Sax Rohmer

“ There was a moment of magnetic silence.
“You're right,” said Roscoe. “But I'll come too and stand by with a gun! Those dogs have smelled blood!”
Molly O'Hay met his glance for a moment. Then the commander and the butler-detective turned and went out by a door on the left of the stair. Regan grunted, glanced at Madame Czerna and Stopford, and then went out after them.
“Everybody must try to be calm,” said Stopford. “We shall want lights, so will someone who knows the house please find them?” He turned to Page Sutton. “It might be as well, sir, if we were all armed.” ”

“ And—whatever or whoever Madame Czerna might be—Stopford knew a hot, wild gladness because of what he read in those beautiful, frightened eyes.
Regan came up with him.
“Open that door—quick!” he said.
“Stop!”
Page Sutton, pale but composed, was the speaker. June struggled to her feet and ran to her father.
“Don't go out there!” she pleaded. “Please don't let anybody go out!”
Molly drifted, naturally, to Roscoe. “Someone must call the dogs off,” she whispered—“someone they're used to.” ”

“ He rested a pencil on the center of the zones. “That's where the spider lives—in the heart of the web.”
“It all turns on two things,” Regan rejoined. “First, is the map genuine in construction? Second, not so important as the first, is it centered right?”
“You are suggesting,” said Page Sutton, “that it's a fake?”
“It certainly might be,” Roscoe admitted soberly; while Stopford, using his monocle as a magnifying glass, bent over it, peering curiously. ”

“ Roscoe answered, “is busy enough. There are no less than 450 men covering this section at the present moment!”
It was not a genial atmosphere which prevailed when, presently, the house party came together again. The wolf dogs, newly released, were making the night hideous with their howling.
“We must forgive them,” said Page Sutton, aside to Roscoe. “God knows they did their job tonight. Even now I find it hard to believe that Armitage was just a spy.”
“If you realized the genius behind the Zones,” Roscoe answered, “you wouldn't find it hard at all.” ”

“ If the occasion had been less tragic one might have admitted the picture of the two girls, artlessly posed in a group of appealing beauty, both alarmed, but the Irish rose showing all her thorns in defense of the more delicate lily. ”

“ IN a room far distant from the Page Sutton country home, high in the center of New York, a dark room, its darkness masking the presence of a more formidable creature than the United States had hitherto entertained, a red light glowed.
“H. Q.,” said a voice. “Report of Zone Officer 2A. Commander Roscoe has been allotted a room at the rear of the Page Sutton home. Zone Officer 2A requested Page Sutton to arrange an exchange, as the barking of dogs always disturbs her. Transfer is being made. Roscoe will now face the lawn. ”

“ Roscoe declared, “that no one in this house should be hampered in any way tonight!”
“Good Lord!” Stopford exclaimed. “Why not serve 'em out with bombs!”
ALL three men stared in amazement at the commander. But he merely smiled.
“I'm gradually learning my job,” he explained. “It's no good trying to tackle the Zone gang on the principle of a bull at a gate. And now, Sutton—the map.”
Illustration: A hideous thing had crept over the edge of the lighted circle
Amid complete silence Page Sutton unlocked the safe. ”

“ Stopford murmured. “Painfully, distressin'ly obvious. But I rather gather, old scout, that that's also why they are here—I mean the blokes who've tried to shoot Page Sutton. Flocks of wolf dogs will shortly be loose on this pleasant property. There are prisonlike shutters to all windows; a depressin' atmosphere—”
Illustration: “You must not go out there! Those beasts will tear you to pieces!”
“Stoppy,” Roscoe interrupted, “we're in for a wild night! ”

“ MOLLY turned. Christopoulos, Page Sutton's Greek butler, stood at her elbow. Regan, thrusting past Madame Czerna, had drawn the heavy curtains aside and was tugging at the door bolts, when:
“One moment, sir!” Christopoulos cried.
Regan paused and looked around. Bach, his most trusted agent, posing as a butler for the protection of Page Sutton, almost took the master sleuth off his guard in presence of all the guests.
“Well, Ba—” He checked himself in time. “Well, by all that's holy, what have you got to say?”
“This, sir: the dogs are used to me. ”

“ At last, the answer came:
“Zone 2A.”
“Your report.”
“Roscoe allotted room facing Sound. Stop. Dogs have attacked, perhaps killed, someone in grounds. Stop. Search party setting out. Stop. Awaiting orders in room. Report ends.”
Instantly:
“Proceed Roscoe's room,” ticked the order. “Lift pillow. Return at once and report if reel of silk there and if silk extends through window. Stop. Test if tight or loose. Stop. Don't disturb. Stop. Hurry. Stop. Hold the connection! Move.” ”

“ Stopford exclaimed. “Why should they want to—”
“They didn't!” Roscoe interrupted. “That was a rehearsal! Probably an ordinary garden spider was used on that occasion—to test the bridge. But tonight, having got me planted where they wanted me, they sent this black death across! Armitage had just completed the connection when the dogs reached him!”
A dozen voices began to speak at once. The dogs below were behaving madly. Ned Regan turned and thrust his way through the knot of excited people in the doorway. j
TICK-TICK! ”