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a
ene ate
_ the smell of experiments.
~ stomach
27. { PUBLISHED
UD
top floor laboratory where Alec Royce
was working that evening. He liked
to have others around when he was busy,
and spending long hours without human
[' seemed more Jonely than usual in that
| companionship was the single flaw in his
special employment with Doctor Leonard.
Now, with his evening work done, the
test tubes and electric.ovens and medical
materials in orderly array on the wall
bench, Alee stretched his long arms and
went to the open window for a breath of
The laboratory was stuffy with
It was decidedly
uncertain how long he might have to wait
for Doctor Leonard’s return from a fac-
fresh air.
- ulty consultation, and the doctor's orders
were, for Alec to be found here at whatever
hour that might be. Alec flung a leg over
~ the wide sill and sat there with his back
“to the sash, peering down at the wide-
‘ awake city streets from which the clamor
of traffic rosd to him with a muffled blend-
ing of sound! Dots of lights outlined the
streets in the distance. The dark medical
school building across the way seemed rest-
ing after its day of rushing activity. The
residential district beyond was spangled
with lighted windows. The dial of the city
clock in its lofty tower shone yellow against
the dark night sky, its hands marking the
hour of eleven. . Lt
Evening after evening spent here had
made the scene sufficiently familiar for
‘Alec to find_ several places of personal’.
interest. So now as his eye rested on a
lighted window several blocks away, he
visualized the top floor.room where Ray
sat at work, probably on ‘that difficult
pone lesson for the morning recitation,
And Alec smiled at the remembrance of
Ray’s fussy dependability.
«What a precautionary he is! Add what
detective imagination to keep an eye on
this sky parlor with its treasures, But
unless I’m a dud that Jast test is a treas-
ure! Ray’ll make a diagnostician of note
one of these days when I’m a successful
specialist,” | rambled Alec's
thoughts.
The blare of an auto horn from the
nearest street corner was sufficiently like
’
nthe doctor’s to interrupt Alec’s: reverie.
Tle arose and went to the desk and began
to look over a list of formulas made from
‘Rig rough notes of the test tube experi-
ments, The doctor's key might click in
the door ‘lock at any moment, and he
wanted. to make sure that everything was
* talking,”
Copyright, 1922, by David C. Cook Publishing Company.
DAVID C. COOK PUBLISHING COMPANY, Etaoin, ILtrnors.
The Deadly Germ
_2y Ruby Flolmes/taryn
copied right. Alec worked with concen-
trated speed to have the last symbol
checked before Doctor Leonard arrived.
“Then we can get right busy on the
grand finale!” he thought eagerly.
Ye was so intensely occupied with’ the
formulas and so accustomed to the jumble
of noises that came up from the city, that
not until:a step sounded behind him did
he look up. To his amazement, Kemuel
Barnes was standing near the wall bench.
“Towdy, Kem!” he greeted, pluckily
attempting to conceal his alarm.
The laboratory door was kept locked,
and only Doctor Leonard carried its key.
Tlad Kemnuel underhandedly secured. that?
Alec did not doubt but the purpose that
brought Kem here was sinister, Had he
come up over the shadowy roofs and cor-
nices and gutters to creep in at the win-
dow, intending by his presence to ruin
Alec’s reputation when the doctor came?
* “ Some little sky parlor you have here,
“Alec!” yolunteered Kemuel looking around
as he closed the large single paned win-
. “Might ag well be- cozy.” .
“Wei need that air. No adjustments
called. for,” snapped Alec.
But instead of interfering at the win-
dow, Alec went over to the wall bench and
stood with his back to it.
pivotal point of the room, if Kemuel was
after professional secrets. Although Alec
did not know why Kemuel had been un-
conditionally dismissed from their classes
at the medical school, there was a rumor
of his connection with certain missing
cultures and dangerous germs. And Alec
-had_ personal reasons’ for mistrusting
IKXem's honesty and courage. Kemuel
Barnes had seldom dealt fairly with bis
mates, and discovered in a fault was cow-
_ardly vengeful,
“Might as well be cozy while we're
repeated Kemuel pulling the
shade over the closed, window. It was a
perfectly opaque shade, and Alec had never
seen it drawn before. Instantly Alec
thought of possible communication with
Ray who might be suspicious of the unex-
pectedly darkened window.
“ a social call?”
Are you paying. me
asked Alee mildly.
“Guess again,”
said Kemuel slouching
That was the,
_the table
into the swivel chair Alec had vacated.
“Do you want to see Doctor Leonard?”
“Guess again!” repeated Kemuel pock-
eting his:thin hands insolently, while he
eyed Alec with appraising shrewdness,
- “Perhaps Doctor Leonard will come be-
fore you go,” suggested the unwilling host,
preventing any tone of apprehension from
creeping into his voice. .
“Not if I know myself. bor!" flashed
the other, narrowing ‘his eyes. ‘‘ Ah-ha,
that relieves you some!”
“Tt surely does,” admitted Alec, “I
want to hold down this job, and your being
found here would queer it quick.”
“Then let’s get to business, old man!
Here’s a tidy yellowback for a squint at
those test tubes behind you.”
“Nothing doing,” smiled Alec Telieved
to know the purpose of Kemuel’s unwel-
come presence. _
Kemuel drew another crackling bill from
his pocket. - “ Ilow’s this?” he asked.
“ Doesn’t look good to me!”
“Ain't so cheap as you look, eh, kid?
How about-doubling the price?”
9
“Nothing doing,” repeated Alee though ‘
his eyes stayed on the money Kemuel held
temptingly toward him. Taking it would
mean the books and recreation for which
he Ionged. “It would take him home for
vacation with some new clothes and pres-
ents for the family—no one knew how
homesick he was nor how he hated his old
suit. But during the long minute when
the only sound was the tempting rustle of
those bills in Nemuel's outstretched hands,
Alec did not put forth his own hand to
take them. ‘* Nothing doing!” he said
with dull finality.
“Wise guy!” laughed Kemuel breaking
the tension by withdrawing the bills to
finger in another pocket for’ some gold
pieces which he rang one after enother on
until-full ten yellow disks
gleamed under the shaded light.
Alee’s fingers clinched over the edge of
the wall bench. retty as the yellow
pieces looked, they did not dazzle him as
had the rustling bills during those snaky
moments of contemplation. The larger,
boldly expressed amount was more fabu-
lous than real to bis comprehension, and
meant more emphatically a payment for
sin, IJlis thought had left them and was
busy with those dark curtains, turning
over the possibility of signaling to Ray.
He fenced-for time in the wild hope that
even at the expense of his position Doctor
Leonard's arrival would offset the danger.
Alec did not for one moment minimize the
fact that alone in that room, at the top
,
“You're going to have s dose.” snarled Kemuet
July 8, 1922.
-of the highest of the darkened buildings.
bis situation was dangerous, _
“Tt would be good luck for you to trot
right off the way you came in,” he told
Kemuel.
An ugly glitter burned in Kemuel’s nar-
Tow eyes, but he managed to control bis
words, “ Not without what I came for—
a squint at ‘those test tubes!”
“Start along with the heavy weights
you brought,” returned Alec,
“Ton't be a fool!’ flared
“T surely won't!” declared Alec.
surely be.a fool to make myself that kind
of a sneak to live with. Trot out the way
you got ins Ken.”
~“When I get what [I came for,” per-
sisted Kemuel.
The intruder had got to his feet and
was stealthily shifting his position toward
the end of the bench. Alee shifted, too,
Kemuel.
“rd
ES
zt
fi
bd
“Man alive! Have you been through an earth-
. quake ["
managing to keep face to face with him.
Kemuel’s jaw was set at an ugly angle.
Alee seemed vonchalant, but in reality be
was never more alert physically and men-
tally—ten paces sidewise to the luminous
paint on another bench. and he must put
his hand on the can without a fumble;
five paces from there to the left to reach
the big window, and he must move the
curtain aside and get his signal for help
on behind it: twelve paces. back to his
present position, and very little time for
the maneuvers in which surprise must aug-
ment his own adroitness.
With a swift movement Alec reached
for the wall butten that controlled the
room lights. Instantly the laboratory was
plunged into a darkness that seemed to
be full of sounds. Kemuel was slow to
react to the unexpected; he lost a moment
fumbling for his pocket torch and then
dropped it on the floor, He was feeling
for it when the lights were flashed: on
again and he saw Alec standing at the
mach.
“Think you can scare me with a bag
of tricks?” scorned Kemue} angrily. “I've
come for that test tube. Fake up what-
ever story you want to for the doctor and
pocket your coin!”
~ “The tube stays here,” said Alec.
Kemuel’s grin was more menacing. He
took a small hypodermic needle from a
a pocket case and fingered it gingerly.
“Going to dope me?” asked Alee con-
tinuing to fence for time.
“You're going to have a dose!” snarled
Kemuel, striding toward him. Alec made
a spring, but though he missed the hold
he had meant to secure on the instrument
he came up with his back still to’ that wall
bench, Kemuel flourished the needle.
“See this, you fool? It is loaded with
some of those germs they missed from
over.)
