The Creeper by Maxwell Grant & Walter Gibson

Author:Maxwell Grant & Walter Gibson [Grant, Maxwell & Gibson, Walter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Espionage, Fiction, Thrillers
ISBN: 9781608771578
Amazon: 1608771571
Publisher: Street & Smith
Published: 1935-08-15T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XII. THE SHADOW'S VISIT

IT was early the next evening. Donald Shiloh was seated by the window of a small but sumptuous apartment, overlooking Central Park. On the table beside him lay a newspaper; its scareheads told of murder in a tenement house near the Bowery, with added details of a dead slayer, found in a deserted apartment, seven blocks from the scene of crime.

The police had linked the death of Dopey Delvin with the dead killer, Slugger Haskew. They had examined Slugger's revolver; the bullets in Dopey's body matched those of the .38 in the murderer's pocket. But the newspaper accounts carried no mention of the shattered ebony casket. That explained why Shiloh had tossed the paper aside after glancing through the columns that told of crime.

Twinkling lights of the park did not attract Shiloh's meditative gaze. He was staring beyond them; the direction of his vision was toward the region where the Doyd mansion was located. Shiloh was thinking of Theresa, wondering whether he should call and learn if new developments had occurred within the ancient mansion.

The telephone bell rang. Jeffrey, a solemn valet with fishlike face, came into the room to answer the call. He spoke in solemn tones; then held the telephone toward Shiloh, with the low-toned statement:

"It is Miss Theresa Doyd, sir."

Shiloh sprang from his chair and seized the telephone. He talked in brief, serious tones:

"Hello, Theresa... Yes, I can come to the house... Certainly, at once... Yes, my coupe is out front. It will take me less than twenty minutes."

Jeffrey brought hat and coat. Briskly, Shiloh left the sumptuous apartment. His time estimate had been correct. Just twenty minutes later, his svelte, dark-green coupe rolled to a stop in front of the gloomy Doyd residence.

Wilfred admitted Shiloh and showed him to the library, where Theresa awaited. The girl closed the door; it was evident that she had something important to say and wanted to be sure that no listeners were about. Tensely, almost terrified, she waited before speaking.

Shiloh guessed that she was listening in dread of creeping footsteps. With a smile at the girl's alarm, Shiloh opened the door and peered out into the hallway. He returned.

"No one about," he informed.

SHILOH was wrong. Although he had gazed straight toward the blackness of the rear hall and had seen nothing, a living form was there. This house had gained a silent, unseen listener, almost at the moment when Wilfred had admitted Shiloh.

When the living room door closed for the second time, a shape moved forward. Dim light from the front hall furnished a hazy, almost indistinguishable outline of The Shadow.

While his agents still searched for Jerry Kobal, The Shadow had decided to visit this old mansion, to discover if news of the shattered ebony casket had reached the Doyd heirs. The Shadow had remembered the door at the side of the house. He had chosen it as a means of entry. Obscured by the blackness of the rear hall, he had seen Wilfred announce Shiloh.

The servant had lingered a few moments; then had gone upstairs.

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