The Clue of the Hissing Serpent Read Online Free PDF Page B

I’ll be right back.”
    When she left the room, Horgan walked to the window again and looked out with a nervous expression.
    Frank’s mind whirled. “Associated Jewelers must have taken on a new line—Hong Kong suits,” he thought. “I wonder if it’s legitimate. Maybe it has something to do with that tailoring racket Dad’s working on.” He felt a tickle in his nose and suppressed a sneeze.
    He still held the cat in his arms, but now it strained to get free, meowing loudly. Horgan cocked his head to listen.
    Frank muffled another sneeze. Suddenly he knew why. The cat’s furl He must be allergic to it.
    Horgan turned and stared at the closet. The cat, meanwhile, clawed Frank’s arm and yowled. He had to sneeze again. His eyes began to water, and he felt as if he were choking. “It’s no use,” he thought. “I need air.” He opened the doors, sneezing loudly, and the cat flew out, landing in the middle of the living room.
    The effect on Horgan was electric. His eyes bulged wide and his jaw dropped open. When he realized he was being spied on, the salesman let out an oath and dashed out of the house!

CHAPTER VI
    A Risky Chance
    FRANK watched the man jump into his car and speed away as Mrs. Snyder came back into the living room.
    â€œWhat happened?” she asked. “Why did Mr. Horgan run off like that? And he left his case!”
    Frank quickly explained and showed Mrs. Snyder the scratches on his arm.
    â€œDid Princess do that? Oh dear! I’ll get some antiseptic.” She returned a few minutes later and daubed Frank’s arm.
    â€œWhat are you going to do with that sample case?” she asked.
    â€œUse it for evidence,” Frank replied. “Maybe we can identify that salesman through his finger prints. I’m sure Horgan uses an alias.”
    Frank took out his handkerchief and clicked the case shut. “If he comes back for it, tell him it’s being delivered to Associated Jewelers. And thanks for your help, Mrs. Snyder.”
    When he arrived home, the repair work on the car was done and Biff and Tony had left. Frank went up to their father’s comfortable study, where he found the detective talking to Joe.
    â€œDad, tell Frank what you found out,” Joe urged.
    Mr. Hardy sat back in his swivel chair and smiled. “The Hong Kong tailoring racket I’m supposed to crack is tied in with various jewelry sales operations. When the jewelry business slacks off, they offer to have their customers measured for a suit.
    â€œAfter they receive the down payment, the clothing is never delivered. By the time the customers catch on, the swindlers have skipped town.”
    â€œWhat are you grinning at?” Joe asked his brother.
    â€œI found out the same thing.”
    â€œAt the Snyders’?”
    â€œRight. And here’s the sample case of an Associated Jewelers salesman.”
    â€œThat ought to be a real good clue,” Mr. Hardy said. “You didn’t disturb the fingerprints, I hope.”
    â€œNo. I was careful about that,” Frank replied.
    Joe went for their fingerprint kit and set to work dusting the black plastic covering of the sample case. Horgan had provided them with a neat set of prints of both his left and right hands.
    â€œWe’ll take these down to headquarters. Maybe Chief Collig can find out whether Horgan really is who he says.”
    â€œWhat I don’t understand,” Frank said, “is why Smith and Jones, who are obviously connected with Associated Jewelers, wanted to bug Greene’s phone. I mean, that’s out of their line.”
    â€œWe assumed that they worked for Jervis because he acted so strange when we mentioned their names,” Joe said. “Maybe we were wrong.”
    â€œBut they also wanted to meet Radley at the Treat Hotel, where Associated Jewelers had a sales meeting,” Frank said. “It’s just too much