The Shadow - 145 - The Golden Pagoda by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Street & Smith
Published: 1938-03-21T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XI

STRIFE UNDERGROUND

WHILE Myra Reldon gazed in consternation at the spot where The Shadow had dropped from sight, Li Hoang bounded from his throne. He sprang straight for the girl. To the astonishment of his followers, he gripped the supposed Ming Dwan in a ferocious clutch. Myra felt vicious claws grip her collar.

This was no mock battle, like the one that she had fought with The Shadow.

That struggle had seemed real enough; to give it effect, The Shadow had given a

sharp rip to Myra’s sleeve. When she saw that very sleeve, Myra realized why Li

Hoang’s stroke had come.

The seam of the sleeve had left a gap beside the girl’s arm. Through that space, Li Hoang had spotted white skin. The Shadow, too, had noticed the telltale clue; but not until he had noticed Li Hoang’s fixed gaze.

The wrench that Li Hoang gave to Myra’s collar tore away the whole side of

her dress. Her sleeve fell loose; that did not matter, for she had stained her arms and shoulders with a yellow dye. The ripping of her dress did the real damage. It exposed Myra’s side, almost to her hip. Chun Laro and his crew saw instantly that she was white.

With a fierce cackle, Li Hoang flung Myra toward the door. She sank there,

clutching her torn dress too late. Chun Laro, anxious to copy his master’s deeds

of murder, whipped out a knife. He was ready to finish Ming Dwan, as Li Hoang had settled with the Mongol guard.

Before Chun Laro could drive forward, a muffled tumult stopped all motion in the throne room. The sounds came from below, beneath the thick-rugged floor.

There was the quiver of an unearthly laugh, mocking and triumphant. Guns delivered a muffled roar from the depths. Again, The Shadow’s laugh throbbed sinister mirth!

Li Hoang made a leap for the wall behind the throne. He swung open the space that was adorned with a gilded pagoda, to reveal a spiral staircase.

Followed by a crowd of Mongols, Li Hoang dashed downward.

Chun Laro hesitated. That was a bad mistake. Myra was drawing a .32

revolver. It was too late for the snaky lieutenant to make his knife-thrust.

He

dived beyond the dragon throne, shouting for aid. Discarding his knife, he drew

a gun of his own.

Myra found refuge behind one of the torch-topped statues. In the light from burning flame, she and Chun Laro exchanged quick shots, without effect.

Both had gained too good a refuge.

Meanwhile, Li Hoang had reached the room below. Coming from the far side of the boiling vat, he gaped at the scene before him Poised in the metal-stranded web, The Shadow lay ready for all comers. In each fist, he held an automatic; on the other side of the vat, crippled guards lay helpless from bullets that he had delivered.

Li Hoang’s snare had failed, because The Shadow had previously inspected it. For the first time, Li Hoang realized the faults of that ingenious web.

The Shadow, thanks to his brief clutch at the trap, had dropped - not plunged - into the mesh.

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