Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 112 by Maxwel l Grant

Author:Maxwel,l Grant
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf

CHAPTER XI. CROOKS COUNTER

SOON after Denburton's departure from Lengood Manor, a trio assembled in the laboratory of the secluded house near the deeper ravine. Chief of this group was Dagbar; with the death-faker were Pierre Guyak and Bela Bey.

Dagbar had come back to the house beneath the shelter of trees. His clothing was scarcely more than damp, despite the intensity of the rain. Bela Bey, however, was as soaked as if he had swum a stream.

The huge Egyptian showed other signs of his conflict in the clearing. He had taken a terrific smash against the fence; his forehead showed an ugly gash that Doctor Guyak had patched with plaster. The bounding plunge into the depths of the ravine had given Bela Bey additional jolts; his clothes had been ripped by underbrush and stones; one bared shoulder showed long scratches and a large bruise.

Bela Bey had limped badly when he reached the house. Dagbar made reference to the fact.

“You were lucky, Bela Bey,” declared the death-faker. “Fortunately, there were enough soft spots from the rain. One bad bounce, and you would still be back in the ravine.”

Bela Bey glared viciously. His bulging eyes told that he was eager for new battle with The Shadow.

Dagbar understood.

“Maybe you'll get another chance, Bela Bey,” he declared. “If that girl saw too much and blabbed it—”

A telephone buzzed. Dagbar fished the instrument from beneath a lab bench. The conversation that he held was brief, scarcely more than a few grunted words that told nothing. Dagbar smiled, however, when he hung up the receiver.

“The girl saw nothing,” he declared. “That's all we needed to know. It's up to us to go ahead the way we figured.”

Guyak shook his head in objection.

“What about The Shadow?” he queried. “No matter how cleverly we work our game with Roger Lengood, he will suspect something. Even though you intend to fake death first, on this occasion, and handle murder afterward, The Shadow will—”

“I've figured on The Shadow,” interrupted Dagbar, angrily. “I told you that, Guyak! The job is to decoy him!”

“But you have no way to do so.”

“I had no way; but one occurred to me. I didn't mention it, simply because we didn't think The Shadow was around.”

Smiling uglily, Dagbar leaned back in his chair and began to express his plan.

“FIRST of all,” declared the death-faker, “Slug got word from Leigh Harbrook, the fellow who is traveling with Roger Lengood. Roger sent a telegram to Joland to-day, saying that he would be in Clearfield to-night and asking him to wire money there to-morrow.”

“But Joland will never wire the money.”

“Of course not. Because I will show up the first thing to-morrow as Roger.”

“And Roger?”

“Will leave Clearfield and drive for Philadelphia with Harbrook. After Harbrook digs up some cash that he forgot he had.”

Dagbar smiled to indicate that the events just mentioned would have an insidious sequel. It was plain that Dagbar never expected Roger Lengood to reach the manor.

“Of course,” continued Dagbar, “Joland has not received Roger's telegram. Peters did a neat job intercepting it; and he flashed the dope to Denburton.

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