
DOC SAVAGE spent the afternoon delivering a lecture to an eminent group of paleontologists, leaving the
group amazed at some of his research work on the subject. Then Doc returned to his headquarters and found
the following conversation recorded on the telephone robot.
"This is Velma Crale," a rather pleasant voice had said. "Something awful is happening, and your help is
needed. Later in the afternoon, you will receive a package. Please examine the contents and use your own
discretion about what to do."
At the end of this brief advice, the robot had automatically recorded the following words, taken off a
mechanical clock which gave the time vocally: "This message was received at 3:10 this afternoon."
Doc Savage played the message back at a quarter to six.
Doc Savage called the package receiving room of the skyscraper. Sure enough, there was a package,
addressed to Doc. He had it sent up.
The package was not quite a foot square, wrapped in brown canvas and tied with a copper wire. It was very
heavy.
Doc Savage was a cautious individual. Otherwise, he would have died long ago. He put the package under an
X-ray machine, to see if it contained a bomb. He switched the X-ray machine on.
There was a stabbing flash, a terrific concussion, and the entire top of the skyscraper seemed to fly to
pieces.
Chapter II. THE "REGIS" MENACE
DOC SAVAGE’S headquarters had been the scene of violence on other occasions, so newspaper reporters
had learned to keep an eye on the place. Half of Manhattan Island heard the explosion, and a goodly number
even saw smoke shoot out of the top of the skyscraper, and saw brick and glass fall to the street. Luckily, no
one was injured seriously by the falling débris.
Reporters and photographers rushed to the spot. The police were there first, however, and kept every one else
out. The journalists did a bit of squawking, but they were not allowed to enter. The police also refused to
divulge any information.
Directly, six men in white carried a stretcher out of the skyscraper lobby. The journalists craned their necks.
A howl of excitement went up.
The form of a giant bronze man lay on the stretcher, extremely quiet. The features were remarkably regular,
and the bronze texture of the skin was distinctive. The flake gold eyes were wide open, unmoving. One hand
was not covered by the white shroud.
This hand was amazing. It was long-fingered and perfectly proportioned, and it had an incredible equipment of
tendons. It was a hand of fabulous muscular strength.
Every one recognized the figure on the litter. Every one also saw something else.
The bronze head was severed from the body!
For moments, not a newspaper man said a word. They were stunned. They knew some of the perils which
the man of bronze had faced in the past, and he had always miraculously escaped. It hardly seemed possible
that he could be dead. But the evidence was there before their eyes, although the police made an effort to
keep them from observing.
There was no mad rush for pictures. There was no shouting. The silence was funeral-like. Heads bowed. The
litter bearing the form of Doc Savage was placed in an ambulance which was, significantly, black.
Later, questions were asked. Yes, the explosion had all but demolished the laboratory of Doc Savage’s
headquarters. The form on the stretcher had been picked up in the wreckage. No, photographers could not
take pictures. What would be done with the body? That had not been decided yet.