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

pointed nails. His face was pale, and almost masklike.

It was the solemnity of the face that made the smile so peculiar; for like the other features, the smile
seemed part of a chiseled countenance.

The man bore an expression that would have resembled death, but for the remarkable light that shone in
his deep, piercing eyes. They were like living coals.

He glanced at the piles of clippings, and his eyes seemed to flash approval. Burke grinned.
"They're all yours, Mr. Clarendon," he said. "I was just waiting for word from you. All ready to send."

"They include the back dates?"

"Yes. I went through the morgue at the Daily Sphere, and found everything that concerned Harriman, as
well as Wilkinson and Chatham.

"I haven't missed anything. I've been extremely careful in their arrangement. I've done a lot of work on
this case; still, I'm being overpaid."

"Forget that."

"I can't forget it, Mr. Clarendon." Burke's eyes expressed both appreciation and admiration. "I've been
waiting to see you, always hoping that I could tell you how grateful I am for all you've done for me."

"Just what have I done for you?" The same mirthless smile remained on Clarendon's face.

"I'll tell you, Mr. Clarendon," said Burke earnestly. "When I lost my job, the time the Evening Clarion
was taken over by the Daily Sphere, I was down and out. I didn't know where to turn. I was a good
police reporter, but there were too many of them in New York.

"When you called me up, and told me you would pay the expenses for starting this clipping bureau, I
figured that it would just about make me a living.

"Your second offerтАФto pay me a salary for sending you any clippings that you might requireтАФmeant a
lot to me. You said that you would fix the figure.

"Since then, you have been sending me a hundred dollars every week. If I had billed you as a customer,
you would have received the same clippings for one-tenth the amount you pay. No wonder I'm grateful.

"Yet I don't feel right about it. I actually owe you more than two thousand dollars."

"What do you intend to do about it?"

"I don't know," came the frank reply.

"BURKE"тАФGeorge Clarendon's voice was firm and expressiveтАФ"I have paid you well because I
wanted intelligent cooperation. You have done your part.

"This is only the second time that you have met me. I want your honest opinion. Do you trust me?"