"072 (B059) - The Yellow Cloud (1939-02) - Evelyn Coulson" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

"Look at these newspapers," he growled.
The headlines said:
DOC SAVAGE AID MISSING
IN ARMY PLANE TEST
"
Let me see that!" Ham said. He snatched the paper and read. "Well, they didn't mention the yellow cloud business," he said.
"The army wants the cloud business kept quiet," Monk explained.
"It's all right with me," Ham said. "I don't want people thinking we're nuts."
The evening sun was red in the west, and filled the high-flying plane with a gory glow. The shadows of hills and houses lengthened swiftly on the ground. "We should make New York in an hour and a half," Monk said.
The plane radio—it was tuned in on an army station—began to talk, saying,
" Calling Monk Mayfair and Ham Brooks; calling—"
"
You got us," Monk said into the microphone.
The radio said,
" We have a report for you. Two planes were flying over Pennsylvania. One of them was attacked a by yellow cloud, seized and carried away. The second plane managed to escape."
Monk chewed a fingernail and stared at the radio as if he doubted his ears. He said, "Say that again."
The radio said it again, and added, "The pilot of the plane that escaped is at Central Airport, Philadelphia."
Monk and Ham looked at each other.
"What's the pilot's name?" Monk asked.
"
Brick Palmer," the radio said.
"Thanks," Monk said.
Ham, who was flying the plane, gave the ship enough left rudder to send it toward Philadelphia. The two men were silent for a long time. They had been trying not to accept the existence of a yellow cloud, because it was fantastic; and now that they were confronted with the specter of the thing again, they were without words.
They did think, though, that they might be able to learn something of the fate of Renny by questioning this flier, Brick Palmer, who had actually seen a yellow cloud grab a plane.
"I wonder what kind of a man this Brick Palmer is?" Monk muttered.
Chapter III. STRANGE LADYBIRD
THE girl held the gun in both hands quite steadily. She had come into the airport waiting room with the weapon concealed in her flying helmet, which she was carrying in her hands, and now she had the gun pointed at Monk and Ham.
Monk and Ham stared at her in gap-mouthed astonishment.
Out on the tarmac somewhere a transport plane was rumbling its big motor, and in a hangar mechanics were banging hammers against machinery. The airport was far enough outside Philadelphia so that there was no rumble of the city.
Monk started to put his hands up.
"Keep them down," the girl ordered grimly.
She was a small girl, somewhat a spriggins of a girl. From the quick way she moved, she seemed about fifteen years old; but she was a little older than that—twentyish, maybe.
The sky winds had browned her. Nature had put red in her lips and mahogany-colored fire in her eyes. She was pretty. Striking enough that Monk, who was a connoisseur of feminine pulchritude, would have opened his mouth and batted both his small eyes—even if she had not been letting him look into the muzzle of a gun.
"Listen," Monk said. "We only want to see a party named Brick Palmer."
"Yes," Ham said. "We came—"
"Shut up!" the girl advised.
She stood small and tense. She had dropped her flying helmet—it was of the same brown leather as her zippered jacket.
"Walk out of that side door," she ordered. "Act natural."
They stepped out of the side door upon the gravel of the airport parking lot. It was almost dark, and the big beacon had been turned on and was swinging at monotonous intervals. Colored border lights made a far-flung path.
"Get in your ambulance," the girl said.
Ham stared at her. "Ambulance?"
"We came in a plane," Monk explained.
The girl did not believe that. She had picked up her helmet and covered her gun again. She lifted the helmet slightly, showed the weapon muzzle.
"I don't fool people!" she said grimly.
"Do you tell people who you are?" Ham asked.
"You know that. You asked for me."
"You're not Brick Palmer!" Ham exploded.
"Abricketta Palmer. Yes."
Ham said, "Oh!" and looked at Monk, who said, "Blazes!" They were astonished and puzzled.
"Go get in your ambulance," the girl said. "You're taking me away from here—but not the way you hoped."