House of Shadows by Maxwell Grant & Walter Gibson

Author:Maxwell Grant & Walter Gibson [Grant, Maxwell & Gibson, Walter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Espionage, Fiction, Thrillers
Publisher: Street & Smith
Published: 1939-12-18T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XII. DENRY'S DILEMMA

IT was nearly five o'clock and Denry Melwin was nervous. He wanted to get away from the office; the place gave him the jitters. Worse today than yesterday. Each day, it seemed, was bringing him closer to a breaking point.

Worries had been growing on Denry ever since that evening when he had so simply settled Alvin's debts with five thousand dollars of Trone's cash.

Denry had seen Carol that same evening; since then, he had avoided her. Guilt and misery gripped him in the presence of her gaiety. One reason that he wanted to get away early today, was because he feared that she would telephone him. There was another reason, too: Denry did not want to talk to Mr. Trone.

All day, Denry had managed to keep up something of a front, but the strain was telling on him.

Watching the clock that he saw from the window, Denry kept letting his fingers fidget toward his hat. He was almost ready for a nervous grab, when there was a ring from the telephone bell at his desk.

At first, Denry ignored the call; then, noting that other employees were gazing toward him wonderingly, he scooped up the receiver and voiced a hello. It was Carol. She wanted to know why she hadn't heard from him.

"I've been terribly tied up," lied Denry. "One conference after another, with Mr. Trone... Yes, about the bonds that your aunt wants to buy... If I can see you later, I'll call you... I'll have to say good-by, Carol. Mr. Trone wants to see me right away."

Denry's final statement was his only true one. At that moment, Trone had peered from his office and was beckoning to Denry. Finished with the telephone call, Denry felt a sinking sensation. He had been nervous enough chatting to Carol over the wire. Talking to Trone, face to face, would be worse.

It was to prove far worse.

From behind his desk, Trone pushed a stack of unpaid bills across to Denry, along with a sheet of totals tabulated on an adding machine.

"These all came in today," said Trone, his voice worried. "It looks as though my creditors had held a get-together. I've phoned all of them; they say they can't wait for the money."

"Not until after you've sold the bonds to Miss Ralcott?"

"I couldn't mention that transaction," replied Trone, glumly: "Besides, the bonds haven't arrived yet. Senor Muyana, the man who is bringing them, is still on his way. I'd like to know" - Trone slapped the stack of papers angrily - "who is in back of this effort to injure my credit!"

Denry began to look over the bills, trying to keep his hands from fumbling. He managed to control his voice when he suggested that Trone make part payments to his creditors:

"It won't do," declared Trone. "Right now, I have to show a perfect credit rating, Denry. There's only one way to handle this emergency. I'll have to draw out the reserve fund."

For a moment, Denry sat stiffened. Then, desperately, he blurted:

"Not all of it, sir?"

"All of it," interposed Trone.

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