"If you feel that I swindle the rich, I can only reply that you have swindled the poor. As for you, Rundon"-Scorpio swung to the square-jawed man-"you are quite young to possess a fortune, considering that you did not inherit one. I understand that you are a promoter who puts new inventions on the market.
You have found it a very profitable business, haven't you?"
"Yes. I have," returned Rundon, hotly, "because I do my best to give full value to the stockholders in every new company that I form."
"But some of those companies have faded-"
"Because no one can guarantee the success of a new invention," retorted Rundon. "Since promotion is my business, I have to consider my own profit. But I can't pick sure things always."
Professor Scorpio clapped his hands. Two darkish men appeared; both were tall and very thin, and clad in white like their master. They had the look of Hindus.
"Serve the refreshments, Chandra." ordered Scorpio. "Go to my study, Agbar, and bring me one of the astrological charts under the sign of Gemini."
CHANDRA brought drinks, which Grendale and Rundon accepted gingerly, as though they suspected poison. Even Denwood was a bit apprehensive, until he saw Cranston smile and raise his glass. By that time, Agbar arrived with the astrological chart, which proved to be a large, handsomely printed sheet.
"For you, Rundon," announced Scorpio, extending the chart with a slight bow. "Your birthday happens to be on June 7th, which is under the sign of Gemini, or the Twins. The chart reveals that you have great ability as a speculator. Your danger lies in undertaking too many enterprises at the same time.
"Gemini people are clever"-Scorpio's eyes narrowed toward Rundon-"and highly aggressive. But they think too much of their own opinions. When they meddle with the affairs of others"-the professor's tone lowered to it's sepulchral pitch-"they are apt to bring disaster to themselves."
Rundon's anger rose.
"If this is a threat, Scorpio," he began, "I warn you-"
"No warning is necessary," interposed Scorpio, smoothly. "I have simply quoted the chart that you hold in your hand. It was prepared long before I ever met you, Rundon. Remember, the stars never fail."
Rundon's next action actually backed Scorpio's claim that the Gemini nature was twofold. Settling suddenly in his chair, Rundon forgot his anger and decided to treat the whole thing as a jest.
"The stars never fail," he laughed. "Neither does ice. Good work, professor. You've kidded us so far.
Let's go back to our real purpose. You say that Paula Lodi would have given you her jewels eventually, if she had managed to keep them."
"Very probably," nodded Scorpio, "and of her own volition."
"I guess your point is proven," conceded Rundon, ruefully. "Paula was even starting to hand over some of her rings to that spook that you produced-"
Rundon's pause tricked Scorpio. The professor thought that the speaker had finished his sentence; but such was not the case. Rundon was raising his glass, to help the pretense; and that clever touch brought just what he wanted-a triumphant grin from Scorpio's beard. Like a whiplash, Rundon snapped the rest of his statement.
"-when Carradon tried to stop her!" The glass aside, Rundon was thrusting his strong jaw forward, while his eyes showed an accusing blaze. "That was the stumbling block, Scorpio! You'd never have gotten those jewels from Paula; not while Carradon was around!"
Scorpio began to fume denials; but Rundon held the upper hand.
"You even rang in a fake spook of Paula's first husband," continued Rundon, "figuring that was the only way of offsetting Carradon's influence. But Carradon spiked that game, the moment he saw it. He grabbed the phony ghost."
"That's when your pals snatched the jewels. That's why they grabbed Carradon later. He knew that the ghost was cheesecloth, and that you were a faker. But even more important, he proved that he wouldn't let his wife remain a dupe."
Totally outguessed by Rundon, Scorpio lost his head. He even forgot his weakened pose, by springing from his chair. In the light, The Shadow saw flecks of powder on Scorpio's beard; he had used it to make his face look pale. Forgetting discretion, the professor would have stormed some statements admitting his real racket, if another man hadn't entered the argument.
It was Grendale who interrupted. Overanxious to dominate the situation, the big-browed financier decided to force the issue, and, thereby, he unwittingly helped Scorpio.
Bounding to his feet, Grendale shook his fist at Scorpio's beard; used his other hand to beckon to the sheriff.
"This man is a rascal, sheriff!" roared Grendale. "I demand his immediate arrest! Act at once, in the name of the law!"
With Grendale's voice drowning out Rundon's, Scorpio came to his wits, shifting his defense to meet the new challenge.
"My arrest?" he queried. "On what ground, Mr. Grendale?"
"On a swindle charge," retorted Grendale. "Because of the fake ghost you produced last night."
"What proof have you that the ghost was not real?"
"The cheesecloth that Rundon mentioned!"
Professor Scorpio shrugged. He looked around the room, as though expecting to see shreds of cheesecloth decorating the chandelier and other fixtures. He glanced at his visitors questioningly. Then, as the sheriff's hand clamped his shoulder, Scorpio chortled:
"I see no cheesecloth. I still claim that my ghost was real. Where is your evidence that might prove otherwise?"
"Search the place, sheriff!" ordered Grendale. "Turn it inside out. 'We'll find the proof of this fellow's fakery. We'll show him the evidence!"
SCORPIO'S lips made a ruddy curve through his beard. He was grinning, with good reason. Last night's evidence had been destroyed and could never be used against him.
There was another factor, that The Shadow recognized. Though Scorpio undoubtedly had other props, he certainly wouldn't keep them where any ordinary search would disclose them.
The professor brushed the sheriff's hand aside as though it were a bothersome fly. Suave again, he bowed.
"Go right ahead," he began. "You are quite welcome to search these premises, inside and out-"
He paused. Fortunately for Scorpio his beard concealed his change of expression. He had forgotten something very important. The fact was apparent to The Shadow, though neither Grendale nor the sheriff caught it. Then, remembering Rundon's trick, Scorpio tagged another statement to his incompleted sentence.
"Inside and out," he repeated, "after you come here with a search warrant! Until then, gentlemen, let us postpone our discussion."
Scorpio clapped his hands for the Hindus. With many bows and courtesies, the servants ushered the visitors toward the door. Grendale was still trying to argue, but Rundon kept urging him along, insisting that a further stay was useless, to which Denwood agreed, after a glance at Cranston.
Outside, they separated. Rundon and Grendale were taking a boat back to the Community Center, and the sheriff went with them. It was beginning to dawn on Grendale that he had ruined Rundon's efforts to make Scorpio show his hand.
Something was dawning on Denwood, too, as he and his friend Cranston entered the speedboat which Harry Vincent had waiting at the wharf. Glancing back at the Castle, Denwood remarked:
"Scorpio made a bad slip, but his recovery was clever. He'd have shown us through the place, if he hadn't remembered something. It couldn't be the stolen goods; that's something he never would have forgotten. I wonder what it is that he has hidden."
"Something that he found quite useful," returned The Shadow, in Cranston's tone, "and which he may need again."
"But what could that be?"
There was a smile on The Shadow's disguised lips, as he named the answer to Denwood's question:
"Edward Barcla."
CHAPTER VIII. THE CHANCE TRAIL.