The Money Master by Maxwell Grant & Walter Gibson

Author:Maxwell Grant & Walter Gibson [Grant, Maxwell & Gibson, Walter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Espionage, Fiction, Thrillers
Publisher: Street & Smith
Published: 1942-12-20T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XII. THE PLANTED CLUE

WITH morning, Pierre Dulaine called a meeting of his men around the breakfast table. A compact crew, these, quite different from Shep Ficklin's hirelings that the police had taken into custody. Dulaine's men looked tough enough, but their manner was sincere.

They were sworn to a rigid oath, these men from countries that had suffered through invasion. Their duty was to bring disaster to Eric Zorva, whose financial wizardry thrived on world chaos. With them, the word of Pierre Dulaine was law. When he told them that The Shadow had become their ally, their eyes gleamed with keen appreciation.

Beside Dulaine sat a darkish man named Nicco Pana, whose quick manner marked him as the keenest of the lot. Pana served as Dulaine's lieutenant whenever one was needed. As he listened, Pana was toying with a ring of keys that he finally handed to Dulaine.

"The Shadow is still your guest," remarked Pana, with a dry smile. "Why not release him?"

Dulaine returned a hearty laugh. "I thought you knew the cell room wasn't finished," said Dulaine. "This key unlocks it, yes, but it can be opened from the inside, like the bars on the windows. It would be well to complete the cell room, however, because it may soon have another occupant. With The Shadow as our ally, we can hope to capture Eric Zorva."

Members of the group were stirring to face about. A cloaked figure had entered the room, his slouch hat drawn almost to his eyes. Again they were meeting The Shadow, though he was still keeping his identity concealed as Dulaine had requested. Turned from the light, not a feature of The Shadow's face was visible, except for the burn of his eyes.

As Dulaine introduced his men, they stepped toward The Shadow to receive the grip of his gloved hand. That ceremony completed, The Shadow assured the group of his cooperation. Dulaine would hear from him at regular intervals. When it came to a meeting with Eric Zorva, all would have opportunity to play a part.

Then, in the broad light of day, The Shadow stalked from Dulaine's headquarters. He had gone a full block before people began to notice him and wonder at the sight of a cloaked masquerader whose identity was fully concealed.

By then, The Shadow was near the subway entrance. He stepped from sight, and during the descent removed his cloak and hat.

When a local train stopped beside the platform, it was Lamont Cranston who boarded it, with a small black bundle tucked beneath his arm. It wasn't until he was riding away from another station, in Moe's cab, that The Shadow took a careful look at his discarded cloak. Then he examined something he had noted earlier in this cloak that he had temporarily left at Dulaine's.

The slit in the back of the cloak was something new. It could only represent the slash of a knife blade. Picturing the door with the wicket; The Shadow recognized the likely source from which the knife had come.

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