"Kenneth Robeson - Doc Savage 008 - The Sargasso Ogre" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robeson Kenneth)

DOC SAVAGE reached the huge block of stone that was the door. He exerted a tentative shove. The
rock only groaned. It was as solid as the entrance of a bank vault. Turning, he strode back to join his
friend.

Long Tom had cut himself loose, and was stumbling about, gathering up knives which had been dropped
in the retreat. He picked up his travelers' checks, patted them lovingly, and pocketed them.

"Those things," he said dryly, "are all that kept me alive until you could get here."

"Was it robbery?" Doc asked him.

Long Tom ran fingers through his thin blond hair. "I don't think so, Doc. Of course, they delayed slipping
a knife into me in hopes I would sign those travelers' checks. But I don't think robbery was at the bottom
of the trouble. I had only a few dollars in change. The checks were worthless unless countersigned."

"This is rather mystifying."

"You said it! I can't imagine why they picked on me."

"Unless they were hired!"

"Yes. I thought of that. But who would hire them? And why? We have no enemies in Alexandria. Or I
haven't, at least."

Speaking rapidly, Doc explained how he had gotten on the trail by observing the man removing the note
from Long Tom's hotel room.

"That note was a bait, of course," Long Tom grunted.
At this point, there sounded a faint scuffle in the near-by darkness. Doc raced his flashlight beam to the
spot the sound had come from.

It was the man who had been stunned by being flung against the wall. He was seeking to flee.

With two long leaps, Doc collared him He turned his light on the fellow's face.

It was Homar. His brown features were convulsing with terror.

"This is the lad who got the letter out of your room," Doc told Long Tom. "We"ll just see if he still has it."

Homar was so frightened he remained perfectly docile, and, trembling greatly, let himself be searched.
Doc's mighty bronze form had been frightsome in the fight; at close range, it was even more productive of
terror.

Doc found the note. He studied it.

"The name signed at the bottom -- Leland Smith -- is false," he said. "The writing is somewhat stilted,
exactly like the rest of the message. A man usually scrawls his signature in a more free, practiced fashion
than the rest of his writing. The author of the missive was a big man and a strong one, as denoted by his
forceful strokes. He was a fellow of fair education, as shown by the correct spelling and the fact that he
mentioned that atomic business. That seems to be all the note tells us at present. There are no finger