The Crime Cult

CHAPTER XIX RETRIBUTION

THE end of the crime cult created a tremendous sensation on the following day. New Yorkers were amazed to learn that such an insidious organization had existed in the heart of their city.

From the start, Cardona’s raid had been spectacular. His men had fought their way into the fire of machine guns, before the gangsters who handled them had managed to resist.

Acting upon some secret information, the star detective had broken into the entrance of the warehouse, and had led his forces through a labyrinth to raid the sanctum of the evildoers.

Somehow, the way had lain open for them. This was attributed to negligence on the part of Zayata. No one knew that The Shadow, familiar with the workings of Zayata’s elevators, had tampered with the mechanism so that the raiders could gain immediate access.

Outside, Flash Donegan and Dip Riker had fought a losing battle. The failure of the men at the machine guns had put the chief gangsters in a helpless position. Not knowing what had happened, they resisted to the end; and both died from bullets of the law.

No one knew of the presence of Cliff Marsland. He had remained in his hiding place until after the police were gone. Then he had quietly departed. Nor did any person tell of the three who had left the temple before the police had broken into it: Margaret Glendenning, Harry Vincent, and — The Shadow!

The most important angle of the whole affair was the exposure of the crime cult. The ransacking of the luxurious abode of Henri Zayata was directed by Joe Cardona.

The detective found the Book of Death and other documents that showed the inner secrets of the mysterious organization.

Zayata’s guilt was proven. A link was discovered between him and the racketeer, Flash Donegan. The members of the crime cult were identified. Winthrop Morgan was the most important of the lot.

Three others were men of considerable prominence in New York. The rest of them were all persons of lesser consequence.

Only one was missing — Larkin — and he was already being held by the police. The name of Clinton Glendenning’s secretary was quickly connected with the crime cult. The Shadow had made sure of that; and he had also foreseen that Larkin would weaken under questioning.

When Larkin learned that his master had been killed — that he alone of the cult remained — and that practically all was known, he could not stand the strain. He broke down and confessed completely.

Had he failed to do so, The Shadow doubtless would have seen that the police learned all; but that proved quite unnecessary.

FROM the one man in their toils, the police cleared up the last of the mystery. Zayata, they discovered, was a man with a twisted mind. Raised in India, he had imbibed the doctrine of the Thugs, and had adapted it to his own purposes, making it his life’s endeavor.

Those whom he impressed became his converts; those whom he failed to sway were chosen as victims. In his strange character of Charn, he had dominated the group of believers.

It was his task, as leader, to perform the rite of Thugee; to strangle with the cord as an example to the followers who might some day hope to attain an infamy equal to his own.

As a token of achievement, Larkin testified, it was Zayata’s wont to leave a mark upon each victim — a small, round spot upon the forehead.

With him, Zayata carried a mechanical tube which generated heat. To it, he pressed the smooth surface of a large signet ring. With the latter device, he seared the foreheads of those whom he killed.

The proofs of this fantastic practice were discovered. The tube was found beside the golden throne. The ring was upon Zayata’s finger. Tests showed that the metal could be heated in less than a minute, when the tube was applied.

The newspapers made much of this, and included the descriptions of strangle cords found in Zayata’s robe. They missed the greatest sensation, however, when they failed to disclose the fact that a victim had been obtained for the last meeting of the crime cult.

Harry Vincent had escaped the cord and the searing ring only because the hand of The Shadow had intervened!

Old Clinton Glendenning was to have been an innocent victim of the crime cult — a man meant to bear the punishment of the law in Henri Zayata’s stead. The evidence indicated his innocence, except for one point — the thumb prints on Charles Blefken’s throat.

Larkin, broken down by grilling, revealed how he had aided in the planting of this false clew. He had easily obtained impressions of Clinton Glendenning’s thumb prints. The old man slept often and soundly. The secretary had used soft clay to duplicate the marks.

From these impressions, it was believed, Zayata had constructed molds. With them, he had left the marks of Glendenning’s thumbs upon the neck of Charles Blefken. Larkin said that he had given the imprints to Zayata.

That statement was sufficient; for it was quite logical to suppose that Zayata had destroyed the telltale molds after he had used them.

Larkin also confessed to planting the evidence of the torn bit of cloth to complete the Blefken crime.

Clinton Glendenning was freed. He went back to his old home. That very day, his niece reappeared, to rejoin him.

Margaret Glendenning was never questioned regarding her absence. Larkin, from whom all statements had been pumped as answers to questions, omitted from his testimony the fact that he had conducted the girl to Henri Zayata.

It was all excellent news copy for Clyde Burke. With other journalists, he extolled Detective Joe Cardona as a hero. The ace took credit for wiping out the members of the insidious crime cult. All agreed that he had dealt death that was deserved.

In all the columns that were typed, no mention appeared of a mysterious man in black, whose laugh spread terror, and whose might was the unseen bludgeon that had beaten down the forces of the archfiend.

No one except those who had worked with him knew that The Shadow had actually accomplished that mighty deed.

No one else — not even Joe Cardona — had seen the hand of The Shadow and remained alive to tell!