Such a person could have left the teakwood box. There was good reason to believe that the visitor was a pal of crooks. A pal, perhaps, of Colin, also.
Colin was coming from the little room. He was carrying his tuxedo coat. His hand was fumbling in a pocket. Dave made a forward bound and grabbed Colin’s arm. He shoved Colin backward and wrenched away the tuxedo coat.
“Getting your revolver?” demanded Dave. “No wonder. One of your cronies made a slip, didn’t he? He should have put the box where I couldn’t see it.”
Momentary rage had dominated Colin’s countenance. Dave scowled. He was ready for a fistfight, confident that he could settle scores with one lone antagonist.
“You gave it away, Colin,” he accused. “I saw your face before you made that dive into the other room. Well, before we settle things, we’ll eliminate the gun that you were going after.”
DAVE shot his hand into one pocket of the coat. It was empty. He reached into the other. Instead of metal, he found crinkly paper. Puzzled, he pulled out a sheaf of square sheets.
“The prayer papers!” he exclaimed. “The ones that you found here, Colin! With a list—”
“Never mind an apology, Dave,” interposed Colin, in a smooth tone. He was smiling as he calmly began to light a cigarette. “You were excited and so was I. That was why you misunderstood my actions.
“I suppose I looked rather sore for a minute, didn’t I? Well, no wonder. I was mad because I had been dumb enough to leave the door unlocked. I was afraid that the fellow who left the teakwood box had found the prayer papers.”
Pausing, Colin eyed the unfolded tapestry. He shook his head; then spoke in a persuasive, purring tone.
“I can’t guess who brought the box here,” was his comment. “It is a mystery to me, Dave, and a deep one. But if that is the right tapestry, we are in luck. Suppose we look over the prayer papers and try to match them with it.”
Dave nodded in agreement. He began to sort the prayer papers. He noted that the wad was not unusually thick.
“Are these all of the prayer papers?” queried Dave. “I saw some up at the museum today. It seemed to me that the curator had a larger variety.”
“These are the most important ones,” returned Colin. “I was sorting them out this afternoon; and I picked the ones that I thought might apply to the treasure. The rest are in the Mah Jong cabinet in the corner.”
Dave was laying out the first row, from the papers in his hand. He completed it and began the second.
Hurrying through, he finished the third and fourth rows. Colin approached to join him in an eager stare. In choppy sentence, Dave read the rows aloud:
“‘Key small find. Unlocks gold treasure. Large statue beneath. Casket one single.’”
Colin grinned, half laughing.
“Pidgin English, all right,” he remarked. “What do you make of it, Dave?”
“It’s plain enough,” returned Dave. “Find the small key and unlock the gold treasure that lies beneath the large statue. The gold will be in a single casket. Colin, it’s obvious that this refers to the Chinese Room at the museum.”
“Where are those keys that Ku Luan gave you?”
“Here.” Dave produced the long keys from his pocket; then shook his head. “None of them are small ones, though. There must be another key — a little one.”
“Which you don’t have. That is an obstacle at the very start.”
“I don’t see why.” Dave glared, almost angrily. “The first job, Colin, is to find the casket that holds the gold treasure. So we’ll start at the museum.”
“It is closed tonight.”
“But I’m not going to wait until morning. I’m going to call Dryer. He is the one person who can help us.”
“He is over in Berkeley, Dave”
“That’s where I’m going to call. Then I’ll get in touch with that police inspector, Romson. It is time we brought in the law, Colin.”
DAVE was determined in his statement. His eyes showed new suspicion. Colin noted it; then shook his head.
“Still doubtful, aren’t you?” he inquired, in an injured tone. “Just because I want to study matters before we make too rapid a move. Be sensible, Dave. I’m ready to agree with you on certain points.”
“Which ones?”
“About going to the museum tonight. You are set on the idea. I begin to think that you are right.”
“But what about calling Dryer?”
Colin shook his head.
“Calling the police inspector, then?”
Another headshake.
“The right man to call,” stated Colin, slowly, “is Doctor Barnett Lestman, the curator. He has full charge of the Oriental Museum. It would not be wise to question his authority. Furthermore, we should begin with a quiet investigation.
“If you call Dryer, you will have to make long explanations. You will have to do the same if you call Romson. This is no time for useless discussions. Call Lestman; tell him that you would like to meet him at the museum.”
Dave nodded. Then his face became doubtful.
“I met Doctor Lestman for the first time this afternoon,” he declared. “He was cordial; nevertheless, he might be mistrustful.”
“Tell him,” suggested Colin, “that you are coming to the museum with Mr. Eldreth.”
“You want me to call Mark afterward? To ask him to go with me?”
“Not at all. I shall go with you. My name is Eldreth.”
“But Lestman will think that I mean Mark.”
“Let him. We can explain matters when we meet him at the museum. I know Doctor Lestman. I can handle it after we see him.”
Colin strolled over and picked up a telephone book. He found Lestman’s home number, and dialed it. A sleepy voice answered. Colin handed the instrument to Dave. Doctor Lestman was on the wire.
Dave spoke to the curator. He gave his own name; and Lestman seemed to recognize his voice. Dave stated merely that he had found the teakwood box; that it contained a message that referred to the museum. Lestman did not balk until Dave suggested that he open the museum.
“Really,” came Lestman’s objection. “It would be quite unusual. I have only your assurance that this is important—”
“Mr. Eldreth considers it important,” put in Dave, promptly. “I have just talked with him. He will come to the museum with me.”
A pause; then came Lestman’s decision.
“Very well,” said the curator. “I shall meet you there in half an hour. The watchmen are on duty; but do not ring the night bell until I arrive.”
“Good!” returned Dave. “In half an hour.”
COLIN heard the statement. He folded the silken tapestry and placed it in the teakwood box. He put the prayer papers in also. He picked up his hat and coat and motioned for Dave to do the same. Leaving the apartment, the two men entered the coupe and drove away.
Slow minutes passed. A light coupe appeared amid the fog in front of the Coronado Apartments. Keen eyes looked upward. They saw a light glowing in Colin Eldreth’s living room. Colin had neglected to turn off the lights, although he had remembered, this time, to lock the apartment door. The Shadow, returning from the Oriental Museum, had spied the light.
Soon afterward, a shrouded figure entered through the window of one bedroom. A slight scraping marked The Shadow’s arrival; but the sound was too muffled to reach the lighted living room. A short interval; then the figure of The Shadow appeared.
The Shadow saw the bare table, with the discarded tuxedo coat beside it. The teakwood box was gone; the pockets of the tuxedo were turned inside out, a proof that the prayer papers had been taken also.
The Shadow glided across the living room. He called the Thurbley Hotel and asked for Room 306. His voice was a quiet tone; it became a whisper when Harry Vincent answered.