"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 004 - The Red Menace" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

"I think that will be impossible," he told the reporter. "It is late in the afternoon. Mr. Graham has urgent
matters on his mind."

"I made the appointment by phone this morning," objected Stevens.

"I understand that well," answered Berger. "But I attend to all matters such as newspaper interviews. You
will have to talk with me."

The door of the inner office opened, and a stout, gray-haired man entered the waiting room. He spoke to
a stenographer seated at a desk; then he turned to go back into his office.

The reporter saw him and recognized him.

"Mr. Graham!" he exclaimed, darting away from the secretary. "I am from the Sphere, Mr. Graham. May
I talk with you for a few minutes?"

The millionaire looked disapprovingly at Stevens. Then he pointed to his secretary.

"Mr. Berger will take care of you," he said.

"But this is a personal interview, Mr. Graham," pleaded the reporter. "I won't be long, sir. Just a few
minutes. I hate to bother you, sir. But it means a lot to me -"

The millionaire smiled indulgently.
"Come in," he said, holding the door open. "I'll see you in ten minutes, Berger. Bring Miss Smythe with
you. I have some letters to dictate."

Safely within the private office, the young reporter sat on the edge of a large leather-covered chair, and
looked at the millionaire as the latter took his position behind a mahogany desk.

"My name is Stevens, sir," explained the reporter. "They gave me this assignment because our regular
man was laid up. They waited for him to come back; but he won't be in until to-morrow. So I have to get
this interview. Your name was on the list -"

"What is it all about?" demanded Jonathan Graham.

"It's a series of articles we're running," said the reporter. "Prominent people are interviewed on the same
subject. We get all kinds of different opinions.

"We ask them what they would do if they had only one hour more in which to live -"

Jonathan Graham held up his hand.

"That's enough," he said coldly. "I've seen that absurd column in the Sphere. One man says that he would
call up all of his friends and give them a farewell party. Another says that he would take the opportunity
to pay off debts of gratitude.

"That's the column you mean, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir."