The Isle of Doubt

CHAPTER XX. THE SHADOW UNSEEN

CROOKS had countered. They were due for a surprise. As Weston Levis gave his inaudible order, Hadley, with remarkable swiftness, yanked his revolver from its holster. Leaning from behind the door, the overseer fired point-blank at Possum Quill. The leader of the crooks staggered.

With the report, Harry Vincent and Harvey Wendell leaped for their guns. It was their only chance. Still covered by the revolvers of Zach Telvin and Lefty Hotz, they had no other alternative.

Hadley held the advantage. Close by the crooks, the overseer had an opportunity to save the lives of his companions. Had he used the same quick precision with which he had used against Possum Quill, the overseer could have dropped the other crooks amid the confusion.

Weston Levis, dropping behind a large chair, saw Hadley falter in his aim. He saw Harry Vincent and Harvey Wendell gaining their guns. He saw Zach Telvin and Lefty Hotz respond with trigger fingers.

Five men on the point of firing! Hadley had the bead on the crooks; they, in turn, had the advantage over Harry and Wendell. Hadley’s unfortunate lapse — a momentary hesitation between Zach and Lefty — would have proven fatal for Harry Vincent and Harvey Wendell, but for an unexpected aid that came from another quarter.

Eyes from the dark had been upon this scene. Automatics were looming at the opened window, each clenched in a black-gloved fist.

The Shadow had arrived to meet the invasion of the men of crime!

The automatics roared the first shots of the fray. Leaden messengers sped forth just as Zach and Lefty were pressing their triggers. Zach’s right hand wavered. His revolver shot, too late to be stopped, was rendered null. The bullet from Zach’s gun whizzed past Harvey Wendell’s ear, and plastered itself against the wall.

Lefty Hotz collapsed as Zach Telvin wavered. Clutching his right hand to his breast, the gangster fired vainly as his gun hand — the left — was dropping to the floor.

Hadley’s revolver roared as it spat bullets at the falling crooks. Amid that one-man barrage came the spurts of flame from the weapons seized by Harry Vincent and Harvey Wendell.

Five men within the room had fired; yet only two had fallen. Harry and Wendell did not cease their shots toward the writhing foemen, nor did Hadley. When the roaring echoes had ceased, empty weapons were in the hands of the victors. Three crooks lay motionless upon the floor.

Weston Levis arose from behind his chair. The old man’s face was flushed with excitement. He stared from man to man, as though unbelieving that all could have remained unscathed.

Harvey Wendell sprang forward and clapped Hadley upon the shoulder. He fully believed that the overseer had been responsible for this timely work.

“You get the credit, Hadley!” cried Wendell. “Say — the way you plugged those crooks while Vincent and I were after our guns was nothing short of marvelous.”

A LOOK of perplexity appeared upon Hadley’s face. The overseer realized that he had been late with his shots. He thought that the crooks had fired wide, that Harry Vincent and Harvey Wendell had done the work. But in face of Wendell’s congratulations, Hadley seemed too amazed to speak.

Harry Vincent alone understood. Words of censorship were upon his lips. He realized that Hadley had blundered; that the bold attack, though bringing safety to the overseer and Weston Levis, would logically have proven fatal to himself and Harvey Wendell.

By all the laws of chance, Harry and Wendell should have been the first to fall; then Zach and Lefty, for the crooks could not have turned before Hadley fired at them.

Harry knew whence aid had come. The Shadow, from the window, had broken through with the first shots. The others had been so closely followed that no one — not even Weston Levis — had realized what had happened.

Harry caught himself before criticizing Hadley’s action. The overseer had evidently done his best. He was explaining, now, how he had chanced to break loose with the sudden gunfire.

“They didn’t see me,” declared Hadley. “I had my revolver handy, and I saw Mr. Levis give the word. He’s the man you want to thank. I would have stood here like a dumb-bell if it hadn’t been for Mr. Levis.”

Harvey Wendell began an examination of the bodies. He saw that all three crooks were dead. The investigator mopped his brow as he sat upon one of the boxes. Then, mechanically, he broke open his revolver, brought a supply of bullets from his pocket, and began to reload with fumbling fingers.

The action seemed to relieve the strain. Harry and Hadley followed suit with their own weapons. Wendell arose and looked around the room. A hazy recollection came to the investigator’s mind.

“Seemed to me the shots came from everywhere,” Wendell confessed. “Like some one was firing from the windows. Must have been the echoes. Maybe I’m not shaky!”

“Do you think there is danger of another surprise attack?” quavered Weston Levis.

“Not a chance,” said Harry Vincent. “There were three crooks on the island. We’ve bagged them all.” In a leisurely manner, Harry strolled to the window from which The Shadow’s shots had come. Peering into the darkness, Harry smiled weakly as he looked in vain for his invisible chief. But as he stood there in the light, his own form plainly in view, Harry Vincent fancied that he heard the ripple of a weird and sinister laugh.

The laugh of The Shadow! The mockery that came when men of crime had fallen — the triumph which had been the knell for many a fiend! Harry believed that he now heard the ghostly mirth that he had heard before.

Right had triumphed. Crooks had fallen. The Shadow’s hidden hand had effected an amazing rescue.

Harry Vincent turned away from the window, satisfied that The Shadow had departed with the last notes of victory ringing from his unseen lips!