Thugs pried open the door of a second elevator. Leaving a pair as lookouts below, Nogger took three others with him to the sixth floor. First out of the elevator, the rangy leader saw the car that Fred had vacated. With a wave, he motioned his followers in the direction of Francine's apartment.
When he reached the opened door, Nogger saw Francine standing near the telephone. The girl was holding Wally's revolver pointed toward Fred. She was determined to keep the finger man a prisoner until the law arrived. So far Francine had met no difficulty; for Fred was still lying senseless.
Nogger's appearance complicated matters for Francine.
Before the girl could aim in his direction, Nogger had her covered. With an ugly grin, the big thug stepped into the apartment. Francine bit her lips as she let the gun fall. She raised her hands, but did not quail.
"A SMART jane, ain't you?" gritted Nogger approaching close. "Maybe you're too smart. Anyway, we think so - me and the boys."
Still grinning, he nudged over his shoulder toward the three "gorillas" who had followed him. They had lowered their revolvers, to watch Nogger handle Francine.
"We're going to snatch you outta here," informed Nogger, as he edged closer to the girl. "The less you squawk, the better it's going to be for you. Savvy?"
He thrust a big paw forward to clutch Francine's shoulder. Again, the girl showed the fight that she had displayed before. Her hand swung with a resounding thwack against Nogger's leering mouth. As the gangleader swung his head back, Francine grabbed for his gun.
Viciously, Nogger grabbed Francine with his free hand. Francine twisted away; a strap broke from her evening gown as Nogger clutched it. An instant later, Francine was half sprawled on the floor. As nervy as ever, she was snatching for the gun that she had so reluctantly dropped.
Nogger started to follow; then stopped with a snarl. The best place to settle this fighting female was right here. Nogger raised his revolver.
An instant later, the would-be murderer had forgotten Francine. A strident challenge made him look elsewhere. That challenge was a mocking laugh that came from the doorway of the darkened bedroom.
Nogger dropped back, aiming as he did. He knew the author of that taunt: The Shadow! He caught a quick glimpse of a cloaked figure, aiming a huge automatic. Nogger tried to beat The Shadow to the shot; and failed.
The Shadow's .45 tongued an arrow-point of flame. The bullet cracked Nogger's gun wrist. He dropped his revolver with a pained snarl and staggered back toward the hallway door.
The Shadow had called that shot with precision. Not only did he disable Nogger; he sent the big leader straight into the path of the three gorillas who were starting to take aim. Their chance to fire was delayed; but The Shadow's opportunity remained.
Wheeling out into the living room, he jabbed shots from different angles. One hoodlum collapsed. A second staggered. The third took it on the run.
The fleeing man reached Fred's elevator and boarded it. He slammed the door and made a quick downward trip. The staggering man loped after him; tumbled to the floor of the second elevator. He managed to half close the door and pull the control lever. As the elevator went downward, the thug sagged to its floor.
Nogger jerked out into the corridor a moment later and took it on the run. Halfway to the elevator, he saw a revolver and grabbed it up with his good hand. Snarling as he backed away, Nogger thought he was ready for The Shadow.
He came to the elevator doors that were partly open, and waited. Nogger could aim equally well with either hand. He spat a vicious welcome as The Shadow swung suddenly from the door of the apartment.
This time, Nogger thought he had the bulge. He felt sure enough of himself to take cover. Nogger made a quick backward step through the doors of the elevator shaft. An instant later, he was off on a six-story tumble. During that death plunge, Nogger heard the trailing laugh of The Shadow.
MOVING back through the apartment, The Shadow saw Francine, again with gun in hand. He went through to the bedroom; as he reached the window, he heard the clatter of elevator doors. The police had arrived to handle the downstairs crooks and capture the men who had fled.
The Shadow waited long enough to make sure; then dropped from the window, just as officers arrived to find Francine.
Across the roof; through the trapdoor; down the stairway of the next-door building. At the bottom, The Shadow found Harry Vincent. His agent passed over the platinum purse, stuffed with Francine's jewels.
The Shadow whispered an order. Harry added the cards that had come from Wally's pocket.
There was an open door at the rear of the building. The Shadow peered out into darkness and saw that the way was clear. He took Harry out with him; their courses parted.
It chanced that eyes were watching from across the street. They belonged to the same observer who had seen Harry enter the Adair Apartments. Those eyes were keen enough to spy Harry again, even though they failed to discern The Shadow.
The watcher waited, however, until Harry had covered nearly half a block. The observer came out from cover, to take up Harry's trail.
He made a thin, stoop-shouldered figure, that trailer. He moved with long strides and kept close to the house fronts. He was lucky, though, because he had lingered. If he had started too soon, he would have been spotted by The Shadow.
As it chanced, the stooped man began his trail just after The Shadow had rounded the nearest corner.
Although police cars were driving up to the Adair Apartments, The Shadow was heading back to the entrance. His amazing stealth enabled him to keep hidden from arriving police. Bluecoats were too thick, however, when The Shadow neared the front of the apartment house.
Choosing a brief opportunity, The Shadow crossed the narrow street toward a line of parked cars in front of the small restaurant.
A taxi wheeled in from the avenue. The Shadow recognized its occupant. The man was Joe Cardona, ace police inspector of the New York force. As usual, Cardona was early on the scene. His arrival brought a whispered laugh from The Shadow. Joe's cab offered The Shadow a convenient method of departure from this vicinity.
Just as Cardona stepped to the curb and closed his door, The Shadow reached the taxi from the other side. He handled the outside door in silent fashion. He was in the cab, lost in its darkness, while Cardona was still paying the driver.
From the opened window on the curb side, The Shadow could reach out and touch the stocky figure of Cardona.
That gave The Shadow a prompt inspiration. For a moment, his cloaked arm stretched from the window.
Cardona turned to enter the apartment house; the cab pulled away. The Shadow settled deep in the back seat, content to accept any destination that the unwitting cab driver might choose.
INSIDE the apartment house, Cardona found police in charge of captured crooks. He showed a pleased look on his swarthy face when he learned that the notorious Nogger Tellif had come to a timely death atop a ground-floor elevator. Joe was also pleased to learn that more facts awaited him on the sixth floor.
There, Cardona entered Francine's apartment and heard the girl's whole story. Fred, conscious but disgruntled, was clamped in a chair between two officers. When Francine accused him, the elevator operator could do nothing but admit his guilt.
"Sure, I was the finger man," growled Fred. "You got the goods on me! Only, I don't know who snatched the sparklers. I wasn't told. All I saw was what this Melrue dame saw - a guy wearing a mask.
I don't know who the big-shot was, either. He always reached me through another guy, over the telephone."
Fred spoke the truth regarding Wally. He did not know just who had been deputed for tonight's job. He lied, though, when he disclaimed acquaintance with Duke Unrig.