"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 006 - The Death Tower" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

began an investigation. I located the very same bonds that Palermo had shown me.

"I learned, positively, that his bonds were counterfeits!"

Wilkinson paused. "That revealed Palermo's game. He thought that, with the bonds in my possession, I
would grant him another six months at leastтАФfor the bonds were worth much more than the money he
owed me.

"But suppose that he had never chosen to pay his debt? I would have been left with nothing but the fake
bonds in my possession."

"Perhaps you were mistaken," objected Palermo.

"Not a chance of it," replied Wilkinson. "I still have Palermo's note. When it comes dueтАФnext
weekтАФI'm going to demand payment.

"If Palermo is short on cash, he will never cease to regret it."

"This sounds incredible, Wilkinson," objected the visitor. "Doctor Palermo told me of this matter,
although he did not mention the matter of the bonds.

"He said that you held his note for thirty thousand dollars, but he did not think that you would renew it.
So I agreed to give you my note in its place in order toтАФ"

"I wouldn't accept it, Chatham."

"Isn't my security good?" There was a note of anger in the speaker's voice.

"It's too good," replied Wilkinson tersely. "I don't want your note. I want Palermo's!"

"Suppose he doesn't made it good?"

"That's exactly what I expect."

SILENCE followed. Wilkinson smiled as he studied his visitor. He suspected that Chatham was
preparing a suggestion. This proved correct.

"Wilkinson," said the disguised Doctor Palermo, "this is a great surprise to me. Yet I still doubt the
correctness of your conclusions.

"If you are right, it means as much to me as to you; for, like yourself, I have trusted Doctor Palermo. If he
is a fakerтАФwell, I should like to aid you in exposing him!"

"How can you do that?"

"By pretending to follow his scheme. By giving you my note, and holding Palermo's in return."

"That will give him time to raise the money."

"I don't think so. Does he suspect that you discovered anything wrong with the bonds he showed you?"