"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 108 - Terror Island" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

There were footsteps from the hallway. Tolwig pushed the telegram beneath a book; he looked up to see
a stolid-faced servant enter, bringing a tray with two tall glasses. Ice clinked as the servant approached
the desk. Tolwig gestured.

"Place the tray here, Lovett," he ordered, in a testy tone, "then tell Mr. Bagland that I want to see him.
Where is Bagland, anyway? Bah! He claims to be an efficient secretary, but he is never about when I
need him -"

Tolwig cut his denunciation short as a tall, smiling-faced man stepped in from the veranda. The arrival
was the missing secretary; out for a stroll, Bagland had arrived just in time to hear his employer's words.
Tolwig indulged in a slight smile of his own; he motioned for Bagland to be seated.

Lovett stopped at the door; there, the servant turned about and adjusted his rumpled white jacket. He
was waiting for further orders. Tolwig dismissed him with a wave of his hand. As soon as the servant's
footsteps had faded in the hallway, Tolwig pointed to the door.

Without a word, Bagland arose and closed the door; the secretary came back to the desk and picked up
one of the tall glasses. Tolwig took the other glass.

APPARENTLY, Tolwig and his secretary were on most friendly terms, despite the millionaire's harsh
statement a few minutes before. As further proof of their accord, Tolwig produced the telegram that he
had hidden from Lovett's view. Handing the wire to Bagland, Tolwig spoke.

"This arrived while you were out," stated the millionaire quietly. "What do you make of it, Bagland?"

The secretary studied the telegram. He smiled.

"You must have talked too much," decided Bagland, "when you made that short trip to Havana a few
days ago."

"I did mention my intended purchase," nodded Tolwig, "but I did not state from whom I intended to buy.
I said nothing concerning George Dalavan.

"Neither does this telegram," observed Bagland. "Probably the man who sent it has never heard of
Dalavan. But he may know about the Lamballe tiara; if so, he knows that someone intends to swindle
you."

"Unless the telegram is a hoax," rejoined Tolwig. "What should I do about it, Bagland?"

For reply, the secretary crumpled the telegram and threw it into the wastebasket.

"Forget it," he declared. "We already have the goods on Dalavan. We can handle him ourselves. It is
after half past eight; Dalavan is already overdue. If we happen to wait until nine o'clock, all right. If not -"

Bagland paused. A bell was tingling; Lovett's footsteps answered, outside the door. The servant was on
his way to the front door to admit the visitor. Bagland's smile broadened; in low tones, the secretary
whispered:

"George Dalavan."