Doctor X (Warner Bros.) (1932)

msoothitigly, © cg 8 all right. . ~ Dr. Rowitz has met with an accident. I wish you would go back to your CTOR X” Chapter IX—Terror at Night From the Sensational First National Mystery Picture Rowitz was dead. He had been stabbed in the back of the neck ; and the little group of startled men bending over him looked at each other wildly. “Who,” asked Doctor Xavier sternly, “was sitting next to Dr. Rowitz?” Haines’s forehead was bathed in perspiration. “I was—but I didn’t see anything. I was watching the stage!” ~.. Suddenly he broke off, staring at Professor Duke, who was standing in the center of the room, and who presently began to walk toward the body of Rowitz—without his crutches. “Duke,” cried Doctor Xavier, “you're walking!” The man stopped, looked down at his feet, and crumpled up on the floor, crying hysterically: “I walked! You saw me! I walked!” r.X]—Joan Xavier nl From th Doctor Xavier, ea J of Commissioner Steve ; a Doctor, I’ve decided to send an undere you start yo t First National Mystery Picture } me, frowned as he heard the voice end of the line, ‘Look here, r man out there tonight. When Doctor interrupted angrily. “You've -four hours. The woman I’ve been dependis afternoon and it spoils all my plans. But ake some other arrangements. The forty-eight Id your men off just a little while longer; give el night,” said Stevens sternly. “If you haven’t m going to slap the whole place under arrest.”’. . * * » your man voice. Haines sprang toward him. “You killed him! You can walk! You are the murderer!” “Quiet, Haines!” said Doctor Xavier sternly. “Don’t you know hysteria reaction when you see it?” The cripple was sobbing like a child. They lifted him into a chair, and then Doctor Xavier turned to the butler, Otto, who was bending over tae body of Rowitz. “Come, Otto,” "he said, “we have got to pull ourselves together.” “Where is Wells?” asked Haines suddenly. Doctor Xavier, frowning, crossed the room to the hallway and stepped outside to a large insulated about twice the size of a, booth, connected by el with the apparatus in th He opened the door of, On the floor, shud lay Wells. ng here, opereflectors—and atory r ng went black.” “You're bleeding — you’ve been struck! Come in here!” And Doctor Xavier led the trembling man into the laboratory. When his wound had been treated the others began to question him—all with suspicion, except Doctor Xavier. “Are you sure,” asked the Doctor, frewning, “that you heard no one ap __ proaching ‘the room ‘as we started the test?” “No one,” said Wells, still white “After 1 was struck I il you started shout ‘n, revealin~ arwvwatad room.” “He’s dead!” said Joan in a low nd at that moment Haines, who turned to the young reporter with a charming gesture of appeal. : “Please, Mr. Taylor! You don’t have to report to the paper what you have just seen, do you?” , “I’m sorry, but I have got to.. working fora newspaper—at do just seen a murder!” are x She clenched her perately. “But can’t you wait: father a chance nd out doing i and stay if th the family in nk that can be arranged,” said irl demurely. ‘Father usually S»breakfast at seven-thirty.” ou?” She ee | lazy. I have ‘Mine at nine.” “Pm lazy too,” said Lee. “Could I have mine at nine too?” She was forced to smile. “Possibly.” “And will you take me for a swim afterward?” “If you’re so helpless you can’t find the water, you have no business in it.” Lee ee 2 Later that night Joan awoke, restless and tired from fitful, tormenting dreams in which she saw the body of. Rowitz on. the laboratory floor and could not banish its hideous presence. She tossed and tried to sleep again, but in vain. At last she rose, put on rs and walked out into the uld the night ever come “had been roaming restlessly around ~ the laboratory, exclaimed: © “There’s scalpel.” somebody in this closet!” and jerked ~~-open the door, revealing the crumpled form of Lee Taylor. “He was hiding in there!” cried Haines excitedly. “He knows some thing about this!” “But who is he?” asked Doctor Xavier. : “He’s the young man who was at the house in town today,” said Joan, as Otto pressed a flask to Lee’s lips. The eyelids flickered; the eyes opened; and Lee smiled. “I’m ‘all right now.” “What were you doing in that closet?” Haines demanded. Lee observed him calmly. “Hiding,” he replied. “Who are you?” asked Doctor Xavier gravely. “Lee Taylor of the Daily World. I’m sorry, but you wouldn’t give a fellow a break, so I had to take one.” “You're lying!” cried Haines hoarsely. “You came in here to kill Rowitz!” Z But now Lee found*an unexpected defender. “Don’t be absurd,” said Joan, with a toss of her head. “He’s telling the truth. He’s the newspaper man who printed the story about you, father, yesterday in the World.” “I guess I fainted,” said Lee rather sheepishly, Doctor Xavier was angry. “You are a trespasser. I am going to hand you over to the police.” “That suits me fine. I can ’phone my story in from the police station.” “Why do you have to ’phone in any story?” asked the Doctor furiously. “Because that man there has been murdered and the public has a right to know about it and demand the arrest of the guilty person.” The men glared at him, but once again Joan interrupted. “Father,” she said, “let me talk to him. I know he'll listen to reason.” Chapter X Lee Listens to Reason They went out together on a terrace overlooking the sea and bathed in the light of the full moon’ Joan From the shadows stepped Professor Haines, his eyes fixed grimly upon the Doctor. “And what are you doing down here?” demanded the latter. “I couldn’t sleep. I thought I would come down and take a more thorough look at the body.” “Father,” begged Joan, “please go to bed!” “All right, Joan. You run along, dear. I'll be right up.” Reluctantly she left them; then Haines said quietly: “Doctor, since we retired the body has been—been———”’ “Ssh!”? said Doctor Xavier quickly, “I know it—but I don’t want her to know." The two men stared at each other in silence for a long time, Early next morning came Commissioner Stevens, and the body of Rowitz was removed. The official was drastic and peremptory in manner. “This absolutely proves the killer is one of your men. I think you'd better let me put a man on the grounds. You'll never know he’s around and I'll feel easier.” “I couldn’t consider it,’ said Doctor Xavier. “Every added human around here presents an additional obstacle. Look at this young reporter; I don’t know what to do with him.” “The wisest thing you can do is to let him remain. If you send him away now he’ll break the story.” “But what am I going to do with him tonight ?’’ “Let him see the experiment. If it's successful and you trap the murderer, we don’t care how many stories he prints. For the present, just keep an eye on him.” “T have instructed my daughter to stay with him all day and not let him get near a "phone,”’ said Doctor Xavier. Joan followed her instructions well: in fact she seemed to enjoy following them. There by the seaside with young Lee Taylor, the horrors of the preceding night seemed very far away. Two young people alone together, with sea and sky ~ about them—it was an idyll of the old world which is always new. But were they alone? On the cliff above them a man was watching, his face convulsed with rage and hatred. His hand trembled as it rested upon a huge rock on the edge of the cliff. The rock trembled also. With gleaming eyes the man peered over until Lee Taylor moved just beneath him in a straight line; then he deliberately pushed the rock loose. A scream from Joan startled Lee, and he leaped aside just before the rock crashed to earth. And Professor Haines stole away from the top of the cliff, unseen. (To be concluded) “But, Doctor; letting Joan in o “N onsense!” sa i — ee our daughter into ioctor Xavier was immovable. “After all, gentlemen, this is my daughter’s own suggestion and I have no fear for her safety. She is a sensible girl and knows what she’s doing.” “By gad, if she were my daughter she wouldn’t lie up there on a bed in nothing but a nightgown,” growled Duke, unconvinced. “Just for the sake of some lunatic experiment !” Haines joined in, with a queer look in his.eyes. ‘Professor Duke, really I’m sure none of us will think ill of the girl because, for the benefit of science, she consents to appear in a state of. undress.” “You forget that last night there was a murderer at large in this room,” said Wells coldly. “You cari be sure,” said Doctor Xavier, “that there will be no one at largé in this room tonight.” He produced six pairs of police handcuffs. “Each of you will be handcuffed to your chair and you will notice that each chair has been bolted to the floor. I intend to be hand cuffed also. This will assure the cannot possibly be a repetition ¢ night’s tragedy.” ‘ . He handed the handcuffs to 3 part sne had volunteered to Utto, the butler, was helping he “Are you atraid, Miss Joan?” asked, observing her throug half-veiled eyes. i “There is only one thing I am afraid of, Otto. It’s father’s health; he has been working so hard, and he has been so strange lately.” The mind will only stand so much,” said Otto. And presently he added: “We're all a little strange.” “That’s why I want to get father away from all this. He needs a long rest, and he has promised that as soon as it’s over he will go abroad with me. There isn’t any experiment I wouldn’t submit to if it would make father himself again.” She spoke calmly and clearly, but fear was in her eyes. Otto watched her keenly. * & * The three scientists were handcuffed. In the thermal tubes the fluid te already beginning to rise and all, Suddenly Professor Duke spoke up sharply: “Doctor, has it ever oc curred to you that Wells is free to do as he pleases?” “I have guarded against that also,” said the Doctor quietly. “Otto!” The butler appeared. “Lock and bolt all the doors!” Otto obeyed the order. Professor Wells had already passed out to the control cabinet. ‘Through the hallway window the round moon was shining. For a moment Wells stared up at the moon. His eyes glazed; his neck stiffened. Then. he entered the cabinet and fingered the buzzing controls with his single hand. And then, opening a small casket, he took out another hand—a human, hand with a Hesh-like sleeve, and fitted it over the stump of his left wrist. The quick clamping of two wires, one to the thumb of the ghastly hand and the other to the little finger— then the switch of the rheostat was thrown—and, while Wells writhed in agony, the pallor of the left hand vanished; it moved freely and easily. It lived! Chapter XII The Terrible Solution Wheeled on the stage by Otto, Joan lay white and still on the bed where she was to impersonate the moon killer’s victim. Otto, returning be _ idiots—calling for Wells! That = s0 you any good!” |. say ee, “It is Wells!” cried ee 3 terizally. “Look at his han afi Octor Xavier's ~ an Xavier was preage to play the “4 I have been® cannibalism? — Samples of the huma Ee fatives eat! That flesh showed “I still say you are making a mistake, hind the curtains, donned the long black cape and hood—his costume as the portrayer of the unknown criminal. A grim smile was on his face. He was still smiling when two hands clutched his throat from behind, mercilessly, in an iron grasp. And as he sank limply to the floor in the grip of those terrible hands his face was contorted into a sickening grin. In perfect silence Wells, his eyes alight with madness, himself put on the cape and hood. As he stepped out on the stage Doctor Xavier’s voice came through the darkness: ‘“—When suddenly the moon killer appears! He crossés softly to his victim ” The black shape crossed the stage to where Joan was lying. Her eyes were closed, but at the stealthy sound of his approach she looked up, and a fearful scream burst from her. “Father! Oh, father—help r’ Cries of helpless terror burst from the manacled men. “Fight him off. Joan!” cried Doctor Xavier. “Fight bim off! Wells! Where is Wells?” And then came a wild laugh from the black figure on the stage. “You won’t nies a choking voice. “Yes, it is Wells! “The hand!” screamed A screech of triumph man 1s he waved his ~“unilivines fles —syntheti¢ secret, and you think I how to manufacture arms—legs— faces that are human! I'll make a crippled world whole again! — Doctor Xavier, your name will be remembered; you have given your life, everything, to science—all but one thing. And now you are going to give even that to science—your daughter!” And he seized Joan’s throat with both hands. But a figure loomed from the back of the stage, and with a_beast-like snarl Wells grappled with Lee Taylor. It was a desperate struggle. To and tro they reeled, and at last with superhuman strength Wells lifted the younger man and hurled him against the wall with a crash, then leaped forward to finish him. But suddenly, with a wild scream of terror, Wells turned and fled. Lee rose and followed as the madman unlocked the door and sped down the hallway. A burning oil lamp caught Lee’s eye, even in his haste, and he picked it up and |. hurled it after the fleeing shape. It struck Wells squarely in the back and burst into flame, and with a yell of agony the moon killer sprang through the window at the end of the hall and fell far, far into the darkness, a human torch. “Where did he go?’? asked Doctor Xavier, trembling and unmanned, as Lee unlocked the handcuffs and freed him and the other men. Joan was sobbing. “Don’t let him come back!” moaned pene: “Lock the door and keep him out!” “Calm down.” said Lee. “It’s all over. He won’t ever come back.” He led the way to the window from which Wells had leaped. Far below on the rocks by the sea a flame was still burning—still consuming the remains of the moon killer. And. then, like a good reporter, Lee Taylor rushed for a telephone. ‘-—And give Doctor X full credit for trapping him,’’ he said, after outlining the amazing events of the evening. “And, Murph, give this to the society editor.” Joan was at his side now. “It is rumored that upon her return from Europe Miss Joan Xavier will have an important announcement to make concerning a prominent and _ promising young newspaper man. So-long, you old sock!” His arm was around her. There was no argument from Joan, nof from Doctor Xavier. “But tell me just one thing,” said the girl, “What in the world did you ever do to make that terrible montser let go of you and run out of the room?” Lee grinned. “That was simple.” He touched her, and a handshake buzzer made her jump. So that was that. The End Page Twenty-three