The Shadow - 277 - The Toll of Death by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Street & Smith
Published: 1944-02-29T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER X

The second feature at the Iris Theater was a Western, filled with enough gunfire to rock the rafters of the only movie house in Valley Center. Some of the audience were really scared, but they were fortunate. If they hadn’t been listening to the movie shooting, they would have heard the toll of the dooming bell.

Shirley Grantham came out of the theater to find the town in a state resembling the night before. Little clusters of people were gathered together, saying nothing; glad simply to share each other’s company.

Shirley didn’t have to ask if the death bell had tolled. Positive that it had, she dashed into the library, paying no heed to Luther’s astonishment as she hurried down to the research vault. Finding the door tight shut, Shirley pounded until she received a clattering response; finally, the door swung wide and Henley Grantham stared bewildered at his niece.

Shirley couldn’t find breath for words. By the time she did, Grantham had learned all from her face.

“The bell again?”

Shirley nodded.

“I have my car.” Grantham’s tone was grim. “We must go up there at once. Who was it this time?”

“I don’t know,” replied Shirley. “I don’t think anyone else does. They’re just standing there - so helplessly

- waiting for someone to tell them.”

When Grantham’s car pulled around the green, it started an immediate rush for others. The tension was telling on the natives and someone bold enough to head for Ragged Rock was accepted immediately as a natural leader. Strong though the hold of superstition was, it didn’t stop people from bringing along their shooting irons; rifles, shotguns, and other forms of local artillery. In a sense, Grantham was leading an unofficial posse toward the hillside where death must certainly have struck again.

Reaching the fork, Grantham swung along the road to the left, since that was where Ferris’s death had occurred. He asked Shirley how long ago the bell had tolled, but she didn’t know. Their information came when they found the road blocked by a big car that had bogged into a muddy ditch, left over from last night’s rain. Grantham recognized the car as Venner’s and the burly farmer put in a sudden appearance from in front of it.

“Glad you’re here, Mr. Grantham,” greeted Venner, huskily. “I heard the bell ring when I was coming into town.”

“Where had you gone?” inquired Grantham sharply. “Over to Millwood?”

“I was starting that way,” replied Venner, “only I forgot something and had to come back. That’s when I heard the bell. I was right by the old road that goes up past Half Dome.”

Grantham eyed Venner very sharply.

“How long ago was that?”

“About half an hour - maybe a little more.” Venner shrugged as though the time didn’t matter. “Anyway, the going was slow, because the road was muddy. I hit the road above your house, took a swing back toward the fork -“

“Through the shadow from Ragged Rock?” interrupted Grantham. “Were you willing to risk it, Venner?”

“It was gone by that time. Anyway, I got this far, and it’s moonlight now.

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