Crime Circus

CHAPTER XIII THE SHADOW’S CHANCE

THE path which The Shadow had taken was fraught with danger of discovery. Tenseness ruled the circus lot tonight. Flashlights glimmered here and there about the big top as roughnecks maintained a ceaseless vigil.

This was the circus custom. It was the duty of the roughnecks to keep a clear space about the big top. Usually, they nabbed boys who were trying to crawl under the canvas. Such captures were followed by admonitions of “Beat it, you punk.” But the roughnecks — whether genuine circus folk or camouflaged mobsters of Croaker’s crew — were apt to deal harshly with adult prowlers.

The fact that the circus lot was virtually under quarantine had caused much speculation around the big top. Stuffy had instructed all the roughnecks to grab any one who had no business near the main tent. This had followed a suggestion by the sheriff. It was a ruse to cover up the fact that he was searching for crooks among the people who belonged on the lot.

The Shadow, as he glided onward, was cunning in his stealth. He was seeking to avoid any encounter; as a result, he chose a zigzag path to escape the patrolling roughnecks. A light glimmered from ahead; one showed from the other direction. The Shadow chose the cover of a wheeled cage.

Human beings had not discerned The Shadow’s presence. But in his present move, the black-garbed venturer came within sight of huge green eyes that glowed from within the cage. A roar resounded in the night. Massive paws clanked against the bars at the front of the cage.

“Ganges,” the ferocious tiger, knew that someone was lurking close by. The rumble from his furry throat told of his discovery. The vicious growl was repeated. Then came a low hiss that reached the tiger’s ears.

The creature dropped back from the bars. The hiss came again, in a low, commanding tone. Muffling his growls, Ganges backed angrily away from the bars. He did not roar again. His eyes were blinking as he squatted, half cowering.

A GLOVED hand rattled the padlock that held the door of the tiger’s cage. A steel pick clicked while The Shadow probed. The lock yielded.

The door of the cage moved inward. Ganges growled but made no move as The Shadow silently closed the door and sprang the lock in place.

The hiss sounded close beside the tiger. With a catlike whine, the big beast shifted its position. It raised one paw, as though in final protest. The hiss was repeated. Ganges moved to the bars and settled there; his striped head between his paws.

Four roughnecks had reached the cage. Their flashlights glimmered upward between the bars. They revealed the crouched body of Ganges; but they did not show the shaded figure that was stooped against the solid back of the cage.

Sight of the new intruders inspired Ganges to lift his head and show his teeth in a whining growl. He clattered at the bars with one big paw. A roughneck jumped back at another’s warning.

“Look out for Ganges!” The tone showed dread. “He’s a man-eater, that cat. Even Wernoff has trouble handling him.”

“He’s a killer,” came another comment. “So it’s Ganges that was growlin’, eh? Huh. He’d raise a roar if he saw a shadow. There ain’t nobody around here.”

Lights were sweeping along the ground about the cage. Every bit of area was being covered. The roughnecks resumed their conversation.

“Say,” suggested one, “maybe somebody hopped in the cage.”

“With Ganges?” The man who answered gave a snort. “If he did, there’s no use botherin’ about him. He’s dead.”

“The door is locked,” put in a third speaker.

“Come along then,” decided the first. “That cat was just actin’ mean.”

“Like he usually does.”

The men moved away. As the lights flickered, Ganges arose to deliver a parting roar. He paced angrily. Then came the commanding hiss. The roughnecks were too far away to hear it. They were also too distant to witness the effect on Ganges.

As a blackened hand loomed before the tiger’s nose; as hidden lips repeated their weird hiss; as burning eyes met the tiger’s greenish gaze, Ganges cowered in complete submission. He watched the eyes move backward toward the door. He heard deft hands click at the lock. The door opened as The Shadow moved outward. The door swung shut; the lock clicked in place.

The master of the night was gone; yet Ganges remained cowed. The tiger was a killer; like humans who dealt in death he had felt the dominating power of The Shadow’s amazing presence. Other animals in near-by cages seemed to know that Ganges had been vanquished. Complete silence persisted as The Shadow moved forward into the night.

NEW glimmers blinked as The Shadow neared a long, low, lighted tent. The Shadow avoided them by raising the canvas. He glided inward and came up behind a row of trunks and boxes.

These were set across the end of the tent. The curve of the canvas wall produced a space between the trunks and the end of the tent. Thus The Shadow was totally concealed as he listened to voices from the other side of the trunks.

Clowns were making up. They were talking among themselves as they painted their faces in front of mirrors that were attached to trunks and boxes. Then came an interruption. It was the voice of Stuffy Dowson:

“Hey there, Koko.”

“Hi there, Stuffy,” responded a chuckling voice. It was “Koko” Thoden, the chief clown. “What’s on your mind, my boy?”

“All your gang here?”

“All presented and discounted for,” kidded Koko.

“All right,” returned Stuffy. “Keep ‘em all on the lot after the show.”

A buzz began as soon as Stuffy had gone. Mumbles included mention of the sheriff; then the posse; finally someone spoke of “bank robbers.” It was plain that the clowns had guessed the reason for the quarantine.

“Say, gang.” The buzz stopped as Koko spoke. “Maybe that yap with the tin star does have the idea that some safe crackers are hiding out with this show. All right. If he does, let’s kid him. I’ve got a stunt that I’ve been holding back. This would be a good time to pull it.”

“Let’s hear it, Koko,” came an eager chorus.

“You know that old dummy safe we used to use?” questioned Koko. “Well — a couple of you fellows dig it out. Have it ready while Lucille is doing the aerial act. That’s when we come in.”

“While they’re setting up the big cage.”

“Right. Go ahead and do your regular stuff. Then four of you put on bandanna handkerchiefs for masks and get ready to run the safe down in front of the main ring.”

“What about you, Koko?”

“I’ll be by the safe. I’ll give you the word when to start with it. Then I’ll follow you, with a couple of guns.”

“Goin’ to wear a tin star, Koko?”

“No. I’ve got a better gag than that.” Koko arose and unlocked a drawer of his trunk. “Did you fellows ever hear of The Shadow?”

“Sure. We’ve read about him. He’s the bird with the creepy laugh. Goes around in a black cloak and hat. Shoots down crooks.”

“You’ve got it right,” declared Koko, as he opened the drawer. “Well, gang, take a look at this layout.”

“Say!” came an exclamation. “Ain’t that a daisy. You’ve got a black cloak — a hat — even a pair of gloves. What’ll you be, Koko? The Shadow?”

“You guessed it,” affirmed Koko. “I’ll duck out while you boys are clowning. I’ll put on this rig and come back to the runway. Have the safe ready.”

“You’ll have to work quick, Koko. They won’t hold up Wernoff’s act just for us.”

“That won’t matter. You fellows keep on lifting the safe and setting it down whenever I come close to you. I won’t do any shooting until we get in front of the boxes.

“If they turn out the regular lights and throw the spot of Wernoff’s cage before we get in front of the boxes, just set down the safe and stick where you are. I’ll wait with you.

“Then as soon as the cat act finishes and the lights come on, we’ll pick up where we left off. That way we won’t have to cut any of our regular stunts. Got the idea?”

“Sure thing, Koko.”

A call came from the front of the tent. Clowns sprang to their feet and finished their make-up. They jogged forth toward the big top, ready to begin their first array of stunts. The big show had begun.

The steamy melody of a calliope came faintly to the emptied tent as a figure arose from behind the row of trunks. The head and shoulders of The Shadow loomed and cast a shaded silhouette upon the opened drawer of Koko’s trunk.

The burning eyes of The Shadow spied the blackened garments that the clown had laid upon a chair. A soft laugh sounded in uncanny tones from the hidden lips beneath those blazing optics.

Koko’s stunt had gained the approval of the clowns. It had won The Shadow’s approval also. Chance had served to aid The Shadow’s plans. Within this very tent, The Shadow would make his first step to counter new and desperate crime.