"coffinfortheavenger" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tepperman Emile C)

"That's all I know," Emma said. "Us kids used to follow it when it went down the street,
and we would watch them unload the coffins. That's how we came to notice that the bottom ones
were always the same. We used to sneak up and make chalk marks on the bottom coffins when the
driver was inside. And then, a few days later, when we'd want to do it again, we saw that the
same chalk marks were still on the bottom coffins That meant they were the same. didn't it?"

"It surely did," Smitty told her. "And I'm glad you came. I'm going to look into it right
away!"

"Will you go over and punish that bad man?"

Smitty put a hand on her head. It was a huge, powerful hand. But its touch was as gentle
as the breeze.

"I'll investigate him, Emma. And whatever is necessary shall be done. Now come on I'll
walk you back to Pelham Street. You go home and I'll look up that undertaker!"

He raised his voice slightly, speaking to thin air, just as Emma had done.

"Take over, will you, Cole?" he said.

"Now listen, Smitty," said the voice of Cole Wilson, from somewhere in the building. "This
is no time to, go gallivanting after coffins. Dick will be here in twenty minutes. I just had
him on the short wave. He's completed his investigation up at Crawford's estate and he hasn't
found a thing. We're up against a blank wall on this case and it might be better if you stick
around. Can't Emma wait till tomorrow to get her man punished?"

Smitty winked at Emma.

He spoke to Cole Wilson, who was another one of the brilliant young men The Avenger had
gathered around him.

"Now don't get excited, Cole. It won't take me but ten or fifteen minutes to look this up.
I'm intrigued by the coffins that never get delivered. I just want to look around that under-
taking establishment. I'll be back before Dick and Nellie arrive."

"All right," Cole Wilson said. "I suppose you won't sleep tonight if you don't look into
it. I'm busy as the deuce, but I'll take over for you."

Smitty grinned and took Emma's arm, and led her out into the street. He stopped off with
her and bought her a banana split with three balls of ice cream, and he had one himself, too.
Then he saw her safely to her house on Pelham Street, and continued on around the corner to
Farr Street.


CHAPTER IV.
"I'VE NEVER DIED BEFORE."


Smitty saw the undertaker's establishment halfway down the block, hut before going