The Spider Strain | Page 9

I must be getting old, slowing up--what? My word, yes!"
Warwick walked to a dark corner of the room, stepped to a window there, and looked down at the street. The lights were just being turned on. A stream of automobiles was passing, men of affairs going to their homes from their offices.
Warwick glanced across the street, where there was a drug store with windows brilliantly lighted. He stepped closer to the window--and looked again Standing before one of the store windows and looking at the apartment house was the man who had followed Warwick in the roadster.
"He's watching me rather closely--what?" Warwick told himself. "I'll have to look into this matter, I'm afraid. Always did detest a mystery!"
He stepped to his desk, got an automatic pistol from one of the drawers, and slipped it into the pocket of his overcoat. He put into his coat pocket a tiny pair of pincers so sharp that they would cut through strands of any ordinary metal--say, a gold chain. He called to Togo to order the chauffeur to have the limousine in front immediately and then put on his hat and coat--but not his gloves.
"You'll be careful, sar?" Togo asked.
"Naturally!" Warwick replied. "Can't understand this sudden idea that I may get reckless! Never knew me to be reckless before, did you? My word!"
"And I cannot help you, sar?" Togo implored.
"Oh, you may happen to be in the neighborhood, if that will appease you in the least," Warwick answered. "Fail to see how you can be of help to me, though."
"Thanks, sar!" Togo cried. "Perhaps I may be of service to you, sar! It will be a difficult task, I fear. It is not the easy one you seem to think, sar."
"Nonsense!" Warwick exclaimed. "Upon my word, I never heard such utter rot before! I'll have the silly old locket before midnight--make you a good wager on it! I never saw you quite like this before, honorable Japanese! Makes me wonder what the old world is coming to, you know. Nonsense! A man would think, from your actions and words, that I was going into a battle, or something like that!"
Togo's answer rather startled him. "You are, sar!" Togo said.
Chapter 4
One Known Foe
JOHN WARWICK left the apartment house, stepped out into the street, and then walked briskly across it. He entered the drug store and purchased a package of cigarettes. There was no particular sense in that, since he had an ample supply in his rooms, and even some in his pocket, but it gave him a chance to pass within six feet of the man who had been watching him.
Warwick did not give him as much as a glance as he entered the store. The man moved down the street a dozen feet or so, and stood by the curb. Warwick walked from the drug store, stopped to light one of the cigarettes he had purchased, tossed away the burned match, and then whirled around and stepped up to the man at the curb.
"See here!" he exclaimed, in a low, tense voice. "I'd like very much to be informed just as to why you show such a remarkable and unusual interest in my affairs!"
"What's that?" the other snarled.
"I fancy that you both heard and understood me," Warwick said. "You followed me this afternoon, while I was out motoring, and now I find you loitering around the place where I live."
"Well, what about it?"
"Why, I don't fancy it at all!" Warwick told him. "I ought to have an explanation, and all that sort of thing. My word! A fellow hates to have somebody prowling around and watching him. It isn't quite the thing, you know!"
"I've no doubt that you do object to being watched," the other man said.
"Just what do you mean by that?" Warwick demanded.
"None of your business!"
"See here! I am in the habit of being addressed in a respectful manner, confound it!"
"Well, what are you going to do about it?" the other asked, sneering once more.
"Why, confound it, sir, I can break you in two with my bare hands!" Warwick declared. "Do you imagine that I am a weakling just because I happen to be wearing evening clothes? Keep a civil tongue in your head when you are speaking to me!"
"I didn't say that I wanted to speak to you, did I? You began this conversation, didn't you?"
"I did--and probably shall end it!" said Warwick. "Why have you been following me, and all that?"
"I didn't say that I had been."
"Ah! Trying to evade the question, are you? What? My word! Do you fancy that you can indulge in repartee with me? Answer me straight now!"
"Attend to your own business! I'm getting sick of your talk!" the other told him.
"I have half a notion to hand you over immediately to the police chaps!"
"You