Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 087 by Maxwel l Grant

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

CHAPTER XIII. THE NEW TRAIL

Two days had passed since the developments at Dolver's. It was a crisp, clear afternoon in New York.

Shouting newsboys no longer cried out their tale of murder. A lull had gripped the law in its search for Dave Callard.

Yesterday, the affray at Dolver's had made front page headlines. Today, other news dominated the journals. All except the New York Classic. That sheet alone persisted in its efforts to make news about the murders that the police had pinned on Dave Callard.

Boxed on the front page of the Classic was the same request that had been printed two days before. A call for friends of Milton Callard to show themselves.

Clyde Burke had a story in the Classic also; one that carried his own byline. Other journals did not copy; since Clyde alone had been close to events at Dolver's. The story had been a Classic scoop. Rival newspapers preferred to ignore the details after one printing, rather than call attention to the triumph of the Classic.

IN contrast to the bright daylight of Manhattan, there was darkness in a certain room: The Shadow's sanctum. This was a spot where daylight never penetrated; a place that was thick with solid gloom. Amid the hushed walls came a click; the bluish light appeared above the corner table.

The Shadow's hands arrived. They opened envelopes and slid out written reports and clippings. The Shadow began a brief survey of events. Among the clippings was Clyde Burke's story of the attempt on Dolver's life.

One point, alone, was of interest. The chalk marks on Dolver's window shade had been deciphered.

Roger Mallikan had seen them; the shipping man had shown some knowledge of Chinese because of extensive foreign correspondence. He had interpreted the characters as a simple Chinese proverb.

The crudely formed chalk marks linked with Dave Callard. The hunted man had lived in China; he had worked for native interests in his attack on the Chu-kiang pirates. Had Callard entered Dolver's house and made those marks? If so, why?

The police had no answer. Whoever might have come in the window while the room was empty could also have decided to leave a marker for some other expected intruder. That was the only logical explanation.

Perhaps a more effective attempt on Dolver's life might have been planned beforehand. The arrival of Weston and Cardona would naturally have changed matters. One theory was that Callard had hoped to abduct Dolver; but had been forced to give up the idea after representatives of the law appeared.

THE SHADOW pressed clippings aside. Into the light came a piece of rope, looped and with ends already tied. It was a replica of the coil that had bound Courtney Dolver, that night at the penthouse.

The Shadow slipped his wrists into the coils. Cloaked arms came beneath the light and added to the twists. Muscles pressed; the slack disappeared and the knots tightened. Carefully, The Shadow managed to work the coils from his arms, before they became too great a restraint.

This test proved what had been said before; that Dolver's struggles had only served to bind him further.

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