Frank L Packard

The Further Adventures of Jimmie Dale Frank L Packard

Book Excerpt: ... Smarlinghue did not move. The steps receded from the door, and died away along the passage. A minute, two minutes went by. Suddenly Smarlinghue pushed back the wristband of his shirt, and pricked the skin with the needle of the hypodermic. The door, without a sound, swung wide open. Clancy stood in the doorway."Good-night again, Smarlinghue," he said coolly. The hypodermic fell clattering to the floor; Smarlinghue jumped nervously in his chair. Clancy laughed--significantly; and, without closing the door this time, strode away again. His steps echoed back from the passageway, the front door opened and shut, his boot heel rang on the pavement without--and all was silence. Smarlinghue rose from his chair, shuffled across the room, closed the door and locked it, then shuffled back again to the roller shade over the little French window, and, taking a pin from the lapel of his coat, fastened the rent together. A passing cloud for a moment obscured the moonrays from the...