Pulp - Argosy.95.02.The Silver Clock - Thomas F. Hart (pdf)

by Monte Herridge

  tool he had been! Should he tell?

  “Suppose you get into the carriage we There was a telephone receiver

  have waiting.”

  hanging there. He must decide. The minutes There was nothing for Dick to do but

  were flying.

  go, although he was boiling with rage. In the There was one chance in a million that carriage he could get no satisfaction. He was the general might be saved, but if he saved told to wait until he reached the office of the him it might mean Siberia. If not, death! His chief of police.

  poor father! Now they did not suspect him.

  It was beginning to show traces of

  Dick seemed to live over every

  dawn now, and Dick was wild with moment of his life in those seconds.

  impatience.

  Then he sprang to the telephone and

  Marshaled into the police

  called up Central. It seemed ages before there headquarters, he was confronted by a group was

  an

  answer.

  He asked for the

  which made him fall back in amazement. Here connection at General Lobeleffs and when he were the young men he had left at Markart’s secured it he said clearly to the man who the evening before.

  answered,

  Here was Makart’s daughter, and who

  “There is an infernal machine under

  was this shrewd faced young man looking at the general’s bed. Put it in water at once, or it him with a half smile of contempt? It might be will blow up the house. Hurry!” And he spoke Makart’s son from the resemblance.

  the name of the chief of police as the The chief of police, a formal little man, authority. Then he turned around.

  looked up as Dick entered.

  “I did place one of the clocks under the

  “You are sent for, Mr. Harshaw,” he

  general’s bed. I did not know what it was.”

  said. “to identify these prisoners as those who There was dead silence in the room

  have met at the rooms of Makart, the infernal except for a sneering hiss from Makart.

  machine maker.”

  “Mr. Harshaw,” said the chief evenly.

  Dick

  gasped.

  “will you walk into the next room.”

  “I know Professor Makart——”

  Dick reeled rather than walked past the

  “Who stands before you. Step out, door that was held open for him.

  Makart. Sometimes his expression changes so The other room was brilliantly lighted, that even an old friend would have difficulty and sitting in an armchair was General in recognizing him. As we do not believe you Lobeleff!

  have had anything to do with him beyond Dick’s nerves gave way, and he burst

  visiting at his rooms, we only hold you for a into tears.

  few hours that you may identify his friends.

  The general took him kindly by the

  He has probably never shown you any of his shoulders.

  clocks, and induced you to place them.

  “It was the only thing to do, Dick,” he Otherwise, Mr. Harshaw, I fear Siberia would said. “We had watched these people for obtain you for a guest.”

  months, but could get no convincing evidence A cold sweat broke out all over Dick.

  against them. Then you came, and they tried The silver clock!

  their hand on you. They wanted to get the

  The Silver Clock

  7

  model of your father’s work. We had to steal make new acquaintances next time. I shall not that from you. We couldn’t let them have that; forget either, that you would have risked and then they thought of making you kill me.

  Siberia or death on the chance of saving me.

  We had a spy among them all the time. I am That was like your father’s son.”

  sorry, but maybe you will think before you