Evening star., 1930-04-08
The eEmperor| B,
OF America Sax R'A"''
NeWsrape SerVea
by
Sax Rohmer

the splintering, Straining and creaking
which followed had the dramatic value
of a sandstorm bursting on the STILL
ness.
where's Comdr. Roscoe?"
Nobody knew.
Get Neville on the Bronson phone
Advise him we look like we'd found the
shaft Where's Solke?"
Here" came a smooth voice.
Beams from torches split the dark.
ness. The power was cut OF in these
ofilces. Men strained at the task Of
forcing the false panel.
Where did you go Ave minutes
beck?"
Il went to see where Comdr. Roscoe
had gone to-"
Come out into the light"
Max Solke, private secretary to Dep
uty Commissioner Burke and trustee Of
police headquarters secrets, showed a
pale, intellectual face in the ray of a
torch.
"You made a call on the Bronson
line"
Il admit it, SIR"
You were covered. Roscoe put me
wise"
Max solke. Zone officer T-B, regis
tered no emotion. But his high forehead
glistened oddly.
you're unuer arrest, 4ake nun
away"
A murmur, subdued both by aston
ishment and respect for the formidable
C, missioner, greeted this order.
Markham, you're responsible for the
prisoner"
VERY good, sir"
The work of demolition proceeded
and presently the mechanism Of a
sliding panel being uncovered, q small
elevator shaft was revealed. Lights
were cast upward and downward.
"a good man might climb that
cable" Burke growled. staring up re-
f1ectively, but when he reached the
top" He turned. Who's got the
plan?"
Here, chief"
Are we at the base of the scud-
more tower?"
"SurC we are
Get out onto the fire ladders. wen
explore the top three floors"
Reaching back, he took torch from
the hand Of the man standing nearest
to him and craning through the shat
tered panel, shot a white ray up the
shaft
The torch all but fell from his hand.
Whats the matter, Burke?"
He came about, facing the speaker.
Roscoe had rejoined the party.
up there" Burke replied, not quite,
near the top of the shaft some
thing looked down at me-"
Something"
"A yellow, hairless thins-like a
mummy! But it's moved
"Ah!" Roscoe laughed shortly. 80
he's still up there?"
HE? The thing saw wasn't hu-
man"
Human or otherwise, the thing you
saw is the thing we're after. That's
Head Center!" -.
Some hi high-powered instrument spark
ed viciously in the darkness Of q room
near the summit Of the Scudmore
tower. There came O swift tapping
Translated it meant:
Great Head center. Your report"
The man masked by darkness replied:
New York Head Center. Stop. Raid
ing party taking to fire ladders. Stop.
New York Zones vacated. Stop. All
according to plan Report ends"
A distant sound penetrated, q sound
Of dull blows and of mingled, excited
voices. The instrument raped again
briefly:
Withdraw"
Through a semi-shaded window q
glare of white light shone, passed and
seemed to leave the room darker by
contrast. Searchlight units had been
detailed by the fire department and the
Scudmore tower rose through the misty
darkness fitfully illuminated by moving
beams. Men might be seen swarmink
up the ladders on the east of the build.
ing.
The room, as revealed In that tran.
sient flash, proved to be a laboratory
There was evidence to show that a
quantity Of apparatus had recently been
removed and the shelves and cases were
significantly bare. A man stood at a
switchboard. his hat brim shading his
features. Now he threw the light Of q
torch onto the board, reached UP and
unscrewed large valve. HatchetS were
at work somewhere close at hand.
There was faint creaking sound.
Then silence fell in the deserted labor.
atory except for the noise made by the
raiders.
The morning was gloomily dark. A
sort of pail seemed to hang above the
city. Early workers and belated revel-
ers thronged the streets adjoining the
barricades, all staring upward to where
the Scudmore tower glittered magically,
an enchanted minaret.
Deputy Commissioner Burke's niece,
Molly OHay, with her friend, Page SUIT
tons daughter, observed this phenom-
anon from afar. Escorted by Ned w.