Spoils of the Shadow

CHAPTER XV STRATEGY

“THERE’S a phony in the outfit.”

Slug Bracken was the speaker. The listeners were Mark Tyrell, Pug Halfin and Foon Koo. They were assembled in the top room of the labyrinthic house. Around them, stacked in neat heaps, were the jeweled relics stolen from Westbury Grolier.

“You are sure of it, Slug?” questioned Tyrell.

“You bet,” affirmed the mobleader. “I’ve been thinking steady on it since that job at Grolier’s two nights ago. Look here, Tyrell. I didn’t hand out the word to the gorillas until we were all set to go.”

“What about it?”

“Well — how did The Shadow drop in?”

“Forget The Shadow. I crippled him, didn’t I?”

“Sure. But who wised him to the lay?”

Tyrell pondered. The question was natural, coming from Slug Bracken. That particular mobleader knew nothing about the contact that Tyrell had experienced with The Shadow. Tyrell’s first impulse was to discount the question.

“Why worry about The Shadow?” he demanded. “You saw me drop him, didn’t you? If your gorillas are troubled because he came into the picture, remind them that I proved my superiority. Tell them that the next time I meet The Shadow, I shall kill him. I beat him to one shot. I can beat him to another.”

“I told the mugs that,” asserted Slug. “They know what you can do, Tyrell. You clipped The Shadow, right enough. But the bulls didn’t find him at Grolier’s. That means he ain’t hurt any too had. He’ll muscle in again; and we can expect him pretty quick. If you’d killed him two nights ago—”

“I would have killed him!” broke in Tyrell. “I had the drop on him. My third shot would have finished him, if Vincent hadn’t become excited—”

“That’s just it,” interposed Slug.

“What do you mean?” demanded Tyrell.

“Well,” suggested Slug. “The Shadow didn’t hear us talking here, before we started out to Grolier’s. That part of it’s sure enough. We worked quick. Somebody wised him. The guy that did it must have been in on the know.

“The Shadow didn’t have to snoop, with one of his heels in our outfit. What’s more, it’s a sure bet that The Shadow’s stool would be ready to help him out in a pinch. All right. One guy did help him out.”

“Vincent?”

“Yes.”

“He was simply trying to get away with his bag. He also thought he was saving me.”

“Yeah?”

“Certainly. You grabbed me yourself, Slug, out in the hall.”

“Yeah. But that was when it was too late for you to get The Shadow. When Vincent rammed into you, the deck was all stacked your way. You had The Shadow covered.”

Tyrell frowned. He saw Pug Halfin nodding in approval of what Slug had said.

“Slug’s right, Tyrell,” asserted Pug. “He knows his own gorillas, don’t he? Like Chopper Hoban an’ Muff Motter and—”

“I know all of them,” growled Slug. “They’ve worked for me plenty long — all except one guy. I mean Cliff Marsland.”

“You suspect him also?” inquired Tyrell.

“I don’t know,” admitted Slug. “Cliff’s got a good rep. I wouldn’t want to accuse him of working with The Shadow. Maybe it wouldn’t be good for my health. But I do know this, Tyrell: Marsland is a mighty high class torpedo to be working as an ordinary gink in my mob. It don’t look any too good. What’s more, he’s the gazebo who dragged in Vincent.”

“Have you questioned Marsland about Vincent?”

“No. Vincent was your man. When I began to see something phony about it, I kept mum.”

“Then Marsland knows nothing of your suspicions?”

“You bet he don’t.”

TYRELL lighted a cigarette as he paced back and forth across the room. His shrewd eyes began to light. He was scheming, in subtle fashion. At last, he whirled to face the others.

“I’ve got it!” he decided. “Listen, Foon Koo — these traps of yours. Can I count on them to snag any one that comes in here?”

Foon Koo leered as he nodded.

“Even The Shadow?”

Again, the Chinaman nodded.

“All right,” said Tyrell with a smile.

“What’s up?” questioned Slug. “Are you going to bring Marsland and Vincent here? Say — that’s no ticket. We can rub those bimboes out any time.”

“I’m thinking of The Shadow,” declared Tyrell, seriously. “I’m beginning with the assumption that Vincent is his agent; and that Marsland may also be in his employ. One or the other — perhaps both — may have passed some word to him two nights ago.

“The Shadow knows that this place exists. He knows that I stored all the false treasures away somewhere. However, he had no reason — in the past — to seek the location of this house. It was more to his advantage to avoid it.

“At present, we have gained real treasures. The Shadow will try to reclaim them. I don’t think that he has trailed any of us to-night; but we cannot be sure. Therefore, it would be unsafe to remove these stolen relics.”

“If you can’t move the swag,” protested Pug, “you ain’t goin’ to be able to fence it.”

“But The Shadow’s not going to get it while it’s here,” put in Slug. “Tyrell’s right, Pug. It’s the best bet to leave the stuff with Foon Koo.”

“Exactly,” said Tyrell, with a smile. “These relics, however, can serve a double purpose. Not only can they be held for profitable sale; they can also lure The Shadow to his undoing.”

Mobleaders stared in slow understanding. Foon Koo grinned. Artfully, Mark Tyrell proceeded to outline his plan.

“We shall work through both Vincent and Marsland,” explained the shrewd crook. “First of all, Slug, you will act as leader. Talk to Pug and Marsland — down at the Morocco — and tell them that they are to go together to the old garage where we keep the cars.

“You act wisely, Pug, while Slug is passing the information. He will say that the swag is to be moved. Pug will be deputed to drive one car; Marsland the other. Mention the location of this house. That will give Marsland an opportunity to inform The Shadow where we have the treasure.

“Add that Foon Koo is watching it, in the top story of the house. Tell Marsland how to ring the bell; but state that five buzzes are necessary — not four. Pug and Marsland will go to the garage, accompanied by Chopper and Muff.”

“The strong-arm boys,” grinned Slug. “But where’ll I be, Tyrell?”

“Down in the cellar, by the padded cell. Waiting to greet The Shadow when he drops in.”

“Good. But if Marsland ain’t the squealer? What if Vincent is working alone with The Shadow?”

“I shall provide for that. I have been taking Vincent into my confidence. I shall take him with me, to join Pug and Marsland at the garage. I shall tell him that we are coming here in a sedan, to supervise the removal of the stolen goods. My story to Vincent will be the same as your story to Marsland.

“While Pug and I are meeting at the garage, The Shadow will be on his way here. Aided by Chopper and Muff, Pug and I can easily overpower Marsland and Vincent. Meanwhile, Slug, you will wait in the cellar with the remainder of your mob. You will hold The Shadow a prisoner when he falls into the cell.”

“Why not bump him?” questioned Slug.

“He shall die,” returned Tyrell, “but not until I give the order. With Marsland and Vincent prisoners, I shall come here. My work will be the execution of the master; after that, I shall go back to quiz his servants. If both prove to be in The Shadow’s employ, they shall die.”

“It sounds good, Tyrell,” said Slug, with a nod. “Then we’ll leave the swag here?”

“No,” returned Tyrell, “Pug will follow me here with one car. We shall actually remove the treasure after The Shadow is dead.”

“Where to? There’s no place as good as this one.”

“No? You are forgetting something, Slug. I have a much better place for these valuable relics.”

“You mean you’ll take it to—”

“Yes.”

Slug Bracken grinned while Mark Tyrell nodded wisely. Pug Halfin was puzzled. He knew that he understood certain facts that Slug did not know — particularly those that pertained to The Shadow. Now it was apparent that Slug also shared certain secrets with Tyrell.

“That’s one place where the swag will be safe enough,” decided Slug. “It’ll make it easy to pull the fencing job, too. You’re a foxy bozo, Tyrell.”

“That completes our plans,” asserted Tyrell, quietly. “I may alter them if circumstances prove it necessary. Trapping The Shadow in the cell is excellent, despite the fact that I should prefer to meet him face to face and gun to gun.

“Nevertheless, it may be best to depend upon Foon Koo’s clever traps. One, at least, should surely snare The Shadow. It might be best” — Tyrell paused thoughtfully — “for me to test them first. Should I fail to pass them, The Shadow would also fail.”

The mobleaders stared as they heard Tyrell’s confident statement. They were ready to believe Mark Tyrell the superior of The Shadow. The encounter at Grolier’s had proven his claims of ability.

“However,” resumed Tyrell, “I shall consider that matter later. It is time for us to leave. Our plans are made. It is time that we were going. To-morrow night will be the time of action.”

The mobleaders shuffled from the room where the swag was kept. Tyrell lingered to watch Foon Koo manipulate a switch that made safe descent a possibility.

“You’re sure your traps will snag The Shadow?” questioned Tyrell.

“Foon Koo trapee anyblody,” returned the Chinaman, with an evil grin. “Catchee you, Mister Tyrell; catchee Mister Shadow allee samee. Foon Koo know all best trickee. Learnee plenty when he livee in Shanghai.”

Tyrell nodded as he followed his companions through the anteroom. His shrewd lips wore a satisfied smile beneath the stubby mustache. Tyrell was confident that The Shadow, and his agents also, would soon be at the mercy of their enemies.