Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 188 by Maxwel l Grant

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

CHAPTER XV. MOVES REVERSED

THOUGH it was still daylight outdoors, dusk was present in Hebler's huge office, save close to the desk, where a lamp flung a ring of light. Behind the massive, brass-ornamented desk, Hebler sat looking over reports that Jervis had brought. The facts pleased him.

"So young Melwin embezzled money from Trone," remarked Hebler, with a dry chuckle, "to pay off a debt that he owed to a racketeer named Gorlon. Have you any idea what might lie behind that, Jervis?"

Hebler's eyes were sharp and beady as he watched Jervis. The man shook his head; he hadn't an idea. In fact, Jervis seldom had ideas. He was paid not to have them, except in a mechanical way.

He demonstrated that fact when he said:

"I can get Gorlon's record from the files, Mr. Hebler, if you wish it."

Hebler snorted.

"Not from my files! The police make it their business to keep check on known crooks of Gorlon's type. I never bother with such data, except when it directly concerns any clients. After tonight, Jervis, we may have a file covering Gorlon."

"Do you wish me to call the police, sir?"

"Not yet. Perhaps not at all. We shall wait and see if Mr. Cranston comes here. He may be able to

supply whatever information I want. Go down to the main door, Jervis, and admit him."

Ten minutes later, Jervis reappeared, accompanied by Cranston. Ordering Jervis back to his post, Hebler shook hands with the visitor and invited Cranston to have a chair at the opposite side of the great desk.

Hunched in his own chair, Hebler let his cold gray eyes meet the steady gaze of The Shadow.

"I would like to ask, Mr. Cranston," began Hebler, "why you have taken an interest in the business affairs of my client, Miss Prudence Ralcott."

"You are misinformed," was Cranston's calm reply. "It happens that Miss Ralcott and I are separately interested in purchasing certain bonds from an exporter named Lawrence Trone."

"But Trone offered those bonds to Miss Ralcott, whereas you deliberately sought him out and took up the matter."

"You are again inaccurate, Mr. Hebler. I went to see Trone regarding some exports. He happened to mention the bonds while I was there."

Hebler's lips formed a wry curve. Cranston's memory was as good as the reports brought by Jervis.

Finding that he couldn't trip up his visitor, Hebler shifted to a different style of attack.

"A few nights ago," he said, "an intruder tried to enter the Ralcott mansion. I saw the man; he was a masquerader cloaked in black, who managed to disappear later."

"I read of the incident," returned the calm-toned Mr. Cranston. "But the police received no description of the sort that you have just given to me."

"They might not have believed it. They would probably have doubted my eyesight."

"On the contrary, Mr. Hebler, if the police had believed it, you would have lost a very good alibi."

"Just what do you mean?"

"You claimed that you saw no one across the street. If any chance passer had reported the men who were actually there, you could have resorted to only one claim, Mr.

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