HEX by J.R.A

Author:J.R.A. [J.R.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2011-04-26T23:21:35+00:00

Chapter IX. STRANGE MEETING

SEVERAL miles north, just south of the old ghost town, Monk and the girl of the disturbing dark eyes saw the red glare against the dark sky. The homely chemist heard the explosion.

His head was still throbbing, aching queerly the way it had this very morning when he had acted so strangely. But he was fighting off the odd feeling now, trying to conquer it.

The faint blast some distance away didn’t help any.

He piped shrilly, "Hope that noise wasn’t inside my head!"

Monk and the girl were tramping southward on the dusty, deserted road. There had been no signs of Ham or the witch, Hannah. Though he would never admit it, Monk was worried about his dapper partner.

Habeas, the pig, trailed along behind them.

June Knight had still been talking strangely. But slowly, as Monk flicked his flashlight over her features from time to time, the dazed look seemed to be leaving her lovely face. Once she had exclaimed quite sensibly, "Gracious, where are we?"

"Looking for that boy friend of yours—Miles Billings," the chemist had offered.

June Knight gripped Monk’s brawny hand tightly, exclaiming, "But Miles, darling, don’t be silly!"

Monk sighed. "Oh, well—" he started, and let it pass. For he rather liked the idea of holding hands with June Knight.

They met Ham just coming out of the side road that led to Cotton Mather Brown’s truck farm. The well-dressed lawyer was accompanied by the runt ape, Chemistry. Habeas, at Monk’s side, made a dive for the chimp and there threatened to be a small war before the pets were separated. Like their masters, the pets were continually wrangling.

Monk had jumped forward to help, leaving the girl standing in gloom. Ham was complaining, "You prehistoric throwback, where’ve you been?"

The chemist grinned. "I found her in the cellar."

Ham misunderstood. "You mean the witch?" he prodded.

"Heck no," said Monk. "I mean the bewitched—"

Exasperated, Ham roared, "Well, which witch, dunce?"

Just then June Knight stepped forward into the arc of Monk’s flashlight glare. Quite sanely she said with a smile, "Oh, it’s the handsome gentleman I met in Doc Savage’s New York headquarters!"

HAM gave a start at sight of the girl again, quickly recovered his composure and bowed gracefully. The two shook hands and Monk glared, speechless.

Monk knew that you could never figure women. Blast it, here a moment ago this girl had been apparently bewitched. Now she was as normal as himself. Funny how dames could straighten out when they took one good look at the ultramodernly dressed lawyer.

Not to be outdone, Monk pushed forward and gripped the girl’s arm. "Yes," he said significantly, "we’re trying to find Miles Billings. You better keep looking for Doc, Ham."

Ham didn’t fall for his partner’s suggestion. Instead, he smiled warmly at the girl and said, "Monk had me going there for a moment on that bewitched business."

"Yep," Monk interjected proudly, "I’m on my way to becoming a great wit."

The dapper lawyer sniffed disdainfully. "Correct," Ham agreed, and Monk’s chest swelled.

"You’re halfway there already!" finished Ham.

Monk scowled. "Listen, shyster, that has all the earmarks of being a dirty crack.

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