Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 192 by Maxwel l Grant

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

CHAPTER XII. CASH IN ADVANCE

SELDOM did The Shadow witness robberies. He usually ended them before they were complete. But this particular crime was well worth watching because of its smoothness.

Crinkly fingers did not hesitate with the combination. They turned with a swiftness that would have surprised Howard Burman, the only man supposed to know the combination.

In fact, had Burman been there to watch the moving hand, he would have been dumfounded. He might even have believed that the painted lips of old Thomas Drober had whispered the combination to the marauder; for only the eyes of the portrait had seen Burman turn the safe dial.

Knowing something of the Drober Corporation and the men who formed its directors, The Shadow, himself, was very much intrigued, particularly when the safe came open after the crinkling fingers had made their first try.

There had been no guesswork on the burglar's part, nor was he in any doubt as to the swag he wanted.

Pushing aside boxes and papers that might have interested the average thief, the masked marauder came out with bundles of currency, that he counted rapidly in the light, then stacked into four even piles.

A hand picked up the light, swung it from the safe. The glow fixed on a stack of packages in a corner.

With stealthy stride, the crook obtained a package, unwrapped it, and flung a batch of printed business reports upon the floor. Returning to the safe, he used the wrapping paper to inclose the stacks of currency.

Again, the light was propped against the hat, so that the hands could tie a string around the bundle, which they did quite easily, despite the handicap of the cellophane gloves.

Sensing that the light would be coming in his own direction, The Shadow made a careful trip around the long table, to the corner that the crook had left. From that position, he watched further operations.

At odd moments, The Shadow glimpsed the masked face, along with the hands; saw eyes glisten through slits in the mask. But there wasn't a trace of other features; the mask came too low.

Remembering that Ted Lycombe had a broad, strong jaw, The Shadow wasn't surprised that the crook was using a mask that covered his entire face.

Twice, the light swung toward the directors' table. On the first trip, a hand lifted the package of money and placed it on the table. The next time, it brought a heavy satchel and laid it beside the package.

The satchel interested The Shadow.

Since the bag was large enough to take the money, it was obvious that it must have other contents; items necessary to this crime. Yet the outer door had been opened very easily, needing no instrument larger than a jackknife; and the safe had been handled by knowledge of the combination.

While the mobster was turning back to close the safe, The Shadow moved from the corner and reached the table. He heard the safe thump shut, caught the crinkle of cellophane as the crook removed his gloves. The Shadow slid back to the corner just as the light began to swing his way.

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