Part 7 (1/2)
I saw a chance to do myself some good, and said: ”Perhaps I can offer a theory. Dido Alstrong is doing something reprehensible, those two fellows are involved with him, and since Dido Alstrong works for Mr.
Farrar, the men probably came here to seek news of Dido Alstrong.””Why,” said Mr. Farrar gratefully, ”that's logical.”
”They ask about Dido Alstrong?” Monk Mayfair demanded.
”Well-yes. Yes, I believe his name was mentioned,” Farrar stated.
”You forgot to say anything about that before.”
Farrar shrugged. ”Dido's name was all mixed up in the cussing they gave each other. It slipped my mind.”
He was sharing my opinion of the Mayfair person, I noted.
”Well, we're getting nowhere fast,” Mayfair said.
He strode to the table on which Dido Alstrong's packet lay.
”Let's open Santa Claus' pack and see what he brought us,” he added.
DOC SAVAGE, stepping forward hastily, said, ”Henry, will you come here. Tell me, is it the same package you and Monk got from the locker in Grand Central?”
”It appears so,” I replied.
”Tied with the same cord and the same knots?”
”I think so.”
”What about it, Monk?” Savage asked his uncouth aide.
”Same cord. Different knots,” said Monk.
”I disagree,” I said.
”Miss Farrar?” Savage inquired. ”What do you say?”
”I was really too excited to notice it closely,” she replied sensibly.
Savage still did not open the packet, but turned to Mr. Farrar and said speculatively, ”This does seem to revolve around Dido Alstrong, but so far it's just mystery, nothing tangible.”
”Why don't you open that thing?” Farrar demanded. ”What are you staging, a suspense show?”
Those were my opinions also.
Savage remained calm. ”About Dido Alstrong-is he a creative chemist, Farrar?”
”Creative? What do you mean?”
”Is it possible that he has made some sort of valuable discovery, and the trouble is revolving around that?
A fight for its possession, perhaps?”
Farrar shrugged. ”Dido Alstrong is more mouth and glad-hand than ability, in my opinion. But he knows how to make other men work for him. That's why I gave him the executive job he holds.”
”Then you can't answer my question?””I don't know that it has an answer.”
Savage turned to Mayfair. ”Open that thing,” he said.
Since I had heard so much of this fellow Savage's profound reputation, I was naturally interested in observing his methods; my curiosity was intense to know how he had built himself up in such a degree.
Now I believed I had the answer-the fellow was a showman. Take this holding back the opening of Alstrong's packet-it was senseless, but it did create an air of tension, a sort of anxious stage on which Savage stamped and pranced, showing off. This was my feeling, for I had been loath all along to believe the fellow any sort of a superman; I was glad to see my opinion corroborated.
Mayfair threw open the wrappings. He lifted the lid of a cardboard box.
”h.e.l.l!” His small eyes protruded. ”What the h.e.l.l!”
His sentiments were generally shared.
The box contained a monkey suit.
”The h.e.l.l!” the loutish Mayfair kept repeating, as if unable to believe this.
It was a brownish sort of a monkey suit. It would fit a man of average size. It seemed, and I am not an authority on masquerade costumes, not overly expensive, previously worn, and rather faded as if it had been dry-cleaned or washed a number of times.
”A masquerade outfit!” Lila exclaimed. ”But-why, this is ridiculous! All this muss over a masquerade suit!”
Savage, an inscrutability on his features-the man could certainly hide his emotions-began removing the garment from the box. He inspected it closely. He replaced it, lifted the lid of the box, and noted the name of a costume rental concern printed thereon: REX COSTUME COMPANY. He replaced the lid on the box.
”Well, what is it?” asked Farrar sharply.
”A monkey suit,” Savage said dryly.
Chapter VIII.
IT came as somewhat of a shock to find that Savage had a plan of action. It seemed to me that the bronze man should be completely stumped, and I suspected him of fourflus.h.i.+ng when he said, ”Well, perhaps we have something to work on.”
Farrar, of the same idea, pointed at the box and demanded, ”You mean that makes sense to you?”
Without answering, which was rather rude, Savage advised Lila, ”I think you'd better remain here. There seems to be some danger involved, as witness what almost happened to Henry, and I wouldn't want you exposed to it.”
She was disgustingly put out about this. I had hoped her fascination with Savage had subsided, but obviously it hadn't.
”Won't I see you again?” she asked anxiously.
”Of course,” he replied gallantly.And the goon of a Mayfair said, ”Baby, when they're as beautiful as you are, their trouble is seeing too much of us.”