Josh trailed Ritter from the financial district, up along Manhattan Island, and out the Henry Hudson Parkway to Ritter’s estate on the river. And there, at a window, Josh got a brief glimpse of a face that set him urgently to contacting The Avenger on his belt radio.
“Ritter’s at his Hudson River place,” he reported. He told grimly of the happening at the Palmer Building. Then he finished, “I just saw Morel up here, Mr. Benson.”
“Morel? You’re sure?”
“Yes, quite sure,” said Josh. “I only got one look, but it was a clear one. It’s Morel. Looks as if he is in with this mob, no matter what his daughter may say about it. I guess he wasn’t kidnaped. I think he was approached with promises of great power by this bunch of political killers and accepted their offer.”
There was silence from The Avenger’s end. And Josh could understand it perfectly. He surmised what Dick Benson was thinking.
The most dangerous person on earth is a brilliant scientist turned criminal. And here they had one of these menaces in the shape of the eminent Arthur Morel!
The newspapers had been running first-page stories of the disastrous fight in the motor industry. The price war had spread till it was no longer confined between the Fox 8, and the Ainslee Speed-Flow. All the big companies had announced ruinous prices and policies.
But this morning the headlines were different — and joyful.
Most of the headlines read:
RITTER ENDS AUTOMOTIVE WAR
And the following accounts in all the papers were almost word for word:
Edwin C. Ritter, drawn and tired from a night spent with the heads of the motor industry, announced this morning that peace had finally been made. The new prices and policies will not go into effect. Prices had been announced which would shortly have disorganized the entire industry, but Ritter after an all-night session, persuaded the industrial heads to return to the old policies. When questioned, Ritter minimized his own part in the peace making; but it was evident that he, and he alone, was responsible.
There was a long eulogy. Ritter, the man of the hour! Single-handed, he had straightened out a tangle that the bankers, the president of the United States, and the heads of the labor unions had been unable to do anything with. The one man in America able to perform such a miracle!
It was repeated that this wonderman was a presidential candidate, and all the papers did more than hint that a man capable of performing such miracles was the type of man who would look well in the White House.
“They’ve got him practically elected right now,” said Smitty disgustedly. “Wonderman, huh. Well, I will say he’s smart. We’ve never bumped up against anything like this before. But then, we’ve never seen a politically ambitious man backed by anybody like Morel before.”
Nellie tried to signal him to shut up. But she was too late. Lila had been coming in the door, and she had heard the giant. Instantly she was before him, cheeks flaming.
“My father isn’t ‘in on’ anything he shouldn’t be!” she flared. “He is a scientist. He isn’t personally ambitious at all. He lives only for science. Packer could tell you that.”
It was too late to pretend he hadn’t said anything; so Smitty shrugged and went on.
“He seems to be living for more than science right now. He was with the gang at that car barn, and he helped them get away. He was in Ritter’s Hudson River place, night before last; Josh saw him there. And he went with Ritter to a Vermont farm this morning. Josh reported in a few minutes ago, just before noon.”
“I don’t believe it,” said Lila defiantly. “Or, if he is with Ritter, he is being held forcibly.”
The Avenger had been staring out the window, pale eyes lambent and coldly flaming. He spoke without turning.
“I think we’d better see about it, right now. Cole, go with Lila to the Vermont place. If Morel is with this gang, as Josh reported, try to get him away from them. Bring him back here.”
“Right,” said Cole confidently. Wilson was always confident, and he had a right to be. Seemingly built out of steel cable and leather, almost as fast in action as The Avenger himself, Cole usually came home with what he went out to get.
“You know where the Vermont farm is?” said Dick.
Cole nodded.
“I placed it on the country map after Josh phoned.”
“All right, I’ll go with you,” said Lila. “But we won’t find my father mixed up with that bunch of killers. I know that.”
