"078 (B078) - The Crimson Serpent (1939-08) - Harold Davis" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

The little man wasn't far away. In fact, he'd moved back to the edge of the clearing, where he had a good view of the camp. But he was well hidden.
He'd driven his car into a hiding place where he was confident it wouldn't be found. Then he had raced back to one end of the camp ground and burrowed under a thick bush. He didn't seem concerned over how his clothes would look when he got out.
He had a gun out when Renny came back into view walking toward the office building. But he didn't use it.
The engineers who had been in the mess hall had raced out when they heard Renny shouting. They took one look at the big engineer's face and quietly returned to their lunch.
That is, all but Bill Craig. Bill Craig followed Renny. Together they inspected the radio transmitter.
"You could drive into town and call up," Bill Craig suggested.
"Go look at our cars," Renny advised.
Bill Craig did so. He returned in a few minutes looking rather pale. Three ancient flivvers were used as transportation for the engineers. The carburetor floats were missing from all three. That was something baling wire wouldn't fix. It was only two hours' drive to the nearest town. It would take a day to walk the distance.
"Don't say anything about it," Renny rumbled.
"It-it doesn't make sense," Bill Craig faltered.
"Of course not!" Renny snapped. He had the transmitting set apart, was making two drawings. "But why don't you think so?"
"The murder of Jute, all the strange sounds and things I heard, might just have been a plot to run us off this job, to get us out of the swamp," Young Bill said swiftly.
"Yeah?"
"Yes. But if that was it, why then would an effort be made to keep us from getting into communication with anyone, and particularly to keep us from getting out of here. That is, unlessЧ" Bill Craig's voice faltered suddenly.
"Unless what?" Renny asked, more kindly.
"Чunless someone, somethingЧintends to kill us all," Bill Craig breathed.
Renny did not answer for a moment. Then he handed the young engineer one of the two drawings.
"Can't you think of anything pleasant?" he roared. "Here! You make this part. I'll make the other. Only two important doodads are busted on this set. If we're any good at all we'll have it working by night."
Renny's voice had excellent carrying power. Georges Douter heard his words without difficulty.
A peculiar expression crossed the little man's face. Without haste, he wiggled his way back out of the bush that concealed him. Then he slipped through bushes and trees until he came to the car he had secreted. He curled up in the rear seat and went to sleep.
Consequently, he didn't see Renny when the big engineer dodged out of the camp an hour or so later. No one else saw Renny either. His actions after that were peculiar. He completely circled the camp. Once in a while he stopped. Each time he stopped he was very busy. His arms had been loaded with small packages when he left the camp. When he returned, they were empty.
Of all this, Georges Douter was unaware. It was growing dark when the little man awoke. He glanced at a wrist watch and gave a grunt of satisfaction. Then he inspected the two guns he carried, made sure they were ready for action.
After that he waited.
He didn't have long to wait.
The sound of clanking chains came just as the sun disappeared.
Chapter III. A THREAT
BILL CRAIG had just completed work on his part for the broken radio transmitter. He said, "Damn!" quite emphatically.
Renny nodded somber agreement, his features more puritanical-appearing than ever.
"The message to Doc will have to wait," the big engineer said.
He reached to a high shelf, removed two peculiar-appearing weapons. They seemed to be oversized pistols, with large drums mounted on the top. He gave one of them to Bill Craig.
The weapons were those often used by Doc and his men. They threw shells with extraordinary rapidity. Sometimes they were loaded with mercy bulletsЧbullets that merely brought unconsciousness, a type that barely penetrated the skin, then released a drug that caused the coma. On other occasions they were loaded with an explosive type of bullet that had great penetrating power as well as causing a tremendous blast.
This time they were loaded only with the mercy bullets.
Sound of the clanking chains had been heard by others in the camp as well. Those who had scoffed at the natives for being superstitious suddenly became very self-conscious. They glanced at each other quickly, then began to talk loudly, endeavoring by sheer lung power to overcome the fear they felt.
"Don't take any chances," Renny warned. "But try to get close to whatever is making that noise. When you are close, don't hesitateЧopen fire at once."
Bill Craig's head bobbed agreement The young engineer was pale, but his lips were almost as tight as those of Renny.
Renny turned out the lights in the building and the two slipped outside.
The chain sound had come only once. A second sound came as Bill Craig and Renny moved noiselessly toward the swamp. It was the same noise the young engineer had heard the night before, a metallic sound such as he had imagined men might make while walking in armor.
Renny's thin lips split in a noiseless whistle. He ducked low and dodged forward rapidly.
Georges Douter had circled the camp and was near the edge of the swamp also. The little man had one of his guns in his hand, but he acted as if he did not expect to use it.
His teeth showed as he heard Renny and Bill Craig plunging onward. He squatted on his heels and waited expectantly.
A gigantic roar almost split his eardrums. It was the bull-fiddle roar of one of the queer weapons Renny had produced.
The roar stopped abruptly. In the same instant there was a blinding flare of light. It burst just beyond the edge of the swamp, but was gone so swiftly Georges Douter was unable to see a thing. He couldn't see anything for several seconds afterward, either.
The scream came a moment after the light had faded. It was a high-pitched, frenzied shriek. It stopped at the highest point. It was not renewed.
Clanking of metal sounded almost immediately afterward. It faded into the distance rapidly.
GEORGES DOUTER had not moved. He remained in a crouching position, his gun still held negligently.
A minor eruption took place at the camp. Lights flared on from many sides. Men rushed out of the buildings. Most of them had rifles. A ragged volley of shots was fired into the swamp before saner heads quieted the hysteria.
"Colonel Renwick? Bill Craig?" one of the men shouted.
There was no answer from the swamp.
Georges Douter nodded, as if a question had been answered as expected. He got to his feet, but remained out of sight.
Men were rushing for flashlights at the camp. One or two flashes did appear, but no one seemed anxious to use them.