"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 010 - Hands in the Dark" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

"I see their idea!" he exclaimed. "The murderer told his pal this was a place worth cracking. Then, when
they got in here, he strangled him. No noiseтАФ plenty of time to get away -"
"That's just it, sir," replied Hodgson, admiringly. "That's just what the inspector said. There was quite a
piece in the paper about it, sir; but it was while you were still on the boat, coming home -"

THE dull ring of the doorbell came as an interruption. With slow, faltering steps, Hodgson left the room
to answer.

Bob Galvin watched the old servant as he passed into the gloomy hall. Hodgson seemed truly to be
feeling his way through this old, somber house.

Two minutes passed. The servant returned and almost tottered into the room.

"Mr. Mallory is here, sir," he said.

Bob advanced to greet Hiram Mallory. Mallory had been one of his uncle's oldest friends. Bob
recognized him immediatelyтАФa quiet, kindly-faced old gentleman who still bore himself with youthful
vigor.

"Most regrettable, your uncle's death," said Mallory, when he and Bob were seated at the flat-topped
desk. "It was a great mistake for him to travel so far away in his state of health. Asuncion, Paraguay, still
has its yellow fever at timesтАФand it brought your uncle's death, Robert."

"Whatever did he go for?" asked Bob.

"He was depressed, Robert. His real estate business here in New York was a large one, and successful,
but recent unwise investments have lost him a great deal of money. I fear there is little or nothing left of
the estate."

Bob's face grew thoughtful, "I heard from him very seldom, you know. I suppose South Africa, where
I've lived for the past twenty years, made it seem to him as if I was in another world.

"So you think the estate is in bad shape?"

"I'm afraid so. Have you seen the will yet?"

Bob shook his head. "I received a letter from the lawyers," he said. "Whatever's left is to be shared by
myself and Betty Mandell, my uncle's ward. She's lived with my uncle since she was a child."

Mallory smiled a wry smile. "That means," he said, "that she will be virtually penniless. She will have no
home, and what money she receives cannot last long."

"She needn't worry," smiled Bob. "I've done well in South Africa, Mr. Mallory. She'll live here, as she's
always done. And that reminds me, sir, I have to call her. Pardon me for a few minutes."

Bob consulted a card he drew from his pocket and reached for the desk phone. In a few moments,
Mallory smiled again, observing the beam of happiness on Bob's face as he spoke.

"Yes, Betty," Bob was saying, "this is Bob... I'm glad to hear your voice, too... A good many years since