5 Detective Novels Magazine Cover — page 47: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

DANCE, PRETTY MAIDEN lamp, did not turn, did not move. The salmon pink of her negligee made her face and her folded hands look even whiter. “Tsk, tsk,” Mrs. Magruder clucked, shuffling nearer with the tray on which were soft boiled eggs, toast, and milk, “you must get some rest, honey. Try to eat a bite and then take axcouple of those sleeping pills the doctor gave you.” She nodded at a green bottle on the table near the lamp. “‘Maybe they’ll help you sleep.” Edna Ferry nodded dully, but did not turn. Mrs. Magruder set the tray down, eyed her a moment sadly, then tiptoed out. Edna shifted her gaze to the dial of the clock on the dresser. Twelve-twenty. At about this time last night— A slight breeze rustled the window to her left. Faint crawling sounds came from the vines that grew up and around the window. Edna turned her head slowly—and froze. The face that stared at her from the square of darkness was Hilary’s and it wasn’t Hilary’s. Under the familiar limp blond hair, it was the face of a hunted animal, the eyes bloodshot above dark pouches, the flesh drawn tight over the cheekbones, the teeth bared as the breath labored through them. | ee could feel herself rising from her chair, screaming in shrill re- peated peals. But suddenly, with hor- ror, she realized that she had not moved, had not uttered a sound, that she could not! He swung his lank frame over the sill of the window, and she saw the knife in* his hand as he crouched there un- .certainly, trying to force his ravaged face into a smile, saying in a horrible, wheedling tone, “Edna, don’t scream, please.” She could hear distinctly every rasp of his breath as he moved nearer, but her own nerves and muscles were locked as in a casque of ice. She was trying to scream, trying to move, and_ she couldn’t! Then, from a corner of her eye, she ’ glimpsed the small green bottle. Reach- ing before she thought, she was sur- prised that her hand obeyed her, flipping 47 off the cap, spilling the yellow capsules into her palm. Kern stopped but only for a moment, one hand reaching toward her. “Edna, for God’s sake, don’t. Wait, listen to me!” Her voice came then, a feeble screech. a back, Hil. Go back or [ll take them all!” “But, Edna, I’ve got to talk to you. There’s no one else I can turn to.” But as she half rose, slapping a palm against her mouth, he sprang. She fell back into the chair, and he missed with his frantic grab. Then a sound from behind checked him, spun him around. A second figure had vaulted through the window, and Kern found himself staring into the narrowed eyes of Prof. C. P. Siddington, into the shiny muzzle of an automatic in the latter’s hand. “Easy, Hil—” Siddington was speak- ing fast— “don’t make me shoot. I’ve been guarding Edna’s window since dark. I thought you’d come here. Now get your hands up. I’m still your friend, but you’re out of your mind, and I can take no chances—” Kern sprang at him, knife raised. But Siddington had anticipated that. Duck- ing to one side, he evaded the murderous are of the knife, then brought the barrel of the automatic into crashing contact with Kern’s temple. Kern was thrown to one side and when he tried to regain his balance, the wiry Siddington was inside the sweep of his arms, slamming the gun like a riveter’s hammer against Kern’s skull. Kern fought like a crazed animal, but the first blow had stunned him, and the fusillade which followed sent blood into his eyes. He wallowed to the floor, blind, gasping, racked with stunning pain. In a final effort, he tried to fling himself toward the window, but the tormenting hammer blows caught him, beat him down into an inert senseless heap. Vil Tur FIRST thing Kern was aware of when his senses returned was the cut of the cold handcuffs which shackled his wrists behind him and forced him to lie CoOnniclooo <S) (C(O) mM