The Chinese Disks

CHAPTER XX. THE DOUBLE SLIP

THE cab ahead had stopped. It had reached a destination close to the East River. The glow of city lights showed the structure of the Brooklyn Bridge looming high beyond lowlying buildings. Boat whistles were sounding from the mist that rose above the channel.

A weirdly whispered voice was ordering Hawkeye to continue the pursuit. Nodding as he stared through the front window of Moe’s cab, the little trailer prepared to open the door. Moe stopped by the curb.

Hawkeye spied a man leaving the cab ahead.

The fellow edged into an alley. Hawkeye started in that direction, as the discharged cab pulled away.

Then, phantomlike, The Shadow alighted also. From the darkness, he whispered orders to Moe. Startled by The Shadow’s presence, the driver could only nod.

Then Moe pulled away as The Shadow took up Hawkeye’s trail. Through the alleyway, he followed the spotter’s path until he found Hawkeye waiting in front of an old, brick-walled building that appeared to be deserted.

The quarry had entered that house. The Shadow knew the fact from the way Hawkeye was prowling. In a little court beside the building, Hawkeye was testing a heavy door, only to find it locked. The Shadow gave no order. He saw that Hawkeye intended to wait. Stealthily, The Shadow passed Hawkeye in the darkness.

Manhattan’s low-hanging red glow showed above the house, giving the building a silhouetted effect. The old structure was three stories high at the front; but the top floor did not extend clear to the rear. Jutting back from the side was a brick wall; in it, a tightly-nailed gate.

While Hawkeye was moving from the side court, going to examine the front of the house, The Shadow scaled the wall. He peered down into the cracked cement of an inner court. There he saw a back door that might afford a mode of entrance.

But The Shadow had another choice. He took to the wall of the house itself. In limber fashion, he reached the flat roof that topped the rear second story. There, he discerned iron-shuttered windows that were evidently barred on the inside.

That was not all. The Shadow observed the outline of what appeared to be a large, coffin-shaped box close by the wall at the front of this low roof. Coos sounded as The Shadow glided close. The white forms of pigeons appeared beyond a wire-fronted door in the box.

Diamond Bert’s carriers! This house was the residence of Throckton Rayne. Here was the headquarters to which Diamond Bert had dispatched his messengers. The slippery crook had evidently decided to use it as a hideout also.

STEPPING upon the high pigeon-box, The Shadow gained a hold upon jutting bricks above the shutter level. Beetlelike, his blackened shape moved upward until it reached the upper roof. Here, above the third floor, The Shadow appeared as a fantastic phantom, his form outlined by the glow above the housetops.

A trapdoor was set in the roof. It was firmly fastened; but The Shadow loosed it. Using a jimmy, he wrenched the slab from its moorings. He dropped down into the complete blackness of a third-story room.

A tiny flashlight blinked. The Shadow found a door. He opened it and spied a dim light coming up a pair of stairs. He moved down to the second floor. There his keen ears detected buzzing voices in a front room. The Shadow approached a half-opened door.

Though the barrier obscured the men within, The Shadow could tell them by their voices. One, who spoke in a harsh, firm tone, was certainly Diamond Bert. The other, whose voice betokened caution, could have only been Throckton Rayne.

“Don’t worry,” Diamond Bert was growling. “This job’ll be the last. Why shouldn’t it be? It means more than a million in one trip.”

“But last night—”

“I know what you’re going to say. We ran into a mess. But that was just a bad break — and anyway, we got the swag, didn’t we?”

“Yes. But The Shadow—”

“Say, Rayne, I was a dub to talk to you about The Shadow. If I had kept mum, you wouldn’t be scared to-night. Listen. I’ve slipped The Shadow so far. I’ll keep on slipping him.”

“He eluded Tam Sook’s trap—”

“Yes. But he didn’t get me, did he? No. I was wise enough to go to that laundry instead of to Tam Sook’s place.”

“But there were Chinese spies—”

“Up at the laundry, yes. Sent there by that smart Chink, Yat Soon. Well, I moved out of that place. The spies didn’t learn a thing. Listen, Rayne, I’ve been taking no chances. Those fellows that you paid to take laundry bundles up to Hoy Wen and Loon Goy looked just like ordinary customers. They couldn’t have been spotted. That’s a sure bet.”

“I know; but I—”

“You were scared to-day. That’s why I let you go yourself. You brought back the message we wanted, didn’t you? And what did you find in the laundry? Who was there? Two Chinamen. Hoy Wen and Loon Goy.”

“I saw two Chinese” — Rayne was speaking slowly — “but I could not swear that they were Loon Goy and Hoy Wen. All Chinese look alike to me. Besides, I never had previous contact with Loon Goy and Hoy Wen.”

“The Chinks had disks, didn’t they?” demanded Diamond Bert.

“One of them did,” admitted Rayne.

“All right.” There was a scuffling sound as Diamond Bert arose. “Let’s get going then. I’m not going to do this job alone to-night.”

“Perhaps I ought to stay here,” pleaded Rayne. His chair was grating on the floor. “One of us ought to watch the jewels that we took from Tatson and Lewkesbury.”

“Yes?” There was irony in Diamond Bert’s tone. “Well you won’t be the one to watch the swag, Rayne. It will be safe enough here. I need you to-night.”

“Why? You know the secret yourself—”

“I know what you told me; but I’m not going to look for secret catches that you already know. You can do the work quicker than I can—”

Diamond Bert stopped short. He had reached the door. To his amazement, it was swinging inward. The squatty crook blinked as he stared forward. There, just inside the door, was a figure garbed in black.

Burning eyes flashed from blackness; below them loomed the muzzles of The Shadow’s .45s.

DIAMOND BERT blinked. He was trapped and he knew it. Though his fists clenched, the crook made no move. Throckton Rayne, staring also, began to quiver. A gaunt, pale-faced man of middle age, Rayne was pitiful as he faced this master foe.

The Shadow had trapped Diamond Bert. Trapped him in the hideout on which the crook had relied.

Diamond Bert was in a spot which he had not provided with secret snares. Outguessed, outwitted, he was hopelessly caught.

A laugh came from The Shadow’s hidden lips. It was a burst of foreboding mockery; mirth that marked the end of a long trail. It spelled doom for Diamond Bert Farwell; yet even as The Shadow laughed, the situation took a sudden turn.

To most men, the sound of that shuddering mirth brought terror. There were a few in whom it inspired madness, also. Throckton Rayne was one of these. As The Shadow’s sinister taunt echoed through the room, Rayne delivered a frenzied cry and hurled himself upon the being in black.

There was incredible swiftness in Rayne’s wild attack. It came with an impetus that only madness could have inspired. It came with a suddenness that was unexpected, even by The Shadow. With insane power, Rayne clutched the tall cloaked figure and sent The Shadow spinning back against the wall.

His right had automatic thrust up by Rayne’s swift arm, The Shadow fired at Diamond Bert with his left.

Rolled back by Rayne’s attack, The Shadow shot wide. Diamond Bert dived for a table by the door. He grabbed a suitcase as a second shot sizzled past his ear. Then, with a mad scramble, he fled for the stairs.

The Shadow fired again. This time, Rayne destroyed the aim. Battling like a demon, the man grabbed the barrel of the automatic and jerked it as The Shadow fired. Diamond Bert dodged down the steps.

Gaining The Shadow’s gun, Rayne delivered a fierce hammerlike blow toward the head beneath the slouch hat.

The Shadow twisted. The butt of the automatic split the woodwork of the door frame, so vicious was Rayne’s blow. Then the frenzied fighter made another swing to sideswipe The Shadow’s weaving head. It was a murderous attempt; but it failed.

In his twist, The Shadow had freed his right hand. His automatic boomed as Rayne swung. The butt of the second gun swept the top of The Shadow’s hat. Then Rayne went sprawling, gasping to the floor.

The automatic clattered from his grasp.

From out in front of the house came distant shots. Diamond Bert had reached the street. The Shadow knew that he was exchanging bullets with Hawkeye. Then came silence. Rayne coughed from the floor, writhed and lay still. He was dead.

Though belated, The Shadow was about to take up the pursuit of Diamond Bert. No use for a search here; the bag that the crook had grabbed most certainly contained the stolen gems. Then The Shadow paused. He heard a low moan from beyond a side door of the room.

That barrier was bolted. The Shadow opened it. His flashlight showed a man lying on a cot. The Shadow aided the fellow to his feet. As he brought him to the light, he knew that the man was drugged. More than that, he recognized this victim of Diamond Bert’s. The man was Karl Joland, the missing secretary.

Aiding Joland to the stairway, The Shadow descended. He took the side door to the courtyard. As he reached the front of the house, The Shadow could hear clubs clicking on the sidewalk beyond a corner of the alley. From the distance came police whistles.

The Shadow spied a stooping figure. Hawkeye. The man was clutching a wounded shoulder. The Shadow was right; Hawkeye had tried to intercept Diamond Bert. But the crook had beaten him to the shot.

The Shadow whispered an order. Hawkeye grunted a response. He could see Joland’s figure staggering along the alley, supported by what appeared to be a pillar of blackness. The Shadow was guiding the drugged secretary to the nearest corner.

A cab popped into view just as The Shadow reached his goal. It was Moe’s taxi. The Shadow hoisted Joland aboard; then dropped away as Hawkeye stumbled up. Hawkeye gained the cab and slumped in beside Joland. Moe heard a whispered order from The Shadow. The cab shot away from the curb.

Shots sounded from across the street. Policemen had spied the cab and were trying to stop it. From the entrance of the alley, The Shadow fired his automatics, high above the heads of the bluecoats. He wanted to divert their attack. He succeeded.

Police bullets zinged toward the alleyway, flattening against brick walls, ricocheting from the curb. The Shadow responded twice from deeper in the alley. Again, his shots were purposely high. Officers advanced on the run.

But by the time they flashed their lights along the alleyway, The Shadow had swept far from view.

Moving rapidly through, he was heading for the street beyond. He had sent Hawkeye and Joland to a place of safety. His task was to resume the trail of Diamond Bert.

HALF an hour later, a tiny flashlight glimmered on the glass-paneled door of an office. It showed the name of the International Mining Syndicate. It moved downward and spotted the brass lock. The Shadow’s pick came into action. The door yielded.

Entering a darkened office, The Shadow paused. He knew that Diamond Bert could not yet have reached this destination. The lock would have shown some sign; moreover, The Shadow had come here with the utmost speed.

Yet The Shadow was also positive that Diamond Bert would not desist from his attempt to gain the uncut diamonds. This crime was to be the crook’s master stroke. Moreover, Diamond Bert had much reason to believe that The Shadow did not know where to-night’s crime was to fall.

The note had come intact from the laundry. Diamond Bert and Throckton Rayne had made no mention of the place where they were going. There was every reason why Diamond Bert should attempt this robbery as soon as possible. Delay was not part of the slippery crook’s game.

The Shadow reached an inner office. Beyond it was a little room. The doorway was blocked by a massive metal grille. Half of this contrivance was hinged to open. The fastenings consisted of three formidable locks, evidently equipped with an alarm.

The Shadow knew that Throckton Rayne had designed the contrivance and that Diamond Bert knew its secret. While he awaited Diamond Bert’s approach, The Shadow began an inspection of his own. He discovered that a heavy cross piece ran along the middle of the upright bars. This was decorated with an ornate scroll. It was there that The Shadow looked for the secret. He found it.

The scroll was loose. This was natural, for it had no protective value. But as The Shadow shifted it with his gloved fingers, he found the combination. Up — then to the left — a click and the iron cross piece moved with the scroll.

The vertical bars now formed two sets, a little off line. Those below the cross bar were slightly to the left of those above. The Shadow pressed the bars upward. They arose together, forming an opening beneath. The Shadow edged through this space, on the side of the grille which apparently had no door.

Within the little room, The Shadow discovered a vault built in the wall. It bore the name Blefflinger. Like the grille, it was heavily decorated around the edges of the door. The Shadow pressed portions of the metal molding.

At last he found the secret. After intricate manipulation, sections of the molding began to slide apart.

From between them, halfway up either side of the door, metal rods slid out automatically. These thin pieces were each three inches high. They were provided with finger holes.

The Shadow drew them toward him. Working on ball-bearings, the entire front of the vault slid outward, the door coming with the frame. Stepping to the side, The Shadow saw that the vault was double-walled, with these drawerlike segments between. A wide space yawned in the side of the sliding inner wall.

Through it, The Shadow stooped into the vault.

He had found the mode of opening which had enabled Diamond Bert and Throckton Rayne to do quick work at Tatson’s and Lewkesbury’s. This vault, though different from the other safes, had operated on what must be the same principle, a sliding front.

Now The Shadow’s task concerned the uncut diamonds that were being held for Gautier Ranaud. He intended to remove them; to leave an empty vault for Diamond Bert. Then could the arch-crook be trapped, while seeking for treasure that was not here to gain.

THE interior of the vault, though high, was not deep. The Shadow’s search was rapid. Boxes, files, other objects were moved aside by the gloved hands, At last the search had sorrowed to a single compartment at the bottom of the vault. The Shadow opened the little door. His blinking flashlight showed total emptiness!

The diamonds were already gone! Who had taken them? Diamond Bert? The Shadow’s hollow laugh was a denial. The crook could not possibly have come here and gone by this time. Stooping, The Shadow left the vault. He pushed the front shut. He made his way out through the grille and closed the tricky barrier.

Reaching the outer office, The Shadow paused to listen. No sound of any approach. Yet by now, Diamond Bert should be close at hand. The Shadow found a switchboard; he plugged in and used the telephone. He gained his connection. A quiet voice responded:

“Burbank speaking.”

“Report,” ordered The Shadow.

“Report from Burke,” stated the contact man. “Cardona has left headquarters. Destination, Hotel Wildebrand. Purpose unknown. Cardona accompanied by Markham.”

“Report received.”

Ending the call, The Shadow laughed. He remembered an item in one of Rutledge Mann’s reports. That was a statement concerning Gautier Ranaud. The Frenchman was stopping at the Hotel Wildebrand.

Some new development had occurred since Monte Agland’s message had been dispatched to Diamond Bert. It concerned the uncut gems. Diamond Bert, after eluding The Shadow, must have made contact with Monte. He had learned the news.

Crime was not due in this office. The place where it would strike was at Ranaud’s hotel. Again, Diamond Bert had slipped The Shadow; but the master sleuth knew where the crook would be.

A soft laugh echoed within the office. Then came echoes, finally a hush that arrived with the soft closing of the outer door. The Shadow had fared forth toward another goal.