Shadow 188 - House of Shadows 12-15-39, 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

THERE was a pause, during which The Shadow’s gaze inspired the old lady to continue.

“I like to form my own conclusions,” declared Miss Prudence. “I wanted to learn more before turning you over to the police. I learned that my attorney, Mr. Hebler, is a very excellent liar. He did not know” - she chuckled - “that I saw him from my window on the second floor.

“I watched him wave to men across the street, with his umbrella. I saw the shots they fired. Yet Mr. Hebler claims that all the gunfire came from the third floor of this house. He said that I heard echoes. Faugh!”

Pausing, Miss Prudence listened, heard Larkin still at work above. She leaned toward The Shadow.

“Tell me,” she said earnestly. “Who are you? Why did you come here? What reason should Mr. Hebler have to lie?”

The Shadow replied. His tone had the calmness of Cranston’s, though, at intervals, he paused to rest. During those intervals, Miss Prudence nodded.

Soon, she was talking, too, stating facts that fitted with the rather amazing things The Shadow told her. At the end of ten minutes, Miss Prudence came to a set decision.

“You must remain here tonight,” she said. “I shall prepare the guest room for you. But there is more that I must tell you!”

The Shadow interrupted with a warning whisper. Larkin was coming down the front stairs. Miss Prudence hurried to the doorway, met the butler and told him that he could retire.

“I think I shall sit up awhile,” she said. “It is very restful by the fire. Good night.”

At the top of the stairs, the faithful Larkin paused. He thought that he had heard Miss Prudence’s voice. Listening, he realized that he had. She was talking in the library.

Her voice stopped suddenly and Larkin heard an interrupting whisper, which he mistook for a hiss from a log in the fireplace.

Continuing to his room on the third floor, Larkin shook his head. Poor Miss Prudence, talking to herself as she sat beside the fire. Maybe she was getting old; or perhaps it was the excitement of the evening. No, it was probably the brandy.

No reason to worry, though. This house was safer than it had ever been before, for the police had searched it thoroughly and found it empty of intruders. No harm could come to anyone in the old mansion; not tonight.

Larkin was right. In fact, the house was far safer than he realized. Any house would be secure when The Shadow was its guest!

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