Ron Goulart - The Curse of the Obelisk

86 RON GOULART
"So I concluded when the fumes from his sprawled carcass made me tipsy."
Harry said, "There's really no way to test that control panel he built for us. He claims he can use
it to take over control of the flying machines from Orchardson. If he can, then that'll be the easiest
way to nab Orchardson."
"And even if not, we'll still be able to exchange this dornick for the fair Belphoebe."
Harry nodded. "I want Orchardson, too," he said. "Any hunches?"
Shrugging, the Great Lorenzo replied, "Nary a one. We'll simply have to trust to chance."
The crimson steps of the hunting lodge creaked as Max Orchardson came down them. He wore
a tweed suit and hiking boots. "Look around you, Challenge," he advised. "Already have." Harry
had climbed down from the circus wagon and was standing near the edge of the misty lake.
The Great Lorenzo was at the rear of the wagon, unlocking the cage that held the obelisk.
"Three of my men, all armed, are out there in the woods," Orchardson came thumping toward
Harry. "As well as two of my highly dependable aerodromes."
"I noticed."
"There are, in addition, three armed men inside the lodge," added the immense, pale
Orchardson. "One, armed with a shotgun, stands guard over Miss Stowe in the room directly above
the entry way."
"We didn't come to make trouble or get into a brawl," Harry assured him. "You take the
obelisk, we take Belphoebe Stowe."
"And you're welcome to her." Orchardson started waddling toward the rear of the circus wagon.
"I thought her wretched father was the most quarrelsome person on the face of the planet, until I
took this young lady under my roof."
"That's one of the drawbacks of kidnapping: you don't know how your victims are going to
behave."
"Not a bad remark, Challenge. I may be able to fashion it into an epigram." Stopping at the
open cage, he squinted at the obelisk. "Appears to be authentic." From a coat pocket he took a
magnifying glass. First he tapped the granite base with the handle, then he scrutinized it with the
lens. "I hear tell, by the by, that Anwar Zaytoon has fallen on hard times."
"He's dead."
"Delightful." He continued to inspect the obelisk. "Were you responsible for his shuffling off?"
"Indirectly," said Harry. "The official cause of death was old age."
"Yes, one can see where it would be." Orchardson slipped the glass into a tweedy pocket, took
two rocking steps back. "I am satisfied, Challenge. If you and your fat friend will now retreat to the
vicinity of your coach, I'll give the signal for Miss Stowe to be released."
"Fine. Pleasure doing business with you."
He and the Great Lorenzo started walking toward the coach, which was parked several hundred
yards down the shore of the lake.