the information that Aunt Nora had
Doc Savage!” secured a small fortune from the sale of this
coal. The kindly old lady had expended all of
her funds in providing for the needy, however.
Chapter VII The sun flushed up redly. With dawn,
CLEMENTS SETS A TRAP a fresh shift of policemen went on duty. There
were four of the officers observing the house.
THE discovery that the chauffeur was Doc was careful to keep out of sight.
Doc Savage surprised Monk and Renny so The bronze man took his first steps
greatly that they almost fell off the running aimed at improving conditions in Prosper City.
board. Ole Slater jumped as if he had been From a pocket, he produced a sheaf of bank
slapped. Alice Cash made silent whistling lips notes.
of wonder. Aunt Nora rubbed her eyes when she
Long Tom and Johnny both chuckled. saw the size of the bills. Some were hundreds,
This was not the first time the bronze man had but most were of thousand-dollar
donned a remarkable disguise. He was a denomination.
master of make-up, just as he was a master of Doc passed the small fortune to Aunt
innumerable other things. Nora, along with instructions.
“I was hanging around, and heard you Aunt Nora paid a visit to the Prosper
phone for the cab,” Doc enlightened Aunt City merchants who had been most generous
Nora. “It was a simple matter to stop the in contributing to charity. Each received a
machine and bribe the driver to let me take his tremendous order for food and clothing, with
place.” cash on the line.
“Where’s the driver?” Aunt Nora The delight with which the merchants
wanted to know. greeted this business was moving. One old
“He is going to sneak past the guards, groceryman, who had been carrying his whole
and be waiting in your house to take the car neighborhood on credit because he could not
away. That will get me into your house without bear to see former customers in want, sat
the knowledge of the watching policemen.” down and cried.
Aunt Nora settled back with a sigh Before noon, arrangements were
which almost attained happiness. “If you ask completed for the delivery of more than a
this old girl, I’m betting Prosper City is soon score of truck loads of food and clothing to
going to see the end of its streak of hard luck.” Aunt Nora’s capacious yard. “By night,” was
The rooming house operated by Aunt the time insisted upon.
Nora Boston was a large, rambling white There were a few skinflint merchants
structure of two stories and a set of garret who had given credit to none of the
bedrooms. Much neatly trimmed shrubbery impoverished, and who had not contributed to
surrounded it. Doc and his men thought the charity. These fellows did not get a penny of
old-fashioned place rather attractive. Doc’s business.
Doc’s ruse for gaining admission to the A circus was stranded in town. Aunt
house was carried to a successful completion. Nora leased the big top and the menagerie
The real driver drove the taxi away, leaving tent, and ordered them erected in her yard to
Doc behind. shelter the supplies.
Working under Doc’s directions, Ole bruised and battered agitators into the
Slater rented several open cars. These rolled hospitals.
through the streets. Slater, Alice Cash and Chief of Police Clements appeared at
Doc’s four men stood in the back seats with Aunt Nora’s house. His big mustache was a-
megaphones, broadcasting the fact that there bristle with rage.
would be a food distribution and a meeting at “I forbid this meeting tonight!” he
Aunt Nora’s place that night. yelled. “You’re just fixing to start more trouble!
“Tell them,” Doc directed, “that at this Even now, there’s fightin’ all over town!”
gathering a plan will be presented which will “Judborn Tugg must be back home!”
put every man in Prosper City back to work Aunt Nora jeered.
within the next two weeks.” Chief Clements became purple. It was
To say this information created a a fact that Judborn Tugg and Slick Cooley had
sensation in Prosper City was putting it mildly. alighted from the noon train.
Few believed the thing could be done. But “What’s that got to do with it?” he
every man, his family, and his dog would gritted.
attend the meeting to see what it was all about. “Didn’t Tugg tell you to stop my
meeting?” Aunt Nora countered.
This was the truth, and Chief Clements
THE mysterious master mind, the was not ashamed to admit it. Chief Clements
Green Bell, was not dormant. Hardfaced was an honest soul, if a dumb one, and
men—the agitators who had been prominent in pompous Judborn Tugg was an idol in his
the trouble from the first—mounted soap boxes eyes.
at street corners, and began to label Aunt Nora “Mr. Tugg is the best citizen this town
as a sinister woman, and Doc Savage a has!” he declared with the firmness of an
murderer and worse. ignorant man with one firmly fixed idea. “It is
The elderly lady, they said, was in true that he thinks your powwow will only
league with “The Interests.” Just who The cause trouble. I think so, too! And I’m going to
Interests were, they neglected to mention break it up!”
explicitly, but included mill and mine owners in “You’re going to get your head broke if
a general way. Aunt Nora was going to try to you try it!” retorted Aunt Nora.
persuade men to go back to work at starvation This was hardly the argument to use
wages, they declared. Why go to work and on a bullheaded man such as Chief Clements.
starve anyway, while the pockets of the rich It only made his determination the firmer.
were lined? Pretty Alice Cash came forward with
This argument would have been good, the argument which really swayed the boss of
had it had any foundation in truth. These the Prosper City police.
fellows did not give a hoot about the welfare of “We are going to distribute food to the
the workmen, although they claimed they did. starving tonight,” she said gently. “Surely, you
They were on the pay roll of the Green are not going to be cold-blooded enough to
Bell. Their purpose was to keep the factories stop that?”
and mines closed. Why? Only the Green Bell Chief Clements squirmed
knew. uncomfortably. He might be thick-headed and
The hired agitators held themselves up a worshiper of Judborn Tugg, but he was also
as protectors of the workers. They voiced a kindly man. If any hungry person was to be
threats against all who attended Aunt Nora’s fed, he would be the last one to stand in the
meeting. way.
“We ain’t gonna go to work until we get The upshot was that he agreed to let
decent wages!” one orator proclaimed. “You’re the meeting be held.
fools if you listen to the soft-soaping words of “But I’m gonna have plenty of cops
that lying old lady—” here,” he warned.
At this point, one of Aunt Nora’s
admirers knocked the spieler off his soap box.
A dozen policemen were required to break up DOC SAVAGE had eavesdropped
the fight which followed. from the concealment of another room. He
This was not the only incident of its complimented attractive Alice Cash when she
kind. The day was marked by a dribble of joined him.
“You were clever enough to avoid telephoned New York before they would
what might have been a nasty bit of trouble!” believe the draft was good.
he told her. A rumor of this enormous deposit got
Alice gave Doc a ravishing smile of out. The Prosper City News telephoned New
thanks. She was, it could be seen plainly, York newspapers, asking who this Doc Savage
experiencing a great attraction for the giant was. They were informed that he was a bronze
bronze man. Signs already indicated that, once man of mystery, who possessed an unknown
grief over her brother’s death was dulled by the source of fabulous wealth, and who devoted
passing of a little time, she was going to fall for his life to fighting other people’s battles. They
Doc in a big way. also learned that Doc now stood accused of
Ole Slater could see this. He failed to murdering Jim Cash.
conceal a worried look. He was obviously The News carried both stories on its
enraptured with the entrancing Alice. front page that evening. The paper also printed
He might have been relieved to know an editorial, beginning:
that Doc Savage made it a policy to steer far
wide of feminine entanglements. His perilous, “Who is Doc Savage—Midas or
active career made that necessary. Should he murderer? Is he a being whose might and
encumber himself with a wife, she would not wealth is to save Prosper City? Or is he a
only be always in danger of becoming a charlatan and a killer with a sinister purpose?”
widow, but enemies would strike at Doc
through her. He could let no woman lead a life Indications were that almost every one
like that. in Prosper City was going to attend Aunt Nora
Late in the afternoon, Ham telephoned Boston’s meeting in hopes of learning the
from New York. He reported that he was answer.
investigating the past lives of the four men who
had sworn falsely that they had seen Doc
murder Jim Cash. LONG before sundown, men, women,
“I may be able to get something on and children began trickling into Aunt Nora’s
them that will make them tell the truth,” he said great yard. The first comers were ragged,
hopefully. “But, frankly, I’m not doing so hot.” pitiful figures with pinched faces. Hunger had
Since Doc was forced to keep under drawn them.
cover, his four aids in Prosper City handled Some of the Green Bell’s hired
preparations for the night’s conclave. agitators appeared and started voicing threats.
Big-fisted Renny, who had Monk’s corps of trained helpers lit into these
superintended construction of skyscrapers and fellows with clubs. A pitched battle ensued.
bridges as an engineer, directed raising of the An agitator drew a pistol and tried to
circus tents. Long Tom, the electrical wizard, kill Monk. The first shot missed.
installed a public address system, so that Renny lunged in and flung a fist that
every word spoken from a rostrum at one end was as big and hard as half a concrete block.
of the big top could be heard. He also erected The gun wielder dropped, his jaw
powerful flood lights. broken like so much gravel.
Gorillalike Monk, who had learned to Chief Clements appeared magically,
command men as a lieutenant colonel in the leading a squad of at least thirty officers. The
army, organized a score of Aunt Nora’s friends latter had long billies, tear-gas bombs, and gas
into a corps to handle the distribution of food masks.
and clothing. “I knew there was gonna be trouble
Two banks remained open in Prosper here!” Chief Clements howled. “Every blasted
City. The gaunt Johnny visited one of them, one of you are under arrest!”
after ascertaining Judborn Tugg was a director Monk waved at the agitators. “You
in the other. The one Johnny entered was the mean those clucks are pulled, don’t you?”
smaller one. “I don’t mean them! They’re within
When Johnny departed, he left a their rights in makin’ speeches! This is a free
stunned set of bank officials behind. They held country! I mean you!”
a check deposited in Doc Savage’s name. The Ole Slater was in none too good a
amount of this check crowded the space temper, probably because he had been
providing for writing in the figures. The bankers worrying all day over the unmistakable signs
charming Alice Cash gave of falling for Doc

Savage. Rage got the better of Slater.
Renny lunged in and flung a fist that was as big and hard as half a concrete block.
He drew back and pasted the handiest search the house! We got a tip that Doc
cop. Savage is in there!”
Two policemen sprang upon Slater Monk rammed his homely face
and belabored him with their clubs. forward. “You what?”
“Everybody’s under arrest!” Chief
Clements repeated shrilly. “Then we’re gonna
“Judborn Tugg said one of his friends “Put your hands up!” he twanged.
saw a bronze man hidin’ in the house!” “You’re carryin’ them funny-lookin’ little guns!
growled the police leader. We don’t allow gun totin’ in Prosper City!”
Doc Savage was stationed near an The “funny-lookin’“ guns which he
open window in the house, where he could referred to were the tiny machine guns which
listen. His strange golden eyes betrayed no would fire with such terrific speed.
emotion at Chief Clements’s words. Monk ignored the order.
The report that Doc was concealed in “I gotta talk this over with my friends,”
Aunt Nora’s home was a puzzling angle, he said in his small voice.
however. Indirectly, it had emanated from the “You ain’t gonna do nothin’ of the
mysterious Green Bell, of course. But how had kind!”
he known Doc was there? Or had he only Monk and the others now drew their
made a wild guess? weapons. “Oh, yes, we are! If you don’t let us
Doc glided to a rear window. Darkness talk, there’s gonna be plenty of trouble!”
had now fallen, but the grounds were brilliantly Chief Clements hedged angrily, eyeing
lighted by Long Tom’s flood lamps. the weapons. Finally he gave in.
Police were stationed in a cordon “All right. But you gotta stay in plain
around the house. They stood close together. sight!”
It was doubtful if a mosquito could escape past Monk and the rest did not follow this
them without being discovered. order to the letter. They retired within the tent.
Doc was in a trap! Monk entered the house and came back with
hands empty, but with a suspicious package
bulging his coat.
BACK to the open front window, Doc The conference lasted perhaps
moved. The wall of one circus tent was not another minute. Then every one came out of
many yards distant. He faced this. The the tent. They threw down their weapons.
remarkable muscles in his throat knotted into “That satisfy you?” Monk demanded.
strange positions. “We’re gonna search you!” whanged
He spoke loudly, using ventriloquism. Chief Slater.
His words seemed to come from the tent wall. The officers advanced. Counting Doc’s
They were strange words—a not unmusical four aids and the score of recruits for the food
stream of gutturals. distribution, there came near being one
It was the language of the ancient prisoner for every policeman.
Mayans. Doc’s men had learned it on their The search got under way. Monk
adventurous visit to the lost Central American coughed loudly. Instantly, every captive
valley which held Doc’s golden trove. It was brought his right hand in contact with the face
one of the least-known tongues on earth. or hands of the lawman who was frisking him.
Certainly Chief Clements did not understand it. The Policemen toppled over like mown
“Face the tent wall!” was Doc’s first bluegrass. They lay where they fell, snoring
advice. loudly.
Monk and the other four instantly Highly elated, Monk and the rest
began staring at the tent. This enhanced the removed tiny metal thimbles from their fingers.
impression that the voice was emanating from These were fashioned to blend closely with
that source. Doc knew very well that half the finger tips. Only an intent inspection would
success of ventriloquism lies in getting the disclose them, and the unsuspecting officers
hearer’s attention on something he thinks the had failed to note the things.
voice is coming from. Each thimble held a tiny hypodermic
Doc now added further commands, needle, which, upon contact with the skin,
speaking rapidly. He got them all out before injected a drug producing a sleep of several
the policemen came to life. hours’ duration.
Chief Clements dashed to the tent, Doc, when he had spoken Mayan, had
lifted the wall, then looked baffled when he directed this operation to overpower the police.
found no one. He spun on Monk and the These thimbles were devices of his own
others. invention.
Chief Clements and his men were
carried to their parked cars and dumped on the
cushions. Onlookers, vastly puzzled, agreed to The sound ended, and the jazzy dance
drive them away. tune poured from the loud-speakers as if
“We’re shut of that guy until midnight, nothing happened.
anyway!” Monk grinned. On the grounds men milled, grim of
eye and pale of face. Women clung to their
husbands, or mothered their children. The
THE crowd gathered with increasing hideous tolling had stricken stark terror.
speed. Among those coming now were “The Green Bell!” a man mumbled.
substantial citizens—owners of mills and “It means death or insanity to
mines which were being thrown into somebody! It nearly always does!”
bankruptcy by the enforced idleness. Doc Savage, a motionless statue of
It was a strange situation. The owners bronze, surveyed the scene from the house.
were anxious to operate their plants; the He had seen savage tribesmen in far
workmen wanted jobs badly. But the odious countries, living in apprehension of something
organization of the Green Bell was holding they did not understand. He had seen
both at a standstill. To open a factory meant it passengers on a great ocean liner aghast at
would be bombed or burned. For a workman to approaching disaster.
take a job meant he was in danger of beatings He had never seen quite the depth of
or—worst of all—the weird, horrible insanity. fear which was here before his eyes, induced
That there was some cold, relentless by the gonging sound with which the Green
purpose behind it all, many realized. But they Bell had associated himself.
could not fathom the reason. The unknown brain back of this
Why was the Green Bell trying to strange trouble—the being who was reducing
bankrupt every industry in Prosper City? Was a city to poverty for some secret reason of his
he a fiend with a mad hate for the town? No own—had progressed far toward
one knew. accomplishing his aims. Prosper City was a
The crowd seemed reluctant to enter realm of fear, and he was its czar.
the tents. More than one man there had felt the
vengeance of the Green Bell. They gathered in
knots outside and talked. A few became Chapter VIII
frightened and left. VOICE FROM THE EARTH
The agitators on the Green Bell’s pay
roll had not spoken entirely without effect. SOME two hundred yards from Aunt
In order to quiet fears, Long Tom Nora Boston’s house, a man perched in a tree,
tuned in a portable radio set and stood the laughing heartily. He was getting great glee out
loud-speaker near the microphone of the of the terror which the Green Bell’s sound had
public-address system. wrought.
Dance music was now audible all over Slick Cooley held his side with one
the grounds, and for some distance along the hand, and a limb with the other. He finally
suburban roads in either direction. The tune stifled his unholy mirth.
came from the local Prosper City station. “That’ll hold ‘em!” he chuckled.
Unexpectedly, an unearthy wail burst He pocketed a pair of binoculars and
in upon the lilting of fiddles and the muted clambered out of the tree. Carefully avoiding
moaning of saxophones. The sound rose and the road, he strode northward. On his right, the
fell, changing its tone. It was like the death low mountains frowned in the pale moonlight.
cries of a monster, pouring from the loud- He paralleled them.
speakers. When he had covered some distance,
A deep-throated, reverberating boom he veered over to the road, where walking was
lifted over the bedlam of wailing. The throbbing easier. A dog ran out and barked at him. Slick
sound seemed to fill all the night, magnified a threw clods at the dog.
thousand times by the address-system He went on. The dog had come from
speakers. More of the weird notes came. A the last house; ahead was a large area of
death-walk procession! marsh land. A wealthy farmer had once tried to
It might have been the tolling of some drain this swampy section to cultivate it, but
cataclysmic dirge. had been forced to give the task up as a bad
job. Great weeds and brush had overgrown the “Come in!” said a weirdly hollow,
waste land. booming voice.
A car came up behind Slick, and They entered.
stopped when it was alongside him. The
machine was Judborn Tugg’s flashy roadster.
Tugg in person sat back of the wheel. He THE ancient barn was concrete-
inquired: “Lift?” floored. A black, ominous figure sat cross-
Slick got in. legged in the shadows at the rear. The smoky
“The bellin’ noise scared that crowd robe sheathed it from head to foot. Although
plenty!” he boasted. the form was seated, it also leaned back
“I cannot understand what happened slightly against the rear wall. Through cracks in
to Chief Clements!” Tugg snapped. “I visited this wall, strings of moonlight were visible.
the man at the hospital! He seems only to be Most of the luminance within the
asleep. But they can’t wake him up!” structure came from two candles a few feet in
“If I was you, I’d lay off Chief front of the seated apparition. These candles
Clements!” Slick leered. were green, and their flame was sputtering and
“Why?” green. They cast a bilious light on the green-
“Some day he’s gonna wake up to the bell design of the seated one’s robe, and on
fact that you ain’t the goody-goody he thinks the green goggles which masked the eyes.
you are. When them knot-headed guys turn on The effect was eerie.
a man, they can be just as strong agin’ him as No other word was spoken.
they were for him!” Slick Cooley and Judborn Tugg both
“Nonsense!” Tugg retorted grandly. drew black hoods from within their clothing and
“Chief Clements is too dumb to ever suspect donned them.
anything. And he is very valuable to me.” In the distance, a crashing of brush
Slick squinted curiously at Judborn denoted men approaching. They filed in—eight
Tugg. in the first group, then by twos and threes and
Noting the glance, Tugg added hastily: fours. Every man was draped in a sepian
“Valuable to the Green Bell, I mean!” masquerade.
The roadster pulled into a narrow lane No word was spoken. They stood in a
through the brush. They soon parked the half circle, keeping their distance from the
machine and went on afoot. strange seated figure. The latter did not move
Slick walked in silence. He was in the slightest, or speak. Nor did the arrivals
wondering if Judborn Tugg could be the Green voice anything. They had come, these
Bell. True, there were occasions when a followers of the Green Bell, in answer to the
hooded man appeared before them both and summons tolled over the radio. The sound had
said he was the Green Bell. This had warned them to gather here for orders.
happened in the car in New York. “Are all present?” asked a voice from
But such appearances might be made the seated form. It was hollowly booming, that
by members of the gang. Slick himself had tone! It seemed incredible that it could come
once been ordered to don a black gown and from a human throat.
play the part of the Green Bell. Tugg might be Slick counted the assembled men.
the master mind, Slick reasoned. “All but about half a dozen,” he said. “I
Suddenly, he recalled the remark he guess they didn’t hear the call.”
had made in New York about slaying the “Speak louder!” commanded the
Green Bell, once he learned the fellow’s sepulchral voice.
identity, and substituting himself as the Slick fairly yelled a repetition of his
unknown leader. statement.
Slick was serious about that. But he “Very well!” came the croaked reply.
wished now that he had been more reticent “Judborn Tugg—are you there?”
with his words. He shivered several times. If Tugg came forward and shouted:
Tugg was the Green Bell, Slick had a feeling “Yes!”
he was as good as a dead man. Slick backed away. It was always like
A ramshackle old barn appeared in the this—the Green Bell pretending he was
moonlight. They rapped on the door, giving a partially deaf.
peculiar, drumming signal.
The gloomy figure might not be the “Concealed in the weeds beside the
Green Bell, either, Slick reflected. It could door of this barn you will find my device which
conceivably be some member of the gang who produces insanity!” continued the Green Bell.
had been ordered to serve in the Green Bell’s “You will place this where Doc Savage will
place. come close to it, preferably near the head of
“I am far from satisfied with certain his bed.”
work done today!” tolled the seated form. “But I dunno how to work the
“Chief Clements, for instance, was to have contraption,” Slick muttered.
been persuaded to seize Doc Savage.” “What?”
“Could I help that?” Tugg protested. “I Slick had forgotten to yell. He did so
did my part. But Chief Clements is so stupid now. “How d’you work it?”
that he let Savage run a whizzer on him!” “That is very simple. There is only one
“I am not sure that Clements being switch upon the box. You throw it. Be careful
stupid is entirely to blame,” came the dull that the switch is not operated accidentally
voice. “I sent seven men to get Savage in New while you are carrying the container. And once
York, and they vanished completely. They you do work it, get away quickly. It takes only a
were not dumb fellows. Savage is a very few seconds for the thing to disrupt the
dangerous foe!” functions of a human brain!”
Tugg wiped at his fat forehead. His “O. K.!” Slick bellowed.
features were, of course, mantled in the black “With the box, you will find a package
hood, and the wiping gesture upon the cloth of money—ten thousand dollars,” continued
was somewhat ludicrous. Savage dangerous! the voice. “You will take the sum to Chief
Did he not know it? Clements’s office after you plant the box. Wait
“I been doing my best!” he yelled. for Chief Clements to appear; then post the ten
“And that was not good! Slick thousand dollars as a reward for Doc
Cooley—I’ll talk to you now.” Savage—dead or alive. This precaution is in
“Sure!” Slick shouted. case you fail.”
He scuttled forward, a spooky vision in “O. K. to that, too!” Slick barked. “I
the green-belled hood. He did not mind the won’t slip up!”
mention of his name. He knew every one here, “That will be all, then. You other men
anyway. Many of those present, however, remain in close touch with Slick or Judborn
were unacquainted with one another. Tugg, so that you can receive orders quickly.”
The seated figure had not moved The men bobbed their hoods in
perceptibly at any time. understanding, then departed. They went
“You did good work in noting Savage’s swiftly, as if eager to quit the ghostly presence.
reflection in a mirror in Aunt Nora Boston’s Slick Cooley remained behind, making
house, when you were watching with a pretense at examining the box which he
binoculars!” said the fantastic voice. found in the weeds beside the door. The box
Slick was slightly shocked. It was the was not large. It was shiny and black, with a
first time he had heard the Green Bell bestow tiny single-pole switch on the top.
praise. It made him uneasy. There was also a bundle of money,
“I was just doin’ my best!” he bellowed. which Slick pocketed.
He carried the box to the near-by
brush and waited, eyes fixed on the barn door.
A SHORT silence ensued. Uncanny He was watching for the Green Bell to appear.
quiet lay in the old wreck of a barn. No one Slick intended to follow the master mind and
moved. The creamy strips of moonlight in the learn who he was.
cracks had a spectral quality. Minutes dragged by. No one put in an
“I need a trustworthy man for the work appearance. Almost half an hour passed.
ahead!” tolled the Green Bell. “So I am Impatient, Slick crept to the door and
selecting you. For this work, if you complete it peered in. The eerie black form had not
successfully, you will receive a bonus, over moved. The sputtering green candles had
and above your regular pay, of fifty thousand burned quite low.
dollars.” Slick debated, then decided to stake
Slick’s startled gasp puffed out his all on a desperate chance. He fished the two
hood like a small balloon.
silenced guns from his armpits and shoved hear this remarkable bronze man, Doc
through the door. Savage.
“Put ‘em up!” he gritted. The food in their hands was concrete
The seated figure did not stir. evidence that the mystery man meant
Slick ripped another command. No business. Doc had known the distribution
response! He became excited. Both his guns would have this effect, hence he had ordered it
coughed bullets! to be made before the speeches. He needed
The slugs hit the black form and the every ounce of coöperation and confidence
wall with smacking reports which were much from these people.
louder than the chung! of the silenced The battle against the insidious forces
weapons. of the Green Bell was just starting.
The apparition in black still remained Presence of the crowd made it simple
motionless. for Slick to snap his hat brim over his eyes and
Frankly terrified, Slick pitched forward mingle among them. He worked to Aunt Nora’s
and brought a gun crashing down on the house. All attention was directed on the tent. It
hooded head. proved easy for Slick to enter the house,
The whole figure collapsed, amid a unobserved.
loud cracking! It was nothing but a framework He made his furtive way to the room
of sticks! where, during the day, he had been lucky
enough to observe Doc Savage’s reflection in
a mirror. He reasoned this was Doc’s quarters.
CURSING feverishly, Slick bent to Certain articles of the bronze man’s
examine the thing. A hole in the concrete floor attire hanging in a closet told Slick he was
came to view. This had been partially correct.
concealed by the black gown. Numerous intricate mechanical and
Slick lighted a match and held it over electrical devices stood about the room. Of
the hole. He saw the moldy red walls of tile. these, Slick identified only a portable radio
Comprehension dawned on Slick. The outfit. The other stuff was too complex for his
farmer who had once tried to cultivate this rather limited understanding.
marsh land had put in an intricate system of Slick disturbed nothing. He was too
tile drains. The hole in the floor admitted to one canny for that. Nor did he show a light. The
of these underground pipes. Or so Slick had moon furnished sufficient illumination.
decided. Behind the head of the bed stood a
Doubtless there were many other large, dilapidated cabinet. To all appearances,
exits. The Green Bell might have been this was not used. The front had no doors, but
speaking from anywhere in the vicinity. was masked by a gaudy print curtain.
This, then, accounted for the necessity “Just the place!” Slick whispered to
of yelling. It took a loud tone to carry through himself. “I’ll plant my toy there, then go to Chief
the tile labyrinth. Clements’s office and wait for him to turn up!”
Using his flashlight, Slick carefully He placed the black box behind the
rebuilt the framework which supported the curtain, and threw the deadly switch; then all
black gown. It was just as well, he realized, but ran from the room.
that his treachery should not be discovered. Much to his relief, Slick was able to
leave the house without being observed.
Just before he faded away into the
SOME time later, Slick appeared in the night, he glanced at the circus tent. The
vicinity of Aunt Nora Boston’s home. canvas sides had been tied up because of the
Distribution of food and clothing to the warmth.
needy was well under way, from the looks of Doc Savage was taking the speaking
the situation. There was a multitude in the two rostrum.
big tents and on the grounds. “That guy will be a gibberin’ nut before
Those who had received an allotment mornin’!” Slick leered. Then he crept out of the
of necessities were not departing. They neighborhood. Somehow, even a distant look
wanted to attend the meeting which was to at that bronze man made him feel like having a
follow. Especially did they want to see and good shiver.
Chapter IX Other men followed Collison McAlter’s

PLANS example. They were quietly dressed,
substantial-looking fellows, all of middle age.
THERE was a great deal of talk in the The desperate situation in Prosper
big top, but it snapped into the silence of a City was mirrored on their faces. Some were
graveyard when Doc appeared. In two spots, pale, nervous, openly worried. Others carefully
babies cried. The night breeze puffed the tent masked their concern.
top and sucked it down with a hollow booming. Doc Savage counted them. About two
The quiet was a tribute to Doc’s thirds of the list he had called were present.
appearance. The giant bronze man, in the But he had not expected unanimous
glare of a spotlight, was an arresting figure. attendance. That even this many had attended
Alice Cash, also occupying a chair on Aunt Nora’s meeting was remarkable.
the rostrum, seemed unable to take her eyes “Will each of you sell me your factory
off his figure. or mine holdings?” Doc asked bluntly.
“This is not going to be a longwinded “Provided I give you the right to buy them back
discussion,” Doc announced, speaking in a at the same price any time within a year.”
modulated tone which the public address Jaws sagged among the worried
system could handle with most efficiency. “You industrialists. The proposition was a bit sudden
people who have received food and clothing for them. They were incredulous.
here, tonight, do not need to embarrass The idea that they should be recipients
yourselves with the idea that you are taking of an offer so strange was too much for their
charity. Your names have been filed, and the mental digestions.
stuff charged against you.” “Understand me,” Doc told them; “I am
“Fat chance you have of collecting!” not taking any man’s plant off his hands at a
some one called grimly. “We haven’t any jobs!” handsome profit. The purchase price must be
“There’ll be plenty of jobs!” Doc what is fair in the judgment of an impartial
retorted. board.”
“How soon?” Collison McAlter ran fingers through
“I set the time limit at two weeks; but his graying hair. “I should like to know what
we should be able to beat that. Probably most your purpose is in making this offer.”
of you will be drawing pay by tomorrow.” “Your plants are simply being taken off
In the rear, a man jumped up and your hands,” Doc told him. “We intend to start
shrieked: “That’s just wild talk! You’re only a every one working. If they are damaged, or we
crazy murderer from New York!” fail, you don’t stand to lose anything.”
This fellow was one of the Green Bell’s “You mean that you’re going to buy
agitators who had managed to slip inside. He them, get them operating profitably, then let us
fled wildly when a dozen angry men charged have them back at what we sold for? Why,
him. that’s not good business! You won’t make any
After the excitement subsided, Doc profit!”
resumed speaking. Aunt Nora Boston sprang up and said
“Will the following individuals please loudly: “You men get this through your heads:
come forward,” he requested. Doc Savage don’t go around trying to make
He now read a list of names which money! He goes around helping people! You
Aunt Nora had furnished him. It included fellows never met anybody like him before!
practically every factory and mine owner in He’s probably the most remarkable man in the
Prosper City. world!”
The designated men seemed reluctant
to assume the limelight—until the lead was
taken by a sparse, gray-haired man who had a “THIS is too good to be true!” Collison
determined face. McAlter smiled widely. “There must be a string
“That is Collison McAlter, my tied to it.”
employer,” Alice Cash whispered to Doc. “That “The only string is an agreement that
is—he was my employer when there was a the wages and working hours in effect, when
job.” you take the plants off my hands, must be
maintained,” Doc replied.
“The kind of a deal you are proposing tents and upon the grounds had heard each
will take millions!” Collison McAlter muttered word.
doubtfully. Doc now addressed the crowd. “You
Doc now summoned the banker with have just heard an agreement entered into
whom Johnny had deposited the check for which will put most of the industrial plants in
such an enormous sum. Prosper City in my possession. It will be two or
“I want you to advise these gentlemen three days before these sales are completed
the size of my account with you,” Doc and money changes hands. Opening of the
requested of him. plants will have to wait that long. How many of
The banker, more than glad to please you are ex-service men?”
the largest depositor his institution had ever All over the tents and the grounds a
seen, complied with the request. surprising number of hands shot into the air.
The owners of Prosper City’s “Fine!” Doc called. “How many of you
inoperative factories and mines were fellows are willing to go to work right now?”
becoming a bit dizzy. They looked like men Practically every hand stayed up.
who were having a pleasant walk in their “That’s still better!” Doc told them.
sleep. “You’ve got jobs. You’ll draw pay for today.
But they were hard-headed, The salary is ten dollars a day.”
conservative individuals. They began Mention of the rate of remuneration
discussing the matter among themselves. called forth several pleased howls. The sum
Some wanted time to think it over. A week! was well over the prevailing scale for labor in
Thirty days! Two months! that section of the State.
Doc’s powerful voice stilled the babble “You fellows are going to earn that
of words. money,” Doc told them. “You are going to form
“This requires swift action!” he an armed guard to protect the plants as we
announced. “You men know very well that a open them. Some of you may be killed. But the
mysterious master mind known only as the family of any man who dies in the line of duty
Green Bell is behind this trouble! We must will receive a trust-fund income of two hundred
begin fighting him without delay!” dollars a month for the balance of life.”
Doc knew human nature. If they got to Perpetual monthly payments was the
talking about the thing, they might hem and kind of insurance that appealed to the men. It
haw for months. was something their widows could not be
For the second time that night, it was swindled out of.
Collison McAlter who took decisive action. This
might have been due largely to the persuasive
nod given him by his pretty secretary, Alice A VISIBLE change had swept over the
Cash. crowd as developments chased each other.
“I’ll take you up, Mr. Savage!” he Earlier, the attitude had been the dull
declared. “I’d be foolish not to. I don’t stand to hopelessness of beings who felt themselves
lose anything. I shall give you a bargain price helpless victims of some Gargantuan monster
on my concern, the Little Grand Cotton Mills.” which they could not understand. That was
Doc Savage stepped down and shook now changed entirely.
hands heartily. Getting the Little Grand The concern of each man was
concern was half his battle. It was second in naturally for himself. Where was the next meal
size only to Tugg & Co. among Prosper City’s for himself and his family coming from? What
industries. had caused the factories and mines to close
Most of the other owners now came down was something too vast, too vague and
forward with oral agreements to surrender their abstract, for them to grasp, unused as they
properties. A few men, still suspicious, were were to thinking in large terms. Nobody, for
reticent. But Doc had no fear that they would that matter, understood the reason for this
fail to come around, once public opinion was trouble.
aroused. They were like cattle caught in a
This entire discussion had been picked hailstorm. They could feel the hail pelting
up by the sensitive microphones of the public- them, but what had caused the clouds to form
address system. The vast throng within the and the hail to fall, they did not comprehend
clearly. What they wanted was a shed or little black box of insanity was concealed near
something for protection. the head of his bed!
Jobs which Doc was offering were Doc strode over, seated himself on the
figurative sheds. The men were overjoyed. edge of the bed, and started to kick off his
Doc had more bounty to distribute. shoes.
Four armored trucks lumbered into He became rigid; his mighty body
Aunt Nora’s great yard. These were the type of seemed to solidify into the metal it resembled.
vehicles used to convey factory pay rolls. Each He brought both corded hands to his ears.
had a grilled pay window. Then he leaped erect and whipped out
Lines were formed, the ex-service men of the room.
superintending operations. Each person to He stopped in the hall and waited
pass a barred window received a moderate there, tense. He shook his head a time or two.
sum of money. In return, they signed vouchers His expression was strange, curious, puzzled.
saying the amount was advance salary on jobs Through the open door, his eyes roved
they were to get. the room. They rested finally upon the
Through Johnny and the banker, Doc curtained cabinet, near the head of the bed.
had summoned the money trucks, some of This was the only logical hiding place.
which had come from neighboring cities. Doc entered the room. He flashed to
Distribution of this money was the the cabinet, stripped back the curtain, and
climaxing sensation. Charity to the tune of a discovered the dark box. He clicked the switch
few dollars was one thing; philanthropy on off. His whole movement had taken but the
such a stupendous scale as this was flash part of a moment.
something else again. Such a thing had never Curiously, Doc began examining the
before been heard of here. box. He loosened small screws and lifted the
Reporters from the Prosper City Star lid off.
ran around like chickens with their heads off. Long Tom, the electrical wizard, came
Down at the newspaper plant, an extra press in.
was dusted off. It was decided to double the “What in blazes is that, Doc?”
size of the paper, and fill it all with news about “The devil’s own machine! Take a look
Doc Savage. Stories about Congress, at it!”
European troubles, and the murder of a big Long Tom scrutinized the device
gangster were consigned to the wastebasket. closely.
The insidious master mind, the Green “Huh!” he ejaculated. “This is a
Bell, whoever he was and wherever he was, mechanism utilizing quartz crystals and high-
had something to think about. The pall of fear frequency electric currents for making ultra-
which he had built up so painstakingly was short sound waves.”
being, in a single night, almost completely “Exactly,” Doc agreed. “Sound waves
wiped away by the remarkable power of this which have strange effects upon many
man of bronze. substances. There is not the slightest doubt
Doc knew very well, though, that the but that this is the explanation of the strange
battle was just starting. The Green Bell’s cases of insanity in Prosper City. The sonic
organization was still intact. The sinister czar’s waves affect certain centers of the brain,
followers were now certain to concentrate on rendering them inoperative, I believe.”
their bronze Nemesis. Long Tom nodded. “But how’d you find
This was as Doc wanted it. The the thing?”
innocent workmen of Prosper City would not “The waves are inaudible to a normal
suffer. ear. Fortunately, I was able to detect certain
sounds of peculiar nature. It is doubtful that
these were the sonic waves themselves, but
THE night was far along when Doc more probably they were heterodyne beats
went up to his room to get a few hours of caused by some refracting phenomena.”
sleep. It was perfectly clear to Long Tom how
Doc’s eyes roved the room as he this could happen, although a scientific
stood in the door. Nothing suspicious met his discussion lasting for days could have been
eyes—there was no detail to show that the waged over the subject.
No doubt the main explanation of Collison McAlter’s eyes popped. “A

Doc’s escape was his remarkable hearing. movie camera! And it’s been operating in here
From the cradle, Doc had each day taken all the time?”
certain sound exercises calculated to develop “Doc had several of those,”
his auditory senses. For this purpose, he used volunteered the homely Monk. “They operate
a device which made sound waves inaudible to silently, and they’re handy to leave standing
an ordinary ear. Through long practice, Doc around to photograph prowlers. I’m betting the
was able to hear these notes. fellow who planted that black box got his
Ole Slater, Aunt Nora, and the others picture taken!”
soon arrived, anxious to see the hideous black Collison McAlter wiped his forehead.
box and hear how it worked. “But it was too dark to take pictures in here!”
Doc borrowed the magnifier in the left “This movie camera operates on ultra-
lens of the gaunt Johnny’s spectacles, and violet light,” Monk explained. “The rays are
went over the interior of the brain paralyzing invisible to the human eye, but they affect
device. photograph film of the type we use. In other
Strange little lights came into his words, that camera can take pictures in pitch
golden eyes as he examined it. darkness. And it carries enough film to run all
day.”
Monk further announced that the film,
INTO the room there came abruptly a immediately after passing the lens, ran through
low, fantastic sound. It was like the song of a tank which automatically developed it.
some exotic bird of the jungle, or the mellow Doc now put the film through a tiny
trilling of a breeze filtering through a forest. It projector. The images were thrown on the
had no tune, though it was entirely melodious. white plaster of the wall. The pictures were not
Those present stared. They looked attractive to the eye, since highlights and
frightened. Ole Slater backed nervously for the shadows contrasted starkly.
door, thinking the deadly sonic device was in As portrayed by the film, the room
operation. The weird sound was in all the seemed unreal, horrible. The creeping figure of
room, seeming to emanate uncannily from no Slick Cooley appeared. Every detail of his
particular spot. features was plainly discernible.
Doc’s four friends showed no fear, He was facing the camera at the
however. They had heard this uncanny note moment he whispered to himself; then he
before. They knew it was the sound which was planted the box and fled.
a part of Doc—a small, unconscious thing “So he is the culprit!” barked Collison
which he did in moments of utter McAlter.
concentration. In the present case, they were Doc stopped the projector. He
sure it presaged an important discovery. indicated the black sonic box on the table.
“What’d you find, Doc?” rumbled the “Make sure no one carries that off. The finger
big-fisted Renny. prints in it are important.”
“Finger prints,” Doc told him. “The He glided for the door.
fellow who made this thing might as well have Collison McAlter gulped: “But where
signed his name.” are you going?”
Collison McAlter came upstairs, along “To get Slick Cooley,” Doc said dryly.
with some of the other Prosper City factory “But how do you know where to find—”
owners. He listened in amazement to Alice Collison McAlter fell silent, for Doc was gone.
Cash, as she told him about the sonic device. Doc’s four aids exchanged knowing
Doc Savage placed the black box on a glances. They had a good idea how Doc knew
table near the bedroom window. He walked to where to locate Slick Cooley.
a rather bulky metal box which stood to one Slick had been facing the camera
side of the chamber. This was decorated with when he whispered: “I’ll plant my toy there,
various knobs and switches, together with then go to Chief Clements’s office and wait for
circular glass lenses. him to turn up!”
Doc opened it. Inside, mechanism was Doc Savage was a proficient lip
operating slowly. Two large magazines held a reader.
narrow movie film.
THE group now left Doc’s room. Chief Clements did not keep a very
Renny took up a position outside the door, sightly office. Circulars concerning wanted
armed with one of the tiny, high-speed criminals stuck to the walls like stamps. There
machine guns. The room was on the second were metal filing cabinets, all large and rusty.
floor, and the grounds were flood-lighted. On top of the scarred flat-top desk
Even if the Green Bell did know of the stood a box of five-cent cigars. About two
finger prints, it did not seem possible that he thirds of them had been smoked.
could get to the black box to destroy them. Slick Cooley occupied the swivel chair
Renny had not been on guard before back of the desk. His weasel face was
the door for long, however, when certain screwed into a grimace over the cigar. Slick
portentous events transpired. considered five-centers below his station in
A tree, lifting between Doc’s window life.
and one of the flood lamps, cast a shadow Back of Slick, a window was open. He
over the portion of the house that was between did not worry. This was the second floor. A
the window and the roof. night breeze rushed softly in through the
Directly above Doc’s room was the window and pulled strings of gray smoke off
window of one of the garret chambers. This his cigar end.
lifted silently. Suddenly, the breeze seemed to bring
A small package appeared, tied to the in a great bronze cloud. This cloud tied around
end of a string. This was lowered. A swinging Slick and became as real and hard as banding
movement caused the package to sweep in steel cables.
through the window of Doc’s quarters. It was Air tore loudly out of Slick’s lungs as
dropped within. he was squeezed. He made no other sound.
The string was permitted to hang He was planted, helpless, upon the desk, and
between the two windows. It was small and relieved of his two silenced guns.
dark and not likely to be noticed by any one. Slick tried to struggle, but he might as
In the garret cubicle, the murksome well have been a mouse in the clutches of a
figure which had lowered the package now big cat.
made for the door. This being wore a long The brick wall of the police station had
black gown, on the front of which was a bell offered no great obstacle to Doc Savage. It
design in bilious green. was not the smooth type of wall, but one which
The little room under the roof chanced had fairly deep grooves between the bricks.
to be the one which had formerly been Doc, with his tremendous strength and agility,
occupied by unfortunate Jim Cash. had come up it much as another man would
The black-hooded personage quitted climb stairs.
the garret. Doc maintained a purposeful silence,
A few minutes later, the group of not speaking even after he had disarmed Slick.
factory owners took leave of Aunt Nora’s Cabled bronze fingers seemed to flow
house, discussing Doc Savage and his men, over Slick’s person. They administered a
and the things they had seen that night. wrench here—some pressure there. Slick
Collison McAlter was with them. He seemed found himself mysteriously relieved of the
greatly pleased with the events of the night. power of speech by some weird paralysis of
His step was jaunty. nerve centers.
“You’re going to die,” Doc told him—
but neglected to mention the mortal date.
Chapter X Slick naturally presumed Doc meant
THE MURDER SNARE immediately. Doc had no intention of slaying
Slick. He had merely stated a natural truth, and
THE Prosper City police station was a let Slick draw his own conclusions.
dingy, red-brick building, constructed in the For some seconds Doc worked on
shape of a “T.” The stem of the “T” contained Slick’s frame with incredibly strong hands. His
the barred cells for prisoners. The crosspiece manipulations produced excruciating agony.
held offices, including the one used by Chief So great was the torture that Slick began to
Clements. think he was actually dying.
“Who is the Green Bell?” Doc
demanded.
The bronze fingers kneaded Slick’s face was somewhat pale, and his bristling
nerve centers again, and he found the use of caterpillar of a mustache drooped slightly,
his tongue had magically returned. making it seem smaller. Otherwise, he
He tried to bluff. “Honest, mister, I appeared none the worse for the hours of
don’t know anything about any Green Bell!” sleep induced by Doc’s drug.
“A lie!” Doc told him quietly. “You are No surprise showed on Doc’s metallic
one of the Green Bell’s hirelings. You might be face. A few moments ago he had heard some
the Green Bell himself—except that you don’t one approach the door. This had escaped
show any signs of having that many brains.” Slick’s notice.
“You’re crazy!” Slick snarled. “You should have stayed outside a
“Not as crazy as you hoped I would be while longer,” Doc advised Chief Clements.
when you planted that sonic device in my “You might have learned other facts.”
room.” Chief Clements’s face wore the
“I didn’t—” expression of a man who had suddenly
“A movie camera was hidden in the discovered that his house had burned down.
room! It registered your actions!” Jerkily he mopped at his small features.
“I’ve been played for a sap,” he
mumbled.
SLICK did not doubt this. “All of us are taken for a ride
Remembering the intricate electrical apparatus occasionally,” Doc assured him without malice.
standing in the bedroom, he wished he had This did not seem to relieve Chief
investigated more closely. Clements. He knotted his bony hands,
“They won’t hang a man for that,” he captured a part of his dark mustache with his
mumbled. lower lip, and nibbled it, goat fashion.
“No!” Doc agreed. “They’ll never hang “I talked to some people on my way
you!” here, and read an extra edition of the News put
Thinking this was a threat, Slick out,” he twanged. “I found out what you done
shivered. He changed his tactics. at that meeting tonight—passing out food and
“Now listen, Savage; maybe we can clothing and money to them starving people. A
get together!” lot of them poor devils you helped were my
“Who is the Green Bell?” friends.”
“I don’t know! Honest, I don’t!” Chief Clements was an honest,
“But you are one of his men?” stubborn man, who had learned he was wrong.
Slick knew there was no use denying He was trying to apologize.
this. “Yeah!” Doc helped him out. “Forget it! You
“You were one of the gang who were doing what you thought was right. No
murdered Jim Cash,” Doc said. man can do more than that.”
That was merely a guess on Doc’s Chief Clements smiled gratefully. His
part, stated as a fact. But Slick goggled at the knobby shoulders lost their droop.
bronze man’s features, saw no expression “From now on I’m working with you,”
there, and came to the mistaken conclusion he said grimly. “What I just heard proves you
that Doc had learned of the deed in some didn’t murder Jim Cash. I’m not going to arrest
mysterious fashion. you. And I’d like to see anybody from out of
“What if I did? You can’t prove it!” Slick town pinch you. Furthermore, I’m going to
squirmed desperately. “You can’t prove arrest Judborn Tugg. Slick’s talk proved Tugg
anything on me!” is mixed up with the Green Bell.”
“Judborn Tugg is one of the gang,” “I’m afraid such slender evidence
Doc said calmly. would not convict Tugg in court.”
“Sure.” Then it suddenly dawned on Chief Clements stared dismally at Doc.
Slick that he was being tricked. He cried “You mean that we had better not throw Tugg
desperately: “You can’t prove a thing I’ve been into the can?”
telling you!” “Tugg may be the Green Bell.
The door opened, and a twanging Suppose we watch him closely. If he is not the
voice said: “He don’t need to prove it.” Green Bell, he might still lead us to the master
Chief Clements of the Prosper City mind. With your very valuable help, we’ll be
police stood on the threshold. His cherry of a sure to solve this.”
The last statement was partly flattery. “I don’t get you! What do you want with
Undeniably, though, having Chief Clements on the Green Bell’s bunch, if we catch ‘em? Why
Doc’s side would greatly facilitate matters. not let ‘em go to the pen?”
“I’ll slap this guy in the hoosegow, then “My treatment is more effective than
we’ll talk things over,” Chief Clements said, penitentiary terms or the electric chair,” Doc
and snapped handcuffs on Slick’s wrists. said.
The lithe, snakelike Slick was led off in Chief Clements looked at the bronze
the direction of the cells in the rear. man’s face and squirmed uneasily. He had
received the impression that Doc meant to slay
the prisoners.
DOC had been smiling in friendly “No one will be put to death,” Doc
fashion for Chief Clement’s benefit. Left alone, promised him.
his strong features now settled into repose. A “It’s irregular,” Clements said, “but if
warm light in his golden eyes indicated that he you want them, you can have them!”
was well satisfied with the way things were
going.
Chief Clements returned, stepping BACK in the jail, a shot banged. The
spryly. sound was hollow—like a single grain of
“I wish you would tell me what you popcorn letting loose in a popper.
know about conditions here in Prosper City, Doc whipped for the door. His
Mr. Savage. I must confess I have been movements seemed easy, but were executed
blinded by that flashy bluffer, Judborn Tugg.” with a swiftness which caused Clements to
“My facts are meager,” Doc told him. stare in amazement. This phenomenon of a
Then, without squandering words, he man moving with such unearthly speed all but
imparted his facts. He told of the capture of the made Clements forget the shot. He heaved out
Green Bell’s seven thugs in New York City. But of his chair and followed Doc.
he made no mention of what had finally A long, bare, cold corridor ended at a
happened to them. No one, other than those sheet-steel door. Chief Clements unlocked the
connected with the place, knew of the strange panel.
institution in up-state New York. A concrete alley, barred cells on either
“So Jim Cash was rubbed out because side, stretched beyond. Faces were jammed
he got wise to who the Green Bell was!” against the bars; excited questions babbled.
muttered Chief Clements. “Cash was a good An iron stairway sloped down to the
kid. I knew him. His sister is swell, too. That first-floor cells.
young Ole Slater has been rushing her lately.” “I put Slick below!” Chief Clements
“Know anything about Slater?” shouted, and hammered his heels on the
“He’s all right. I investigated him stairs.
mighty close.” Halfway down the passage, a steel
“How come?” grid of a door hung open. Two turnkeys
“That was when Tugg had me thinkin’ huddled before it, peering into the cell. Both
Aunt Nora Boston was at the bottom of this were rigid, bent forward grotesquely.
trouble. I combed their records. I didn’t find Doc and Chief Clements raced the
nothin’ on Slater. He’s written a couple of plays corridor’s length.
that have been produced on Broadway.” Light blazed in the passage, but not in
The discussion veered to plans for the the cells. The bars cast striped shadows on the
future. Chief Clements suggested that the ex- cement floor. The shadow stripes seemed to
service men guard for the mines and factories crawl like black snakes over two figures in the
should be commissioned as members of the dungeon.
Prosper City police force. One man was a jail flunky. He held an
This was an excellent idea, Doc automatic. An empty cartridge glittered on the
agreed. floor, and the place reeked of cordite.
“I can supply most of them with guns!” The second man was a twisted pile.
Clements declared. His position was so contorted that it seemed
“I should like to have all the prisoners,” his body had been pulled apart, then dropped
Doc requested. in a heap.
There was an ugly froth on his lips. His befitted a man who was not backward in
eyes were rolled in their sockets until they holding himself up as a leading citizen,
resembled white marbles. A bullet had Judborn Tugg occupied the most flashy
knocked the top of his head out of shape. It dwelling in the section.
was Slick Cooley. The mansion was white, after the
The man with the automatic backed Spanish style—a thing of tiled roofs,
stiffly away from the body. overhanging balconies, and wrought-iron
“Something went wrong with him!” he railings. Shrubbery was plentiful.
cried shrilly. “He was havin’ a fit. He grabbed Several blocks from the place, Chief
my gun and got shot when we were fightin’ for Clements got up speed, kicked out the clutch,
it. He was stark, ravin’ crazy, if you ask me!” and cut off the ignition. He coasted to a silent
Wheeling, Doc Savage sped back the stop two blocks from the white castle.
length of the passage. He reached a metal Doc lifted out.
door. A tiny, glittering tool appeared in his “Thanks,” he said. “You might as well
hand. He used this briefly on the door lock, go back to the station.”
and the panel opened as if he held a weird Chief Clements jerked at his bristling
power over it. black mustache. “But listen—”
Chief Clements ran to the door. His He clamped his teeth on the rest. The
jaw was sagging. The door had been locked, bronze man had faded away silently into the
and he would have sworn that it was burglar night!
proof. He stepped out into the night, bobbing Chief Clements stood up, intending to
his small red head like a blinded chicken. It call loudly, then thought better of it. The sound
was a long minute before his eyes accustomed might alarm Judborn Tugg. He sat there,
themselves to the gloom, and he could see blanketed in disgust. He had hoped to be in on
Doc Savage. whatever investigation Doc contemplated.
The lots around the police station were The bronze man fascinated Clements;
vacant. On them some one had sown grass— he wanted to see more of him.
and grown a profuse crop of weeds. Doc was Clements fiddled with the ignition, then
wading through these, using a flashlight. made an angry finger-snapping gesture. This
Rows of tiny windows, heavily barred, was provoked by recollection of how he had
admitted to the cells. Doc Savage lingered fallen for Judborn Tugg’s trickery.
under one from which came the low voices of Clements suddenly decided to do
the turnkeys gathered about Slick’s body. some investigating on his own. If he could
The ground bore faint marks where learn the identity of the Green Bell, his
feet had recently trod. The earth was too stupidity would be less reprehensible.
sunbaked to retain definite footprints, but The thought occurred to him that he
weeds, crushed by a recent tread, were slowly might interfere with some plan of the bronze
straightening. man. Well, he would be careful not to do that.
Doc joined Clements. Leaving his car, he eased through the
“The Green Bell got Slick with one of shrubbery. He managed to make little noise.
his sonic devices which produce insanity!” he The shadow of a manicured hedge led
imparted. him close to a side door of the white palace.
Clements wailed: “We’ve lost our only He crouched there, not ten feet from the door,
witness who could prove you didn’t kill Jim wondering what he should do next.
Cash.” The problem solved itself.
Doc seemed not to hear the The door opened, and Judborn Tugg
statement. He started away, hesitated, turned came out. Apparently he was getting a breath
back. of the night air before turning in.
“I’m going to Judborn Tugg’s home! Tugg lit one of his dollar cigars and
Want to drive me? You know the town.” threw the match away. It landed beside
“You bet!” Clements ran for his car. Clements. Not extinguished by the fall, it flared
up. The light disclosed the Prosper City chief
of police.
PROSPER CITY’S most pretentious Tugg dashed forward, drawing a pistol.
residential district was located on a knoll Then he perceived the interloper’s identity.
known to the local wags as Plutocrat Knob. As
“My good friend, Chief Clements!” he Flourishing weapons, these men

exclaimed pompously. “What on earth are you rushed to Tugg’s aid. When Doc Savage
doing here?” loomed in the door, their guns loosened a
Chief Clements heaved up on his volley.
knees. Within the last hour, he had acquired a Lead gnashed splinters out of the
great hate for this flashy man. door, or screamed on to slap into distant
Clements was not only a slow thinker; houses. None of the slugs touched Doc. He
he had a temper. had seen the danger in time to twist away.
“Don’t you call me a friend!” he The Green Bell’s gunmen, weapons
snarled. ready, sidled nervously through the door, or
dropped from near-by windows. Their bronze
quarry was not visible. But there was much
TUGG jumped as if kicked. His head shadow-matted shrubbery near by, which
seemed to dive down into his fat neck. He had could hold him.
been warned that Clements would be a deadly Inside the house, Tugg ran to a phone.
enemy if he ever learned the truth. And the He called the Prosper City police
police leader was now acting as if he had headquarters.
glimpsed light. “Doc Savage has just murdered Chief
Armoring himself with dignity, Tugg Clements out at my place!” he screamed. “I got
began: “My dear man, what—” half a dozen witnesses to it!”
“You damn murderer!” gritted The words were loud enough to reach
Clements. “Don’t you try to soft-soap me!” Doc Savage, where he lurked in the shrubs.
Tugg appeared to swell in girth and He glided rapidly away from the vicinity.
shrink in stature. A paleness bleached his Five minutes would see half of Prosper
pursy jowls. City’s police department on the spot.
Chief Clements had only spoken The officers did not know Doc and
rashly in his rage, but Judborn Tugg thought Chief Clements had made their peace. They
the officer was stating a charge, which he would be ripe to believe Judborn Tugg’s lie. A
could prove. Fear crawled in Tugg’s veins like terrific man hunt was certain, with Doc Savage
red ants. He was desperate. He decided to try as the quarry.
a trick. Hardly a flicker appeared in Doc’s
“Call your other officers!” he snapped. eyes when they caught the reflection of a
“I surrender!” street lamp. Their gold was dull. The charge of
“There’s nobody else with me,” rapped murdering Chief Clements was going to be a
Chief Clements, falling neatly into the trap. hard thing to combat.
This was what Tugg had wanted to At a rapid run he made for the
know. Jutting his gun at arm’s length, he outskirts of the town, where Aunt Nora
worked the trigger. The reports banged Boston’s house stood.
thunder. The bullets sledged Clements
backward, tunneling through his heart and
lungs.
Tugg continued shooting until his gun Chapter XI
was empty. Then, from the corner of an eye, DESTROYED CLEWS
he glimpsed what to him was a terrible sight. A
giant man of bronze! The figure came volleying ROOSTERS were crowing four o’clock
across the lawn toward him. from distant farmhouses when Doc Savage
Tugg snapped his empty gun twice at neared Aunt Nora’s rambling dwelling.
Doc, then veered around into the house. To one side of the house, Monk was
“Help!” he called. drilling a determined squad of ex-service men.
Several men, aids of the Green Bell, On the other side of the house a score
were in the house. Some had attended the of individuals stood in a knot, staring upward.
sinister meeting in the dilapidated barn. Others Their curious attention was centered on the
were merely agitators, who did not work in the window of Doc’s room.
Green Bell’s black robes, and, as a The window was wiped clean of glass.
consequence, were paid less money. They Part of the frame had been ripped out and
were loafing in Tugg’s company.
hung dangling. Around the aperture, weather- Doc sought pieces of the sonic
boarding was splintered and torn until it looked apparatus. The only segment of any size was
furry. the split end of a coil mounting.
Monk yelled, lumbering over to meet This trophy Doc carried into the
Doc. Monk’s gorillalike face was hard and bathroom and washed thoroughly to remove
wrathful. the acid. He also scoured the voracious liquid
“There was an explosion in your room, off his own shoes soles. It was dissolving the
Doc! The blast put the kibosh on a lot of your leather.
equipment.” Some moments later, Doc’s hands
“What about the Green Bell’s sonic abruptly became idle upon the towel he was
device?” using. He glided to a window and leaned out,
“Blown to smithereens!” listening.
Doc received this news as In the distance, toward the center of
expressionlessly as if it had been a comment town, he could hear spattering shots. The
on the weather. He had developed perfect fusillade died in a banging series which might
control. He could take the greatest misfortune have been periods.
without emotion. Monk lumbered over.
Why the black sonic box had been “That sounds bad!” he muttered. “It
destroyed was perfectly clear. It had held the may mean Renny and the rest are in trouble!”
finger prints of the Green Bell, or some one “Where did they go?”
who knew the evil czar’s identity. “I forgot to tell you. Ham telephoned
“The bomb was planted from inside from New York that he had sent the body of
the house,” Monk grunted. “It was lowered on poor Jim Cash by train. Renny and everybody
a string from an attic window and swung into else accompanied Alice Cash down to the
the room. We found the string!” station to get it. Everybody but me, that is. I
Doc walked to the house, entered, and didn’t care about seeing the girl’s grief.”
went upstairs. “Let’s get downtown!” Doc rapped.
The door was not only off its hinges,
but lay in fragments along the hallway.
“Renny was on guard outside the THEY loaded into a touring car in front
door,” Monk explained. “He got knocked head of the house. This was one of several fast
over heels!” machines which Doc had rented and was
“Was he hurt?” keeping on hand for general use.
“That guy?” Monk snorted. “Nothin’ Doc crouched out of sight on the rear
can hurt him!” floorboards. Monk drove.
Doc examined the room. Practically all Tire treads shrieked as the phaëton
his scientific devices had been ruined. This careened onto the road. The exhaust moaned;
damage alone amounted to many thousands. the rush of air popped the top fabric against
Some of the mechanism was of such a the bows. Doc braced himself in position,
complex nature that only Doc Savage’s skilled watching street lights bat past like white eyes.
hand and unique brain could recreate it. “Angle over a bit to the right,” he
Scummy brown stains smeared the advised.
floor, walls, bed—almost everything in the Keenness of hearing had enabled him
chamber. These seemed to be devouring to place the source of the shots.
whatever they covered. An acrid odor reeked A cop tweedled frantically on his
in the place. whistle as the car went past like a meteor.
“Don’t touch anything!” Doc warned. Dwellings ceased; business blocks veered
“Yeah—I know!” Monk agreed. “The ahead.
brown stuff is acid. It would eat the flesh right Prosper City had erected a new Union
off a man. There must have been several Station when times were good. It was a
bottles of it tied in with the bomb.” lumpish gray building, with long train sheds
“It was intended to eat the finger prints radiating like fingers in the rear. The place
off the sonic device in case the explosion failed resembled a mausoleum.
to do the job,” Doc decided. In the gloom in front of the station, Doc
found a hearse, two cars, and an excited
crowd. Blue uniforms of policemen freckled the He touched a lighted match to one of
assemblage. the strings, and dropped them. So great was
Monk drew in close and stopped the the crowd’s interest in Renny and his story, no
car. Doc got out. He worked forward, almost one noticed Doc’s act.
brushing the elbow of a policeman, who was Careful not to attract attention, Doc
too occupied with craning his neck to notice. drifted nearer the hearse. A moment later, a
Although dawn was threatening redly series of loud explosions came from the spot
in the east, it was gloomy in the vicinity of the which he had just quitted.
station. This, and the fact that all attention was Doc always carried a few ordinary
focused on the hearse, aided Doc in avoiding firecrackers with long fuses. These had proved
discovery. convenient on many occasions.
Big-fisted Renny and handsome Ole A yelling hubbub arose over the
Slater stood near the rear of the hearse, fireworks. This hypnotized all eyes. No one
talking to officers. observed a bronze figure which slipped into
In one of the parked cars huddled the hearse.
Alice Cash, sobbing on Aunt Nora’s ample
shoulder.
Long Tom and Johnny were keeping WITH a flashlight that spiked a white
the crowd from getting too near the two thread of a beam, Doc made an examination.
women. His search was brief.
Doc found a fat man, and did a good On Jim Cash’s body, on the arm
job of masking himself in the gentleman’s above the right elbow, were words.
shadow. He threw his voice in the direction of From their metallic color, these letters
the hearse. Not wishing to betray his presence, might have been printed with the lead snout of
he spoke in Mayan. a bullet. But Doc knew that they had been put
“What happened here, Renny?” he there by a chemical—to remain unnoticed until
inquired in the lost language. the application of a second chemical brought
A tightening of Renny’s big fist them out.
betrayed his surprise. He pondered briefly on They read:
how to give the explanation without it seeming
suspicious. Then he got it. IN MY FACTORY LOCKER
“I want you fellows to get this straight,”
he told the officers loudly. “We came down This, then, was what the Green Bell
here to receive the remains of young Jim horde had sought.
Cash. They had been shipped down from New Doc dropped out of the hearse. At that
York, one of the railway officials accompanying point, he lost the good luck which had attended
them. We had no more than—” his brazen efforts. A policeman saw him.
“You told us all that, before!” snapped The officer gasped. Then he flashed
a policeman. his service pistol, and recklessly tried to put a
“Shut up!” Renny thundered. “We had bullet in Doc’s bronze head.
no more than taken the coffin off the train The slug went a yard too high. Doc
when a gang attacked us. They all wore black dropped to all fours. Keeping down, he
hoods with the green, bell-like design on the torpedoed through the forest of legs.
front. They started shooting, and we had to A wake of yelling, overturned men
hunt cover in a hurry!” marked his progress. Several individuals
Renny made his voice even louder to sought to seize him. They either missed their
emphasize the words which he particularly clutches entirely, or were shaken off. Some
wanted to reach Doc. “The Green Bell’s gang launched kicks, only to bruise their toes on a
just examined the body. It didn’t look to me like frame which was almost as solid as metal.
they took a thing.” In the phaëton parked near by. Monk
This ended Renny’s explanation. drew one of the tiny machine guns and began
Doc drifted a bronze hand into his to rip bullets into the air.
clothing and brought out a bundle of small Renny, Long Tom, and Johnny sent up
objects which might have been red sticks with deafening yells, and thrashed aimlessly about.
strings sticking from the ends. These two disturbances were aimed at aiding
Doc’s escape.
Doc dived out of the crowd, raced for The Little Grand Mills were situated
the station, and almost made it before a like a gaudy blossom on a sweeping stem of
policeman saw him. It was necessary for the railroad sidings.
officers to fight clear of the crowd before they The buildings were gray, red-roofed,
could use their guns. And long before they neat. Grass on the ground was cropped so
could do that, Doc was inside the depot. close it might have been a coating of green
The station was cleared of waiting paint.
travelers, porters, and loafers, thanks to the A high fence, of wire as thick as a lead
excitement outside. Doc crossed the colored pencil, surrounded the plant. A barrier of
tile floor and ran out under the train shed. barbed strands circled the top. There was a
A line of Pullmans and day coaches wide entrance, steel gated, flanked by a
stood under one of the shelters—evidently a watchman’s turret. This latter structure had a
train which was to depart at a later hour. small, barred window.
Doc crawled into one of the coaches. A man peered out of the watchman’s
He ran between aisles of green plush seats box—a pale man who looked scared.
incased in white protecting cloths. Through “Who are you?” he quavered. “What
coach after coach he passed, shutting the do you want?”
intervening doors so the officers could not “Let me in!” Doc commanded. “It will
sight him by looking the length of the train. be all right with Collison McAlter!”
At the far end he dropped off. The watchman hesitated.
Although dawn was imminent, enough “Mr. McAlter is here now,” he muttered
gloom remained to simplify the rest of the finally. “I’ll go with you and find out if he wants
escape. Doc hurdled sidings, whipped under you around.”
freight cars, and cleared a low concrete wall. The watchman stepped out of the box,
As if to climax recent ghoulish events, closing the door behind him. He wore a white
he found he had entered the stockyard of a linen suit badly in need of laundering. He kept
monument concern. Grave markers of white his hand in his coat pocket, and the bulge in
marble, and more elaborately carved his pocket was longer than his hand should
headstones, stood all about. have been.
A long alley beyond the monument He unlocked the gate.
yard precipitated him into a side street. Doc’s gold-flake eyes seemed to give
the man the briefest of glances.
Then he suddenly flashed a corded
UNTIL Collison McAlter’s Little Grand arm.
Cotton Mill had been forced to close, Jim Cash Like a hard cleaver, it descended
had been an employee of the concern. between the man’s arm and his side. The
The strange words on Cash’s arm pocket tore open. The fellow’s hand and a
undoubtedly referred to his locker at the Little stubby pistol were forced out.
Grand plant. Doc’s sinew-wrapped fist seemed to
For the Little Grand Mills, Doc set his gulp the gun from the fingers which held it. The
course. They were many blocks away on the watchman tried to flee, but a shove—it made
south side of Prosper City. Doc ran, haunting him think of the nudge of a locomotive—sent
alleys and side streets. him reeling against the wall of his cubicle.
He made no effort to get a taxi, after Doc opened the door, hurled the man
noticing that policemen were stationed at inside, and followed after him.
prominent corners, stopping passing cars and Propped in a corner, where he had
examining the interiors. been invisible from the barred window, sat a
Doc had been without sleep or rest for man. He wore greasy coveralls. A time clock,
many hours, yet his stride lacked nothing in suspended from his neck by a strap, proved
elasticity. Through a lifetime of intensive him to be the genuine watchman. He was
exercises—two hours of it each day—Doc had unconscious from a head blow, and would
developed a strength and stamina which was remain so for some time.
almost superhuman, as compared to that of Doc’s prisoner gritted: “This fellow is
other men. my buddy—the assistant watchman!
Somebody beaned him—”
“Did you have on your Green Bell the bronze man. In their blood lust, they had
hood when you struck the watchman down?” coldly sacrificed their fellow crook.
Doc asked dryly. From the walls chunks of wood fell.
The man began to sputter. “I don’t Shingles were scooped off the roof; gray dust
know what—” spurted from the concrete foundation walls.
Doc sent a hand to the man’s The wall cracked at one point, then another.
shoulder, plucked away a long black thread. But it held, furnishing protection.
“This is not the kind of thread which The barrage ended. Silence reeked for
would come from your suit,” he murmured. “It’s a moment. Then men could be heard leaving
silk.” the factory.
“It’s from my necktie!” the other barked Doc lifted his head. Two men were
desperately. running forward to see what kind of work their
“Your necktie is a particularly unlovely fire had done; both were armed. Both wore the
shade of yellow,” Doc reminded. gloomy hoods of the Green Bell.
The man pitched backward, desperate Doc reached for the pistol which he
to escape. had taken from the fake watchman. He rarely
Doc started a swift gesture, aimed at carried a gun himself. He held the opinion that
recapturing him. His gaze, always alert and a man who carried a firearm would come to put
nearly all-seeing, went beyond the false too much dependence on it, and accordingly,
watchman to the factory buildings. What he would be the more helpless if disarmed.
saw caused him to duck swiftly. An ear could barely divide the twin
roar which his shots made. The charging pair
seemed to go lopsided, reel, then topple down,
THE factory walls were largely of two loose bundles of arms and legs.
glass, after the modern fashion. The windows It was not because of any lack of skill
were great tilting panels. Three of these had in their use that Doc did not carry firearms. He
opened silently since Doc’s last inspection. had winged both men in the legs.
Ominous black rods were protruding. Machine guns promptly opened up
The rods lipped flame. They were again from the factory. Doc threw himself close
machine guns, and they trip-hammered mad to the floor. It would be suicide to shoot back.
strings of reports. The gunfire kept up for what seemed
Bullets slashed completely through the an age. The concrete foundation wall was
thin walls of the watchman’s turret. They getting thinner and thinner. A bullet lunged
chopped the planks off. A drawer under the through.
little inspection window was hit. It jumped out But once more the shooting stopped.
of its groove and spilled its contents on the Chancing a look, Doc saw that the two
floor. men had been moved to safety under cover of
Gloves, a lunch pail—stuff belonging the fire. He could hear one of them wailing
to the watchman—and a Green Bell hood! faintly in agony.
Evidently this last had been hidden there when Two or three mysterious volleys of
Doc was sighted. shots soon sounded somewhere in the rear of
The fake watchman was slain by the the factory.
first storm of lead. The slugs doubled him up, Doc exposed himself briefly. He was
spun him around and around, knocking him out not fired on. Quitting the turret he ran for the
of shape. factory. He reached it and veered around a
Doc grasped the feet of the genuine corner.
watchman, who was slumbering from the blow It was as he had guessed: the men in
over the head, and jerked. The limp form the Green Bell hoods were retreating. They
skidded flat on the floor. had used their rapid-firer to batter the lock off a
The floor was of painted concrete. small gate in the rear fence.
Around it ran a foundation wall, also of They fled, carrying the two wounded.
concrete. It would turn bullets. Tall weeds and small brush received them.
The machine guns continued a deadly They were lost completely to view.
chatter. The men using them were Motors came to hooting life in the
coldblooded, intent on ridding themselves of brush. A car lunged out of a thicket like a
frightened black hawk. Another followed. The
two streaked down a side road, pursued by a To determine the truth, Doc decided
tumbling snake of dust. on a small ruse. He glided silently along the
Doc entered the factory. He knew the phalanx of lockers until he stood as close to
general layout of such textile plants as this. It McAlter as he could get, without being
did not take him long to find the room which discovered. Using the voice which he
held the workmen’s lockers. employed in ordinary speech, but making it
The lockers were tall, green metal small, choking, and thin, Doc said: “McAlter—
boxes. Each bore a small frame which held a you wanted—to kill—me.”
name card. One of the lockers was upset. Collison McAlter’s gun slipped from his
Doc turned it over so that he could see fingers and planked on the floor.
the name plate: He cried shrilly: “Doc Savage—good
heavens! I thought you were one of the Green
JIM CASH Bell’s gang!”
Doc waited. If Collison McAlter was
Whatever had been concealed under the Green Bell, this might be a sly trick to draw
the locker was now gone. him into line for a bullet from another gun.
A sharp, brittle voice somewhere But McAlter came stumbling to the
behind Doc rasped. “You will put your hands spot where he thought he had shot Doc. The
up!” bronze man drew his flashlight, gave the lens a
twist to spread the beam widely, and splashed
luminance.
Chapter XII Collison McAlter’s hands were bare of
THE BODY IN THE VINES weapons. He was trembling, pale. He looked
worried.
THE lockers stood in a row, like drab Doc Savage showed himself. “It’s all
metal teeth. The one which was upset left an right; you didn’t hit me.”
opening. McAlter spluttered. He swabbed a cold
Doc dived through. dew off his forehead, leaning flaccidly against
The factory floors were rubber the locker.
composition. This explained how the man had “What a horrible mistake I made!” he
approached unnoticed. Too, the newcomer gulped.
was not very close—at the end of the locker “Did you just get here?” Doc
room, a good fifty feet away. demanded.
There was no shot. Light in the “I’ve been here at least two hours.”
cavernous place was too dim to permit McAlter paused, apparently waiting for
accurate marksmanship. It was even a bit too Doc to make a remark. The result was a dead
dark to identify faces. But Doc had recognized silence.
the new arrival’s voice. It was Collison McAlter, “You see, I must confess I’m not a
owner of the plant. very brave man when it comes to physical
Doc lighted one of the firecrackers and danger,” McAlter mumbled. “After I left the
threw it. It was concealed from McAlter by the meeting at Aunt Nora Boston’s tonight I went
lockers. Striking the wall near him, the cracker home, but couldn’t sleep. So I came out here
exploded with a terrific report! to the factory to look things over. I saw the
Collison McAlter cried out, fired his Green Bell’s men arrive and overpower the
revolver—both at the same instant. Firecracker watchman.”
and gunshot were about of an equal loudness. He paused, shuddered violently, and
Doc Savage, big and bronze and grim, drooped even more limply against the lockers.
stood very silent. It was quite dark in the “Frankly, I was afraid to show myself!”
corner where the firecracker had loosened. he groaned.
Collison McAlter probably could not tell what “I would hardly call that lack of nerve,”
he had shot at, or whether he had hit any one. Doc told him. “There were too many of them
Doc was puzzled. Was Collison for one man to handle.”
McAlter one of the Green Bell’s men? Was he “Yes, that’s what I thought,” McAlter
the Green Bell himself? agreed. “Anyway, I don’t know why they were
here. They started shooting, but I couldn’t see
their target. I guess it was you! Even then I
was afraid to open fire on them. I’ll never scare those four lying witnesses into telling the
forgive myself for that!” truth, too.”
McAlter peered anxiously in the gloom, “When you get that done, you can
trying to ascertain from the expression on come down here and clear me of the charge of
Doc’s bronze features whether or not his story murdering Prosper City’s chief of police!”
had been accepted as true. Ham snorted. “O. K. How is that hairy
What he saw gave him little missing link, Monk, coming along?”
satisfaction one way or the other. “He has his eye on Alice Cash,” Doc
“What in the world could they have said, knowing this was exactly what Monk
been after?” he asked. would wish him to tell Ham.
“Jim Cash evidently had documentary The conversation terminated with a
proof of the Green Bell’s identity,” Doc replied. loud groan from the distant lawyer. If there was
“He concealed the evidence under his locker anything that pained Ham, it was to see his
here in the plant. He wrote the name of the sparring enemy, Monk, making a hit with an
hiding place in invisible ink on his arm. Just attractive young lady.
why he should follow that procedure is a Monk himself soon arrived. Renny, Ole
mystery. How the Green Bell learned of the Slater, Aunt Nora and the others accompanied
message is also unexplained.” him. Alice Cash was quiet, and her eyes were
Both these enigmas were answered continuously downcast.
indirectly when Doc appeared at Aunt Nora They had consigned her brother’s
Boston’s house. body to a local funeral home.
COLLISON MCALTER used his MONK looked at Doc and shook his
limousine as a conveyance to Aunt Nora’s. head slowly.
Doc crouched on the rug in the ample tonneau. “The cops sure are combing this man’s
The police did not dare to stop a man of town for you!” he declared. Then, in a low tone
Collison McAlter’s prominence and search his which did not reach Alice Cash, he added:
car. “They even followed us into the funeral home
Ham was calling by long distance from and searched the coffin, thinking we might be
New York, when Doc arrived at Aunt Nora’s. pulling some kind of hocus-pocus! And they
“How’s it coming, Doc?” he asked. frisked our cars two times on the way here.”
“It could be a great deal better,” Doc “That’s not half of it!” Renny put in
assured him. grimly. “They’re liable to show up here any
“I thought I’d report something queer!” minute!”
Ham said rapidly. “It may be important. Our Renny stepped out. He came back
mail carrier here was kidnaped yesterday by with the latest extra edition of the Prosper City
men in black gowns. He managed to escape News. Through his spectacles with the
during the night. The object of the kidnaping magnifying lens, he stared owlishly at the
seemed to be to get mail he was bringing us. headlines.
He said there was only one letter. It was from “They’ve got a decent crowd on that
Prosper City.” newspaper!” he grinned. “They carry a story
“That explains what just happened saying Chief Clements was shot, but they don’t
here, Ham! Jim Cash hid his evidence against mention Doc’s name in connection with the
the Green Bell, and marked the hiding place affair! They simply say that there is not enough
on his arm! He must have written me a letter evidence to name the slayer.”
from Prosper City, suggesting that, in case he Absently, Renny knocked his big fists
was killed, I should look on his arm for the together. This made a sound as if bricks were
information.” colliding.
“Confound it!” Ham gritted. “We’re sure “What about the gun with which Tugg
having our setbacks in this mess.” shot Clements?” he pondered.
“Some of the Green Bell’s men may “Tugg will be too wise to keep it,” Doc
still be in New York,” Doc warned. “You’d told him.
better watch out for them!” Ole Slater came dashing in from
“Don’t worry, I’ve been doing that,” outdoors.
Ham said wryly. “I think I’m going to be able to
“Mr. Savage!” he ejaculated. “The Doc entered Renny’s quarters. Among

police!” other things the big-fisted engineer had
Doc went to the door. Down the road brought from New York were compact diving
somewhere, loud voices were making angry “lungs.” These consisted of little more than
demands, and getting just as angry refusals. oxygen tanks with hoses running to a
The gang of ex-service guards had evidently mouthpiece. The outfit included a clip like a
stopped the police. clothespin for holding the nostrils shut.
Monk offered: “I told them to do that.” Monk appeared. He was carrying two
Doc nodded. “Fine! That gives us a bottles—one small, one large. They held
few moments to work which should be liquids of a widely different nature. He gave
enough.” Doc the smaller bottle. They hurried outdoors.
Monk looked uneasy. “It’s going to be The bronze man now picked up a
plenty dangerous getting away from here!” large rock and immersed himself carefully in
“I’m going to stay right on the the tank. He sat on the bottom, the rock on his
grounds!” lap to hold himself down.
“Holy cow!” exploded Renny, using an Monk dumped the chemical in the
expression which came to his tongue large bottle onto the water. Striking a match,
whenever he was greatly surprised. “How’re he applied it. The stuff blazed up brilliantly,
you going to manage that?” making a brownish smoke.
Without answering, Doc stepped Homely Monk gave Ole Slater his best
outdoors and circled the house. He did not leer.
know how he was going to remain without “This chemical burns without hardly
being ferreted out by the Prosper City lawmen. any heat!” he chuckled. “The police will think
He was looking for a hiding place we’re burning trash in the tank. They won’t
which would not be suspected. Before he was know there’s water in it. Now, do you believe
halfway around the house, he discovered it. they’ll prod with sticks?”
A large galvanized iron tank stood at Ole Slater looked sheepish. “No, of
the rear of Aunt Nora’s rambling old house. course not! But suppose Mr. Savage should
Eave spouts emptied into it. Aunt Nora Boston want to get out of there? How could he do it
was a thrifty soul who did her own washing. without being burned?”
She believed there was nothing like soft rain “Didn’t you see the small bottle I gave
water for this. him?”
The tank was two thirds full. “What’s that got to do with it?”
“Give us a shoulder!” Doc directed, “It’s filled with an extinguishing fluid
and bent his efforts to moving the tank some that floats. All Doc has to do is uncork the
distance away from the house. “Don’t spill the bottle—and the fire goes out.”
water!” Ole Slater rubbed his strong jaws.
A skeptical laugh escaped Ole Slater. “Isn’t there any limit to the number of tricks you
“You can never avoid them by submerging fellows have up your sleeve?”
yourself in the tank. The police are sure to “Listen!” Monk grinned. “Nobody has
prod around in the water with sticks.” ever put Doc in a jam he couldn’t get out of!”
“Dry up, sonny,” Monk advised him. Word was now dispatched to the ex-
“Doc’s scheme ain’t anything as simple as service men, advising them it was perfectly all
that.” right for the police to approach. When the
Ole Slater flushed angrily. He was not officers arrived, Long Tom and Johnny were
in a mood to take any cracks from Monk— making a great show of dumping trash into the
piqued as he was because Monk had been flaming tank. They ceased this before the cops
giving charming Alice Cash marked attention. came close enough to observe that the “trash”
was only tin cans, which would not add to the
heat of the chemical fire.
DOC called Monk. They ran inside the “We’re gonna search this joint!” a
house. Although Doc’s equipment had been police sergeant declared loudly. “We’re gonna
destroyed by the explosion in his room, Monk’s search it good!”
chemical supplies were still intact. With a great “Go ahead!” Monk told him. “Just one
clanking of test tubes and a fizzing of liquids, thing, though! Don’t start intimidating Alice
Monk went to work. Cash and Aunt Nora!”
“I’m gonna make damn sure they ain’t out. They were Prosper City’s powerful
seen Doc Savage!” citizens.
Monk gave a signal. His three pals “The suggestion that Savage
crowded up threateningly. They were a grim- murdered anybody is preposterous!” insisted a
faced fighting crew. mine owner. “We’ve been investigating!
“You can ask all the questions you Savage is known all over the world for his
want to!” Monk grunted. “But whether anybody remarkable deeds!”
answers them or not is something else!” Pompous Judborn Tugg had come
“Where’s Doc Savage?” upon the scene from somewhere. He entered
“That’s one we’re not going to the argument.
answer!” “My dear fellow business men and
The lawman glowered blackly. “You comrades,” he said bombastically. “This man
won’t answer because you’re afraid of givin’ Savage is twice a murderer—probably worse.”
your pal away!” “We do not believe that!” some one
“I ain’t afraid of nothin’ or nobody!” advised.
Monk hammered his chest like a bull ape. “I “I saw Savage murder Chief
just don’t feel like answering your damned Clements!” Tugg shouted. “Half a dozen others
question!” witnessed the horrible crime, too! Furthermore,
Savage is trying to buy your properties for a
fraction of what they are worth! Can’t you see
AT this point more policemen arrived. that? He’s not only a killer—he’s a gigantic
Three carloads! They bristled with sub- swindler!”
machine guns and double-barreled riot guns. A Renny’s great voice roared: “When the
cordon was stretched around Aunt Nora’s time comes, Tugg, we’ll either prove that
grounds. you’re the Green Bell, or that you’re on his pay
The officers pushed their search. roll.”
Beginning at the circus tents, they tore into Both fists up and clenched, Tugg
every bale and box. They even climbed to the started forward as if to strike Renny. However,
top of the tents to see that there were no trick he stopped well out of reach of the enormous
pockets. blocks of gristle which Renny called hands.
They ignored the flaming barrel, “Your lying words won’t hurt me!” he
except to toss an empty cigarette pack in the said, with the air of an injured man.
flames. After this, Tugg subsided. He could
They reached the house. At front and see plainly that every one but the police was
rear doors guards were posted. The scrutiny against him.
started in the basement. Walls and floor were “Go ahead with the search,”
brick. The bricks were examined, literally one commanded the sergeant in charge of police.
at a time, to make sure no trapdoor gave into a “We’re going to scour this place from top—”
secret room. He never finished. Feet rapped the
Other officers scattered over the porch. A uniformed officer dived inside.
remainder of the house. “One of our men!” he yelled. “Hanging
Approximately two dozen newcomers in the vines under a window! A knife is sticking
arrived. These were the men who owned the out of him!”
mills and the mines of Prosper City. They had
evidently held a conference, and had come in
a body to discuss measures which would give THERE was an excited rush around
Doc control of their property. the house. Vines which the excited officer had
When they found the bronze man was mentioned were wistaria. The creepers draped
being sought by the police, they exploded over a lightly constructed trellis.
indignantly. No one would entertain the idea Under one second-story window there
that Doc Savage had shot Chief Clements. was a vertical streak where the leaves were
They landed on the officers with a wet with dull, thick red. The blue-clad body of a
verbal barrage. For a few moments the house policeman was the mountain from which this
was a bedlam of angry shouting. The police streak of crimson spilled.
perspired and their necks became red. They
could not tell these men to shut up and clear
The cadaver hung from the window by a rope around the neck.
The cadaver hung from the window by “Holy cow!” Renny breathed in Monk’s
a rope around the neck. The officer had been ear. “Why on earth was he murdered? And
stabbed several times, judging from the places right under our noses, too!”
where he had leaked blood. The knife had Monk tied his furry hands into knots,
been left protruding from his chest after the then untied them. He was visioning the inside
last blow. of the Prosper City Jail.
One of Aunt Nora Boston’s carving The chances were good that every
knives! It had a black stag-horn handle. From one present would be arrested. It was only in
below, the hilt looked not unlike the head of a detective-story books that a houseful of people
black serpent peeping from the vest pocket of were kept on the scene after a murder, in order
the dead man’s coat! that the detective hero might trap the villain.
Homely Monk stared at the window— These hardheaded cops would throw every
and began to feel as if he was standing in a one in jail.
pool of ice water. It was his room from which
the body was dangling!
Made silent and grim by the presence BETWEEN ten and fifteen minutes of
of murder, the officers ran into the house and catechizing now ensued. The servants of the
upstairs. law did a rather thorough job. The information
The rope which suspended the slain they obtained, however, only added to their
man was one Monk had used to tie around a perplexity. Almost any one, it seemed, could
case of chemicals which he had brought from be the killer. Indeed, Doc’s four aids were
New York. It was not long enough to lower the almost the only men who had been
body to the ground. continuously at the side of some officer during
They hauled the corpse in through the the time the slaying must have occurred.
window. Collison McAlter, Aunt Nora, Ole
There was nothing to indicate why the Slater, Alice Cash—all others, in fact—found
bluecoat had been slain; no bruises to indicate difficulty in proving exactly where they had
a struggle. been.
“There couldn’t have been a fight, The little flock of Prosper City business
anyway,” Monk pointed out. “We would have men became frankly worried. Their efforts to
heard it from downstairs. The fellow has been prove by one another that they were
dead only a few minutes.” accounted for at all times, were almost frantic.
“Whose room is this?” demanded the “All of you stick here in the hall!”
police sergeant. commanded the sergeant. “We’re gonna finish
“Mine,” Monk admitted. His small voice our search of the house. Doc Savage may be
was even more tiny than usual. around, and may have murdered the cop!”
The officer yanked a pair of handcuffs Tall, bony Johnny had been using his
from his pocket, and bore down on Monk. spectacle magnifier on the hilt of the knife
“Listen, big hairy, you’re under arrest which had slain the bluecoat.
for murder!” he snapped. “It has been wiped clean of finger
Monk beetled his brows angrily. prints,” he announced regretfully.
“You’re forgetting something.” The police search progressed up from
“What!” the basement. Plaster was scrutinized; walls
“I haven’t been out of your sight a were rapped; books and magazines were
minute since you arrived. The slain man was examined.
one of the men who came with you, so I “You’ve got strange ideas of hidin’
couldn’t have killed him.” places!” Monk snorted.
Marked disappointment was registered “Don’t get sassy!” he was ordered.
by the policeman. He wanted to put Monk “We’re lookin’ for the gun that shot Chief
under custody. But Monk was obviously not Clements!”
the guilty person. Monk gave a pronounced start. “Say,
“Bring everybody up here in the hall!” officer, did somebody suggest the gun might
the cop shouted. “We’ll get to the bottom of be here?”
this!” “We don’t broadcast the source of our
The group of men, who represented tips!” snapped the sergeant. But a movement
Prosper City’s mines and factories, protested of his eyes toward Judborn Tugg was
vociferously to being herded about by the significant—the gun hint had come from Tugg.
police. This, however, had no effect. A hoodoo seemed to have settled in
“This is mighty serious!” the bluecoats Monk’s room for it was there that the next
growled. “We got to investigate everybody!” unpleasant development occurred.
“That is exactly right, officer!” Judborn Monk had brought along a spare suit.
Tugg agreed loudly. “I will gladly submit myself It hung in the closet. From its pocket was
to any examination. Personally, I think any one produced the gun which had slain Chief
reluctant to do that, under the circumstances, Clements.
has something to conceal.” Proof that this was the particular gun
Numerous dark glares rewarded Tugg would have to await examination of ballistics
for his speech. He replied with a smug smile. experts, though. Identification numbers had
He knew the words had lifted him in the been filed off. Judging by the shiny condition of
estimation of the officers. the file grooves, it was a safe bet this had been
done since the fatal shooting.
Monk entertained no doubt about its She maneuvered toward the flame-
being the murder gun. Some one had planted crowned tank and tossed her message inside,
it in his room. He proclaimed this fact loudly. without seeming she was doing anything
“It explains the murder of the unusual.
policeman!” he declared. “The cop happened Descending through the water, the
to find the Green Bell or one of his men hiding bottle and its weight landed on Doc’s right
the gun in this room! That’s why he was killed!” knee. He grasped it. The fire above lighted the
“The gun bein’ here shows Doc water more brilliantly than sunlight would have.
Savage has been here,” the sergeant insisted. Too, although the burning chemical was not
“He could have done the killin’!” supposed to make much heat, the water was
Monk subsided. What was the use of getting unpleasantly warm.
arguing? Peering through the wall of the bottle,
Doc read the message.
He reached a swift decision. Indeed,
A FRESH stream of objections now he seemed hardly to consider the matter at all,
came from the Prosper City business men. If so rapidly did his brain analyze the situation
Doc Savage was guilty, they asserted, why and ferret out the best procedure.
arrest everybody? Some of them made the The cork left the neck of the bottle
ominous prediction that, if this kept up, Prosper which held the extinguishing compound. It was
City would soon find herself with an entire new a milky fluid. In wreathing streamers, which
set of policemen. resembled the smoke from a small fire, it
The officers relented—partially. It was climbed upward. The chemical flames were
agreed that every one should remain at Aunt promptly snuffed out.
Nora’s place under careful guard, Doc’s four Removing the rock anchor from his
men—thinking of their bronze chief concealed lap, Doc got up and clambered from the tank.
in the water tank—were not pleased at this Yells of surprise greeted his
turn of events. appearance. Alice Cash pressed her hands to
Flames still leaped from the top of the her cheeks and looked startled.
tank. It was the nature of Monk’s chemical to The police sergeant dashed forward,
burn slowly—it would blaze for another hour. gun in one hand, handcuffs in the other,
Then what? shouting: “You’re arrested! If you bat an eye,
Doc stood an excellent chance of you’ll get plugged!”
being discovered, and none at all of escaping
from the grounds.
“We ought to warn Doc how things are Chapter XIII
stacking up,” Monk whispered to pretty Alice PIPED COMMANDS
Cash.
Alice now showed that she carried WITHIN surprisingly few seconds, Doc
around something besides good looks on her was centered in a bristling ring of gun mules.
shoulders. She secured permission from the Judborn Tugg bounced up and
policemen, and retired to the privacy of her screamed: “Kill him, officer! Don’t let him
room. On a sheet of stiff white paper she wrote escape! He’s the devil who murdered your
a brief summary of what had occurred. She chief!”
sealed this in a large-mouthed bottle which Long Tom chanced to be near Tugg at
had once contained stick candy. that instant. The electrical wizard—slender,
The roll of paper pressed against the pallid, unhealthy-looking—did not seem half a
walls of the bottle, due to its own stiffness. match for the portly Tugg. But he sprang upon
Hence the words it bore could be read through Tugg. His fists delivered a smacking volley.
the glass. Before Long Tom was hauled off,
Alice found a heavy paper weight, and Judborn Tugg had lost three front teeth. His
tied this to the bottle to serve as a sinker. nose was awry. Both his eyes had received a
The current fashion in gowns tended pasting which would soon turn them a beautiful
toward full sleeves. She was wearing the black.
latest. She concealed the bottle in a sleeve, Long Tom swung his fists recklessly at
then managed to make her way outdoors officers who grabbed him. Two dropped. The
without attracting suspicion.
electrical wizard had the appearance of a The police looked at Doc as if

weakling, but his looks were highly deceptive. suspecting the bronze man might have made
Ordinarily, Long Tom kept a level the noise.
head; but on rare occasions, he flew into a Doc showed by no sign that he had
great rage. He was having one of his tantrums heard. His hands reposed on his knees. They
now. The accusations against Doc had heated rested close together, snugged by handcuffs.
him to the exploding point. His ankles were also manacled.
A lawman got behind and whipped the Three railroads entered Prosper City.
back of Long Tom’s head repeatedly with a To avoid dangerous crossings, the tracks lay
blackjack. The electrical expert tumbled over, on high grades. Overhead bridges spanned
unconscious. the streets.
Doc Savage was now conducted into The police cavalcade crawled toward
the basement of Aunt Nora’s house, and one of the bridges. Two passed under. Doc’s
ordered to undress. machine came up within a score of feet of the
Every piece of his clothing was taken. structure. It traveled at a leisurely pace.
This indignity was suggested by bruised, Flinging both fists above his head, Doc
trembling Judborn Tugg. sprang upward. Driven by tremendously
“You don’t want to take any chances,” developed leg muscles, his body burst through
Tugg told the police. “There’s no telling what the top fabric as if it were paper.
kind of weapon this bronze fiend might have He twisted out on top. The bows were
hidden in his clothing.” stanch enough to support his weight.
An old pair of overalls and a blue shirt The shackles on wrists and ankles
were handed Doc. His feet were left bare. The seemed to hamper him hardly at all. By the
officers conducted him to a large police touring time the car reached the bridge, he was
car. standing erect.
The top was up, but there were no Springing upward, he grasped the
curtains. Doc sat in the rear, an officer on each bridge beams. A flip outward and upward
side. Three more cops occupied the front seat. hooked his toes over the rail. An acrobatic
When they headed for town and jail, swaying—and he was atop the bridge.
two cars rolled ahead. Three came behind. In
one of the latter Long Tom languished. They
were going to jail the electrical wizard for his HAD Doc sought to make an escape in
performance on Tugg. any direction other than upward, the police
Every one else was, it seemed, to be would have been in a position to riddle him. As
permitted liberty. Now that the police had Doc, it was, the tops of the cars spoiled their aim.
they seemed to think everything was settled. Before they could lean outside, Doc was
The official cars were driven slowly. gone—sheltered by the high steel side pieces
Their motors were rather silent for such big of the bridge.
machines. In concealment, Doc tested the
As they entered a part of town where handcuffs against his bronze sinews. It was no
residences were more plentiful, a metallic mean feat of muscle he was attempting. The
squeaking of radios in houses could be handcuff links were not undersize, nor were
distinguished. Evidently the Prosper City they of a special metal, so brittle it would snap
broadcasting station put on a program at this easily—two dodges sometimes employed by
hour which was very popular with the professional strong men.
housewives. A majority of sets were tuned in. His sinews seemed to bunch, and
The autos progressed several blocks. crawl like animals under his bronze skin. Snap!
Suddenly, all about them, a wailing and went the links joining his ankles. Then another
screaming came from the radio speakers. straining tug, and those on his wrists went the
The uproar had an eerie, banshee same way.
quality. Intermingled with the bedlam, rising Down the tracks he ran, doubled as
above it, came a procession of dull gonging low as possible between the rails. Policemen
notes. These persisted for only a few were shooting, yelling, and scrambling madly
moments, then the whole clamor died. up the grade!
“The Green Bell!” a cop gulped. It would have been an excellent time
for a train to come along. But never was a
horizon more barren of a snorting locomotive. Doc Savage, witnessing this bit of
Doc scooted ahead until a bullet squeaked drama, felt a new respect for Tugg’s sagacity.
dangerously close, telling him officers had The fat man had managed to get himself
gained the track. kicked out so that his departure, so soon after
He pitched right, and literally slithered the radio clangor, would not be suspicious.
down the grade on his stomach. The railway Doc silently lowered himself from his
section men had sown a plentiful amount of perch and followed Tugg.
clover on the slope—it was a sweet variety of The fat man entered his limousine.
clover which grew rank and offered excellent However, he drove only a short distance, and
concealment. that very slowly. Parking near a wide flat field
Doc gained a fence, left pennants of which was overgrown with brush, he made for
his overalls on the barb wire getting through, the ramshackle barn.
and dived behind some one’s chicken house, The sunlight was brilliant. At no time
just as bullets began to smack the boards. did Tugg take more than half a dozen steps
He crossed the yard, surrounded by a without glancing alertly around. Yet Doc was
young tornado of frightened chickens. Racing hardly fourscore feet behind when his quarry
past a small dwelling, he glided down the ducked into the old barn.
street. Doc sidled near the structure, only to
He was safe. He made directly for be forced back as he heard the approach of
Aunt Nora Boston’s place. other men.
The Green Bell’s pack was
assembling!
THE brief, hideous clangor of the They came by twos and by threes.
Green Bell over the radio was the reason for Once, half a dozen in a group. The last arrival
Doc’s escape. He had no proof as to the closed the door.
meaning of the unearthly radio noise, but he Each man to come to the spot had
had concluded it could have only one purpose. been incased in a long black garment with a
Rumor said the noise always presaged green bell painted on the breast. No one
death or violence by the Green Bell’s men. remained outside on guard. That exotic
Therefore, Doc reasoned, the gong was a masquerade would have been sure to attract
summons to bring the evil, hooded tribe to attention of any chance passer-by. No doubt
some point where they received orders. more than one watching eye was pasted to the
Doc was certain that Judborn Tugg cracks, however.
was one of the clan—if not its chief. He In assembling the vast knowledge
intended to watch Tugg’s reactions to the radio which his remarkable brain held, Doc had
call. made it a practice to learn from masters in
Doc reached a tall tree some distance each line; then, by intensive study, to improve
from Aunt Nora’s home. This was a lofty elm. It on the best they were able to give. He had
chanced to be the same perch from which the gone to animal hunters of the jungle to learn
ill-fated Slick had watched. Small scuffs on the woodcraft, for these were the masters of
bark, a clinging thread or two which had been stealth.
wrenched from Slick’s suit, told Doc this part of As noiselessly as a cloud-cast
the story as he climbed upward. shadow, he drew near the ramshackle
He stationed himself at the end of a building.
large limb. A hollow, earthy voice mumbled within
Some sort of disturbance was going the structure. The words, as they reached
on near one of the circus tents. Judborn Tugg Doc’s ears, were almost too distorted for
was waving a fat arm and shouting. Monk and understanding.
Johnny were dancing about him with The thing Slick Cooley had learned
threatening gestures. only by use of his eyes, Doc’s keen ears
Tugg’s actions showed he was discerned instantly! The voice was pouring
insulting Doc’s two aids in studied fashion. from an underground pipe!
In a moment, Monk and Johnny seized “Is every one here?” it was asking.
the pompous man and threw him bodily out of “Yes, sir!” Judborn Tugg shouted in
the grounds. answer.
“You are here for orders!” came the In the midst of the gonging words, Doc
sepulchral tones of the Green Bell. “Each of struck a sharp blow with his fist. The pipe was
you, of course, made sure he was not not of very strong construction. It collapsed,
followed?” eggshell fashion.
To this, there was general clamor, The Green Bell interrupted himself,
evidently meant for assent. roared: “What was that noise?”
“Good!” boomed the voice from the “It sounded as if—it came from under
ground. “We finally got Savage in jail. His men you some place,” Tugg yelled.
remain. It is to hear their fate that you were “Never mind,” the master mind said
summoned.” hastily, apprehensive lest his hirelings learn
the figure in the barn was only a stuffed
dummy of wood and fabric.
DOC SAVAGE listened with only half Doc hastily cupped palms over the
attention, for he was worming a slow way hole. This was to prevent escape of too much
through the weeds, pressing an ear to the voice sound. Picking up several pinches of fine
ground at frequent intervals. Due to the dust, he let it trickle slowly into the opening.
marshy nature of the earth, he did not believe Entering the tile, the dust streams
the tiling could be deeply buried. Otherwise it were sucked away from the barn. This showed
would fill with water. a draft, and gave him the direction.
The Green Bell—wherever he was— It was possible that the string of tiles
must of necessity shout loudly to make his turned before they reached their destination.
voice carry with volume. Doc thought he “Tugg, you will get the cyanide which
should be able to locate the tile by ear. you secreted near Aunt Nora’s!” continued the
“Judborn Tugg!” donged the Green Green Bell. “There is, I presume, a large
Bell. quantity of it in the bottle.”
“I am here!” Tugg shouted. “A lot!” Tugg shouted.
If he did not know the figure to which “Good! You will get it! Tonight you will
he spoke was a dummy of sticks and cloth, he take a group of men and dig up the water main
must be very puzzled at being asked to identify which supplies Aunt Nora’s home. I happen to
himself. know that, due to the house being in an
“You will recall that, nearly a week outlying district, the water line is very small—
ago, you were commanded to make certain two-inch pipe. You will insert the poison. I am
preparations near Aunt Nora Boston’s home!” sure you can handle the mechanical details.”
“Yes,” howled Tugg. “I guess so!” Tugg replied uneasily.
“Just what did you do? I want to be
sure!”
“I hid a big bottle of poison in a brush DOC SAVAGE glided away from the
patch on the mountain slope, close to Aunt barn, following a trail used by the masked
Nora’s place! You can’t miss the brush! Four men. His gaze switched here and there—
large trees grow out of it. They’re in a straight always on the ground.
line—as if they’d been planted.” Soon he found what he expected—a
“Exactly where is the bottle?” cigarette stub. He picked it up, then continued
“Buried halfway between the middle his hunt. He added two remnants of Judborn
two trees.” Tugg’s dollar cigars to his assortment.
“What kind of poison?” The prize find was a discarded paper
“Cyanide! The most deadly stuff I matchbook—one match remaining. Doc had
could find!” feared it was going to be necessary to start a
Outside, Doc Savage dug silently with fire Boy Scout fashion, twirling one stick upon
his fingers. His sensitive hearing had guided another.
him well, for the hole he sank landed squarely He moved back toward the dilapidated
on top of the tile. He spaded rapidly with his building. The cigarettes, cigars, and matches
hands, lengthening his excavation along the had been discarded by the Green Bell’s men
tile. as they donned black hoods upon nearing the
The big clay pipes were not long. rendezvous.
The Green Bell’s voice boomed: Back at the tile, Doc crumpled the
“Tugg, you will get that poison and go—” tobacco into a loose fistful. He put a match to
the papers off the cigarettes, then added the nothing ahead of him for the remainder of the
tobacco. The draft made it burn. day.
A wisp or two of smoke escaped the As for getting the poison from the
baked clay pipe. This was not enough to lift cache near Aunt Nora’s home, that would wait
above the weeds and be seen by the watchers until darkness.
in the barn.
Doc listened. Judborn Tugg was
talking, giving a recital of what had happened TUGG eventually wheeled his
at Aunt Nora Boston’s. machine up before his great white house. A
Doc felt there was no need of Judborn few months ago, there had been a flunky to
telling the Green Bell what had happened at open the door; but there was none now. Tugg
Aunt Nora’s. The Green Bell had been upon had dismissed all his servants, pleading
the scene, and had murdered the policeman, financial stringency.
Doc believed. The real reason was that he did not
Collison McAlter—the group of want servants around where they might pick
Prosper City factory and mine owners—the up dangerous information. Tugg was
others who had been on hand—one of these unmarried, and took his meals at Prosper
must be the Green Bell! City’s leading restaurant.
Doc circled widely, sensitive nostrils He entered his sumptuously furnished
expanding and contracting as he sniffed the library. The minute he stepped through the
air. Tobacco smoke possessed a marked odor. door, he jumped a foot in the air.
He hoped to locate it where it escaped from A somber black crow of a figure was
the end of the tile. Daily from childhood, Doc perched in a deep armchair. The green of the
had taken an exercise calculated to develop bell insignia and the green of glass goggles
his olfactory organs. His sense of smell was were almost the same hue.
phenomenal. The apparition held a leveled gun.
He ringed the place, without finding The firearm alone was enough to tell
what he sought. The second time, he went Judborn Tugg that he was now facing the
entirely around. The last circle was wider. Doc Green Bell in person. The czar sinister always
quickened his pace; he had expected better held a gun when he showed himself, to make
luck. sure none of his followers took a notion to yank
Over toward the barn, he heard off his hood.
noises. Brush cracking. The Green Bell’s gang “W-what do you want?” Tugg
leaving the trysting place! The séance had spluttered. “I—I—I was just talking to you.”
ended. “And a fine mess you made of it, too!”
Doc let them go. Judborn Tugg was The Green Bell’s tone was deep, angry.
the important member. He would not be hard Tugg dropped his cigar, and it lay
to locate. Doc concentrated on trying to find unnoticed, charring the rug. “What do you
the mouth of the tile. mean?”
Judborn was one of the first to leave “Savage followed you to the swamp!
the barn. He walked swiftly from the vicinity. It He listened to everything that was said!”
was a hot day; his black hood was Tugg shook his head violently.
uncomfortable. He removed it as soon as he “Impossible! The police have Savage!”
got out of sight. “He escaped!” The Green Bell’s gun
Although his name was spoken freely never wavered from a line with Judborn Tugg’s
at these sinister meetings, Tugg was always heart. “The police—helpless fools—let Savage
careful to keep his face hooded. This was get away. And he followed you to the meeting
merely a coincidental precaution. If anything in the barn.”
came up in court he could swear he had never “Me!” Tugg choked. “Surely not!”
attended the conclaves, but that the culprit “We will not argue about that!” the
must have been some one else masquerading Green Bell clanged. “Savage was there! I
under his name. heard him! I am certain! You will take the
Entering his expensive car, Tugg orders which I came to give you! Then I will
drove back to town, taking his time. He go!”
smoked one of his costly cigars. There was “What is it?”
“You will ignore all orders pertaining to Doc compressed a small ball of clay,
the hidden bottle of cyanide!” dropped it. The lump fell, he judged accurately,
Tugg blinked. Then his quick brain at least two hundred and fifty feet.
grasped the possibilities. With great care, Doc now wiped out all
“Say, boss, if Savage overheard us traces of his presence, filling in the holes he
talking about that poison, he’s sure to go to had excavated, and scattering leaves and
destroy it. We can lay an ambush—” trash about.
“The ambush is already set!” intoned He left the vicinity. His steps were
the Green Bell. careful; his progress noiseless. This, although
“But I didn’t know you had gotten hold there was no apparent danger. His was an
of any of the men—” instinctive caution.
“This is a trap which does not use Many days had passed since the last
men. And it is the more effective for that!” rain at Prosper City. Yet the ground underfoot
The Green Bell now took his was soft, wet. In some spots it was muck
departure, fading into the shrubbery. which oozed over his shoes.
Judborn Tugg, watching from a It was not ground through which one
window, swore in disgust and wished he had could readily drive a tunnel. A few feet beneath
not landscaped his place so profusely. He the surface, the earth must be literally a thick
would have liked to follow and learned the soup. Yet the tile line had ended in a vertical
identity of this fiend who was behind Prosper shaft which sank straight downward more than
City’s difficulties. tens-core feet.
Doc had a theory to explain this. He
hoped it might play an important part in the
Chapter XIV eventual capture of the Green Bell.
THE SUSPICION PLANT Something over an hour later, the
bronze man turned up in the vicinity of Aunt
HAD Doc Savage been able to witness Nora Boston’s home. Evading a covey of
what had just occurred at Judborn Tugg’s searching policemen had delayed him
home, he would no longer have retained a somewhat.
suspicion that Tugg was the Green Bell. Numerous blue uniforms were
However, Doc was not considering scattered in Aunt Nora’s yard. Others could be
Tugg very seriously for the part of villain. His glimpsed occasionally, moving within the
reason for this was simple. Tugg was too house.
obviously connected with the Green Bell Doc set a course for the mountain
organization. The man actually behind the slope which began almost at the edge of Aunt
thing was too clever to let suspicion point at Nora’s abode. He had no trouble locating a
him in that fashion. patch of brush from which grew four perfectly
Doc had now made five circles around aligned trees. This, from what he had
the barn ruin. He had detected no faintest odor overheard, was the hiding place of the deadly
of tobacco smoke. He was frankly puzzled. It poison.
was hardly possible that the Green Bell had What he did not know, though, was
been this distant from the rendezvous. that the Green Bell had set a death trap at the
Disgusted, Doc returned to the spot.
ramshackle old farm building. By now, his bird Old leaves made a gray-brown carpet
had flown. He concluded to follow the tiling and under the brush and smaller trees. These
learn where it actually did go. would show tracks, for the undersides were
The baked clay pipes were not buried dark and moldy, while the upper surfaces had
deeply. By jabbing a sharp stick, he traced been washed and bleached by the weather.
them. They ran perhaps two hundred feet, As Doc progressed, the brush
turning sharply at two points. Then they thickened; trees of moderate size became
suddenly ended. more plentiful.
He dug. The discovery he made was Doc crouched, then sailed upward in a
unexpected. The tiles simply elbowed straight great leap. His sinewy fingers trapped a limb.
downward. After a depth of three feet, the shaft He swung easily to another branch, flipped
was steel pipe. atop it, glided its swaying length, and seemed
to float outward in space to the next tree.
It was a remarkable exhibition of Moving with the ease of a squirrel, Doc

agility. Few jungle anthropoids could have clambered into the tree which held the
done better. machine gun. He altered the position of the
weapon slightly.
Doc took great pains with the work.
THE four extremely tall trees, he Several times, he sighted along the fluted
discovered, jutted from the midst of a thorn barrel. Then he replaced the wire on the
thicket. Moreover, a path grooved between the trigger.
second pair. From the condition of the He quitted the vicinity as noiselessly
carpeting leaves, it was evident this trail as he had arrived.
received only occasional use. In the distance, a freight train was
Directly between the spindling trees, whistling and puffing as it pulled out of Prosper
there was a small opening in the thorny trail City. It got under way slowly, and its snorting
walls. Almost a pit! This seemed a logical and bleating became fainter and fainter.
hiding place for the poison. The freight was still audible when Doc
Doc balanced out on a branch of a appeared in the brush which fringed Aunt Nora
smaller tree, some yards from the four giant Boston’s spacious yard. He waited, watching.
sentinels. Lowering, he dangled from sinewy A car approached from the direction of
hands. Back and forth, he began to flip, after town. It rolled into the yard, bearing Long Tom.
the fashion of a trapeze artist getting his swing The slender, pale, temperamental
going. The bough gyrated. electrical wizard must have put up bail and
Releasing his clutch at the proper received a quick release on the charge of
instant, the big bronze man arched upward battering Judson Tugg.
through space. He made a perfect landing on Perhaps five minutes, Doc waited, in
the lowermost limb of a tall tree. order that the jubilation caused by Long Tom’s
It was then that he encountered his big return might subside. Then the bronze man’s
discovery. strange, mellow, trilling note saturated the
A machine gun was lashed to the tree. vicinity.
Its ugly snout angled downward. Doc sidled Musical, yet entirely without tune, it ran
along the limb, examined it. He sighted down up and down the scale. A bystander, looking at
the barrel. It was aimed at the tiny recess in Doc’s lips, could not have told it was from
the thorns, which probably held the poison. thence that the fantastic sound came. Yet the
A flexible wire, attached to the trigger, weird resonance possessed remarkable
ran down through tiny, greased pulleys. A carrying qualities.
death trap! Any one who grasped the poison It penetrated across the lawn and
bottle would be instantly riddled. soaked through the innermost reaches of the
Doc thought swiftly. He detached the vast old house. Policemen glanced about
trigger trip of the gun. Then, with a long, wonderingly, with no idea where the cadence
descending leap, he landed on the path. was coming from.
Searching under the leaves, he quickly Doc’s four men gave no indication that
found the poison. He untied a small wire from the eerie note meant anything to them. But a
the neck of the bottle. This was the trip for the few minutes later, the quartet sauntered
rapid-firer. casually into the house. They used binoculars
A glance showed him the poison was from upstairs windows.
genuine. The stuff was not in crystal form, but It was gaunt Johnny, spectacles
was an odorless, volatile liquid. Cyanic acid! containing the magnifier cocked up on his
One of the most deadly of poisons! forehead, who discovered Doc.
Doc carried the bottle some distance A strange bit of pantomime followed.
away, got rid of its contents in a hole which he Johnny’s binoculars were powerful. Hence,
dug in the ground, then refilled it with water Doc was able to converse with him by using
from a stream trickling down the mountainside. deaf-and-dumb sign language.
This stream, due probably to the presence of
mines above, had a foul color, not greatly
different from that of the cyanic. DOC explained fully what he wanted.
Replacing the now harmless bottle Then he eased away from the region.
took only a moment.
Patrols of cops had taken to prowling between Aunt Nora Boston’s home and
the vicinity. He wished no contact with them Judborn Tugg’s palatial white mansion.
which could be avoided.
The sun had marched two hours
nearer meridian when Johnny, driving down JUDBORN TUGG had just partaken of
the road in one of the rented cars, passed a an excellent dinner at Prosper City’s leading
certain culvert. Without stopping, he flung a restaurant. He returned to his home, driving his
paper-wrapped bundle from the machine. This luxurious limousine.
hopped end over end, coming to a rest directly Pausing before the front door, he
before the culvert. made an elaborate ritual of clipping the end
Johnny drove on as if nothing had from one of his dollar cigars, and applying a
happened. match.
An arm—it looked like a beam He opened the door, entered,
wrapped with steel hawsers and painted with stopped—his jaw seeming to disappear in his
bronze—reached out of the profuse weed fat neck as he gaped.
growth and snared the packet. He made an absent gesture at putting
Both bundle and arm disappeared. the cigar in his mouth, but missed that cavity
This seemed the end of the incident. fully four inches.
The tops of the weeds shook a little; but that “I thought you—goodness gracious!”
might have been caused by the breeze. he stuttered uncertainly. “What is the trouble
About eight minutes later, and about now?”
eight blocks distant, a householder’s dog A figure in a raven-black robe
dashed madly through his back yard, barking. occupied one of the living-room chairs. A
The householder looked out. green bell was painted on the front of the
He saw, or he thought he saw—for he hood. The eyes were practically invisible.
was not quite sure—a mighty bronze figure There were eye holes in the hood, but the
vanishing along the alley. The householder wearer’s face seemed to be bandaged heavily
went back and sat down to his dinner, grinning in white.
widely. The police were after that bronze man! “Nothing is wrong!” snapped the
What of it? The viands on the table before him somber figure in a hollow, gonging voice.
were some distributed by Doc Savage the Tugg blinked, lifted his chin out of his
night before. fat neck, and found his lips with his cigar.
The next incident of this sort occurred “You look much different than you did
well on the other side of town, when a this morning!” he mumbled. “I guess it is
merchant, coming home to his lunch, was because you are not wearing your green
astounded to have a giant bronze man step goggles. You have your eyes bandaged! I
from a grape arbor ahead of him, and calmly hope you have not met with an accident?”
cross the street. “Don’t worry about my health!” tolled
The merchant ran after the apparition. Doc Savage, imitating the Green Bell’s
It was not in his thoughts to give an alarm. He macabre tones.
wanted to thank this bronze man for a At the same time, Doc wished he had
morning’s business, which had practically known about those green goggles. He had
saved his store from bankruptcy. resorted to the white bandages to disguise the
This merchant had been carrying distinctive gold color of his eyes, knowing they
scores of impoverished families on credit, and would give him away instantly.
these, practically without exception, had been This Green Bell gown had been in the
grateful enough to make a substantial bundle which Johnny had flung from his car.
repayment with the money which they had Johnny himself had tailored it.
received from Doc. “What do you want with me?” Tugg
The merchant, however, was forced to demanded anxiously.
withhold his thanks. He failed to find the “About the bottle of poison!” Doc
bronze figure which he had glimpsed. The form returned, angling for anything which would give
had vanished magically in a garden. him a lead.
These two spots where the metallic Tugg’s head dived into his neck and
giant was sighted were on a direct line came up as he nodded. “Yes, yes! When you
were here this morning, you told me not to go
for the poison, but that Doc Savage would He wished Slick Cooley was still alive.
probably appear on the scene and be caught Slick had been intent on learning who the
in a death trap!” Green Bell was, then killing him.
This was illuminating. It told Doc That would have been highly
nearly all he needed to know. The Green Bell satisfactory to Tugg. Slick had expected to
had learned Doc was eavesdropping in the take over the Green Bell’s organization.
vicinity of the old barn. The czar of fear himself Judborn Tugg smiled wolfishly, and mused
had later visited Tugg and countermanded the how easily a bullet from his own hand would
barn orders. have finished Slick.
“That plan is changed!” Doc said in his This brought an unpleasant thought—
assumed tolling voice. “The new scheme is for Slick’s death!
you to go get the poison, just as you were Tugg snapped up very straight in his
ordered at first.” chair. Then he scrambled forward and shut off
“You mean I’m to go ahead—” the fan. He was cold enough now without any
“Exactly! You are to poison the water artificial refrigeration. His spine, in fact, felt like
main leading to Aunt Nora’s place!” ice cubes joined with a string.
“Oh, my goodness!” Tugg gasped. The newspapers had said Slick Cooley
“Didn’t Savage fall into the trap?” had gone insane in his jail cell, and had been
“Entirely unforeseen developments shot while trying to escape. Insane! That was
came up! Savage, I regret to say, did not the Green Bell’s trademark!
tumble.” Slick Cooley had been killed because,
“But maybe he’ll be watching the in the hands of the law, he was a danger to the
hiding place of the poison?” organization. That was clear!
“He will not harm you!” Judborn Tugg’s head crawled in and
Tugg shivered, said: “I’m kinda out of his neck. Doc Savage suspected him of
worried—” being one of the gang. Did that not make
“You, Tugg, are to get that poison!” him—Judborn Tugg—a menace to the
Doc ordered in his assumed tolling. “You are to organization?
go in person. Above all things, you are not to This was a frosty thought, for it
send any one else! Understand!” suggested the possibility that the Green Bell
Tugg squirmed. “Very well.” might find occasion to dispense with Judborn
Doc Savage, in his masquerade as the Tugg.
Green Bell, had accomplished his purpose. He Throughout the evening, Tugg
did not want to stretch his luck. Consequently, wrestled these thoughts around in a mire of
he now took his departure. unease. He would go through with the
His going was quite effective. Judborn poisoning—it was often fatal to ignore the
Tugg, determined this time to follow the master Green Bell’s commands—but he would be very
mind, flung wildly to a window the instant the careful.
somber figure exited. Quick as he was, the
sepia form had been swifter. The visitor had
vanished, as if gifted with supernatural powers, JUST before dark, furtive, slinking
or an agility which would put him across fifty figures began dropping in on Tugg. These
feet of lawn while a fat man was crossing a were disciples of the Green Bell—the fellows
room. who were to help with the poisoning of the
water main.
Tugg directed each of them to meet
EXASPERATED, Tugg turned on an him at a spot some distance from Aunt Nora’s
electric fan and seated himself in its windy house, then bundled them out. He considered
breath. The taste of his excellent dinner had it a strain on his dignity to associate with such
been ruined, and his digestion hampered. riffraff.
Sometimes, he wondered if any good An hour and a half after the street
at all would ever come from his association lamps of Prosper City had been turned on,
with the Green Bell. He had, in fact, pondered Tugg neared the four sentinellike trees on the
this on numerous occasions. mountain slope. He was rushing the job. He
wanted to get it over.
He carefully scouted the vicinity of the guess that Tugg, in protecting himself, would
trees and the thorn patch. No lurking figure turn upon his master.
was flushed out by this strategy. Doc Savage, in fact, was at that
“Maybe I am wrong in thinking myself moment gliding along not fifty yards from the
in danger,” Tugg argued with himself. “Of frightened and enraged Tugg.
course I am! The Green Bell will not murder a The portly, terrified factory owner bee-
man of my importance to the organization. I lined for Aunt Nora Boston’s home, so Doc let
would be hard to replace.” him go.
His mental balloon received a big prick
when, a few moments later, he bent over and
picked up the bottle of poison. MONK, a towering, furry form in the
There was a deafening clatter behind night, challenged Tugg. Seeing who it was,
him! It was as If a gigantic iron turkey had Monk smiled grimly, reached out, and trapped
started gobbling. Bullets swooped over Tugg’s Tugg’s fat neck.
head, chopped branches, and clouted the Tugg wriggled, squealing: “Now, don’t
earth. hurt me! I came to see Savage!”
Tugg flattened, instinctively spinning. “Yah!” Monk growled. “I hope you don’t
He saw the fire-lipping snout of the machine expect to find him here, after your lying charge
gun. that he murdered Chief Clements!”
He had no way of knowing Doc Desperately, Tugg pulled at the hirsute
Savage had aimed the weapon high enough hands clasping his neck. But at the same time,
that it could not possibly hit a man on the path. his active little brain raced. Since he had
He had no way of knowing Doc Savage had himself murdered Chief Clements, he would
been here at all! His only thought was—he had have to make some sort of a deal. Any kind of
been doublecrossed! a deal!
The Green Bell had tried to murder If it came to the worst, Tugg was
him! willing to go to trial on a murder charge. With
Judborn Tugg’s actions for the next his influence in Prosper City, he believed he
few moments were those of a frantic man. He could get off. Tugg was a supreme egoist. He
scuttled down the trail, collecting numerous did not realize his influence was practically nil.
thorns in his haste. Better yet, he might strike a bargain
Sweat bubbled from his forehead like with Doc Savage, whereby, for his services in
grease from a cooking bacon rind. He fell to trapping the Green Bell, he would be permitted
cursing the Green Bell. to go free.
“Tried to kill me like a dog!” he snarled. Tugg was also always the optimist. If
It did not occur to Tugg that he might he had known Doc Savage’s true character,
have been tricked. Up until a few minutes ago, the iron determination of the bronze man, he
he had held an evil admiration for the Green would have entertained scant hopes of a deal.
Bell. That had evaporated. Rage had taken its “I think I made a mistake about that
place. Rage, and a lust to turn the tables. killing!” Tugg wailed.
Revenge! The thought flamed Tugg’s Monk loosened his clutch. “You what?”
brain. But how to get it? Tugg knotted his fat “I might have made an error!” Tugg
hands. said evasively. “If I can see Doc Savage and
He reached a momentous decision. talk to him in private, I can tell whether my
The attempt on his life meant that he needed identification of him as the killer was correct!”
protection from the Green Bell. Where better to To all appearances, there was not
get this than from the Green Bell’s Nemesis, room for a spoonful of brains in Monk’s knot of
Doc Savage? a head. But he possessed a keen intellect. He
Judborn Tugg decided to go to Doc perceived instantly what Tugg was driving at.
Savage, tell the bronze man everything, and “You wanta make a deal?” he
ask sanctuary. If there was any safety at hand, demanded.
the bronze man was it. Tugg did not commit himself. “If I could
This was the exact train of thought see Doc Savage—”
which Doc Savage had foreseen when he had Monk shook him and said: “You’d
re-aimed the machine gun and set the trickery what?”
trap for Tugg. Doc was psychologist enough to Tugg remained stubbornly silent.
The mousy tufts which Monk wore for Chapter XV

eyebrows crawled together as he thought THE GREEN TRAP
deeply. The upshot of his reflection was that
he conducted Judborn Tugg to the house. MONK veered around. The screen on
They sought out the sergeant who was the front door had a patent lock which defied
in charge of the detachment of Prosper City his fingers. So he walked bodily through,
police. bearded hands pawing fine wire.
“Prosper City’s leading citizen thinks Inside the house, the only thing lacking
he made a mistake in calling Doc a murderer,” to make the situation a perfect one for murder
Monk declared, elbowing Tugg roughly. “Ain’t in the dark, was the lack of darkness. The
that right, fatty?” lights were on brilliantly.
The indignity galled Tugg’s pompous Collison McAlter and Ole Slater rushed
soul. But he was desperate. up to Monk, crying questions. Other Prosper
“I’ve got to see Savage!” he gulped. City industrialists boiled about.
“There ain’t no need of that unless you “The shot was upstairs!” somebody
can swear he wasn’t the killer!” Monk said yelled.
cannily. Big-fisted Renny came lumbering from
Tugg writhed, perspired, and pulled somewhere. He grunted at Monk, and the two
nervously at his gold watch chain until he giants shouldered each other up the stairs. In
broke it. He had reason to know his own peril the hallway, burned powder made a tang.
was desperate. In his extremity, he was willing Since the evening was warm, most of
to make almost any concession to get in touch the room doors were open to secure cross
with Doc Savage. ventilation. The cordite reek was coming
“I—I think I made a mistake!” he through one of these. Renny and Monk split,
groaned. each popping their heads into a row of doors.
“You think?” Monk scowled. They fully expected to find a corpse.
“I—I’m sure I did!” Tugg gulped. They were equally as certain that it would be
“Savage wasn’t the killer!” Judborn Tugg.
Monk whistled loudly. Renny and the “The Green Bell croaked Tugg before
others raced up, together with policemen. he could talk!” Monk wailed.
Tugg was conducted into the house. Their expectations were not realized.
Monk—his small voice for once a great roar— In the first place, there was no body in
announced vociferously that Judborn Tugg any of the upstairs rooms. Nor was there a
was willing to swear Doc Savage was not lurking gunman.
Police Chief Clement’s slayer. In the wall of Aunt Nora’s room they
Monk was exerting pressure, not discovered a gouge in the plaster. This held a
giving Tugg a chance to back up. The bullet. The slug was not distorted, and
proclamation broke up a meeting which the obviously had not hit the wall with much more
Prosper City business men were holding in the force than could have been developed by a
house. small boy’s slingshot.
This conclave was for the purpose of The explanation of the puny blow was
discussing the transfer of their holdings to Doc scattered over a dressing table—the mangled
Savage. Although Doc had, of necessity, been remains of an ordinary electric toaster.
absent all day because of the police, his four Monk snorted loudly. “Lookit!”
aids were rushing his plans for the salvation of “The bullet was laid in the toaster, and
the manufacturing community. the heat exploded it,” Renny agreed.
Collison McAlter was a prominent “Sure! A plant! Somebody did it to
figure in this conference. draw attention!”
Monk left Tugg inside, went out on the Monk and Renny had come up the
porch, lifted his voice. “Doc!” he bellowed. stairs in haste, but they went back down with a
“Tugg is willin’ to clear you! But he wants to great deal more speed. Indoors, a swift search
talk! What’ll we do?” was started.
As if it were answering his howl, a shot Racing outside, Monk bellowed for
banged loudly within the house. every guard to keep his eyes on the house.
Both hunts drew blanks. Not only were you to serve as a bait to draw Savage into a
there no murdered bodies around, but nobody trap!”
had the slightest idea what the excitement was
about.
However, the mystery lost its THE green Bell had not upbraided
profundity before long. Tugg for nearly turning traitor. But Tugg was
Judborn Tugg, somewhat pale, his not deceived. He was live bait. The minute Doc
pudgy form drawn up in a stiff dignity, walked Savage was slain, that bait would no longer be
toward the door. needed.
Monk collared him. “Where you goin’, Tugg shuddered, perspired freely. He
fat boy?” was in the jam of his shady life!
“I wish to take my departure!” Tugg A giant, silent bronze shadow dogged
replied in a voice which he could not quite Tugg’s footsteps until the fat man was
make pompous. ensconced behind the locked doors of his
Peering at the fat man, Monk observed palatial home.
that a remarkable change had taken place. Doc made certain that Tugg showed
Tugg was still frightened, but he was no longer no sign of immediate activity. Then he retraced
anxious to talk to Doc Savage. His greatest his spectral way to Aunt Nora Boston’s.
concern was now to get out of the vicinity. The place, from a distance, had all the
Monk looked fierce, but groaned aspects of a circus. The giant tents, brilliantly
inwardly. He realized what had happened. The lighted from below, seemed many times their
shot had been a trick by the Green Bell to actual size.
secure an opportunity to speak with Tugg in Curious individuals were swarming the
private. vicinity, although there was to be no food
“So you’ve changed your mind!” Monk distribution tonight. The money payments of
gritted. the night before had made that unnecessary.
Judborn Tugg’s answer was an angry But they were greatly interested in the
squirm for his freedom. Monk let him go. He negotiations over the factories.
had a hunch that, if he did not, Tugg would If Doc Savage was given control, they
immediately reverse his previous declaration got jobs. If he was refused, there seemed
that Doc was not guilty of Chief Clements’s nothing but hard times ahead. So they came to
murder. loiter and snap up the latest gossip.
Tugg left the vicinity in great haste. He Two of these loafers were arguing
made directly for his palatial white home on the hotly about the Chief Clements slaying;
other side of town. suddenly, they fell silent. They gaped slightly;
Monk’s conjecture that Tugg had their eyes roved the night.
received a communication from the Green Bell For upon the scene had come a
was correct. What Monk had no way of fantastic note, a nebulous, wind-borne sound
knowing, however, was that Tugg possessed which might have been the song of some
no idea of who had delivered the words. They exotic bird, or the trilling of the night breeze.
had been whispered through the crack of a Up and down the scale, it chased a musical
partially open door, when every one was crescendo; yet it was without tune.
interested in the banging noise upstairs. “What’s that?” demanded a man.
The verbal interchange had been “Where’n blazes is it comin’ from?”
short. In a single angry sentence, Tugg had No one knew—except Doc’s four aids.
told of the machine gun. With equal terseness Almost at once, they drifted casually into the
had come the reply that the whole thing must darkness. They met a short distance away,
be a clever plot by Doc Savage. where they were well concealed in the brush.
Tugg was to lie low! That was the They gave no signal—Doc had,
word. For the immediate future, he was to without a doubt, followed their departure
conduct himself as Prosper City’s leading closely. For Doc’s strange sound, trilling in the
business man, and nothing else. murk, could have but one meaning—a meeting
There was a catch to this. was desired.
“I will attempt to dispose of Doc Doc appeared like a wraith at Monk’s
Savage by other means,” the Green Bell had elbow, causing that furry individual to all but
advised. “If that fails, it may be necessary for jump out of his hirsute hide.
“What have you fellows been able to such inanimate things as towns. You might
learn about that fake shot?” he demanded. dislike a town, but I don’t think you’d try very
The four blinked owlishly. Doc had not hard to destroy it.”
been glimpsed around the house, but he “I wouldn’t!” Renny grinned. “But this
seemed to know what had happened. Green Bell might. If you ask me, he’s crazy!”
“I’ve been drifting around in the Doc shook his head. “Wrong!”
darkness, listening!” Doc explained. “I’ve heard “Holy cow!” Renny exploded. “Have
a dozen different versions of what occurred.” you got an idea who he is?”
“It was simple,” Monk muttered. “It “I have,” Doc imparted dryly, “a faintest
made us look like numskulls! A cartridge in an of suspicions!”
electric toaster! Bang! We all fog upstairs! And “Who?”
while we do that, somebody slips Tugg the “I haven’t enough on him to justify
word to keep his trap shut.” pointing the finger at him,” Doc replied. “But as
“What got Tugg in the notion of talkin’, to why he is ruining Prosper City—that is as
anyway?” pondered the gaunt Johnny, plain as the nose on your face. But, again,
fumbling with his eyeglasses. there’s no proof as yet.”
Doc told them about the machine-gun Long Tom shook a pale fist. “I’m all for
trick with which he had deceived Tugg into divin’ right into this thing! Doc, ain’t there
thinking his master was thirsting for his life. somethin’ we can do?”
“Now—you have no idea who talked to “That’s why I called you out here!” Doc
Tugg?” he finished. told them.
RENNY made rocky sounds by GRINNING, the four aides of the

tapping his knuckles together. bronze man drew a bit closer. They knew, from
“It’s the darnedest thing I ever saw, past experience, that the plans which Doc
Doc!” he rumbled. “We questioned everybody. propounded had an uncanny way of working.
It seems Tugg, being shy of friends because of “Johnny,” said Doc, “your profession is
his attitude toward you, was standing apart knowing the earth and what it’s made out of!
from everybody when the shell exploded in the This job is in your line. I want you to get me a
toaster. Nobody knows who talked to ‘im!” geologic map of this region!”
“It could’ve been Collison McAlter!” “Right!” echoed Johnny. “There’s a
Monk put in. “It could’ve been Ole Slater, Aunt firm of mining engineers right here in town
Nora, Alice—anybody! I’m tellin’ you, this that’ll have ‘em!”
Green Bell is slicker’n greased lightnin’, as we “Get them tonight!” Doc directed. “I
used to say back home.” want the best—maps showing rock formations,
“And there’s somethin’ funny about coal veins, the different faults and fissures—all
Collison McAlter turnin’ up at that factory this that stuff.”
mornin’,” added Long Tom, the electrical “Want charts of the mines?”
wizard. “It looked kinda like he might’ve been “Of course! Not only the late workings,
there with the hooded gang who came after but old ones as well!”
the papers Jim Cash had hidden! He could’ve “O. K.”
stayed behind!” “Tell nobody about this. Not even Aunt
“Was there any proof of that?” Renny Nora Boston!”
demanded of Doc. “Aunt Nora—sure! I won’t tell her!”
“There was no proof either way,” Doc Johnny’s voice sounded a bit queer. Did Doc
replied. “Except, of course, Collison McAlter’s suspect Aunt Nora?
word that he had come out to the plant when Doc wheeled on Long Tom, the
he found himself unable to sleep at home!” electrical expert.
“What gets me is this—what’s behind “Long Tom, it’s your job to work on
this whole mess?” Renny boomed. “Is this that gonging noise with which the Green Bell
Green Bell somebody who hates Prosper summons his men over the radio! You know, of
City—hates it so that he’s tryin’ to wipe it off course, how he makes the noise?”
the map?” “Sure I do, but I ain’t told anybody!”
“Hate does not work like that,” Doc Long Tom chuckled grimly. “That noise simply
pointed out. “Men hate other men, rather than comes from another radio station, hidden
somewhere. It’s on the wave length of the Monk’s tufted brows crept together as
Prosper City station, and it’s much the more he thought deeply. “Doc, I’ve been thinking
powerful of the two. It simply blankets the about Judborn Tugg. I sure thought the Green
Prosper City wave out almost completely.” Bell would croak Tugg. But he didn’t. Don’t you
“That’s right.” reckon that means that the Green Bell hopes
“I learned from Aunt Nora that the to use Tugg to decoy you into a trap?”
United States government had radio inspectors “The idea occurred to me,” Doc said
in here, trying to find the interference,” Long wryly. “You can rest assured that I’m going to
Tom continued. “They didn’t get to first base! be very careful of Tugg. But here’s a point you
Once, they got a line on it. But they didn’t find can check up on when this is all over—I think
a thing.” the Green Bell has another very good reason
“Where did they trace it to?” for not killing Tugg!”
Long Tom seemed reluctant to
answer. “To Aunt Nora Boston’s house—or at
least, right in that vicinity!” THIS ended the conference. Doc’s
Doc’s four men were uneasily silent. four aids would have liked very much to know
They liked Aunt Nora. They hated to see this what theory the bronze man did hold. But they
evidence piling up against the motherly old knew it would do no good to ask questions.
lady. Doc never put important theories into
“I don’t like that Ole Slater!” Monk words until they were proven facts.
grumbled, to break the tension. Monk and the others tramped back
“You wouldn’t!” snorted big-fisted through the moonlight toward Aunt Nora’s
Renny. “If you don’t stop makin’ eyes at his rambling house. Doc accompanied them part
girl, he’s liable to smear you!” of the distance—they never did know exactly
Doc said: “How about it, Long Tom? how far. Somewhere en route, the bronze giant
Can you find the secret radio station?” faded silently from their midst. Shadows,
“If it can be found—I can!” soaking the undergrowth like puddled ink, had
This, Doc and the others knew, was swallowed him.
not a boast. There was probably but one other Policemen eyed Doc’s gang
living man knew more about electricity in all its suspiciously when they appeared. Just a bit
branches than did Long Tom. And that other too late, it had dawned on the officers that
man was also in this group. It was Doc these men might have gone to meet their
Savage. remarkable chief. The fact that no mention was
“Go to it!” Doc advised him. “And the made of the incident was an omen.
same thing I told Johnny goes for you! Don’t One of the most powerful forces in
tell Aunt Nora, Alice Cash—or anybody else!” existence was working in Doc’s behalf—public
“Right!” Long Tom mumbled. opinion. The food and money he had
Doc now addressed the group as a distributed, the jobs he had promised, had put
whole. “What’s your idea about the attitude of the working folk of Prosper City on his side.
the police toward me?” This meant nine out of every ten men
There was thoughtful silence. in town. Such a preponderance of sentiment
“They’re on the fence,” decided could not help but sway the police.
Renny, the engineer. “Tugg’s backing up For that matter, practically every
helped things a lot.” officer had relatives who hoped to get jobs
“Tugg will return to his original story through Doc’s great work.
that he saw me shoot Chief Clements,” Doc Easing his gaunt length into one of the
said with certainty. rented car fleet, the gaunt Johnny drove off in
Renny rumbled a humorless laugh. the direction of town. The geologist was going
“The police won’t be so ready to believe him. to locate one of the firm of mining engineers
Even they can see Tugg is acting queerly. If and get hold of maps showing the rock and
that murder charge from New York was mineral formation under Prosper City.
quashed, I believe you’d be safe in showing The flotilla of rented cars was parked
yourself, Doc.” along the road in front of the house. The yard
“That’s the way I sized it up,” Doc lacked room for them. Flood lights in the yard
agreed. did not reach the spot. Tall trees lifted near by.
This combination made it rather gloomy Slowly, the bronze man advanced on
around the machines. the sable figure of the Green Bell.
Long Tom soon came up. Monk The darksome form suddenly lifted a
accompanied him, as a matter of safety. Long clenched, black-gloved fist. The fist rapped
Tom unlocked the rear compartment of the against the bell design done in green on the
roadster and stowed various packages of mantle. And the bell rang! Dull, muted—but it
electrical equipment inside. rang!
“I’m goin’ back to the house to get a Some sort of a small gong was
bite to eat,” Long Tom declared. “Then I’ll pull mounted under the black cloth.
out.” A signal!
The two men swung jauntily back past Near-by darkness came to rushing life.
the flood-lighted circus tents. Dusky figures popped up like evil genies. Their
Shadows covered the cars like black arms waved, tentacle fashion, and yellow-red
cloths. Little sound was about, except for talk sparks leaped out of the ends. Gun sound
from the near-by house. convulsed the air.
Metal on metal made a tiny, mouselike Doc doused his flash. For all his
squeak. This came again. The engine hood of sharpened senses, he had been unaware that
Long Tom’s roadster lifted. the Green Bell’s henchmen were standing by
The sheet-steel covering was raised for an emergency.
only a moment. An arm—it might have been Whipping right, then left, he evaded
only a darker string of the night—deposited lead slugs which hunted him like whining,
something atop the engine. It withdrew. ravenous little animals. He headed straight for
The hood now closed down. A wad of the spot where the Green Bell had stood.
murk flowed stealthily away from the roadster. A man besmocked in black, triggering
Then things began happening. A a pair of pistols in wild aimlessness, got in
flashlight spiked a blinding rod into the night. Doc’s path. The bronze giant, hardly pausing,
This waved, seemed to lick like a hungry, snapped a casehardened hand to the fellow’s
incandescent tongue. Then it fixed. spinal nerve center. The man dropped—
Impaled in the glare stood a somber marked by no wound, but absolutely incapable
figure—it might have been a black six-foot tube of further movement.
of flexible India rubber, except that it had arms In learning this strange paralysis which
and legs. he employed, Doc had delved deeply into the
The breast of the weird form bore a mysteries of chiropractic pressures and their
bell in green. The eyes were the lenses of effects on the muscular system.
goggles—snakelike, with a green glitter. Doc reached the spot where the black
The Green Bell himself! Only the czar had stood. The nigrescent bird had flown.
sinister czar wore those green goggles to Doc felt disappointment, but no surprise.
shield his eyes. The Green Bell had saved himself by
having his men present. He had, while flaming
guns harassed Doc, faded into the night from
Chapter XVI which he had come.
THE MAN WHO VANISHED Dark-hooded forms whipped among
the parked cars, hunting. Two of them bumped
FOR ten or fifteen seconds there was each other. Guns gulped thunder—each
a silence in the stricken dead. Night insects thought the other an enemy, so edged were
droned and buzzed. On the distant horizon, their nerves.
heat lightning jumped about, a gory blushing. Both sagged down, cursing, clawlike
The flashlight beam in which the hands digging into their own flesh where
Green Bell was embedded held as steady as if bullets had torn.
cast in steel. It threw a dull back glow which Over toward the circus tents, big-fisted
faintly disclosed the big bronze man who held Renny raced to a flood light, picked it bodily
it. out of its mounting, and turned the great
Doc Savage had been watching his calcium spray on the road.
four aids—against just such an incident as this. The light ended the battle. The Green
Bell’s men were creatures of the night. Also,
Renny, Monk, and the rest were charging from
Aunt Nora’s house. They were a fighting crew “I know how Doc charmed these
with which nothing less than a young army eggs,” he said softly, the eyes boring the
could cope. prisoners. “I can snap ‘em out of it. I’m gonna
The black-frocked men fled. do that. And, brothers, I’m gonna make ‘em
Doc haunted their retreat. Twice, he talk like phonographs!”
descended upon stragglers, to compress and Renny blocked his huge fists and
knead his corded fingers, and leave his clanked them together. “Yeah! We’ll make ‘em
victims—limp and helpless—in his wake. talk!”
The light, as he had fully expected, A policeman chuckled loudly. “You
showed no trace of a hooded figure with green know, all of us guys are beginnin’ to think
goggles. alike!”
The czar sinister had managed his Monk made a homely grin. “Meanin’
escape. you’re beginnin’ to believe Doc Savage didn’t
murder Jim Cash or Chief Clements, or even
the cop who was found hangin’ in the vines?”
DOC SAVAGE soon abandoned the “Somethin’ like that,” the officer
pursuit of the fleeing black forms. He could not admitted.
hope to corral all of them in the night. This was just one policeman’s opinion.
Picking up the two he had just But the same attitude seemed to be general.
overcome, he carried them back to the parked Long Tom sighed. He would have liked
cars. Three more of the darkly masked men to remain behind and take a hand at
lay there—the one Doc had paralyzed, and the questioning the captives. The process of
two who had shot each other. eliciting information was likely to be extremely
Doc’s aids, police, and ex-service men rough. These prisoners probably did not know
swarmed the spot. With loud yells, hoods were the identity of the Green Bell, but they might
torn off the Green Bell hirelings, and their know other things.
faces revealed. For instance, could they swear Doc
“Just bums from around town!” grunted had not murdered Chief Clements and Jim
Ole Slater, after eyeing the unveiled features. Cash? And the bluecoat found slain and
“Here’s two more!” Doc called from the hanging in the vines?
darkness. Then he left the vicinity with great “Sorry I can’t attend the show!” Long
speed. Tom grumbled. “I’ve got a little errand to
Policemen ran to the spot from which perform! It can’t wait!”
he had spoken. They found the two prisoners; The electrical wizard headed for the
nothing else. The officers were excited, but kitchen to finish his interrupted lunch. He had
more by events of the last four or five minutes, no idea how long he would be away, or how
than by the presence of Doc Savage. busy he would find himself. It was no simple
The police made no effort to pursue task, this rigging of apparatus which would
Doc. locate the Green Bell’s secret radio station.
This was significant. There was a The mysterious transmitter was never
warrant out for Doc’s arrest on the charge of on for more than half a minute. In that short
murdering Chief Clements, but the police were space, it was very difficult to get accurate
rapidly getting in a frame of mind where they readings with an ordinary radio direction-finder.
did not care much about serving it. Long Tom, however, had an intricate
The prisoners were picked up and scheme which he intended to use.
carried toward the house. A physician was He grinned as he ate. Things were
summoned to patch up the pair who had shot looking up. Most of the town was on Doc’s
each other. All five were in for a night of side. The police were approaching the point
questioning. where they would ignore all charges, however
No one paid the least attention to Long heinous, faked against the remarkable bronze
Tom’s roadster. Certainly, no one lifted the man. The Green Bell’s agitators were afraid to
hood. Whatever object the Green Bell had open their mouths in public.
placed upon the engine, still reposed there. “We’ve got ‘em on the run!” Long Tom
In the house, Monk bowed his great, chortled.
sloping shoulders. Small kegs of muscle
seemed to spring out on his gorilla frame.
He did not know that the Green Bell Long Tom had done other than stow his
had planted some mysterious object under the burden in the compartment.
hood of his car. He got behind the wheel, started the
motor, and drove off. He racked his brains.
Too bad Doc had not suggested how Long
THE food consumed, Long Tom Tom could fake his own death! But then, Doc
burdened himself with additional pieces of usually left details of their respective jobs to his
electrical equipment. He swung outdoors. men. They were supposed to be the most
Around the cars, things were once astute in their individual professions.
more quiet and dark. Mosquitoes buzzed like Long Tom put a grin on his somewhat
small airplanes. unhealthy face. He had it!
Long Tom swatted at one, chuckled: Prosper Creek ran along the south
“Jersey canaries!” He was feeling very good. edge of Prosper City. This was not a large
He unlocked the rear compartment, stream, but it had dug itself a deep ditch down
leaned down to insert the articles he was through the centuries. A concern had installed
carrying—and his jaw dropped. a dam for a small hydro-electric plant. This
A small slab of glass rested in front of backed the water up rather deeply.
his eyes. It was, he saw, one of the windshield A bridge spanned the creek where
wings which had been taken off the roadster. some of this back-water stood.
The glass bore written words which Long Tom zigzagged about town to
glowed with an unearthly, electric blue. The shake off possible shadows, and finally
script was machine perfect. There was a headed for the bridge. He was certain no one
message of some length on the glass, yet it was on his trail.
occupied little space. A few hundred yards from the bridge,
The communication was from Doc, of he unloaded his equipment and concealed it in
course. The bronze man often left missives in a weed patch. Then he rolled the roadster to
this fashion—written on glass. He used a chalk the bridge, yanked the hand throttle open, and
of his own compounding, a chalk which left a jumped out.
mark invisible, not only to the naked eye, but Motor thundering, the machine dived
also to all but the most powerful of for the wooden railing of the bridge! It crashed
microscopes. the stringers! They gave. The car seemed to
When subjected to the glow of ultra- try to climb a steel beam which formed the
violet light—rays also invisible to the eye—the bridge frame. The beam bent; metal screamed,
chalk marks glowed with this uncanny blue rent!
luminance. The car rolled over and disappeared
A tiny ultra-violet lantern reposed on beneath the water.
the compartment floor, its beam focused on
the glass slab.
Long Tom read the message: AFTER the roadster sank, bubbles
came up with a loud gurgling and sobbing. It
“The Green Bell placed a chemical on was as if the monster of rubber, iron, and
the engine of your roadster. This, when heated fabric were a drowning, living thing.
by the motor, would have made a deadly gas. A man, a resident of the
The chemical has been removed. neighborhood, came racing along the road,
Suppose you leave the impression you drawn by the crash sound. He peered down at
were slain by the gas, Long Tom. If the Green the hideous sobbing in the water, lighted
Bell believes you dead, you can work in several matches and dropped them, then
peace.” whirled and ran madly to call help.
Long Tom grinned and worked away
Long Tom hastily switched off the from the vicinity. He gathered up his
ultra-violet lantern. The communication was apparatus, such of it as he could carry.
unsigned, but there was no need for an He intended to locate two directional
appended name. Only one hand could write a radio devices at widely separated points.
script as perfect as that—Doc Savage’s. These differed from the conventional
Reading of the note had taken only an apparatus in that the directional focusing was
instant. No onlooker would have dreamed done automatically.
Compasslike, they would indicate the The bronze man wished to question
source of a radio wave. Long Tom intended the prisoners in person. But more important,
simply to tune them in on the regular Prosper he had plans—a trick to try. This trick required
City broadcaster, and leave them. When the his presence in the house.
secret station came on, the indicators would His appearance created a commotion
swing to it, pulled by its stronger wave. An equal to that of the recent fight. Policemen ran
inked marker would show the exact direction. up. They did not flash guns, however. Nor did
In the distance, an ambulance siren any handcuffs come out of pockets.
wailed like a lost hound. Long Tom, listening, Questions volleyed.
nodded. That would be an emergency crew Doc ignored them. A towering, metallic
coming to rescue his supposed body from the giant in the flood glare, he made for the house.
sunken roadster. Collison McAlter jumped like a stricken
Not finding it, they would conclude it man when he saw Doc, then sank in a chair.
had been carried downstream by the slight “They’ll arrest you!” he gulped. “Oh,
current. why were you so reckless as to show
The Green Bell would believe the gas yourself?”
had overcome Long Tom at just the right Monk and Renny snorted in unison.
moment for his car, running wild, to leap the They knew Doc’s methods. The bronze man
bridge. could, they were sure, escape from the police
practically at will.
Aunt Nora Boston gave Doc a wide
Chapter XVII smile, and said warmly: “I think we can
THE TOUCH THAT YELLOWED persuade the police to permit you to remain at
liberty, Mr. Savage.” She jabbed a plump hand
LOUD and blaring was the siren on the at the prisoners. “Especially if those rats cough
ambulance speeding to the spot where the car up the truth.”
lay in water under the bridge. A police Charming Alice Cash also gave Doc a
emergency truck followed it. This had an even radiant smile. She was glad to have the bronze
noisier siren. man in their midst again, and made no effort
Many ears heard the uproar—among not to show it. Of late, she had seen very little
them, Doc Savage’s. He was satisfied. The of this strikingly handsome man of such
noise meant Long Tom had lost no time putting amazing marvels.
across his deception. Ole Slater grinned widely at Doc, but
At the moment, Doc was loitering in the grin was unnatural. He glanced covertly at
the murk near the cars. Sounds from the Alice. Ole, it was plain to be seen, was getting
house reached his sensitive ears. Howls of more worried about losing his girl as each hour
pain, curses, moans! The prisoners were being passed.
questioned. “Any luck?” Doc asked, indicating the
Doc did not fancy the sounds. On captives.
occasion, he inflicted exquisite torture himself, Monk chuckled, pinched a hard-faced
but it was always of the type which did no villain, and produced a lusty wail.
lasting harm. “A lot of that kind of music!” explained
Too, administering physical pain was the homely fellow. “But nothin’ that does us
not the way to get information from hardened much good!”
thugs such as these disciples of the Green Doc’s weird golden eyes prowled the
Bell. Fist blows, the smash of gun barrels, they prisoners, appraising their faces and their
could understand. Men are less likely to fear nervous condition. He selected the weakest of
what they can comprehend. the lot.
Doc’s methods on the other hand, He said no word. He merely stood
were so unusual that they impressed the over the man and stared steadily. From his lips
average man, steeped in ignorance as he was, began to come the strange, mellow trilling note
as smacking of the supernatural. And men fear which was part of Doc. It seeped through the
what they cannot understand. room, with nothing to show from whence it
Leaving the darkness, Doc stalked arose.
boldly into the zone whitened by flood lights. Doc had long ago learned this sound
facilitated his efforts at hypnotism.
The man on the floor was a coward. This had the effect of causing each
He did not even wait to be mesmerized. person in the room to shrink slightly from his
“Damn you! Damn them eyes!” He neighbor. They had, of course, suspected the
squirmed madly, gnashing the links of his Green Bell was one of them. But having it put
handcuffs together. “What d’you wanta know? into words in this way was a shock.
I’ll spill! Only turn them glims the other way!” Doc now addressed the crowd: “Any
questions you care to have answered?”
“Yes!” Ole Slater shouted shrilly.
ASTOUNDED expressions settled on “What is behind all this horror? Why is the
the faces of those in the room. They had seen Green Bell tryin’ to ruin Prosper City? Is he a
this man on the floor defy blows and threats of madman who hates the town?”
death. But he had succumbed to the mere Eyes rolled in the head of the man on
stare of the bronze giant. the floor.
Monk and Renny showed no emotion. “I dunno!” he mumbled. “None of us
They had seen things like this happen before. knows what’s behind it all!”
Doc’s presence seemed to have an uncanny
effect upon evildoers—especially after they
had come to know what a frightful foe he was. THIS was the extent of the information
“Who’s the Green Bell?” Doc queried. secured. The other four prisoners insisted
Collison McAlter shifted his feet sullenly that they knew no more than their
nervously; his eyes roved to the doors, the companions.
windows. Aunt Nora shivered, put her hands to “Which is probably the truth,” Doc
her plump cheeks. Alice Cash watched Doc, commented.
fascinated. The bronze man now employed a
Ole Slater drew a revolver and small hypodermic needle upon each prisoner.
seemed to be trying to watch every one This caused them to go into a trance-like
present. Most of the Prosper City business sleep, from which only the application of
men were there. Some one here, in this room, another drug could arouse them.
was the Green Bell. The five were loaded into an
Slater acted as if he were alert to seize ambulance which Doc called. To the
the culprit, should his name be disclosed. ambulance driver, Doc gave secret directions,
“I don’t know who the Green Bell is!” and a neat sum of money. The machine
groaned the man on the floor. started off, ostensibly for a Prosper City
Doc had expected that. “Who killed hospital, where the men were to go into the
Chief Clements?” prison ward.
A minor convulsion seized the fellow The ambulance, however, never
as he made up his mind whether to answer or reached there. In fact, it was fully a year before
riot. the five prisoners were again seen. Then, it
“Judborn Tugg!” he wailed. was in a distant city, and, had an old
Several policemen charged for the acquaintance hailed either of the five, they
door, yelling: “That settles it! We’ll nail Tugg!” would not have been recognized.
“Who killed Jim Cash?” Doc The captives went into Doc’s institution
demanded. in upstate New York, where they were
“I don’t know nothin’ about that!” subjected to brain operations wiping out their
moaned the prone man. past, and given training which fitted them to be
“And the policeman found hanging in honest citizens.
the vines under Monk’s window—who The policemen who had gone to arrest
murdered him?” Judborn Tugg now returned. They were a
“The Green Bell! The cop came upon disgusted lot.
the boss while he was plantin’ the gun that “The bird flew the coop!” they
Tugg used to kill Chief Clements! That was explained. “There wasn’t no sign of ‘im!”
why he was croaked!” “Any of his clothing gone?” Doc asked.
Doc waved an arm which took in every “Didn’t look like it! We’ll spread a
individual present. “Do you think the Green general alarm for ‘im!”
Bell is one of these people?” “You’re wasting your time!” Doc
“Yeah! Sure, he must be!” assured them. “Judborn Tugg is a man who
likes flashy clothing. He would not have fled “Lie?” Renny asked. “What was a lie?”
town without taking some.” “When he said there were finger prints
“Then what became of ‘im?” on that piece of wood. There ain’t any! I
Doc did not answer this, much to the examined it. Doc examined it. And there ain’t a
puzzlement of the officers. Doc had an idea speck of a print.”
what had happened to Judborn Tugg. But that “Doc didn’t say there was a print on it!”
idea was part of the theory as to who the Renny pointed out.
Green Bell was. Lacking proof, he was not yet Monk scratched the top of his bullet
ready to reveal it. head.
Johnny, the bony geologist, appeared. “Huh!” he snorted. “That’s right—he
He carried a long, circular blue-print case. didn’t! But he sure gave the impression there
Catching Doc’s eye, Johnny nodded—thereby was!”
affirming that he had secured the geologic “I guess he hopes the Green Bell will
survey maps of the region under and around try to get the stick, and betray himself in the
Prosper City. process,” Renny hazarded.
Doc received the maps, but did not This conversation had taken place in
immediately consult them. Instead, he went whispers which no one could overhear. In
upstairs. He secured, from where it had lain in addition, both men had cupped palms over
Monks room, the small segment of wood which their mouths, so that, should the Green Bell be
was the chief remnant of the Green Bell’s a lip reader, he could not eavesdrop by sight.
sonic device for producing insanity. Doc Savage now waved every one
He worked over this perhaps half an away from the table on which he stood. He
hour. Then he carried it back downstairs, was carrying his prize tenderly in a
mounted a table, and made a speech. handkerchief.
“This”—he held up the bit of wood— “We must be careful that the Green
”may lead us to the Green Bell. In fact, it is Bell does not get this bit of wood!” he warned,
almost certain that it will!” and placed the piece on the table top.
This pronouncement, coming without The policemen promptly formed a
any previous dramatic build-up, was breath circle around the table, keeping every one at a
taking. The crowd surged close. Word was distance.
passed outside, and every one sought to get “Hm-m-m!” Monk breathed. “Doc’s
into the room. makin’ it awful tough for the Green Bell to get
“As you all know, or, at least, have that wood!”
heard,” Doc continued, “the Green Bell sought “Bring a microscope!” Doc called.
to drive me insane with a peculiar sonic “Also a camera for taking finger print photos.
device. The upshot of the attempt was that the You police have such devices handy, I
device came into my hands!” presume.”
Monk, Renny, and Johnny swapped “Huh!” Renny whispered to Monk.
puzzled stares. What was the bronze man up “D’you reckon there is a print on that thing?”
to? As if to answer him, the lights went
“We found that the box held finger out. Bulbs in the house, floodlamps on the
prints of the person who made it—probably the grounds—all blotted simultaneously. The
Green Bell,” Doc continued. “That they were current had been shut off at the main switch,
the Green Bell’s was made fairly certain by the probably in the shed at the back of the house.
fact that he sought to destroy them.” A stunned silence followed the first
“Sought!” yelled a cop. “You mean that gush of blackness.
there’s finger prints on that piece of wood? It’s It was interrupted by a low hissing
a hunk of the sonic box, ain’t it?” noise, a clunk! Neither sound was loud.
“It is!” Doc replied gravely. “And it “The piece of wood!” a man bawled.
bears proof which is almost certain to trap the Excitement exploded in the room.
Green Bell!” Policemen yelled, drew their service weapons.
Men elbowed their neighbors in their
perturbation, and the neighbors, thinking it was
MONK looked at Renny. the Green Bell seeking to escape with the
“That’s the first lie I ever heard Doc woolen fragment, lashed out with fists. In a
tell!” he grinned. trice, a dozen fights were in progress.
Monk, Renny, and Johnny stood in the Attractive Alice Cash answered the
background. Whatever was going on, they did query. “I do! It is one I keep on my desk to
not think it had caught Doc napping. sharpen pencils.”
Flashlights came out of pockets, More inquiries followed, in which the
spitting white funnels. The fighters discovered police took a hand. But this got no results.
their opponents were friends, stopped Who had deposited the fragment and the knife
swinging blows, and began profuse apologies. in the stove?
“It’s gone!” squawked a cop. “The Investigating, Doc learned what had
chunk of wood is gone!” happened to the lights. Some one had taken a
fork from Aunt Nora’s kitchen cabinet and
jammed it across the terminals in the fuse box,
COLLISON MCALTER held up both causing the fuses to blow. There were no
his hands, shouting: “I want to submit to a finger prints on the fork.
search! And I think every one present should Monk had dogged Doc’s footsteps.
do the same!” While the bronze man was installing new
Ole Slater came elbowing through the fuses, the homely chemist picked up the
crowd and agreed: “I second that suggestion!” conversation which Aunt Nora’s discovery had
Aunt Nora Boston grumbled: “I’m agin’ interrupted.
it!” “You said the Green Bell didn’t put a
Alice Cash gasped in surprise: “Why, fast one over on you!” he whispered. “What
Aunt Nora!” d’you mean by that, Doc?”
“Ain’t no use searchin’, child,” said Doc Savage surveyed the vicinity to
Aunt Nora. “This devil ain’t fool enough to keep make sure there were no eavesdroppers.
that thing on his person.” “There was no finger print on that bit of
The hunt went forward, none the less. wood,” he said.
Even the police submitted. “Sure! I know that!”
Monk maneuvered over behind Doc, “But I soaked it in certain chemicals
eyed the table, then asked: “How on earth did from your collection. Those chemicals were
the guy get it? There was a ring of cops very powerful. If the skin is brought in contact
around the table!” with them, enough will be absorbed to affect
Doc pointed at a tiny cut in the table the liver, causing an increased production of
top. biliary pigment.”
“He simply tied a penknife to a thread, Monk blinked. “So what?”
leaned over a cop’s shoulder, and speared the “The biliary pigment will be absorbed
piece of wood. Harpooned it, if you like.” in the blood, resulting in a yellow condition of
Monk groaned. “He put over a fast one the skin. In other words, the Green Bell, in
on you, Doc!” touching that wooden fragment, merely
The bronze man smiled slightly. “Not contracted an excellent case of yellow
so you could notice, Monk!” jaundice.”
A loud shout came from the kitchen. Monk all but choked. “You mean—
They dashed for the spot. whoever picked up that wood will start turnin’
Aunt Nora Boston was crouched over yellow?”
the coal-burning kitchen range. Her jaw was “Exactly! All we have to do is set back,
slack, her eyes were bulging a little. She was keep from getting killed, and wait for
peering into the firebox of the stove, from somebody to turn yellow.”
which she had removed a lid. “How long’ll it take?”
In the firebox, barely recognizable so “That is difficult to say. It depends on
charred had it become, lay the fragment of the individual. A day; perhaps a week. Not
wood from the Green Bell’s sonic device. over that!”
With it was a small pocketknife. This
had had celluloid handles, but they were
burned away.
“I was gonna put more wood on the
fire,” mumbled Aunt Nora. “And I seen this—”
“Recognize the knife from what is
left?” Doc questioned.
Chapter XVIII “They didn’t see the fellow’s face. He

LULL wore one of those trick gowns with a green bell
painted on it.”
THE rest of the night was uneventful. Doc nodded. “Rather thought it would
Dawn brought an airplane from New York—a be like that. What did you do with the four?”
small, speedy machine from Doc Savage’s Ham smiled fiercely and fiddled with
private hangar on the Hudson River. his sword cane. “Got them out on bail when
The dapper Ham stepped out of it. He the cops arrested ‘em for lodgin’ that false
lost no time making his way to Aunt Nora charge; then grabbed ‘em and sent ‘em to our
Boston’s home. little place in upstate New York.”
The only article of baggage which “Good work!”
accompanied him was his slender, innocent- After a glance about, Ham grunted: “I
looking black sword cane. see everybody but Long Tom. Where’s he?”
Monk observed Ham’s arrival from “Hiding out,” Doc replied. “He has his
within the house, and grinned from ear to ear. apparatus all set to locate the Green Bell’s
He had missed his usual diversion of insulting secret radio station, once the thing goes into
Ham. operation.”
Putting a black scowl on his homely “I hope he finds it quick,” Ham grinned.
face, Monk hurried out. “I crave some action! That business in New
“Listen, shyster, you had orders to stay York didn’t get me warmed up!”
in New York!” he growled. “What’s the idea of
showin’ up down here?”
Ham caught sight of pretty Alice Cash. AS the hours dragged, however, it
He dressed Monk down with a cold look, seemed Ham was to see no action. The Green
swung over jauntily, and bowed to the young Bell and his hirelings made no hostile move.
lady. Judborn Tugg did not put in an appearance.
“You are more ravishing than ever!” he The day was marked with events of
assured Alice. great interest for Prosper City, however.
Monk writhed mentally. He usually told Practically all factories opened. The mines, as
pretty young women that Ham had a wife and well!
thirteen children, all halfwits. But he had Renny, with his vast fund of
neglected to tell Alice the yarn. He’d better spill knowledge concerning engineering in all its
it in a hurry! branches, took active charge of this work. He
Ham guided Alice into the house, organized crews, demoralized by the recent
where Doc was studying the geology maps of troubles and inactivity.
Prosper City’s vicinity. Since Doc intended to put the plants
“The murder charge against you in on a profitable basis, Renny’s work was not
New York is all washed up!” Ham declared. easy. In the first place, a high wage scale was
“How’d you work it?” Doc inquired. introduced in every department of each
“Simply by putting the fear of Old Nick concern. This made economy of production a
into the four lying witnesses! I dug up some prime necessity.
stuff in their past—burglary and blackmail. Monk stationed his ex-service men
That did the trick! They broke down and guards over each plant, and made the rounds
confessed that they were hired to say they saw like a general, keeping things in form.
you kill Jim Cash!” If he expected trouble, though, he was
Alice Cash flinched at mention of her disappointed. Not a Green Bell agitator put in
brother’s murder, and left the room hastily. an appearance. Peace reigned. All was quiet.
Ham, glancing out of the window a moment “But it’s kinda like the quiet of a guy
later, saw Monk with an arm across her who is aimin’ his gun!” Monk muttered
shoulder. Monk was an excellent comforter, pessimistically.
especially if the grieved one was as good- Doc Savage set Ham to work clearing
looking as Alice was. Ham groaned. up the final legal details of the deal by which
“Who hired the four?” Doc asked. Prosper City’s industries were being taken
over, literally in the whole. When that was
done, Doc visited the ramshackle old barn on
the marsh.
He took particular notice that this was “You didn’t expect us to remain here?
hardly more than three quarters of a mile from Not, of course, that Prosper City isn’t as nice a
Aunt Nora Boston’s home. town as the average.”
The bronze man did nothing while he Alice flushed. “I—I was hoping you
was there, except drop a firecracker down the would.”
vertical pipe through which the Green Bell had
addressed his men. He listened with great
interest to the hollow reverberations as the DOC SAVAGE saw how the wind was
cracker let loose, possibly two hundred and blowing. The young lady was more interested
fifty feet below. in him than he wished. Unwillingly, he had
These sepulchral echoes seemed to made another conquest, or was on the verge
rumble and gobble for fully a minute. of making it.
Leaving the spot, Doc visited the men This pained Doc. He did not care to
who had suffered more than any others from hurt any one’s feelings. So he did something
the trouble in Prosper City—the poor souls that he rarely did. He took off an hour and
who had been driven insane by the Green explained his strange purpose in life—his life
Bell’s sonic machine. profession of going up and down the trails of
He made a detailed examination in the world, hunting trouble and peril, helping
each case, using X rays, blood tests, spinal- those in need of help, and administering
fluid tests—almost every test known to medical punishment to wrongdoers.
science. He made it very clear to his beautiful
Late that afternoon, he made his listener that such a life precluded any feminine
announcement. entanglements. When he finished, he believed
“Sections of the brain are merely in a he had painted such a picture of horror and
quiescent state—a form of nerve paralysis danger that a female heart would quail at the
induced by the disrupting force of the sonic thought of sharing them. He thought he had
vibrations.” scared this gorgeous young woman off.
“Will you put that in plain English?” “What you need is a loving wife to
Aunt Nora requested. attend to your needs,” pretty Alice Cash said
“They can be cured,” Doc replied. “It’ll warmly. She did not say that she would like the
take a little time. But there’s not the slightest job, but it was in her voice.
doubt.” Doc mentally threw up his hands.
Aunt Nora Boston sat down and cried. What could you do in a case like that?
“I never did tell you,” she said moistly. He got away as quickly and gracefully
“But one of the afflicted men is a nephew of as he could, sought a secluded spot, and went
mine.” through the round of exercises which he had
While Doc was telephoning to New taken each day.
York, Chicago, Rochester, and other great They were unlike anything else, those
medical centers, for specialists to take exercises. Doc’s father had started him on
personal charge of the brain cures, Alice Cash them when he could hardly walk. They were
offered her services. solely responsible for his phenomenal physical
“That’s great!” Doc replied. “You can and mental powers.
sort of look out for these cases.” He made his muscles work against
“I’ve been watching your work,” Alice each other, straining until perspiration filmed
told him thoughtfully. “I notice from the way his mighty bronze body. He juggled a number
you are organizing it that you are putting of a dozen figures in his head, multiplying,
others in actual charge. Even Renny, the extracting square and cube roots.
engineer, is serving merely as a supervisor. He had an apparatus which made
What does that mean?” sound waves of frequencies so high and so
“Simply that we are going to step out low the ordinary human ear could not detect
as soon as the danger is past!” them. He listened intently to this—his
“You mean that you are going to leave proficiency along that line had already saved
Prosper City?” Alice Cash sounded slightly his life on this adventure.
stricken. He named several score of assorted
odors after a quick olfactory test of small vials
racked in a special case. He read pages of
Braille print—writing of the blind. This whetted “From Aunt Nora’s! I can’t believe it!
his sense of touch. But it’s a fact.”
Many and varied other parts were in Doc hung up, faced Renny. “Where’s
his routine. They filled an entire two hours at a Aunt Nora?”
terrific pace, with no time out for rest. “Dunno! Ain’t seen her for a few
Monk and Ham came upon Doc as he minutes!”
finished. The maps which Johnny had secured
Monk groaned. “Think of doin’ that lay on a table. Doc seized them, carried them
every day!” with him as he ran out of the house. He also
Ham sneered audibly. “You, I bore the radio transmitter.
suppose, don’t take exercises?” Doc consulted the charts, then headed
Monk flexed his hairy arms. “Some of due east, mounting the slope of the mountain.
these days I’m gonna have a workout on you! After covering a few hundred yards, he added
That’s the one exercise I need!” stealth to his pace. He moved with the quiet of
Unsheathing his sword cane, Ham a wind-blown feather.
flicked it. The fine blade twanged like a guitar Blackened knots of buildings lurched
string. up in the moonlight ahead. He eyed the maps
“Try it, and I’ll do some sculpture work once more, identifying the structures.
on you with this!” he promised. They were surface buildings of a coal
The two glared at each other as if they mine—a mine which had been closed for
had murder in their hearts. several years, the veins below exhausted. For
“What’s the trouble?” Doc questioned. years, however, it had been the largest mine in
“This furry, lying dead beat!” Ham Prosper City; at one time, it had led the nation
purpled and jabbed his sword at Monk. “He in coal output.
told Alice Cash that yarn about my wife and Doc posted himself near by and
thirteen half-wit children! The missing link! I’ve waited. He was not disappointed.
never had a wife!” A group of seven furtive figures crept
up. They wore the hideous black gowns of the
Green Bell. They disappeared into the maw of
AT nine o’clock that night, there was to the mine.
be a meeting at Aunt Nora Boston’s. Heads of Other men came, two of them, this
all plants in Prosper City—now actually in time. Then three fellows arrived alone. Eight
charge—were to attend. were in the next group.
At eight thirty, Alice Cash turned on The evil clan was gathering.
Aunt Nora’s radio. Doc waited until there came an interval
Ten minutes later, the Green Bell’s of five minutes when no sinister men put in an
hideous clangor, squealing, and wailing, came appearance. Then he entered the black gullet
from the instrument. of the mine.
“I know it!” Monk yelled. “We’re in for The tunnel was exceedingly dry for an
real trouble!” old working. It sloped downward. Doc sought a
From Doc Savage’s actions, it seemed recess and used his flashlight on the maps.
he had been waiting for just this. He raced One of the charts showed every cranny of this
upstairs to Long Tom’s room. When he came particular abandoned mine.
back, he carried two small boxes. One was a When the tunnel branched, he turned
radio transmitter, a tiny portable set. The other left. The tunnel swept in a vast curve. Doc
was a receiver. knew—the map showed it, too—that he was
Doc gave the receiver to Monk. “Keep approaching a spot directly under Aunt Nora
tuned in on this! Clamp the headset on that Boston’s house.
knot of a head, and don’t take it off for He slackened his pace. The drift was
anything!” long and straight—fully three hundred yards
The telephone rang. It was Long Tom. without a turn. A bullet could be fired the length
“My equipment got the source of that of it without touching a wall.
secret radio wave!” he barked excitedly. “It He covered this direct lane.
came from Aunt Nora Boston’s house!” Lights appeared ahead. A moment
“It what?” later, he was peering out into a great room.
Pillars—coal left standing to support the roof— The Green Bell himself did not remove
were a forest before his eyes. his hood. He stared, goggled green eyes
In this forest, black-cowled men were malicious, glittering in the flash glare.
clustered. “All here!” he decided. “Now, we will
get down to work!”
The Green Bell arose, strode through
Chapter XIX the ring of men, and vanished into the blacker
DEATH UNDERGROUND reaches of the cavern. A chain rattled.
When the masked leader appeared
ENTERING the underground cavern, again, he was leading a forlorn, manacled
Doc glided forward. There was not much figure. Judborn Tugg! Tugg’s face bore
chance of discovery. The Green Bell and his numerous bruises and cuts; dried crimson
men thought themselves safe here. stains were on his clothing, his hair. His nose
The Green Bell was present—in seemed to be damaged much more than it had
person! He sat, cross-legged, as the dummy of been by Long Tom’s blows. Most of his front
sticks and fabric in the distant barn had sat. No teeth were missing.
doubt some of the masked men before him did Tugg had obviously been tortured.
not know there was a difference between this “This worm!” intoned the Green Bell,
figure they were looking upon now, and the kicking Tugg. “This worm was an unfaithful
form in the dilapidated farm building. servant!”
The dummy in the barn! It was that Tugg blubbered: “I couldn’t help it if—”
which had given Doc his lead to this “Shut up! You would have betrayed
underground rendezvous. The pipe diving me! That is regrettable. You were to be the
straight downward two hundred and fifty feet, mainstay of the industrial empire which I intend
from which the evil czar’s voice had come! It to build, with Prosper City as its center! You
could lead to nothing but a mine tunnel! were to have been the apparent head of all my
Geology maps of the region had enterprises!”
shown that a sheet of hard rock underlay the The Green Bell’s voice became a shrill
swampy field. The presence of the rock, a tinkling, and he delivered another forceful kick.
great bowl holding water, accounted for the “It was through you that I intended to
moist nature of the field itself. buy all the factories and mines in Prosper City,
And the map of this old mine showed a once I had reduced the owners to a point
drift under the swamp. The Green Bell had where they would have to sell for a song!”
simply drilled a hole and forced his pipe
upward, not a difficult task. Hydraulic jacks and
a driving-head on the pipe would do the work. THIS information did not surprise Doc.
The Green Bell was speaking. He had surmised that such a scheme was
“Are all of you here?” he boomed behind the Prosper City trouble. This man, the
hollowly. “That is important, tonight! There Green Bell, had money, a lust for more
must be no absentees! For on our work tonight money—a scheming brain. The combination
depends success or failure!” had launched him on this plan of forcing a
There was a general wagging of whole city into bankruptcy, then buying its
fingers as a count was made. factories for a pittance.
“Unmask!” commanded the Green “You were a fool to go against me!” the
Bell. “We must be certain!” Green Bell snarled at Tugg. “I am powerful! I
The black hoods came off, some a bit have millions, made by selling stocks short
reluctantly. Flashlights furnished a glow during the great depression! I will have more
sufficient to inspect the faces. millions—billions!”
Doc surveyed them with interest. Tugg moaned. “Lemme go, won’t you?
Three men were, he saw to his disgust, fairly I can’t harm you! I’ve signed over every stick of
prominent factory owners of Prosper City. It my property to you!”
was these men who had objected most “Not to me!” The Green Bell turned,
strenuously to his proposition to take over all pointed a black-sheathed arm at one of the
plants. Prosper City business men, and said: “You, sir,
Collison McAlter was not among them. may not know it, but you are now the owner of
Tugg & Co. This—this gaudy worm signed his
entire holdings over to you for a consideration of nitro approximately half a mile from here,
of one dollar! Incidentally, I will now pay him which I will arrange.”
the dollar!” A hideous laugh gurgled from the lips
The Green Bell produced a bit of silver of the cowled figure who had murdered Tugg
from his gown, using his left hand. He bent so callously.
over and offered this to Tugg. His right hand “Aunt Nora Boston’s home is directly
remained out of sight in the robe. above this cache of explosive! Not many yards
Poor Tugg did not know what to do, above it, either! The house and every one in it
except take the dollar. He reached for it. will be blown to bits!”
Like a striking black cobra, the Green
Bell whipped out a knife with his other hand.
He ran the blade into Tugg’s heart. The steel DOC SAVAGE silently unlimbered the
went in easily, as if it had been a hot wire radio transmitter. The thing operated without
making its way into grease. noise, except for the faintest of clickings as he
Tugg emitted one piercing, lamb-like vibrated the key.
bleat, then began to kick around convulsively The radio waves, of course, would
on the floor. travel through the intervening earth and stone
The Green Bell put a foot on Tugg’s to Monk’s portable receiver.
squirming form and held it steady until all “Is this—necessary?” quavered one of
movements had ceased. Then he stepped the assembled men.
back. The Green Bell cursed. “Necessary! Of
“You may wonder why I did not shoot course it is! It’s imperative that we get rid of
him, and why I held him still!” he tolled Savage and the others at once! The devil is
monotonously. He leveled an arm. “Look! clever! Tomorrow he will trap me!”
There is the explanation!” “Tomorrow—”
To one side, a small tunnel “Exactly!”
penetrated. Evidently it had been drifted there “But how can he?”
long ago, in pursuit of some wisp of coal which “Shut up!” excitedly boomed the
had dribbled out. hooded leader.
“There is a room in that tunnel!” said Doc had finished transmitting, and was
the Green Bell. “It is only a few yards from this listening with great interest. He knew why the
chamber. It holds the powerful radio set with Green Bell was positive he would be trapped.
which it has been my custom to summon you!” The fellow had found his skin was
Doc nodded slightly, where he was turning yellow! He had realized that Doc’s
concealed in the gloom. This explained why maneuvering with the segment of the sonic
the radio signals had apparently been traced to box, the night before, had been a trick.
Aunt Nora Boston’s! The room was directly “I called you here tonight to warn you
under her house! all to keep away from Aunt Nora Boston’s
“Also, in that room are some house,” said the Green Bell. “Now that the
thousands of quarts of nitroglycerin!” continued orders are given, you may go!”
the Green Bell. “It is connected to electrical As one man, the crowd whirled for the
contacts rigged on a seismograph. Do you exit.
know what a seismograph is?” This took Doc somewhat by surprise.
“A jigger which wiggles when there’s He was given no opportunity to circle the
an earthquake!” some one muttered. group, so as to remain in the cavern and
“That is an excellent description. The disconnect the seismograph device. The only
contacts are on the jigger which wiggles, as thing he could do was to retreat into the tunnel.
you call it. Any large shock in the earth near by He sidled into it. Down the long,
will cause the explosive to detonate.” straight shaft he sped. Three hundred yards
There was much uneasy squirming at without a turn! He would have to cover that
this information. distance before the men behind him cast their
“Do not worry!” boomed the voice of flashlights down the passage. He ran as he
the robed man. “The seismograph is adjusted had seldom run before.
so no distant earthquake will operate it. Only a He failed to make it.
shock near by will close the contacts. Such a A powerful flash scooted a white beam
shock will be the explosion of a small quantity along the straight drift.
A yell! “Savage—it’s Savage! There he “Swell! She said it was an old wreck
goes!” that she’d been tryin’ to sell for years, anyway!”
The next instant, Doc seemed to “She’s a brick!” Doc said, absently
become a bullet in a giant barrel of rock! Lifted fingering various aching muscles. “We’ll have
by an irresistible force, he was hurled ahead. to put her in charge of charities here in Prosper
His eardrums threatened to cave! City. Of course, we’ll reimburse her for her
Landing, he knotted himself like a house, and the money she spent on charity
circus tumbler. He was helpless to impede his before we got on the job.”
progress. He was pushed from behind by a “She’d go for that,” Monk agreed. “But
blast which might have been from a monster you’re forgettin’ to tell me what happened
air gun! down there under the ground.”
Rock walls battered him! Dust, Doc sketched briefly what had
boulders, sprayed against him, past him! He occurred.
crashed into the cross passage and dropped, “The Green Bell and every one of his
almost unconscious. All of mother earth followers is finished,” he ended. “In a few days
seemed to come down on his head! we can turn those factories back to their
One of the Green Bell’s gang had owners and clear out.”
forgotten the seismograph and the nitro, and “You sound anxious to get away?”
had fired a bullet at Doc. The detonation had Monk said slyly, thinking of ravishingly pretty
loosened the explosive. Alice Cash.
Even now, the segments of Aunt Nora “Well, we should get back to New
Boston’s rambling, charming old home were York,” Doc told him. “Something may come
probably floating around some hundreds of up—it always does.”
feet in the air. Any one in it would be dead. Doc’s statement was only a guess,
Dead as those black-cowled men back based on the past. He had no way of knowing
there in the underground room! There was no what awaited them in New York, not being
possibility that any of them had survived. The gifted with an inner sight. But it would be
sinister czar, who had chosen a green bell for there—trouble, peril, mystery! These had
his symbol, was dead—wiped out by his own always come to them.
death device. Into the black fastness of an
His was a fate which had overtaken underground river, a mystery trail would take
more than one enemy of Doc Savage. them—by submarine! That jaunt into a
subterranean cavern, into a black stream
which was to carry them they knew not where,
TEN minutes later, Doc stumbled out was to seem, when they started it, the climax
of the abandoned mine. He did not feel like of a orgy of death, danger, and deadly intrigue.
coming, even then. He was bruised, battered, But at the end of that strange, horror-
damaged as he had seldom been in his life. filled voyage was a thing beyond their wildest
But deadly gases were loose in the mine, and imaginings!
he had to get out. The Phantom City! Probably the
Half an hour later, he encountered strangest, most fantastic thing ever to be
Monk. sighted by modern man. A fabulous place,
The homely gorilla of a fellow stared at situated in a region which holds the greatest
Doc’s injuries. totally unexplored surface on the face of the
“It looks like you caught yourself an globe, including the polar regions—the great
earthquake,” he suggested. Arabian desert of Rub' Al Khali.
“How about the others?” Doc The Phantom City was to be the object
demanded. of their next adventure. And vastly different it
“Them—they all got out, after you sent was from this prosaic American manufacturing
your radio warning, telling them to do so as locality.
quick as possible.” Monk chuckled mirthfully.
“Poor Ham! The overdressed shyster lost his
sword cane in the rush. He was about to start “SO the Green Bell found his hide was
back after it when the whole world blew up!” turnin’ yellow?” Monk ruminated thoughtfully,
“How did Aunt Nora take the loss of as they moved through the night.
her house?”
“There’s no doubt of it!” Doc agreed. “Have you seen Aunt Nora?” she
“And that persuaded him to rush his devilish asked, a moment later.
plan to completion.” “She’s around somewhere—I saw her
Monk grinned. “Ain’t you gonna tell me a minute ago,” Monk replied. “What’d you want
who he was?” with her? Important?”
“I didn’t get a look at his face!” Doc “Well, not very,” replied Alice. “I
said dryly. wanted to ask her if she had seen Ole Slater.”
“You mean we’ve cleaned this case up “Ain’t Ole around?”
without knowin’ who he was?” “No. And I’m curious. You see, Ole
“I think his identity will come out. It is seemed a bit ill this evening, when I last saw
pretty plain who he was.” him.”
“How d’you figure that?” Monk gulped twice, swallowed,
“Simply from the uncanny way the exploded: “What ailed him? Was he turnin’ a
Green Bell had of knowing our every move. He funny color?”
was very close to us.” “Ole Slater seemed to be turning
They had been striding down the road yellow,” Alice said. “It was the strangest thing!”
as they talked.
Pretty Alice Cash appeared. She
showed relief at sight of Doc; then registered THE END
concern over his bruises.
Follow the trail of battle and danger, the road of mystery and
excitement—and go with Doc Savage and his companions to
the marvelous gate of
THE PHANTOM CITY

In this thrilling story, told in a complete book-length novel in
the next issue of DOC SAVAGE MAGAZINE, you will find a
type of mystery, a more exciting type of danger. It will keep
you turning the pages with an anxious hand until the very last
scene has passed before your eyes—and then you will want
more.
Don't miss this thrilling tale. Where was The Phantom City?
How could it be reached, and what was the treasure that lay
hidden there, that lives meant so little in order to attain it?
Read the answers in the next issue.
DOC SAVAGE MAGAZINE

Ten Cents—Every Month

009 - The Czar of Fear

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009 - The Czar of Fear

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THE CZAR OF FEAR

A Doc Savage Adventure By Kenneth Robeson

The Czar Of Fear

Chapter I The man on the lunch-room stool sat

Without speaking, he turned. He downstairs. He sealed the money in the

Chapter V The New Jersey officers and their four

charming Alice Cash gave of falling for Doc

Chapter IX Other men followed Collison McAlter’s

No doubt the main explanation of Collison McAlter’s eyes popped. “A

“My good friend, Chief Clements!” he Flourishing weapons, these men

“Mr. Savage!” he ejaculated. “The Doc entered Renny’s quarters. Among

electrical wizard had the appearance of a The police looked at Doc as if

It was a remarkable exhibition of Moving with the ease of a squirrel, Doc

The mousy tufts which Monk wore for Chapter XV

RENNY made rocky sounds by GRINNING, the four aides of the

Chapter XVIII “They didn’t see the fellow’s face. He

THE PHANTOM CITY

DOC SAVAGE MAGAZINE

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