Shadowed Millions

CHAPTER XXVI THE COMPROMISE

THE door of the cabin swung suddenly wide. Rodriguez Zelva stared in amazement. It was not Frank Desmond who stood there; it was a man garbed in black, his shoulders covered by a flowing cloak, his head hidden beneath a broad-brimmed hat.

“Shoot!”

Zelva blurted the command to Ellsdorff. The German, momentarily surprised, was about to obey. But Pesano was quicker. With a wild, sudden swing, the swarthy man hurled himself upon Ellsdorff and buried his knife to the hilt in the German’s body.

A guttural cry came from Ellsdorff’s lips. With wide mouth and staring eyes he turned his automatic toward his attacker and pressed the trigger three times. Then he rolled to the floor and Pesano crumpled forward upon him.

Rodriguez Zelva made a quick leap for the automatic. A voice from the door stopped him. Zelva looked at the man in black. He saw the burning eyes of The Shadow. He also saw the muzzle of an automatic that extended from a black-gloved hand.

Zelva moved back to his chair and sat down calmly. In this moment of unexpected adversity, he was, as ever, a schemer.

“Who are you?” demanded Zelva.

“One who came here as Frank Desmond,” returned The Shadow, in a whispered voice. “I learned his plans from his own lips. He was in my power. I took his place.”

“Pesano—”

Zelva was staring at the dead man on the floor.

“Pesano was to meet Desmond,” said The Shadow, quietly. “He met me. We talked. He decided that he, too, could play the double cross, after he heard my promises.”

Zelva understood. This amazing man had weaned away Pesano, so that he would have help when he reached the yacht. Doubtless it had been an offer of money, should they succeed in turning the tables.

“Your schemes are ended, Zelva,” said The Shadow, in his low tone. “You captured this yacht with your rumrunning ship. You came to it and committed piracy. Now you shall lose your ill-gotten gains.”

Zelva felt uneasy as he listened. Nevertheless, he was artful despite the changed situation. He had cards to play and he smiled as he delivered them.

“You think that you have captured me?” Zelva’s voice was sneering. “You are in a trap, that is all. Kill me. Then try to leave. My crew commands this ship. My other boat is here. You are helpless.”

“That will not avail you when you are dead.”

The calm monotone of The Shadow’s voice made Zelva shudder. Legira’s face lighted in elation.

“I have but to call” — Zelva’s tone was defiant — “and you are lost—”

“Try to call.”

The Shadow’s voice quelled the man. He realized that pistol shots would summon no one on this ship. Those had been expected by the crew.

ZELVA realized that his cause was fading. He knew that The Shadow, through his indomitable skill, held the upper hand. Yet he sensed a chance for terms.

“What do you wish?” he asked.

“Leave this ship,” ordered The Shadow. “Send back its rightful crew. Go your way — and see to it that you never cross my path.”

“The money?”

“It belongs to Legira.”

Zelva smiled cunningly.

“I do not take your terms,” he said. “Do what you wish. But remember” — he turned to Legira — “remember that if I die — even if you escape — those men of yours on the other ship—”

The inference was plain. The crew of the yacht Santander were prisoners. They would surely die; for The Shadow and Legira could hope for nothing more than escape by the small boat.

Legira’s eyes blinked. He was matching wealth with lives. Schemer though he was, Legira was honest to those who served him.

“You shall have part of the money,” he said, “if you will release the crew.”

“How much?”

“That we shall decide.”

The men had reached an impasse. They stared at each other in disaccord. The Shadow watched. He knew that time was waning. Dangers here increased as time went on.

“Here are the terms, Zelva,” he declared. “Leave this ship. Release the crew. The Cordova will sail to Santander. You will come there also, to receive the share that Legira offers you.”

“One half,” said Legira.

“The money goes to Santander?” questioned Zelva, shrewdly.

“Yes,” replied The Shadow.

“How?” questioned Zelva.

“In the custody of its rightful owner,” announced The Shadow. “Legira will take it on this ship.”

“You think I am a fool?” sneered Zelva. “I should never see one cent of that money. Listen to this plan” — his voice was sarcastic — “I take the money on my ship, in return for the crew. I shall bring the money to Legira — to divide with him—”

“No!” interposed Legira. “That would be—”

The Shadow interrupted, with a sweep of one hand. Legira became silent.

“Your terms are accepted, Zelva,” declared The Shadow. “We rely upon you to abide by your promise. Where is the ten million dollars?”

“In the strong room,” declared Zelva. “There, in a locked box. I have the only key.”

“Order the crew of the Cordova to be placed in small boats,” said The Shadow. “When that is done, you may take the box from the strong room. You must bring it to Santander — unopened — there to deliver it to Legira. The division may then be made. Do you agree?”

Legira was about to protest; but stopped as he saw The Shadow’s eyes. Zelva, with a smile, bowed in acceptance of the terms.

“I agree,” he said. “I shall bring the box to Santander; there, we shall divide the money. I shall not open the box until I meet with Legira.”

“Come to the door.”

THE SHADOW motioned Zelva to the entrance. With his automatic between the man’s shoulders, The Shadow stood behind him. Prompted by The Shadow, Zelva called. A man appeared in the corridor.

“Tell them on the other ship,” said Zelva, “tell them to put the prisoners in little boats. Immediately, you understand?”

The man went on his errand. Slow minutes passed. The Shadow motioned Zelva through the corridor and up a flight of steps. They stood in the darkness of the deck. The moonlight showed small boats beside the rumrunner, awaiting further orders.

“Call two men,” said The Shadow, in a whisper. “Take them to the strong room.”

Zelva obeyed. He did not see The Shadow as he descended the steps, but he knew well that the menacing man was somewhere present.

Using the key, Zelva boldly unlocked the door of the strong room. At his command, the men lifted the treasure box and carried it toward the deck.

The Shadow appeared beside Zelva, emerging mysteriously from a darkened corner. They reached the deck and again the man in black stood behind Zelva, giving his low, whispered orders to the group.

“You and all your men take to the boats,” he said. “You go last, with the box. Send one boat ahead to order the Cordova’s crew to start unmolested when your boats start. You understand?”

“Yes,” returned Zelva.

He called the order. The men on the yacht busied themselves with the boats. Zelva was plotting no longer. He had the money. He would not fear the Cordova after reaching his own ship.

Zelva was the last to descend the ladder. He heard the voice of The Shadow as he was moving toward the rail.

“I am watching,” came the quiet words. “Be careful. Remember your promise. Bring the box to Legira in Santander — unopened.—”

A single boat went ahead to give orders. Beneath the moonlight, wondering men were watching from both sides. Zelva gave an order. His boats moved slowly forward. A motion was visible from beside the rumrunner. The released crew was starting on its way.

A strange transfer, yet one that worked perfectly. The crew of the Cordova was within gunshot of the rumrunner. Zelva, sitting stolidly in his boat, was a target for The Shadow. By the time the boats had met, they were entirely out of range of either ship.

Before the crew arrived, The Shadow appeared in the cabin. Producing an odd-shaped key, he released Legira from the handcuffs. The Shadow disappeared into the corridor. Legira, wondering, went up on deck.

He met the crew clambering over the side. The men hurried to their places. The rumrunner was in motion, traveling away. Soon, the Cordova, too, was under way.

The captain, standing on the bridge, heard Legira speak from the darkness beside him. The words were in Spanish. They were an order, telling him to head for the mouth of Delaware Bay.

It was not Legira who had spoken. Legira was below, superintending the removal of the bodies of Ellsdorff and Pesano. It was The Shadow who had spoken. He had simulated the voice of Alvarez Legira.

The Shadow had rescued Legira and the crew of the captured vessel. Pesano and Ellsdorff were dead. But Rodriguez Zelva still lived, by virtue of a promise that he would never keep.

This was the result of the compromise.