The Shadow - 94 - Castle of Doom by Maxwell Grant

Author:Maxwell Grant [Grant, Maxwell]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781932806618
Amazon: 193280661X
Goodreads: 1597769
Publisher: Street & Smith
Published: 1936-01-14T23:00:00+00:00

Luval and Lodera had resumed their discussions; but this time it was Nigel Chiswold, not The Shadow, who was hearing the details. One interloper had replaced the other. The Shadow had no alternative; he was forced to leave the field to Nigel.

Yet the gleam of The Shadow’s eyes was indication that he had heard enough for the present. He was willing to let Nigel listen. The Shadow knew that this episode would cause one crosspurpose to meet another.

Nigel had carried through his plan. He had come down from the spy room in the turret, to study matters in Chiswold Castle. The shrewd smile on his face showed that he was learning facts that suited him.

Whatever Nigel’s purpose was here, he was gaining results.

New footsteps. The Shadow heard them; but Nigel did not. The tread, though unguarded, was a soft one, coming up the stairs. The Shadow knew that it must be Gwendolyn Ralthorn. The girl’s room was on the other side of the hallway. Chances were that she would not glance in the direction of the study.

Gwendolyn appeared at the top of the stairs. As The Shadow expected, she started in the direction of her own room. It was Nigel who spoiled his own chances of escaping discovery. He heard the footsteps in the hall. He spun about, alarmed.

The slight sound of Nigel’s move caught Gwendolyn’s ear. The girl stopped short. She looked squarely toward the door of the study. Against its background, she saw Nigel’s pallid face. The girl quivered in terror; then gasped, aloud.

“Geoffrey!”

Like old Jeremy, Gwendolyn had mistaken Nigel for his cousin; and her reactions were the same. She thought that she was viewing the ghost of Geoffrey Chiswold. But Gwendolyn had greater reason to be horrified. Not only was the apparition inside the castle itself; but the appearance of the supposed ghost came as an added shock to one that she had already received.

Gwendolyn had not forgotten the blackened shape that she had seen upon the lawn in the moonlight.

Despite Lord Cedric’s skepticism, she had retained her qualms. Upon spying Nigel and taking him for Geoffrey, Gwendolyn had immediately connected this appearance with that of last night’s.

“Geoffrey!”

GWENDOLYN’S second cry was a half shriek. With it, Nigel bounded forward, hissing for silence.

Gwendolyn dropped back, burying her face in her hands; trying to scream, but failing. As Nigel reached her, she crumpled in a faint.

There was the sound of commotion in the study. The Shadow heard the muffled shove of chairs. Luval and Lodera had heard the noise in the hall. Alarmed, they were coming out to learn the trouble. Nigel heard their suppressed tones. He dived away toward the front room A creak of the stairs had passed unnoticed; but now it turned to sudden footsteps. As Nigel headed for the front room, a bulky man sprang up to stop his flight. The arrival was a hard-faced servant, whose eyes glinted with determination.

Nigel wheeled at the man’s approach. With a scientific jab, he drove his fist to the big fellow’s chin, sent the man sprawling against the wall.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.