Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 001 by Maxwel l Grant

Author:Maxwel,l Grant
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf

CHAPTER XVIII. FELLOWS ASSEMBLES FACTS

CLAUDE FELLOWS was working in his inner office. He was seated at his personal typewriter. The door to the outer office was closed.

The insurance broker had been engaged so all morning - ever since Harry Vincent had reported at nine o'clock, only to be told to come back toward the end of the day.

It was nearly half past one, and Fellows had not gone out for lunch. Evidently he intended to complete the work that he had in hand.

He struck a few words on the typewriter, then pondered. He shifted to another line, allowing considerable space, and typed a few more words.

He was nearly at the bottom of the sheet. He stopped and drew it from the machine, dropped the piece of paper upon others that were beside him, then carried them all to his desk. There were not many papers in the pile, but Fellows seemed satisfied with what he had accomplished.

He sorted through the sheets, arranged them in order, and read the one on top. It contained simple lines of condensed information that ran down the page at intervals.

Fellows read each statement in an undertone, pausing between the phrases:

"Geoffrey Laidlow - millionaire.

"No enemies - house at Holmwood.

"Collection of gems - kept in safe.

"Family away - wife and two sons.

"People in house - secretary and servants."

Fellows paused and considered a row of stars that ran across the typewritten page Then he read below:

"Laidlow returned home - accompanied by his secretary - went into the library - closed the door - heard a sound in the house - went to the study - discovered a man at the open safe - was shot and killed - by revolver kept in safe."

Fellows laid the sheet of paper face down upon his desk. He scanned the next page of typewriting:

"Howard Burgess - Laidlow's secretary - came in with Laidlow - with him in library - ready to go out -

wearing coat and gloves - was with Laidlow - followed him to the study - attacked by the burglar - shot in the arm - followed the burglar - ran to front window - saw the burglar escape."

The third sheet carried further information:

"Ezekiel Bingham - criminal lawyer - lived near Laidlow - passing the house - heard shots fired - stopped his car - saw a man cross the lawn - entered the Laidlow home - found Burgess - called the police."

A line of stars; then this data:

"Met a man named Joyce - in his automobile at night - gave Joyce a copy of the code - original in Bingham's safe - demanded quick translation - ordered silence - purpose of the code - unknown."

The next sheet bore these memoranda:

"Unknown burglar - entered Laidlow home.

"Opened the safe.

"Knew the combination? Worked the dials.

"Jewels were there - he took them.

"Removed papers - scattered them on the floor.

"Nothing missing - except jewels.

"Killed Laidlow.

"Shot Burgess - dropped the revolver on the lawn.

"Seen by Bingham.

"Escaped across lawn - left no trail."

The pages that followed

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