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BRAND OF THE WEREWOLF
A Doc Savage Adventure by Kenneth Robeson
Chapter 1. THE STRANGE MESSAGE
Chapter 2. THE TRAIN WEREWOLF
Chapter 3. WARNING OF THE WEREWOLF
Chapter 4. DEAD MAN
Chapter 5. THE WEREWOLF CRIES
Chapter 6. SQUARE WHITE DEATH
Chapter 7. STRANGE ATTACKERS
Chapter 8. THE MAN IN THE WHITE HAT
Chapter 9. THE IVORY-CUBE TRAIL
Chapter 10. CABIN OF MURDER
Chapter 11. THE VANISHED BOX
Chapter 12. THE HAND THAT BECKONED
Chapter 13. AN OFFER
Chapter 14. THE TRAP IN A TRAP
Chapter 15. WHEN TROUBLE DOUBLES
Chapter 16. INSIDE THE IVORY BLOCK
Chapter 17. INTO THE EARTH
Chapter 18. THE SKELETON CREW
Chapter 19. THE KILLING DEAD
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Chapter 1. THE STRANGE MESSAGE
IT was a little way station on the transcontinental railroad in western Canada. Only one man worked there. He had what railroaders call an "OS" job. About all he had to do was "OS" trains - telegraph the dispatcher that they were passing his point.
Usually, nothing much ever happened around there.
Just now, however, the telegrapher looked as if things were happening - big things. His manner was as excited as that of a small boy about to see the circus.
The thing which had flustered him was a telegram that he had just copied. It was addressed to a passenger on the fast express train which was due to arrive soon.
The operator interrupted his routine work frequently to stare at the name of the individual to whom the message was going. He scratched his head.
"If that man is the fellow I think he is - " He finished his remark with a low whistle of amazement.
Some minutes later, the brass pounder gave a start as if he had just thought of something. He got up hastily and went to a row of shelves in the rear of the room. These held magazines. Due to the loneliness of his post, the operator was a heavy reader.
He picked out and thumbed through several magazines which made a practice of publishing stories of famous men. The cover design of one of these consisted of a large bronze-colored question mark. Printed across this were the words:
THE MAN OF MYSTERY (Story on page 9)
The telegrapher opened the magazine to page nine. The Story was what writers call a "fact article." Every word was Supposed to be the truth. More large black type asked:
WHO IS PROBABLY THE MOST AMAZING OF LIVING MEN?
The telegraph operator had read this story before. But now he started to peruse it again. He was interrupted.
A train whistled in the distance, and soon its approaching roar was soon audible.
It was the fast passenger. Smoke and steam rolling, air brakes shrieking, the engine and string of coaches came to a halt. A regular stop for water was made here.
Wilkie came in. Wilkie was the conductor. He had a large head, and an extraordinarily prominent stomach. He looked like a pleasant little goblin in a uniform.
"Hyah, brass mauler!" he greeted cheerfully.
With a dramatic gesture, the operator passed over the telegram.
"Message for one of the passengers, eh?" said Wilkie, and started to stuff the missive in a pocket
"Wait a minute!" ejaculated the telegrapher. "Look who that's for!"
Wilkie eyed the name on the telegram.
"For the love of Mike!" he exclaimed.
"I KNEW you'd heard of him," the operator said triumphantly.
Wilkie absently removed the uniform cap from his enormous head. "Do you reckon this is the same man?"
"I'm betting it is," said the telegrapher. "He's taking a vacation - him and the five men who help him. He has a relative up in the woods along the coast. He's paying a visit there."
"How do you know that?" Wilkie demanded.
The operator grinned. "It's kinda lonesome here, and I km time by listening to the messages that go back and forth over the wires. I heard the message he sent, saying he was coming with his five friends."
Wilkie hesitated, then read the message. As an employee of the company, he probably had a right to do this.
"Whew!" he exclaimed. "If that chap was a relative of mine, I wouldn't send him a telegram like this!"
"Me either!" the operator replied. He secured the magazine which he had started to read. "Say, did you see the article in here about that fellow?"
Wilkie glanced at the magazine. "Nope. I'd like to read it, too."
"Take it." The operator passed the magazine over. "It's sure worth reading. It tells some of the things he and his five men have done. I tell you, Wilkie, a lot of the things are hard to believe. This fellow must be a superman!"
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