Grant, Maxwell - The Shadow 022 - The Creeping Death by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Detective, Mystery, Crime, Suspense, Adventure, Thriller
Publisher: Street & Smith Publications
Published: 1933-05-15T04:00:00+00:00

THE illumination of the electric lantern showed a vague path ahead. Vic Marquette walked stolidly along it. Strange, grotesque shadows shimmered across the path. Jose noticed them and shuddered.

The path went off into the woods away from the gorge, a distance of a quarter mile. It came to an abrupt ending by a large mound of rock.

Morales gave a low command. Dropping his rifle, Jose drew a huge handkerchief from his pocket and gagged Marquette.

Morales held the rays of his lantern on the scene, with the automatic ready. Jose tumbled Marquette on his back; then took the coil of rope from Morales. The henchman used it to bind Vic Marquette’s legs.

Pierre Armagnac was an interested spectator. He knew that Vic Marquette was to die; but he had not anticipated the method. Now he was to learn the system which Morales intended to use.

Jose carried Marquette to the mound of rock. Morales beckoned, and Armagnac followed. As they reached the mound, Morales held out a warning arm. The Frenchman stopped. He was at the verge of a clearing, dull moonlight bathing the vista beyond.

Morales stooped and picked up a small stone. He tossed it in the air. It disappeared as it dropped in the clearing. After long seconds, a tiny plunk came from below.

Armagnac understood. They were at the edge of a precipice, with water far below.

“A quarry,” whispered Morales. “A straight drop of a hundred feet; filled with stagnant water and slime. There is no one near here, but a splash is better than a gunshot, which might be heard for miles.”

“The body?” questioned Armagnac.

“Jose is taking care of that,” responded Morales. “See? It will remain at the bottom for a long time.”

In the dull moonlight, Jose was affixing heavy stones to the body of Vic Marquette. It was now that the secret-service man realized the death that threatened him. He writhed upon the ground. Jose dealt him a tough blow. Marquette, half-stunned, lay still.

“Come,” whispered Morales. “It is better not to wait.”

“Why not?” questioned Armagnac.

“The road,” replied Morales. “It is not far away. We will go there and make sure that no one is parked near there. Sometimes cars stop.”

Morales spoke to Jose, cautioning the underling to wait several minutes before proceeding. That would allow time for Morales and Armagnac to return, should they spy any one in the neighborhood. The sound of a heavy splash might carry to the road through the woods.

The flashlight glimmered through the trees as Morales and Armagnac retraced their footsteps. In the moonlight, the squat form of Jose was monstrous as it worked above the prisoner, taking care to attach the stones so that they could not possibly come loose.

Pierre Armagnac had passed the death sentence; Alfredo Morales had given the orders; Jose was to be the executioner of Vic Marquette, who was doomed by these fiends to a terrible death.

Only the moonlight showed on the mound of rock above the quarry - the moonlight which brought flickering shadows and among them a long, motionless silhouette which neither executioner or victim could see.

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