"012 (B043) - The Man Who Shook The Earth (1934-02) - Lester Dent (b)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

Through the door swung the end of a slender black cane. Monk ceased his
dramatics and dodged. The cane barely missed connecting with his head.
The man with the cane stepped out as if to take a fresh swing. He was a slender
man, thin-waisted as a wasp. He had a sharp nose and a pair of intent eyes. They
were the eyes of a quick thinker.
The outstanding thing about the fellow was his clothing. His garb was the
absolute ultra in sartorial perfection. Ham was famous for his clothes, wearing
them with a grace that could hardly be duplicated.
Monk retreated, chuckling. The fact that there was a mystery underfoot, and that
a man had just been kidnaped downstairs, had not kept him from flinging a dig at
Ham. Even the stress of trouble could not stop his good-natured baiting of Ham.
Ham’s black cane looked innocent enough. Actually, it housed a blade of fine
steel. It was a very efficient sword cane.
Doc explained what had occurred—the visit of Velvet to the office, the decoying
of John Acre to the Midas Club, and the kidnaping. He ended with: "Know anything
about it, Ham?"
"Not a thing," Ham declared.
"But why did they use this address?" Monk demanded.
"It was clever on the fake newspaper reporter’s part," Doc decided aloud. "He
gave Ham’s address, in case the man he was deceiving might check up. I often
visit Ham here. It was logical to suppose I might wish to meet him here."
Monk scratched his jaw, his head, and ended up by putting the tip of his little
finger through the bullet hole in his ear.
"How in blazes are we going to find out what this is all about?"
"There’s the steamship Junio," Doc said. "John Acre arrived on it tonight.
Apparently he sent the messages from on board."
Doc went to the telephone and dialed a number. He spoke into the instrument for
some seconds. His voice was so low that Monk and Ham did not catch the words.
Then he hung up.
"I got in touch with the captain of the Junio ," he explained. "Here’s a strange
one: The Junio’s radio operator is a fellow named Coils. He disappeared a few
minutes after the steamer docked. They can’t find him anywhere."
"Where is the Junio from?" Ham inquired.
"From ports on the west coast of South America," Doc explained.
Ham twirled his sword cane absently. His eyes roved. They came to a rest on the
door. It gaped open a crack.
"Who left that door open?" he growled.
He started forward as if to close the panel. The door was ajar hardly more than
an inch, but the crack widened suddenly. A businesslike pistol muzzle shoved
through.
"I’d hate to muss up that pretty suit," a woman’s voice said

HAM wrenched to a stop, his sword cane extended rigidly. He turtled his head
forward as if to see who was behind the door.
"Don’t strain your eyes!" said the woman’s voice. "I’m coming in."
She stepped across the threshold.
Monk emitted a great gasp. Monk appreciated a pretty girl. This one made his
head swim.
From the waist upward her slender body looked as if it were fitted in a tight
skin of gold; below the waist the gold cloth fitted almost as snugly. Her hair