Part 5 (2/2)
”Looks like the excitement's played out,” he said in a regretful tone.
Rhoda Haven, still tied on the ground, looked as if she wanted to forcibly relieve her rescuer of a fistful of red hair.
”Does it occur to you,” she said violently, ”to untie me?”
”Sure. That occurred to me back near Wall Street.”
”Near Wall Street?”
”Yep. When I seen you grabbed. I was lookin' at you when that fellow fell down on purpose and broke the tear-gas bottle in his package. I seen 'em grab you. So, thinks I, as long as I'm not doing nothing, I might as well pitch in and rescue you.”
”I see.”
”Anyway, I was in love with you.”
”You what?” Rhoda Haven gasped.
”Smitten. Bit. By the love-bug.” The red-headed young man's grin wrinkled his freckled nose. ”Soon as I saw you.”
Rhoda Haven squirmed, snapped, ”Untie these ropes!””Don't you think I done me a nice job trailin' them fellows?” Henry Peace asked. ”Lucky I had me a car handy.”
”Are you, or aren't you-”
”Sure, sure. Keep your jaw still a minute, and I will.”
Rhoda Haven held her tongue with some effort while the large young man took his time untying her. The frankly admiring way in which he looked her over caused her teeth to make faint grinding noises.
”Say, I've got good taste, don't you think?” Henry Peace asked cheerfully.
”What do you mean?”
”In picking you to fall in love with.”
Rhoda Haven knotted small fists.
”You affect me,” she said, ”like the ocean.”
”You mean because I'm awe-inspiring, and toss things around?” said Henry Peace.
”No. You make me sick.”
Big Henry Peace's freckled grin remained undisturbed. ”You'll change for the better. I grow on people.”
Rhoda Haven looked him up and down frostily, made a half-admiring mental note that if he grew much more, they would have to start making doors wider at shoulder height. She kept any trace of admiration off her patrician features, however.
”Just who are you?” she asked.
”Henry Peace. But don't let the name fool-”
”You said that once. I don't care anything about your name. What is your business?”
”Right now, it's rescuing you.”
”And after that?”
A big grin came over Henry Peace's sunny face.
”Marrying you,” he said.
Rhoda Haven controlled an impulse to see how hard she could hit him in the eye.
”How do you make a living?” she asked, holding to her patience.
”Sometimes I don't,” Henry Peace admitted cheerfully. ”I'm a guy with a hobby instead of an occupation. The hobby is hanging black eyes on people I don't like.”
Rhoda Haven considered for a moment.
”Am I,” she inquired, ”going to be infested by you?”
”You ain't gonna get rid of me, if that's what you mean.”
Rhoda Haven sighed, shrugged her shoulders, nodded-all three gestures indicating that she had surrendered to the inevitable.
Next, the young woman walked over to the cistern, looked into the depths-emitted a strangled cry of horror. She drew back from the cistern mouth, trembling. Her whole manner radiated horror.
Henry Peace, rus.h.i.+ng forward, said, ”Don't get the shakes! n.o.body's going to throw you in there now.”
Rhoda Haven, trembling more than before, pointed at the cistern.There were gasps between her words. ”There's already someone . . . down there!” she choked.
Henry Peace rushed to the cistern, looked, and because it was dark in the depths, got down on all fours the better to peer.
Rhoda Haven put a foot against the handiest portion of his anatomy and shoved. Henry Peace managed to turn, clutch the edge of the cistern with his hands, hang there.Rhoda Haven calmly kicked his fingers loose.
Henry Peace fell into the cistern, which was not very deep. Judging from the volume of the young man's indignant roars, he was unharmed.
”We're going to see,” Rhoda Haven said grimly, ”who gets rid of who.”
WHEN Rhoda Haven walked into the small hotel where she and her father had established themselves, old Tex Haven got away from the fire escape near which he had been standing. He wore his smoking jacket, a heavily brocaded, very elaborate Chinese mandarin's robe which had been in his possession for years-in fact had been given to him by the Korean emperor before the j.a.panese took possession of that country. He was particularly satisfied with his corncob pipe, and fumes from the thing had the hotel suite smelling as if a poison-gas sh.e.l.l had exploded.
”Reckon you made out right pert at sickin' Doc Savage and his men on Horst and Senor Steel?” he asked.
Rhoda Haven went to a mirror, with feminine concern over her appearance, and examined herself. Then she went over and dropped in a chair.
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