0:01

Hey, it's Otis here. Before we get

0:03

to the bedtime reading, I wanted to let you

0:05

know that I just launched a brand new show.

0:08

It's called The Daily Book Club, a daytime

0:10

companion to Sleepy, where you hear entire books,

0:12

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0:15

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0:17

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new episodes daily. I

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read in a slightly peppier voice so that

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Or just like Sleepy, you can sit back

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The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnem. Story

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women unfulfilled with life take a

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0:58

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3:42

Hey, my name's

3:44

Otis Gray and you're listening to

3:46

Sleepy. A

3:53

podcast where I read old books to help you get

3:55

to sleep. I've

4:01

got another wonderful story

4:03

from Johnston McCauley tonight, author

4:06

of The Mark of Zorro. And

4:11

before we get to the bedtime story, I

4:13

just want to generally thank all

4:16

of our wonderful patrons on patreon.com.

4:19

I am currently traveling right now,

4:21

so this is

4:23

recorded about two weeks ahead of time. And

4:26

so I'm going to be reading the names

4:28

of all of our brand new patrons when I get

4:30

back in early May. I

4:34

just wanted to profoundly thank all of our

4:37

patrons that currently are a part of making

4:39

this show on patreon.com,

4:42

which is a website where you can go on

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and support the people who make

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the stuff that you like. There's

4:48

cool perks for donating. So if

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you donate $1, even $1 or

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less, I will read your name in

4:55

the opening credits of the next show after you do.

4:59

At $2 a month, you get access to

5:02

a totally ad-free version of the show. And

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at $5, you get access to

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5:13

if you'd like to be a part of making the show, go to

5:17

patreon.com/Sleepy Radio. Thank

5:20

you. And

5:23

as always, the music you're hearing is by

5:25

my good friend James Lepkowski, and the cover

5:28

for Sleepy is by Gracie Kanan.

5:39

So tonight, I'm going

5:41

to be reading another story by Johnston

5:43

McCulley. So

5:46

in the last couple weeks, I've

5:48

really started reading him for the first time. When

5:51

I read The Mark of Zorro, which, really,

5:54

really loved reading that. And

5:58

I really hope you liked it. He's

6:00

got kind of this swashbuckling Sherlock

6:02

Holmes-y style to him and It's

6:06

kind of perfect for going into summer I

6:08

feel Looking for

6:11

a little bit more adventure and his

6:13

writing definitely has that So

6:16

tonight I'm gonna be reading

6:18

the beginning of His

6:21

kind of whodunit detective-esque novel

6:25

It really is kind of like Mark of Zorro Meet

6:28

Sherlock Holmes and it is called

6:30

The Black Star. I

6:34

hope you kind of sleep soundly to

6:37

this reading This

6:39

is definitely one of those readings that

6:42

if you do somehow make it to the

6:44

end without falling asleep It's

6:47

pretty riveting and you want to hear the

6:49

next part and why we don't

6:51

do that on this show We definitely

6:53

do do that on the new

6:55

podcast I just launched called

6:58

The Daily Book Club, which you can

7:00

listen to during the daytime New

7:03

episodes every morning one chapter

7:05

a day and we read whole books start

7:07

to finish If

7:10

you want to hear books and actually find

7:12

out what does happen next during the day

7:15

Go find The Daily Book Club on

7:18

Spotify, Apple Podcast and everywhere else For

7:23

tonight, I hope you can

7:25

sleep soundly to this story of The

7:27

Black Star by Johnston McCulley

7:31

And now is the time for you to fluff

7:33

up your pillow just how you like it Feel

7:37

yourself melt into your bed Get

7:41

real comfortable Close

7:44

your eyes And

7:47

let me read to you You

8:02

Chapter 1 An Aided

8:04

Escape Winds

8:09

whistled up the river, and winds whistled

8:11

down from the hills, and

8:13

they met to swirl and gather

8:15

fury and rattle to cities millions

8:17

of window-pains. They

8:21

carried a mixture of sleet and fine snow, the

8:24

first herald of the winter to come. In

8:27

the business district they swung signs

8:29

madly back and forth, and

8:31

roared around the corners of high office

8:34

buildings and swept madly against the struggling

8:36

trolley cars. They

8:39

poured through the man-made canyons. They

8:42

dashed out of the broad boulevards, and

8:45

so they came to the attention of Mr. Roger Verbeck

8:48

at about the hour of midnight as

8:50

he turned over in his warm bed and

8:53

debated whether to rise and lower the window

8:55

or to take a chance with the rapidly

8:58

lowering temperature. Beastly

9:02

night Verbeck confided to himself and

9:04

put his head beneath the covers. He

9:08

slept, and suddenly he awakened. A

9:12

moment before he had been in the midst of a

9:14

pleasant dream, and now every

9:16

sense was alert, and his

9:18

right hand, creeping softly under the

9:20

cover, reached the side of the bed

9:23

and grasped an automatic pistol that

9:25

hung in a rack there. From

9:30

the adjoining room, his library, there

9:33

came no flash of an electric torch, no

9:36

footfall, no sound foreign to

9:38

the apartment, nothing to indicate

9:40

the presence of an intruder. But

9:44

Verbeck sensed that an intruder was there.

9:49

He slipped quietly from bed, shivering

9:51

a bit because of the cold wind, put

9:53

his feet into slippers and drew

9:56

on a dressing gown over his pajamas. His

10:00

pistol held ready for use in case of

10:02

emergency. He started across the

10:05

bedroom, taking short steps and

10:07

walking on his toes. A

10:11

reflection entered the room from the arc light on

10:14

the nearest street corner. This

10:17

uncertain light was shut off for an instant, and

10:20

Verbeck whirled quickly, silently, to find

10:22

another man slipping up beside him.

10:26

It was Muggs, a little wiry

10:28

man of uncertain age, who

10:31

had been in Verbeck's employ for several years,

10:33

valet at times, comrade in arms

10:36

at times, willing adventurer

10:38

always. Muggs

10:41

bent forward until his lips were close to

10:43

Verbeck's ear. I

10:46

heard a tube-boss, he said, somebody

10:48

in the library. Verbeck

10:52

nodded. They crept nearer to the

10:54

door. Inch

10:56

by inch, Verbeck pulled a sigh in one of

10:58

the curtains until they could peer into the

11:00

other room. A

11:04

gleam from the corner arc light penetrated the

11:06

library, too. They

11:08

revealed the interior of the room in a sort

11:10

of semi-gloom, causing elusive shadows

11:12

that flitted here and there in such

11:15

fashion that they scarcely could be distinguished

11:17

from substance. Also,

11:20

they revealed an open window near

11:22

the fire escape, and

11:25

it showed the form of a man standing

11:27

before Verbeck's antique desk in a corner. Muggs

11:32

bent beneath his master's arm to see better. He

11:36

felt Verbeck grip his shoulder and

11:38

looked up to find him indicating the open window.

11:43

Like a shadow, Muggs, who also held

11:45

a weapon in his hand, slipped through

11:47

the curtains, crapped along the wall,

11:50

and advanced toward that window to cut off

11:52

the intruder's retreat. An

11:57

instant, Verbeck waited. Then

11:59

he stepped in. into the room, found

12:01

the electric switch, and snapped on the

12:03

lights and leveled his automatic. The

12:08

man before the desk whirled with a

12:10

snarl that showed two rows of jagged,

12:12

uneven yellow teeth. He

12:14

took in the situation at a glance, saw

12:17

mugs at the window and verbeck at

12:19

the door, and he knew he had

12:21

been caught in a trap. His

12:25

eyes narrowed and flashed. He

12:27

bent forward, giving the appearance of

12:29

a rad bay, and his

12:31

hand dropped slowly toward his hip. Better

12:34

not. There

12:37

was a certain quality in verbeck's voice that

12:39

told the burglar the man before him was

12:41

neither nervous nor afraid and

12:43

would shoot if necessary. The

12:46

thief's hands went above his head in token

12:48

of surrender and the belligerent light

12:51

that had been in his eyes faded.

12:57

It appeared, said verbeck, that we

12:59

have discovered you in a delicate position. Ah,

13:03

don't try to be clever. I

13:06

guess you've got me all right. Rather

13:10

unceremonious, this call, verbeck went

13:12

on. Why didn't you send

13:14

up your card from the office? Ah,

13:19

be seated, please. Still

13:22

holding his hands above his head, the

13:25

burglar took the chair, verbeck indicated.

13:29

Now mugs, verbeck said. Mugs

13:33

had been waiting for the word. He

13:35

sprang away from the window and took the cords

13:37

from the porteous. Working

13:40

swiftly, he bound the burglar's

13:42

hands behind his back and fastened

13:44

them to the chair. Many

13:47

assumed the role of guard and

13:49

verbeck lowered his pistol and walked toward

13:51

the desk. I

13:55

fancy you didn't find much, my man, he said.

13:58

This is a bachelor apartment. You know.

14:00

Then there's little of value in the

14:03

library, unless you seek books or pictures."

14:07

Oh. If

14:09

you had entered the dressing-room now. But,

14:11

of course, if you had done that, Mugs

14:14

probably would have filled you full of lead first, and

14:17

made a complete investigation afterward. It

14:21

is better for you that you didn't enter there. Why,

14:24

you should crawl into a bachelor's apartment, when

14:27

there are so many pretentious residencies where silver

14:29

and plate are to be found. Not

14:32

to speak of women's jewels, as

14:34

more than I can find them. You

14:37

must be an amateur at this sort of thing. Um.

14:40

What is this? On

14:44

the desk was a sealed letter addressed to

14:46

Mr. Roger Verbeck, the

14:48

address having been stamped with rubber type.

14:53

In one corner of the envelope had been

14:55

pasted a tiny black star. On

14:58

the polished surface of the desk other

15:00

little black stars had been pasted. There

15:04

was one also on a base. There

15:07

was another on the glass door of a

15:09

bookcase. The

15:12

black star, Verbeck exclaimed. He

15:17

turned swiftly to scrutinize his prisoner, but

15:20

there was no expression on the man's face to

15:22

denote that he showed interest, and

15:24

he was looking at the floor. Mugs

15:28

was watching the bound thief closely, but

15:31

his dancing eyes and parted lips show

15:33

that Verbeck's words had interested him deeply.

15:38

So, we are honored by

15:40

a visit from the black star mugs, Verbeck

15:42

said. Think of

15:44

that. The cleverest crook the

15:47

town never had to worry over. The

15:49

man who got the famous Smith diamonds

15:51

and cracked a safe across the street

15:53

from police headquarters, who has

15:56

lifted half the silver in town and

15:58

stripped society women of their jewels, and

16:01

he has paid us a visit. We

16:03

must be getting important. Hey, Muggs."

16:10

Yes, sir," said Muggs. Wow,

16:13

wow. The man everyone

16:15

is looking for and cannot find, who

16:18

has been sending naughty notes to the police, telling

16:21

them how dull they are. I

16:23

understand he even tips off what he intends

16:25

doing and then does it under their

16:27

very noses. Very

16:29

clever, champ. Very clever. The

16:33

Clares all detectives in the world can't catch

16:35

him. Hmm, suppose

16:37

we see what is in this letter? He

16:42

grinned at the prisoner and ripped the envelope

16:44

open. In it

16:47

was a single sheet of paper. The

16:49

letter, too, was printed and its

16:51

uneven lines show that it had been stamped one letter

16:53

at a time. It

16:57

was similar in appearance to the letters

16:59

and newspapers declared the police had received.

17:03

Verbeck read it swiftly. Mr.

17:07

Roger Verbeck. Last

17:10

night, at a certain reception, people

17:12

were talking of the black star. You

17:15

made the remark that the black star was not

17:17

a crook, but a gang, that

17:20

the police didn't catch him because they

17:22

had so many cases on which to work that

17:25

they couldn't give their undivided attention to any

17:27

particular one. You

17:29

declared that any clever man who applied himself

17:31

to the task could capture the black star

17:33

and break up his gang. You

17:36

boasted that you could do it yourself and

17:38

easily. To

17:41

show you how useless it would be for you

17:43

to pit your brains and skill against mine, I

17:46

am putting this letter on your desk while

17:48

you sleep in an adjoining room and am

17:50

leaving my sign on some of your belongings. I

17:54

am even putting a black star on your bed within

17:56

a foot of the spot where you rest your head while

17:59

you are sleeping. After

18:02

this exhibition, either admit

18:04

that the Black Star is clever, or

18:06

do as you boasted you could do. Catch

18:09

me." Read

18:13

it, Muggs," said Bearback, guarding

18:15

the prisoner himself as Muggs abate. What

18:19

do you think of that, eh? Intended

18:21

us to wake up and find these things

18:24

stuck all over the place, trying

18:26

to show us how very clever he is,

18:28

this naughty Black Star, and

18:31

we catch him at it. There'll

18:34

be joy at the police headquarters over this. May

18:37

you just keep your eyes on this gentleman, Muggs, while

18:40

I get into my clothes, and then

18:43

we'll continue the entertainment. Bearback

18:48

hurried to the dressing room, leaving Muggs on

18:50

guard and dressed as swiftly

18:52

as possible. He

18:54

carried a top coat and cap to a chair near

18:56

the door of the bedroom, and

18:58

then he hurried over to the bed. The

19:03

Black Star had done as he said. On

19:06

the head of the bed was one of the

19:08

little signs, and whoever had placed

19:10

it there had put his hand within

19:12

six inches of Bearback's head. The

19:16

man in the other room, Bearback decided, had

19:18

done that first, then gone into

19:20

the library to finish his work. Bearback

19:26

hurried back and relieved Muggs. Go

19:29

and get your clothes, he ordered, and

19:32

then hurry back here. I'll

19:34

try to entertain our guest while you are gone.

19:41

He drove up a chair and sat

19:43

down, facing the prisoner, and less than

19:45

six feet away. He

19:48

was humming a tune, and there was a smile playing about

19:50

his lips. Had

19:53

the prisoner been well acquainted with Roger

19:55

Bearback, that smile would have put him on

19:57

guard. Verbeck

20:00

already had formed a plan. He

20:03

and Muggs understood each other well, thanks

20:05

to sundry adventures in which they had participated

20:07

in the four corners of the earth. And

20:11

he knew that Muggs, even now, was reading

20:13

to know he had scrawled hurriedly and left

20:15

on the dressing-table, and would

20:17

act accordingly. The

20:21

Black Star. Well, well,

20:23

he exclaimed, grinning at

20:25

his prisoner again. And

20:28

so you are the clever crook. I'm

20:32

not saying anything. You

20:35

decorated the head of my bed with that thing, I

20:37

suppose. You

20:40

can suppose all you like. Thanks.

20:44

Rather surly, aren't you? You

20:47

hand me over to the police and you'll get yours,

20:49

said the prisoner. Are

20:53

you by any chance trying to frighten me? I'm

20:57

giving you fair warning. You

20:59

hand me over and you won't live long to gloat

21:01

about it. Roger

21:05

Verbeck grinned again and resumed his humming.

21:09

His eyes never left the prisoner, but

21:11

he was thinking deeply. In

21:14

the first place, the letter from the

21:17

Black Star bothered him. The

21:19

remarks that the Black Star accused him of making he

21:21

had made. But

21:24

the puzzling part of it was that he

21:26

had made them to half a dozen friends when

21:29

there was no stranger near. He

21:31

had spoken them in a drawing-room in the

21:33

presence of Faustina Wendell, his fiancé,

21:37

Howard Wendell, her brother, and

21:40

some others concerning whose integrity there was

21:42

no question. How,

21:44

then, had the Black Star heard of them?

21:50

The Black Star had terrorized the city for

21:52

the past four months. Whenever

21:54

a master crime was committed, a

21:57

tiny Black Star had been found passed on something

21:59

at the scene. of operations. The

22:03

police had been unable to get a clue. Each

22:07

crime seemed bolder and more daring than

22:09

the one before and more

22:11

highly successful. The

22:14

black star sent taunting letters to the

22:17

newspapers and police and

22:19

the public demanded his arrest and imprisonment with

22:21

loud voice. His

22:26

crimes too showed a deep knowledge of

22:28

private matters. It

22:30

appeared that the black star knew the

22:32

interior arrangements of the residencies he robbed.

22:36

Sometimes he even knew the combinations of

22:39

safes, for in the two

22:41

instances the safe had been opened and looted and then

22:44

properly closed again, but

22:46

with a tiny black star inside it. He

22:51

was aware when valuable jewels were taken from

22:53

safe deposit boxes to be worn at some

22:55

fair. He knew when

22:57

members of families were out of the city or

23:00

servants absent. He

23:03

had shown in a thousand ways that he

23:05

possessed knowledge of great value to a criminal.

23:12

Roger Verbeck's boast had not been an idle

23:14

one. He believed

23:16

sincerely that no crook could be so

23:18

clever, but what some honest man could

23:20

match wits with him and win. He

23:24

believed too that the black star did not

23:26

work alone, but was the leader of a

23:29

band. Not for

23:31

an instant did Verbeck think that the man

23:33

he had taken prisoner was the notorious black

23:35

star, but it pleased

23:37

him to let the prisoner believe he did. His

23:42

first impulse had been to call the police and

23:45

hand the man over, but

23:47

he guessed that such a course would not

23:49

ensure the capture of the master crook and

23:52

that the prisoner would refuse to talk, take

23:55

a sentence for burglary and thus

23:57

allow the black star and others to go free. It

24:03

would be clever, Verbeck decided, to allow

24:05

this man to escape, to

24:07

shadow him, and to learn more. Roger

24:12

Verbeck had adventured with Mugg's scores

24:14

of times, and to yearn

24:16

for an adventure now. Here

24:20

was his chance. Besides,

24:22

the Black Star had issued the challenge. Muggs

24:28

returned fully dressed, burninced

24:30

in the eyes of Master and Man-Meh,

24:33

and their flash between them and understanding. Better

24:37

look at this chap's bonds, Muggs, Verbeck

24:39

said. We don't want him

24:41

escaping before the police come. Mugg

24:46

bent behind the prisoner's chair, then fumbled

24:48

with decor, and when he

24:51

arose his eyes met those of Verbeck again, and

24:53

Verbeck knew that Muggs had obeyed orders.

24:58

Now go down and call the house manager,

25:00

he directed, and I'll telephone

25:02

the police. Muggs

25:07

hurried out into the hall. Verbeck

25:10

left his chair and stepped back to the door

25:12

of the bedroom. I

25:15

fancy you'll be secure for a moment or so,

25:17

he told the prisoner. He'll

25:19

scarcely get away unless you carry that chair with

25:22

you. He

25:25

backed through the curtains, grasped a

25:28

top coat and hat, and

25:30

crossed the room on his toes and unlocked the whole

25:32

door. To

25:35

cover the sound of the key turning the lock, he

25:37

spoke as if calling a number on the telephone.

25:42

Hello, police headquarters,

25:44

he asked. This

25:46

is Roger Verbeck speaking. Hurry

25:49

up here, I've just caught the

25:51

black star trying to loot my rooms. My

25:54

old address, yes. he

26:00

opened the door so that his voice would

26:02

drown any squeak the hinges might give, and

26:05

then he slipped into the hall and hurried

26:07

to the front stairs. He

26:11

dashed down the three flights four steps at a time.

26:15

The prisoner had tugged desperately at his bonds

26:17

and had felt them give. With

26:20

sudden hope, he had worked furiously

26:22

to get free. He

26:25

was through the window, and descending the fire

26:27

escape as Verbeck finished the

26:29

imaginary telephone message to the police, exulting

26:32

at what he finally thought had been

26:34

as close as game. Chapter

26:44

2 The Black Star

26:50

Verbeck found mugs at the corner of the

26:52

apartment house, standing in the

26:54

shadows and trying to shield himself from

26:56

the stinging, sleet, and biting cold wind.

27:01

He's just reaching the ground, boss, Mugs.

27:04

See him? I

27:06

see him. Be careful now, Mugs.

27:09

We don't want to lose him. Thanks for

27:11

understanding and loosening his bonds. There

27:14

he goes. The

27:17

erstwhile prisoner had reached the ground and was

27:19

darting through the shadows toward the alley. Down

27:22

this he ran for half a block, then

27:25

crept between two buildings, and

27:27

so reached the boulevard near a corner with

27:29

Verbeck and Mugs a hundred feet behind him. It

27:35

was difficult trailing the man through a storm of

27:37

sleet and fine snow, but

27:39

Verbeck and Mugs had trailed men before, sometimes

27:42

for amusement, and at other

27:44

times through necessity. The

27:48

man hesitated at the curb a moment and struck across the driveway. Verbeck

27:52

and Mugs followed. They

27:54

took opposite sides of the

27:56

walk and slipped along over the front of the building. frozen

28:00

ground, darting from shadow to

28:02

shadow, always catching the elusive

28:04

shadow ahead. At

28:10

the street crossings, their quarry walked

28:12

across boldly, and they could

28:14

not follow instantly for fear of being detected,

28:18

but they always picked up on their man again, once

28:20

they were across. Thus,

28:24

they covered a dozen blocks, and

28:27

it appeared that the midnight prowler considered

28:29

himself safe now. He

28:32

hurried down a cross-street, his

28:35

head bent forward against the cold wind that swept

28:37

up the hill. Block

28:41

after block, Muggs trailed him, while

28:43

Verbeek shadowed from the other side of

28:45

the street, dodging into dark doorways now

28:47

and then when he expected his man to

28:50

look behind. The

28:54

quarry stopped at the corner, lighted

28:57

a cigar, and stood waiting. Muggs

29:00

concealed in a doorway fifty feet behind him.

29:04

Verbeek was in another doorway across the street. An

29:09

owl car came along, and their quarry

29:11

boarded it, but

29:13

Verbeek had been expecting that, and

29:16

for some time he had been watching a taxi

29:18

cab standing before a drugstore in the corner. As

29:23

the owl car started up again,

29:25

Verbeek dashed across the street, then

29:28

he had the chauffeur out of the drugstore and

29:30

into the sea before Muggs reached the spot. Follow

29:36

that owl car, Verbeek directed him.

29:39

There's a man on it that we'd like to see when he gets

29:41

on. I'm

29:45

wise, the chauffeur cried. Fly

29:47

cops, eh? Getting.

29:52

The cab lurched forward along the

29:54

slippery street, keeping half a

29:56

block behind the owl car. the

30:00

car stopped. The cab drew up at the

30:02

curb and Verbeck put out his head to

30:04

watch, but their courier remained

30:06

aboard. If

30:10

this keeps up, we'll clear out of town, said

30:12

Muggs. Anxious

30:15

for action, Verbeck asked, laughing.

30:19

You may get plenty of it before

30:21

we are done. Have a bit of patience,

30:23

Muggs. I've

30:26

got patience, alright, boss. And

30:28

I've got a hunch, too. Let's

30:32

have it. At

30:34

times, Verbeck had a great deal of respect for

30:36

Muggs' hunches. I've

30:39

got a hunch. We'd have done better

30:41

if we'd handed that gent over to the police.

30:47

I give you credit for understanding the situation,

30:49

Muggs. Oh,

30:52

I understand what you want to do, alright. It'd

30:55

be great to clean up this black star and

30:58

his gang single-handedly. Hog

31:00

tie them all, then call in the

31:03

cops and hand them over, especially

31:05

since you sent that sassy no. But

31:08

I've got a hunch we're going up against a stiff

31:10

game. The black star ain't

31:12

no slouch. Afraid,

31:16

snarled Verbeck. That

31:20

touched Muggs in a tender spot, and

31:23

Verbeck knew it. Muggs

31:25

turned deliberately and faced his employer.

31:31

If that's the way you're looking at it, boss, he said,

31:34

trot right along and I'll be behind you. Go

31:37

to the limit, and I'm in the

31:39

first seat on the right-hand side. But

31:41

all the same, I've got a hunch. The

31:47

taxi cab stopped again. Verbeck

31:50

put his hands from the window and immediately

31:52

opened the door. Their

31:55

quarry had left the owl car and

31:58

was starting down the dark cross-street. Giving

32:02

a bill to the chauffeur and telling him

32:04

he need not wait, fabric

32:06

hurried into the corner with mugs at his

32:08

heels. Shadowing

32:12

here was difficult work, for

32:14

there was unimproved property and

32:16

some old estates not well kept up, where

32:18

sidewalks were bad and the footing uncertain, and

32:22

where untrimmed trees and thick underbrush

32:24

furnished multitudes of dark spots. The

32:29

bill and downhill, always against

32:31

the biting cold wind and sleet, their

32:34

man led them. Finally,

32:37

he crossed a vacant lot and

32:39

made directly for an old house far back from

32:41

the street in the midst of a grove of

32:43

trees that were now swaying and snapping in the

32:45

storm. So

32:49

that's where the black star lives, Verbix. He

32:54

and Mugs had small difficulty following their man

32:56

now, for there was a

32:58

low hedge behind which, by stooping, they could

33:01

make their way unseen. Their

33:04

man reached the side of the house and went

33:06

along until he came to a door. Beside

33:10

the door there was a box on the ground. As

33:14

Verbix and Mugs watched, the

33:16

man they had been following raised the lid of the

33:18

box and took something out. He's

33:22

putting on clothes, Mugs whispered. His

33:26

actions could not be observed well, but

33:29

it did appear that he was donning an overcoat

33:31

or a robe of some sort. And

33:34

he's putting on a mask, said Mugs. What's

33:37

coming off here? I

33:41

imagine we are in for an interesting time,

33:43

answered Verbix. Watch him now. He

33:47

had stepped up to the door and they

33:50

could see him put out his hand. Through

33:53

a lull in the storm, there came to Verbix

33:55

and Mugs the tinkling of a bow. Then

33:58

a sharp click and the door opened. door flew open

34:01

and their quarry disappeared inside, closing the

34:03

door after him. Verbeck

34:08

and Muggs hurried around the end of the hedge

34:10

into the house. A

34:12

few feet from the door was a window. Verbeck

34:16

had no more than glanced at it before Muggs was

34:18

at work. Verbeck never

34:20

had inquired too closely into Muggs'

34:23

past. Why? From

34:25

what he had seen from time to time. He

34:28

had reason to believe that Muggs knew a thing

34:30

or two about Croc's methods, and

34:32

now he had more evidence of it. In

34:37

an instant almost Muggs was sliding that

34:39

window up slowly, inch by

34:41

inch, making no noise and carefully pulling

34:43

aside the curtains beside it. Another

34:48

moment and Verbeck was standing inside

34:50

the house with Muggs beside him.

34:53

They heard no voices. Step

34:56

by step, they made their way

34:58

across the room to the opposite hall, searching

35:00

for a door. Then

35:06

they saw a streak of light that

35:08

penetrated from an adjoining room where a

35:10

door sagged in its casement, leaving

35:13

a crack through which a man could see. Verbeck

35:17

knew this house. For

35:20

several years it had been deserted, not

35:23

kept in repair, the grounds not

35:25

kept up. It

35:29

belonged to an estate in litigation and

35:32

could not be sold, and the heirs

35:34

had refused to build a more substantial residence for

35:36

the rental it might bring in. He

35:41

was surprised to find it inhabited,

35:43

that he imagined that the black star

35:45

in his band were making use of it

35:47

surreptitiously. But

35:51

when he applied his eye to the crack in the door, expecting

35:54

to see a room almost barren, filled

35:57

with dust and cobwebs, two or

35:59

three boxes, some burning candles,

36:02

a typical resort of thugs. He

36:05

faced a surprise. He

36:08

was looking into a room that had been newly

36:10

decorated and was furnished lavishly.

36:14

Expensive rugs were on the floor, pictures

36:17

adorned the walls. There

36:19

was a massive library table in the center of the

36:22

room, an armchair beside it,

36:25

books and papers and magazines on it. On

36:30

one wall of the room was a small blackboard

36:33

with chalk and an eraser and a box

36:35

beneath it. Before

36:37

this blackboard, standing erect was

36:39

their quarry, dressed in

36:42

a long black robe that covered every portion

36:44

of his body, even his

36:46

head being enveloped in a hood and

36:48

over his face a black mask.

36:54

There was no one else in the room. The

36:56

man before the blackboard stood stiffly

36:59

and silently like a soldier had

37:01

attention. Behind

37:04

the door, Verbeck and Muggs

37:06

waited, scarcely daring to breathe. Then

37:11

a door on the other side of the lavishly

37:13

furnished room was thrown open and another

37:15

man came into view. He

37:18

too was dressed in a long black robe and

37:21

had a black mask over his face, but

37:24

he had a mark that distinguished him from the other, from

37:27

the front of his hood was a black star

37:29

formed of jet that flashed in

37:32

the light. Thank

37:43

you for listening to Sleepy. Good

37:46

night. you

38:00

you you