{"product_id":"2940015763188","title":"THE INFRA-MEDIANS","description":"There was no sense to the note. There was no sense to anything that Vic\u003cbr\u003eButler did, for that matter. Where he hid away his vast scientific\u003cbr\u003eknowledge in that rattle-brained, red-haired head of his has always been\u003cbr\u003ea mystery to me. The note read:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     Dear Pete:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     If you get this, I'm in a jam that promises some action.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     Drive out, if plane-peddling is palling on you, and bust into\u003cbr\u003e     the lab. I'm leaving another note there for you, old son, and\u003cbr\u003e     after you read it you can let your conscience be your guide.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     Bring a gat along, and plenty of ammo. Hope's away, at Aunt\u003cbr\u003e     Cleo's, so don't get in touch with her and spoil her visit.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                                                            Vic\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI had a hot prospect lined up for a demonstration that morning, but I\u003cbr\u003edidn't even stop to give him a ring. Vic and I had been buddies ever\u003cbr\u003esince we were kids--and, besides, he was Hope's brother.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVic's place was out on the river, about ten miles from town, and that\u003cbr\u003elittle tan roadster of mine made it in just about ten minutes. The\u003cbr\u003etraffic in the business district slowed me up a bit.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere was nothing at all pretentious about the place; it was a rambling,\u003cbr\u003elazy-looking house built largely of native stone, stretching its length\u003cbr\u003ecomfortably in the shade of the big maples. Perrin, Vic's\u003cbr\u003eman-of-all-work, came hurrying out of the house to greet me as I locked\u003cbr\u003emy wheels on the drive before the door.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I'm glad you're here, sir!\" he exclaimed breathlessly. \"I was just\u003cbr\u003eabout to phone for the police; I was for certain, sir. Such goings on, I\u003cbr\u003edon't know what to think!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What's the matter, Perrin? Where's Mr. Butler?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"That's it, sir! That's exactly it. Where's Mr. Butler? And--\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Just a moment, please! Cut it short, Perrin. What's happened?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e       *       *       *       *       *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I don't know. Yesterday afternoon Mr. Butler leaves a letter for me,\u003cbr\u003ewhich I'm to mail early this morning, special delivery. It's to you. I\u003cbr\u003ereckon you got it, sir?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"That's why I'm here. Go on.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Well, after that, he locks himself up in his workroom, so Mrs. Perrin\u003cbr\u003esays, she being housekeeper, as you know, sir, leaving word not to\u003cbr\u003edisturb him for dinner.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"We don't think so much of that, Mr. Butler being took with streaks of\u003cbr\u003eworking at all hours, as you know. But when Miss Hope came home\u003cbr\u003eunexpected this morning--\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"She cut her visit a few days short, her aunt having other house guests\u003cbr\u003eturn up unexpected like, and Miss Hope arrives first thing this morning,\u003cbr\u003ebeing here when I return from town after mailing the letter to you, sir.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Mrs. Perrin had just told her about the master, and Miss Hope looks\u003cbr\u003einto his room. He isn't there, and the bed hasn't been slept in. 'The\u003cbr\u003epoor dear,' she says, 'he's worked himself half to death, and dropped\u003cbr\u003eoff on that horrible cot he keeps in his laboratory,' says Miss Hope.\u003cbr\u003e'I'll let him sleep.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"But just a few minutes ago, just before you arrived, sir, she became\u003cbr\u003enervous like, and rapped on the door. There wasn't a sound. So she went\u003cbr\u003eup to the master's room and found a key, and went in. And now _she_\u003cbr\u003edon't answer, and we were just about ready to call the police!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Let's go inside!\" I hurried by Perrin and through the cool, quiet hall\u003cbr\u003eto the broad door that opened into the big room at the back of the\u003cbr\u003ehouse, which was Vic's laboratory.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e       *       *       *       *       *\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Vic! Hope!\" I pounded as hard as I could, shouting their names. There\u003cbr\u003ewas no response.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Is there another key, Perrin?\" I snapped.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"No, sir; none that I know of. The master was mighty fussy about his\u003cbr\u003eworkroom.\"","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47074311078128,"sku":"2940015763188","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940015763188","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}