Grant, Maxwell - The Shadow 274 - Murder By Moonlight by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Detective, Mystery, Crime, Suspense, Adventure, Thriller
Publisher: Street & Smith Publications
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

FINDING Cranston to tell him anything was quite a problem in itself. Margo hadn’t seen him in the last twenty-four hours, nor did she have an idea where he might be. As it happened, Cranston was at the office of his physician, Dr. Rupert Sayre.

“I need a vacation,” Cranston was telling Sayre. “I ought to go some place where I could have a complete rest. What would you say to Beaverwood?”

It wasn’t easy to startle Sayre, but that question did it. When his wits came back, Sayre stared at Cranston for a full minute and then declared:

“If I thought you meant it, Cranston, I’d say that you belonged there. No one but an absolute lunatic would ever think of entering Beaverwood.”

“That’s why I plan to go there,” returned Cranston. “It strikes me that Marsh’s theories and methods should be checked by someone who is actually sane.”

Sayre shook his head significantly.

“Preserving one’s sanity might even be a problem,” he declared. “If Marsh ran an ordinary asylum, I think he would have come up for investigation long ago. He has gone too far, expressing the opinion that all insanity is incurable.”

“It has brought him business, Sayre.”

“Yes, he receives cases that have been classed as almost hopeless, which is clever on his part. Should anyone begin to question Marsh’s judgment regarding his patients, he would refer all inquiries back to the institutions where those patients came from.”

Cranston’s eyes met Sayre’s in a prolonged, penetrating gaze. Sayre knew what those eyes meant, for he had met their gaze before. There were times when Cranston assumed the commanding force of The Shadow, without changing to his other character. Under such circumstances, his demands became law.

Sayre owed much to The Shadow. His life had been saved by the cloaked master, and the hypnotic power of The Shadow’s eyes revived such recollections in Sayre’s mind. Any refusal on Sayre’s part would be a matter only of apprehension for Cranston’s welfare and The Shadow’s piercing gaze removed that factor.

“You will arrange for me to enter Beaverwood.” The tone was The Shadow’s whisper. “I command it, Sayre, because it is imperative.”

Sayre’s response was a nod. The burning gaze lessened until Sayre found himself facing the mild glance of Cranston. Immediately Sayre began to make the arrangements.

“I can pronounce you insane,” Sayre told Cranston, “but only if you give me a signed statement regarding your purpose.”

“You have already declared it,” smiled Cranston. “Dr. Marsh needs investigation. I should like to undertake it.”

“That helps immensely,” decided Sayre. “Other physicians will have to agree with my findings in order to commit you. Fortunately I know several who would welcome this opportunity to learn what goes on in Beaverwood. Still, there are legal complications -”

“I can arrange those,” put in Cranston. “When I tell the police commissioner that several reputable physicians have urged me to undertake this venture, he will subscribe to the plan himself. That should certify it, Sayre.”

“I think it should.”

Sayre was nodding as he spoke. Other points were in his mind.

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