The Wealth Seeker

CHAPTER XXII. THE HIDDEN FRIEND

“SPEAK.”

The eerie hiss of The Shadow’s sinister word seemed to pervade the entire strong-room. Bartlett Okum, he to whom the utterance was addressed, quaked in new fright. His lips moved; but his words were inarticulate.

“Speak the truth.” The Shadow’s tone was firm. “Speak — or learn the power of The Shadow!”

Okum hesitated. His head shook. He managed to wrest his gaze from The Shadow’s eyes. He stared across the room toward Folsom Satruff, as though appealing to his master for aid. He saw the gray-haired millionaire staring spellbound at The Shadow. The sound of a rippling, sinister taunt brought Okum’s eyes back to those of his inquisitor.

“I— I am — afraid!” gasped Okum. “Afraid—”

“Have no fear,” came The Shadow’s sardonic tones. “Your innocence will be established if you speak.”

Okum gulped, and nodded. He seemed to find more than menace in The Shadow’s tone. He wanted the assurance of The Shadow’s gaze to stand this ordeal that was thrust upon him.

“I’ll talk!” he blurted. “I’ll — I’ll tell all I have done! I— I was ready to kill Pug Hoffler, when he began to give the game away. I did — I did kill Rabbit Gorton — because he said that he had been double-crossed.

“I— I made a mistake when Pug came here. I thought he was one of the regular ones who came. That raid was not intended. The second one was. I was— was supposed to act the way I did. I knew that Rabbit was coming here.

“He wasn’t the only one. Tex Lowner came here, too. They both used to come and I would let them in. They brought many things — money — wealth — to go into the vault. I— I — it was my job to list all the money that Mr. Satruff gave away, I— I didn’t know for a long time that — that much more was coming from the crooks.”

“I was a dupe.” Okum’s voice was plaintive. “I had to believe that all was right. Mr. Satruff told me it was — and I tried to believe him. That’s why I wanted to help out when Pug threatened — when Rabbit threatened. I— I really believed in Mr. Satruff — until to-night.”

Okum began to waver. The throb of a whispered touch of mirth came from The Shadow. Okum nodded, and resumed.

“He — Mr. Satruff — he told me to be in the library.” Okum was gasping the words. “He — he gave me the gun and told me to come slowly through the door — after he and Doctor Harlow were here. He told me to let the doctor grab the gun — that he — that Mr. Satruff, would protect me. That’s why I — why I did it. I had to answer the questions that Mr. Satruff put to me. When everything happened the way it did, I really knew that all was wrong. But I couldn’t talk. I was afraid something would be blamed on me, too.”

Okum began to sag. Trembling, he sank to his knees upon the floor. His story was told. The strain had been too much. Gasping, the old secretary clutched his head between his hands. The Shadow’s laugh rippled eerily through the room.

THE sound caught all attention. The looming automatics were aimed toward the end of the strong-room, by the outer door where Doctor Harlow stood handcuffed between Joe Cardona and Folsom Satruff.

The physician was like a man in a trance, dumfounded by the amazing turn that had taken place. Joe Cardona was as stolid as a statue; amazement was frozen upon the detective’s features.

Only Folsom Satruff, despite his trembling, showed challenge. The gray-haired philanthropist had undergone a change. His visage showed no more of its benignity. It had become the face of a fiend.

“Folsom Satruff!” The Shadow’s words were gibing. “You called yourself Dorand. You played the part of a philanthropist to conceal your evil ways. A crook by nature, you used the aid of crooks. They brought you wealth — at intervals — until your toll was mounting into millions.

“You became Dorand, that you might have an alibi. With Tobias McEwen, an honest man, to vouch for you; with Bartlett Okum under your control, you had crime to the perfect scale. All that you needed was a helpless man upon whom you could shoulder crime should the occasion require it.

“You held Doctor Wesley Harlow. Held him through your knowledge that his brother was a reformed crook. You did not need him until Pug Hoffler made his unexpected raid. Then, when the police had entered indirectly into your affairs, you saw that it would be best to draw all attention from your own activities.”

A pause. Then came The Shadow’s laugh. It was directed this time toward Joe Cardona. The detective wondered at the strange note of mirth.

“Rabbit Gorton. Tex Lowner.” The Shadow sneered the names. “Enemies? Never! They were pals — comrades in a common service; the tools of Folsom Satruff, the man who called himself Dorand.

“Tex was the one who threatened Harlow. Tex played a clever game. Pug Hoffler was the only man who knew that Tex and Rabbit worked together. Pug learned about Dorand, for he had come here with Rabbit and with Tex. He made a raid for his own gain.

“Luck was with Folsom Satruff. Doctor Harlow slew Pug Hoffler, for the reasons that he stated. He feared the man was going to talk about him; he also feared that Pug would try to injure Satruff, whom Harlow believed to be a man of honor.

“That was the beginning. Satruff saw an opportunity to create a scandalous sensation that would drown the announcement that he was Dorand — one that would make his millions seem honestly gained. He arranged the raid by Rabbit Gorton; through Tex Lowner he brought Wesley Harlow here to be a scapegoat once again.

“To-night, he arranged the finale — the proof that Harlow was a tipster, working with the underworld. Satruff used Okum as a tool. His evil work would have gained him success, but for my presence here.”

ANOTHER pause; then, in scathing tones, The Shadow broke forth with his final denunciation of Folsom Satruff. The statements came as uncanny ones as the fiend listened.

“I, The Shadow, knew your game,” announced the whispered voice. “You were ready to slay Pug Hoffler. You were prepared to kill Rabbit Gorton, when the emergency arrived and he cried out that he had been double-crossed.

“You let others do your evil work; but your intent was visible. You wanted another man here, apparently as a protection; really to aid your alibi. You were subtle when you put thoughts into the mind of Commissioner Weston. You gave your cooperation to Detective Cardona, but in a way that would prove of assistance to your plans.

“You forestalled Harlow in his attempts to ask for money until Tex Lowner, through your evil order, had given Harlow his final opportunity. Then the stage was set for the culmination of your vile schemes.

“With an innocent man denounced as a criminal; with yourself heralded as Dorand, the great philanthropist, you saw a future of wealth and affluence — an opportunity to spend your evil gains.

“That opened vault — its interior — will prove your crime. Therein lie the spoils of many raids conducted by your henchmen. Missing millions are ready to be restored to those who rightfully own them!”

The Shadow’s statement was followed by a laugh of triumph. Chilling to Joe Cardona and Wesley Harlow, it had an opposite effect upon Folsom Satruff. The gray-haired villain, crouching with clenched fists, saw a relaxation of The Shadow’s gloved hands. The automatics seemed to droop.

With a fiendish cry, Folsom Satruff sprang behind Cardona and Harlow. His hand made a quick grab at the switch upon the wall. As Cardona dragged Harlow toward a corner, the door sprang open; Folsom Satruff’s scream for aid was a shrill shriek that could be heard to any who might be stationed outside.

Upon that shriek came the whispered tones of The Shadow’s laugh. It was a presaging burst of mirth, that sneering note of mockery. The Shadow had allowed Folsom Satruff his opportunity.

Once before, the villain had brought mobsmen here, only to be repulsed by The Shadow’s might. Again, he was bringing futile hordes from gangland.

Where Rabbit Gorton had failed with a picked crew, Tex Lowner was to make the attempts with a larger, stronger mob. Tex, like Rabbit, was destined to meet The Shadow’s wrath!