The Blue Sphinx

CHAPTER XXIV THE SECRET OF THE SPHINX

IN the pause that followed, grim silence descended upon the conservatory. Strafford Malden stood as master. His quick change; the prompt response of his henchmen, had rendered the throng dumfounded.

Clyde Burke stared hopelessly toward Bart Drury. Given the cue, Drury had worked too fast.

By The Shadow’s design, this game should have developed slowly. The Shadow had foreseen that Knode, innocent of guilt, would twist the accusation toward either Rush or Grewling, figuring that one must be the man behind crime.

From that, Drury had been told to swing the blame on Malden. Trapped, the real plotter should have been caught helpless. Instead, Malden had gained too quick an inkling. Thanks to the presence of his henchmen, he had turned the tables.

“So you spotted the game, Drury,” sneered Malden, no longer concealing the pent-up evil of his nature. “Well, you’ve done me a favor. But do not expect it to be returned.

“Fools!” — Malden shot his gaze about the silent group — “I had you hoaxed throughout! Some freak of fate damaged my cause tonight; but I have regained control. I shall remain as master.

“You, Knode, have been trying to learn who gained the big graft during the previous administration. You have wanted Mayor Rush to tell. He could not. He did not know. I was the man behind the profits here in Latuna.

“When Quirby Rush was elected mayor, I knew the game was ended. My associates departed. Darfield, the ex-mayor, was one. My former henchmen feared me. I knew they would not talk. But I needed new profits to make up for the loss of graft.

“I sponsored the Latuna Museum. I suggested the vault, to hold the treasures donated by Barnaby Soyer. I needed a tool. I chose Joseph Rubal. During the construction of the museum, we arranged a trap in that built-in pedestal and covered it with planking.”

Malden paused to chuckle, as if enjoying the thought of his conniving past.

“Rubal delayed the plans for the extensions to the museum while we awaited the arrival of the Blue Sphinx. There are many such statues in Libya. The main cost of bringing that one was its shipment. I considered it worth the expense.

“The night before the Blue Sphinx arrived, I entered the museum with Toya and Singler. Rubal left the door open for us. Through the trap in the Sphinx Room, we removed all of the Soyer collection and brought it here. The treasures now repose in my heavily locked cellar.

“The next day, the Blue Sphinx arrived. Rubal superintended the removal of the loose planking and the placement of the Sphinx. The trapdoor was a neat one. No workmen knew of its existence. The way by which the treasure had been removed was hidden beneath a five-ton mass of stone. Resting on the solid portion of the pedestal, the Blue Sphinx covered the small opening.”

Malden paused and leered craftily. The listeners knew that they were to hear — the following portion — of his scheme.

“I KNEW that the loss would eventually be discovered. When the extensions were built to the museum; for then the vault would be opened. There was only one answer. A fake robbery by criminals; a blind trail that would lead the hunt away from me.

“I could dispose of the treasures later. All the while I did so, the law would be trying to trace the link between the Soyer collection and the crooks. That is why I called in the services of Konk Zitz and paid him to keep his henchmen in Latuna. They were ready for the climax which Zitz termed the ‘blow-off.’

“My only trouble was Rubal. He wanted to get out of it, by resigning after the Blue Sphinx was installed. He had aided in the actual robbery; I knew his resignation would produce suspicion after the false raid took place. There was only one solution.

“I went to the museum, leaving Toya and Singler here to give a fake alibi later. Hollis let me in. He was glad to see me. He wanted me to talk to Rubal. He told me that Knode was coming. I knew then that Rubal intended to confess. So I went directly to the office and shot him down with this silent revolver.”

Malden chuckled as he looked at the weapon on the table. Savagely, he swung toward Harrison Knode.

“I had to wait there,” he stated. “I knew you were coming. I had gathered all incriminating documents. Any that might mean a clue. I was waiting for you, Knode; but Hollis came in your place. I killed him so he could not tell the truth.

“I knew that police were watching the Phoenix Hotel. That was good. It kept Konk Zitz and his men free of blame. I knew their opportunity would come. The blasting of the empty vault did not have to be hurried. While I waited, I evolved a scheme” — Malden’s lips twisted in evil fashion — “that made the whole game perfect.

“I left the death gun and a few old papers” — a hand gesture toward the table — “where Zitz could get them. He planted them in your safe, Knode. Then he framed Drury, with Burke, who appeared honest, to be a witness. You have all heard the rest.”

Malden tightened his hold on his revolver. He leered savagely; his eyes were almost wild.

“Some one forced himself into the game!” cried the self-confessed crook. “Some one who shattered the Blue Sphinx in order to make an outlet of escape. What does it matter? No one will ever know the truth! Traces of the trapdoor may prove damaging. But I can divert suspicion from myself, once I have disposed of all of you.

“You are going to die!” Malden’s voice was steady. “All of you, here in this conservatory! There will be a fight, presumably started by order of Harrison Knode. I and my servants alone will remain alive—”

EYES were intent upon Malden. All save those of Clyde Burke. The Shadow’s agent had gazed toward the side door of the conservatory. He saw that door open, behind Singler.

Malden’s servant did not hear a sound. But as Clyde stared, he saw Singler shift forward. Clyde could tell that a gun muzzle had been thrust against the back of the chauffeur’s neck.

Singler’s knees shook. His fingers loosened; his revolver clattered to the floor, as he staggered feebly in from the door.

Malden turned quickly at the sound. So did Toya. Both found themselves staring into the muzzles of automatics. Their hands released the revolvers that they held.

Shrouded against the blackness of the opened door, The Shadow stood like a symbol of death. His form was vague; the cloak and slouch hat looked like a portion of the outer darkness. But the eyes that blazed from beneath the hat brim were living coals. The whispered voice that spoke was chilling.

“It was I,” declared The Shadow, in his sinister tone, “I who divined your scheme! The riddle of the Blue Sphinx! It was I who placed the charges beneath the Sphinx, ready to blast it, the night before your henchmen moved!

“That would have laid bare the empty vault. Then would come my next strokes. Against you; against your criminals. Separately. But circumstances” — the sibilance of The Shadow’s tone was shuddering — “changed my plan. Your henchmen came to me. I dealt with them.

“Your turn has come, Strafford Malden. I have allowed you to declare your guilt. Confessed a murderer, you are doomed—”

A shout from outdoors. A warning cry. Clyde Burke recognized Cliff Marsland’s voice. Then came the bark of revolvers.

The Shadow wheeled in, away from the doorway. His automatics thundered as he fired into the outer darkness. Answering bullets were crashing the glass windows.

Konk Zitz and the remains of his crew had arrived!

MALDEN and his servants leaped for their guns. Upon them pounced the men whom Malden had threatened to kill. Quirby Rush and Howard Dunham overpowered Malden. Chief Grewling and Harrison Knode caught Toya. Clyde Burke and Bart Drury bore Singler to the floor.

The Shadow, turning, saw the outcome. With a swift whirl, he made for the door, firing as he went. He had stemmed the crooks’ gunfire; sweeping out into the night, he was bound upon new vengeance.

Cliff Marsland and Harry Vincent, crouched behind a low wall, were exchanging shots with ruffians in the offing. They and The Shadow had shot down the ones who had made for the house. The rest were stationed in the background.

A snarl came in Konk Zitz’s voice. With it, a growl from Tinker Furris. The two had seen The Shadow appear in momentary fashion. Rising, they aimed for their archenemy.

Cliff Marsland spotted Konk and fired. His bullet clipped the big shot.

Tinker was shooting toward the house. His slugs were chipping stone from the wall. His aim was wide of the elusive, unseen figure in black. Then, as Harry aimed to get Tinker, a shot burst from the darkness. The gloom showed Tinker sprawling by a tree trunk.

Sweeping across the dim lawn, The Shadow sent shots after the last fleeing members of Konk’s crew. Puppet forms sprawled along the gravel drive. Cliff and Harry were in view. The Shadow hissed an order for their departure. He swung back toward the house.

Sounds of conflict indicated that Malden and his two henchmen had been captured. Such was the case; but Malden, fiendish in power, was not through. He was holding his revolver; but he could not use it. A detective, arriving to aid Rush and Dunham, snatched the weapon from the archcrook’s grasp.

Toya and Singler were downed. But Malden made his sudden break. He sent Rush rolling across the table. He hurled Dunham upon Mushmug, the detective. With a wild leap Malden grabbed the silencer-fitted death gun from the table and sprang free toward the side door of the conservatory. He stopped short.

The Shadow had returned.

BLACKNESS moved inward. As he heard a mocking laugh, Malden caught the glow of burning eyes. Maddened, he fired a quick shot with the weapon that he had seized. The death gun emitted a sighing sound. Its silent bullet dug deep into the door frame that stood white beside The Shadow’s shoulder.

Hard on the hiss of the silencer came a roaring burst from the door. Strafford Malden sagged. The murderous gun dropped from his grasp. The death weapon had failed the supercrook.

Men turned as they heard Malden’s gargling gasp. Grewling came pouncing over to trap the prostrate fiend.

The police chief stopped. His efforts were not needed. With a hideous coughing, Strafford Malden gave his last breath. His arms sprawled. He was dead.

Grewling turned toward the door. So did others. They saw blackness only. The Shadow had departed.

Silence lay without. All tokens of the outer fight were ended. With Malden dead; with Toya and Singler prisoners, the law had won its fight.

Outside lay bodies of dead killers. But those did not concern the men in the conservatory. Below lay purloined treasure; wealth in molded gold and studded gems that they must find and restore to its proper place.

Turning to his companions, Police Chief Grewling was about to give an order. Words stopped on his lips. Like others, the police chief stood rigid as he listened. From somewhere in the outer darkness, its distance indefinable, came the tones of a strange, outlandish mockery.

Rising on the night air, the weird tone reached a startling crescendo. Eerily, it burst into a shuddering, fading taunt. Echoes rifled their ghoulish answer as the laugh reached its sudden finish.

Then the night air stilled.

Clyde Burke could see the frozen amazement upon the faces of his delivered companions. He knew the reason why they stood aghast. They had heard the triumph laugh of The Shadow!