The Shadow 127 Brothers of Doom by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant [Grant, Maxwell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Street & Smith
Published: 1937-05-31T22:00:00+00:00

door, the Brother was entering the room just past Rotherwelt’s suite.

Murthell strolled up, took the passkey. He strolled back to contact the third Brother near the fire exit.

MEANWHILE, a curious, silent episode was occurring in Rotherwelt’s bedroom. The connecting door clicked, muffled. Into the lighted room came the creeping figure of the first insidious Brother.

Catlike, the crinkle of his costume almost noiseless, the murderous intruder crossed to the bathroom. Despite the darkness, he saw the saucer-covered glass that held Rotherwelt’s medicine.

The Brother raised the saucer. From between thumb and forefinger, he dropped a luminous pellet that glowed like the disk he carried. The pill struck

the liquid; fizzed silently as it dissolved. Darting molecules added ghostly light to the contents of the glass. Pinkish fluid took on a ruddy glow.

Slowly, the fiery effect lessened. The Brother stepped away. At the door, he moved quickly; made back for the room from which he had come. He was out of sight, with the connecting door closed, just as Rotherwelt came slowly in from the living room. Rotherwelt had remembered his medicine.

Rotherwelt was not alone. Cardona had seen the bulky jeweler rise from his

chair. Following, Joe watched Rotherwelt cross the bedroom.

At that moment, the Brother’s deed was on the verge of discovery, for a dying sparkle remained within the medicine glass. It happened, though, that Rotherwelt blocked Cardona’s view. Rotherwelt, himself, did not see the glowing

glass. He was looking for the bathroom light.

When the light came on, the luminous tinge was lost. Rotherwelt removed the saucer; picked up the glass. He turned his profile toward Cardona. As Rotherwelt drank, Joe saw the glass and supposed it to be as innocent as before.

Cardona convoyed Rotherwelt back to the table, where customers were talking prices with Deprew. The junior partner asked Rotherwelt’s opinion; the elderly man heard the amounts and gave his agreements.

“Satisfactory offers,” he declared. “Suppose we register them in the account book. Let me have the final one, George.”

Deprew handed the book to Rotherwelt. Slowly, the bulky man began to thumb

the pages. He came to the figures that told the present balance of the business.

Looking up toward Deprew, Rotherwelt gave an inarticulate gargle.

“What’s the trouble, Richard?” questioned Deprew, in alarm. “Are you ill?”

Rotherwelt’s eyes were bulging; their fixed stare went beyond Cardona, toward the outer door of the room. For the moment, Joe had forgotten that door.

He was concerned with Rotherwelt. It was the jeweler’s gaze that made Cardona turn.

The door was open. There stood a tight-clad figure in garb of grayish, silklike texture. Eyes glittered through a slitted mask beneath the close-fitted hood. A Brother of Doom was master of the scene. His gauntleted fist clutched a revolver; his threat of crime allowed no dispute.

Deprew and the customers stared along with Cardona. As they did, a change came over Rotherwelt. His ashen face whitened completely. His hands, groping for the uncut diamonds, became suddenly limp. The jeweler’s heavy head plumped forward to the table. A sighed death gasp escaped his lips.

The Brother of Doom who occupied the doorway had no need to pull his trigger.

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