The Grim Inheritance by Carl Clausen Read online

  Mr. Stoddard’s decision. As a postscript he

  not a man to be satisfied with a nice profit in a added, that he’d bring two pals along to watch

  deal that contained the elements of a “clean-

  outside the house, and that if Mr. Stoddard

  up.” He knew that men who offered bonds of

  knew what was good for him he wouldn’t try

  this kind at a knock down price were not in a

  any rough stuff, or he, Mr. Scanlon, would

  position to dictate, so he came back at Mr.

  make it his business to put a lily in his, Mr.

  Joseph Scanlon, General Delivery, New York,

  Stoddard’s, hand forthwith.

  with an offer of thirty-three cents on the dollar Mr. Stoddard smiled grimly at this

  instead of thirty-three per cent, discount.

  horticultural postscript. These underworld

  Mr. Scanlon’s answer was a characters were a suspicious lot. He could typewritten howl of protest. He cut his price to afford to smile. He had no intention of pulling forty per cent, discount. Stoddard raised his

  any rough stuff. He was quite satisfied with a

  offer to forty cents on the dollar. They finally profit of one hundred thousand dollars and a

  compromised on fifty cents, partly because the

  whole skin.

  sum represented by this amount—or

  He did, however, take the precaution

  $100,000— was within two thousand dollars

  of having the money to pay for the bonds

  Amazing Stories

  14

  delivered to his residence by an armored as if the mere act of speaking was an effort.

  delivery car company, and immediately

  Stoddard pointed to the wall-safe. “It’s

  transferred it to his wall safe in the library.

  in there.” He held out his hands for the brown

  At eleven o’clock that evening, the

  paper package. The man made no movement.

  agreed time, his door bell rang. He answered it He said merely. “Let’s—see—it.”

  himself. The man whom he let into the

  Stoddard made a motion of

  darkened hall wore a soft felt hat with a impatience.

  brightly colored band, pulled down over his

  “I play square,” he said.

  eyes, dark tortoise-shell eyeglasses, a blue

  The man reached for his hat, as if to

  double-breasted suit with broad stripes, and a

  leave.

  pair of light tan shoes. Under his arm he

  “All right,” Stoddard grumbled, “I’ll

  carried a bundle done up in common brown

  show it to you.” He went to the safe and

  wrapping paper, Mr. Stoddard’s swift glance

  opened it, then flipped the bundle of bills in

  of scrutiny noted the ominous bulge of the

  the light of the table lamp, before laying them right hand pocket of the striped jacket.

  down.

  “Mr. Joseph Scanlon, I assume?” he

  The man’s wizened hand holding the

  asked, pleasantly.

  brown paper package moved forward slowly.

  The man nodded. He stood for a He pushed the parcel across the table to moment peering about the darkened hall in a

  Stoddard, then put the hand into the bulging

  listening attitude.

  right hand pocket of his jacket and leaned

  “Come into the library,” Stoddard said,

  back in his chair.

  leading the way. “We’re all alone,” he added,

  Stoddard tore the brown paper off the

  reassuringly. “My wife is out and the servants

  parcel. He found that it contained some half a

  have gone to bed.”

  dozen neatly folded newspapers of a very,

  recent issue.

  THE man followed him slowly without a

  “What—what’s this—?” He raised his

  word. He walked with the peculiar shuffling

  head with an angry snarl but the snarl turned

  gait of advanced age. Seated opposite in the

  to amazement when he found himself looking

  better-lighted library, Stoddard got his first

  into the bore of an automatic pistol which at

  good look at him. He was a singularly the distance of the six feet that separated him depressing-looking man. The skin of his face

  from his visitor, looked to his bulging eyes

  which was of a waxy pallor, seemed to hang

  like the end of a section of drain pipe.

  in folds that apparently could not be smoothed

  “Pass—me—the—jack,” the man said

  out. It gave him a peculiar wizened look in

  in his slow, emotionless voice.

  spite of the fact that he was quite evidently a Mr. Stoddard’s lower jaw dropped

  young man. Although well above middle wide. His pudgy hand moved to the bundle of height he gave the appearance somehow of

  currency, then came away with a quick cat-

  being shrunken and his movements and like movement, as if it had been turned. He speech were abnormally deliberate. He sat took a step backward and slumped into his staring at Stoddard through his darkened chair and sat staring at his visitor with the eyeglasses, his lower lip drooping askew in an

  beads of perspiration streaming down his

  uncanny half imbecile way.

  mottled face.

  “Let’s see the bonds,” he said, finally.

  The man arose slowly, reached for the

  “Let’s see the jack,” the other replied

  money and put it into his pocket. He stood

  forcing out each word slowly in a hoarse voice

  looking at Stoddard for a moment, then said in

  The Grim Inheritance

  15

  his peculiar hoarse, brittle voice:

  To Austin’s reply that he hadn’t, the

  “The

  telephone—wires—are—cut.

  doctor said: “Stoddard and Company have

  Stay—where—you—are—for—five—

  failed.” He told Austin about the robbery and

  minutes—or—my—pals—will—get you.”

  gave him the details of the failure. “The police Without another word he backed out and left

  think that he staged the holdup himself to

  the room slowly. When Stoddard heard the

  cover up his embezzlements of your money

  front door close upon him he arose halfway in

  and the girl, Ann Barren’s. His description of

  his seat, but fear made him drop back. He

  the alleged bandit was so fantastic, that the

  knew that men of Joseph Scanlon’s type authorities smelled a rat and took charge of his would stop at nothing.

  books. I’m afraid, my boy, that you’ll never

  He sat staring at the bundle of get a red cent out of the mess.”

  newspapers on the table until the minute hand

  Austin drew a deep breath.

  of the clock on the mantel had advanced five

  “It was lucky I got the ten thousand

  minutes. At the end of that time he ran into the out of him before I left,” he said. “You think

  street screaming for the police.

  that the operation will be a success, Doctor?

  Half an hour later, while men from

  I’m banking on it. I want to get married—to

  headquarters were taking his incoherent Ann Barren.”

  statement, a sloop with her canvas spread to

  The doctor cleared his throat. He

  the midnight breeze, stood up the East river,

  seemed to be thinking.

  past
Hell Gate and headed for the Long Island

  “There’s not the slightest doubt about

  Sound. The description which Stoddard gave

  it, my boy,” he said, finally. “I’m more than

  to the officers of the man who had robbed

  ever convinced since my talk with Doctor

  him, tallied perfectly with the man whose Swartz a few days ago.” He paused. “I’m glad hand was on the tiller of the boat.

  the little girl will be provided for. I was

  wondering what was going to become of her.”

  Crane Returns from The Bermudas

  Austin

  smiled.

  “She’s got a little money laid by that

  SOME five weeks later, Austin Crane, Stoddard failed to get his hands on,” he bronzed and in fine fettle from his cruise to

  replied, “we’ll make out.”

  the Bermudas, presented himself at Doctor

  The old physician gave him a quick,

  Goldwin’s office, for the preliminary appraising look. His wise old eyes held examination before submitting to the eminent

  Austin’s for a moment, then he drew his

  foreign specialist’s knife. Doctor Goldwin’s

  breath in sharply as if an idea had suddenly

  face was grave.

  struck him.

  “You’ve heard the news, I suppose?”

  “I—think you will,” he agreed, slowly.

  the old physician asked.