"Kenneth Robeson - Doc Savage 005 - Pirate of the Pacific" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

He produced keys, unlocked one of the doors, and waved his men in. They entered cautiously, jabbing
flashlight beams ahead.

Doc retreated from the window out of which he had been watching. He passed soundlessly through a
door into a corridor. At the second step, his toe was stopped by a heavy object.

A flashlight came out of his pocket. It tossed a beam that was hardly more than a white thread.

The body of a man lay on the corridor floor. A sword slash had cleaved into his heart.

THE flash ray disclosed other details about the murder victim. He was an elderly man, at least sixty. He
wore plum-colored knee breeches, white stockings, a braided coat with long tails, a powdered white wig
- a very flashy butler's livery.

Doc examined more closely. The flunky had been dead several hours at least.

The Orientals were making considerable noise downstairs. Draperies ripped as they were torn down.
Moving furniture grated on waxed floors.

"My sons, it is a wise man who gets all his troubles in front of him," called their leader, Liang-Sun Chi.
"Search the basement."

Liang-Sun seemed to be something of a philosopher.

Working w h silence and speed, floe searched the upper floors. He found this side of the castle contained
only servant quarters, gymnasium, indoor swimming pool, billiard rooms, and a few guest chambers.

Back at the open window. he glanced down. One of the guards left in the court stood directly below.

Doc returned to the second-floor corridor. At one end of this he had noted a suit of armor. The metal
plates of the gear were supported on an iron framework. Inside the helmet was mounted a papier-mache
cast of a face. This did not differ greatly in color from Doc's tanned features.

There was no sound as Doc dislodged the armor from its pedestal. He carried it to the open window. It
weighed fully a hundred pounds.

He tossed it down on the Mongol guard. The fellow was knocked cold and battered to the ground. The
armor clanked loudly on the court tiles.

Men poured into the court. Yelling excitedly, they pounced on the armor. They thought Doc was inside.

None of them heard the window at the opposite end of the building lift, or saw a mighty bronze figure that
flitted, silent as a great bat, across the court to the other house.

They speared swords into cracks in the armor. Chopping furiously, one half-caste got the helmet
severed.

They saw they had been fooled.
"We are but dumb dogs!" Liang-Sun squawked. "We have brought shame to our ancestors! Continue the