Shadow 052 - Crime Circus 04-15-34, The by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant [Grant, Maxwell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Street and Smith
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XI

CRIME’S AFTERMATH

“LAST town was a red one. This will be another bloomer.”

Cap Guffy made the statement from the front of the Ten-in-One. The show was on the new lot, outside the town of Hamilcar. Evening had arrived; yet the crowd was straggling.

“There’s an hour yet before the big show starts,” observed Stuffy Dowson. He was standing beside Cap Guffy. “You’ve got to give ‘em a chance to come on the lot.”

“Yeah?” questioned Cap. “On opening night? Say - this midway ought to be jammed. Look at it, though. There ain’t a wheel clicking. Listen, Stuffy; sometimes I’ve squawked because Tex wouldn’t let me start my show until after they got going in the big top. But I ain’t kicking tonight. It won’t need big figures to count up the ‘take’ that’s coming in tonight.”

“Tex wants to see you down in the office, Cap,” remarked Stuffy, in a conciliatory tone. “Thought maybe I’d better tell you a while before you opened.”

“All right by me,” returned Cap. “Say - does Tex think I’m still sore about them roughnecks? I ain’t. This new crew is better than the old one.”

“That’s good, Cap. No, the roughnecks don’t matter with Tex. I guess some of the five that blew are back again. We weren’t short-handed when we set up the big top today.”

“Moving around, eh? Well, that’s the way with roughnecks. You can’t count on them.”

“Hank may have taken on some new ones,” admitted Stuffy. “He’s the guy that keeps tabs. Well - it’s up to him. That’s one job he can keep - watching the roughnecks. I don’t want it.”

As Cap Guffy strolled in the direction of the office, keen eyes spied him from a tent beyond the Ten-in-One. That was Zoda’s tent; but it was a different shape than Zoda’s that moved forth into the thickening gloom.

A blackened shape against the darkening sky, The Shadow was moving toward the truck to which the office trailer was attached. He was choosing that vantage point to observe what happened in the office.

Other forms appeared among the tents after The Shadow had followed Guffy’s path. One was that of Jubo the Geek. Another was the figure of Cleed. Passing roughnecks chanced to observe these prowlers. They paid no attention to them. It was customary for the freaks to stay away from the midway while the crowds were gathering.

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