Shrieking Coffins by G Read online

  “Fell?” gasped Kemper. “You mean

  cameo setting over it

  that the killer drops the coffins—from

  Marco turned his flashlight on the airplanes or something?”

  floor. There were footprints of Hsin’s small

  “I don’t know, Will. Might have

  shoes and of someone’s rubber-soled arctics.

  pitched them from the roof of a building. To

  Suddenly Marco heard footsteps tell the truth, I’m a little more mixed up than I directly above his head. A voice swore was at the start. But let’s get out of here. We hoarsely. He looked up through the opening

  are going to take a run over to the bearded

  made by the coffin and saw Will Kemper’s

  man’s house—what was his name? Letchman?

  red head.

  He’s kept himself pretty quiet during all this.

  “Damn it! That you, Paul? What have

  But it really wasn’t odd that Dr. Koslof

  Secret Agent X

  14

  couldn’t reach Letchman by phone.”

  “Hsin,” Marco thought to himself,

  “Why?” asked Kemper.

  “unless Samons is a very good liar.”

  “Because he didn’t call Letchman’s

  “And,” Dr. Koslof added, “Colonel

  house. In looking up your telephone number

  Samons has lost his wallet”

  when I first struck town this afternoon, I

  “No!” exclaimed Marco in mock

  noticed that all the residences in the surprise. “Nothing of value, I hope?”

  University Park section are on the same trunk

  “No-no,” said Samons hastily. “Purely

  line and have the serial number 5. Koslof

  of sentimental value. A few dollars change in

  called a number beginning with 3. Maybe

  the wallet. I really think I shall get along home

  there is no such number; I’m not sure.”

  now. If you gentlemen need me, you will

  know where to find me.”

  CHAPTER IV

  “You don’t happen to be going by the

  SINISTER SLIPS

  Chinese Student Club?” Marco asked.

  The colonel nodded. “You would like

  TT was ten minutes later. Marco and Kemper

  me to tell the members of Hsin’s death?”

  had crawled from the tunnel and were walking

  “And something else.” Marco took the

  across the campus towards the physics papers he had found on Hsin from his pocket building.

  and handed them over to the colonel “I would

  “Things are getting pretty thick,” like you to get me a translation from these Marco muttered. “I’d like to see two men—

  papers. There’s an official air about the way

  Colonel Samons and Professor Letchman.”

  they’re done up.”

  “You’re going to get a chance at

  Samons took the papers. “Oh, gladly.

  Samons then. Isn’t that the colonel standing

  But I can attend to the translation for you. I

  under that light talking with. Dr. Koslof?”

  spent a good many years in Hong Kong.”

  Kemper hailed the two men.

  Marco frowned. After all, he didn’t

  “You gentlemen find anything?” Dr.

  know- but what the colonel was a member of

  Koslof called back.

  the criminal group. It might have been

  “Yes, quite a bit,” said Marco as they

  Samons who had followed Hsin and killed

  approached. “Exactly two corpses—one him. That Samons had lived in China threw a Professor Brandon and our friend Hsin.”

  new light on the case. Regretfully, Marco

  “Hsin?” Koslof gasped. Then, with an

  handed the papers to Samons. He could hardly

  angry snarl, “Killing young students now!”

  refuse without openly accusing the colonel.

  “If Hsin was only a student,” Marco

  Marco knew that his dangerous game could

  muttered. He felt certain that Hsin had had

  not be fought in the open.

  other purposes for attending the college—

  When the colonel had left them, Dr.

  others that were in no way related with Koslof drew Marco and Kemper close to him.

  education. Aloud, he said, “If we could put

  “I am about to break the confidence of a dead

  our fingers on a motive! By the way, where

  man,” he said in a mysterious whisper. “You

  were you, Colonel Samons, during the have been unable to find a motive for these search?”

  heinous crimes. Then let me tell you of

  The colonel took off his hat and Professor Trim, my former colleague and tenderly patted a blackening lump on the top

  friend.

  of his head. “Unconscious most of the time. I

  “Dr. Trim was a genius in the fields of

  was attacked by someone who leaped from a

  chemistry and physics,” Koslof explained.

  grove of trees near the power house.”

  “Mr. Kemper will remember that he died

  Shrieking Coffins

  15

  about two years ago. At that time, it was

  physics building.

  rumored about the country that Dr. Trim was

  about to disclose a very wonderful FOR a moment, both Marco and Kemper discovery—something that would

  stared at each other.

  revolutionize war. It was only a few hours

  “God!” Kemper exclaimed. “To think

  before his passing that he called me to his

  that Scolar’s part of the formula was in my

  bedside. Dr. Trim, gentlemen, realized the cabinet for two days!”

  wonder of his new discovery, yet at the same

  Marco gulped. “Be thankful, old son,

  time, I believe, he was fearful that it would

  that you haven’t got one of them now!” The

  jeopardize the peace of the world. He did not

  cameo ring on Marco’s left hand seemed to be

  explain to me the exact nature of his burning his flesh. He knew that he skated on discovery. Only this I know: Trim had thin ice as long as he held that slip of paper he invented a formula for poison gas or perhaps

  had taken from Samons’ wallet in his

  an explosive that was much more lethal than

  possession.

  anything so far discovered. In addition to its

  Marco took a deep breath of the

  power, this concoction from Trim’s laboratory

  stinging cold air. He reached in his pocket and

  could be prepared so cheaply that almost any

  pulled out an automatic. “Hope you know how

  nation could afford war.

  to use this, Will.” He passed the gun over to

  “This formula was like a Frankenstein

  his companion. “I’ve got an extra one. Right

  monster to Trim. He dared not publish it, but

  now, we’re going over and see if we can find

  in case of war, he wanted his own country to

  Professor Letchman. He keeps too far in the

  have all of its advantages. He hoped that the

  background to suit me. If he won’t let us in his

  United States could hold this new weapon

  house—well, we’ll get in all right!”

  over the heads of the belligerents as a threat

  They had reached the campus gates.

  and restore peace. He divided the paper upon

  Marco paused to light a cigarette. “Anyway,

  which his formula was written into f
ive parts.

  one bit of mystery is cleared up—Mr. Hsin.

  He gave one to each of five friends with the

  We know damned well that Hsin was the boy

  instructions to take the scrap of paper to who tossed that knife at you. Just what Hsin’s Washington in case of war between the United

  capacity was, we don’t know. I think he was

  States and any other country.

  working for some Oriental political group.

  “Each of us was pledged to secrecy.

  Hsin was killed because he knew too much

  None of us knows who else possesses the

  about some one, or perhaps because he stood

  sinister slips. No single slip is any good in the way as a competitor to the real criminal without its four companions. This I confide in

  gang in getting those sinister slips.”

  you— I have one of those slips! It is my belief Professor Letchman lived alone in a

  that it will be my death warrant. Both Scolar

  small cottage that stood shyly back from the

  and Brandon were great friends of Dr. Trim.

  street. Its windows were so heavily frosted

  Both may have possessed a part of that that it was impossible to see if any light was dangerous formula.

  burning in the house.

  “I have told you this,” Dr. Koslof

  “It’s past two o’clock, Marco,”

  concluded, “so that you will clearly Kemper whispered. “Letchman will be in understand what you are up against. The bed.”

  formula is worth millions of dollars to any

  “Perhaps,” replied Marco. “We’ll try

  government or to anyone who might sell it to a

  to wake him up. I want to ask questions and

  government!” Then Dr. Koslof entered the

  put my nose as far into his affairs as I can.”

  Secret Agent X

  16

  They crossed the narrow veranda and

  catapult!”

  Marco smashed the bell push with his thumb.

  Kemper scowled. “I always knew

  For nearly a minute they waited. Then, with a

  Letchman was batty! Imagine! In this day of

  sigh, Marco drew a set of master keys from

  modern warfare, that old fossil monkeys with

  his pocket. He handed his flashlight to Will.

  pre-gunpowder weapons, and—”

  “You hold the flashlight.” Marco was

  “No—no, nothing of the kind!” Marco

  coolly examining the lock. His key scraped

  interrupted. “It’s an aircraft catapult to be used

  the eye of the lock. He felt it take hold and

  in launching airplanes.”

  gave it a sharp turn. He opened the door and

  “Oh, that.” There was a note of

  stepped into the darkened hallway.

  disappointment in Kemper’s voice. “I could

  “Where are we likely to find have told you that. He’s got it rigged up out at Letchman’s valuables?” he whispered to the airport. On top of a building or some Kemper who followed him.

  place. Why didn’t you say you wanted that

  “Doesn’t have any to my knowledge.

  sort of information. He spends most of his

  But he has a mussy old desk back in his study.

  time out there tinkering with it. Don’t know

  I’ll show you the way.”

  whether he ever got it working.”

  They found Letchman’s study empty

  “Sap!” Marco exploded. “You’ve seen

  and all the curtains drawn. A roll top desk that

  what happened tonight and you don’t know

  approached a piano case in size stood against

  whether or not Letchman got it to working!

  one wall. Marco sat down in the swivel chair

  Why, that’s what the coffins were thrown

  and pushed back the top of the desk. He

  with! The killer simply forces his victims into

  unceremoniously shuffled through the papers

  coffins and puts the coffins on the catapult.

  and found nothing of interest. He smashed the

  After he got what he wanted, he simply sprang

  lock of one of the smaller drawers and pulled

  the catapult. That would be the end of

  it open. There he found some long folded

  everything for the man inside the coffin—

  sheets of blue-print paper banded with rubber.

  body and evidence removed from the actual

  “Inventions,” said Kemper vaguely.

  scene of the crime. He probably forced them

  “What kind?” asked Marco as he to give up their part of the Trim formula under stripped off a rubber band and prepared to find

  threat of death and then failed to keep his part

  out for himself.

  of the bargain.

  “Oh, some fool thing he works on out

  “The screaming sound that was heard

  at the airport.”

  every time one of the coffins made its

  Marco looked up. His black brows mysterious appearance was caused by-the air contracted above his piercing gray eyes. traveling at high velocity through the holes

  “Airport?”

  drilled in the top of the casket.”

  Kemper bobbed his head. “There’s a

  Marco reached across the desk and

  school of aeronautics in the college. Just new.

  picked up the telephone directory. He leafed

  Maybe you noticed the beacon light shining

  through it and scanned the “A” column.

  over the campus tonight”

  “Right!” he snapped. “It was the airport that

  Marco nodded. He had turned his Dr. Koslof called tonight—not Letchman’s attention to the blue print spread out on the

  house. He thought that Letchman would be

  desk. Suddenly, he stood up and ran long

  there tinkering with his invention. And that’s

  fingers through his black hair. He uttered a

  where we’re going right now.” Marco listened

  low whistle, and pointed at the blue print.

  for a moment, head on one side.

  “There you have it!” he exclaimed. “A

  Kemper scowled. “What the hell?”

  Shrieking Coffins

  17

  Marco’s voice became a scarcely audible

  CHAPTER V

  whisper. “Someone is trying to get into that

  MURDER MACHINE

  next room, I think. Working on the window or

  something. Come on. But softly, Will. No

  THEY were hurrying across the campus intent

  lights. If we can catch this prowler—”

  on reaching the airport just beyond.

  “Has it occurred to you,” Kemper

  MARCO tiptoed through the door. Kemper

  asked, “that you shouldn’t have handed those

  pressed closely behind him. They entered the

  Chinese papers to Colonel Samons? We don’t

  next room. Marco held his breath. Outside the

  know much about him. He was just a soldier

  window was a man. The window was open

  of fortune. He taught the cadets their gunnery.

  and he could see the head and shoulders of the

  He would know just where to point that

  prowler. Marco hugged to the wall and drew

  catapult to make the coffins land where he

  flashlight and automatic.

  wanted them.”

  Then, Will Kemper sneezed. Marco

  “Possibly. But right now we want to

  cursed, flicked on his light, and raised his gun.

  see t
hat murder machine.”

  Only for a moment did the light shine upon

  “You don’t think there will be any

  the bearded face of Professor Letchman. The

  more killings, do you?” asked Kemper.

  man’s black hair was bristling on his scalp; his

  “Any more? Why there were five slips

  eyes were black pools of fury. Then he was

  of paper that carried parts of the Trim formula.

  gone.

  If I’m a judge, there will be three more coffin

  Marco pushed Will Kemper out of the

  killings unless we put a monkey wrench in the

  way, ran to the window, and leaped over the

  machinery.”

  sill Footprints in the snow were made by

  Marco stopped. If he had not been

  Professor Letchman’s rubber soled arctics. looking skyward, he would not have seen it—

  Marco’s light swung along the fresh trail. No

  a clumsy, black projectile hurtling over the top

  sign of the man! But he could follow as long

  of Kalvin Hall. Another casket!

  as that trail held out. He swung around the

  It crashed into the eaves of the old

  corner. Still he was unable to see the bearded

  building, bringing down a shower of brick

  professor.

  work and snow. Its lid sprang open. Its

  And Marco had the sudden contents—a sprawling, twisting, turning disappointment of seeing the trail of the corpse—smashed to the sidewalk. The arctics hopelessly muddled by hundreds of

  hideous sound of that poor tortured body

  other footprints. Letchman had wisely taken to

  falling on the pavement was masked by the

  the street and disappeared down its shadowy

  din of the casket as it struck the sidewalk and