The Shadow ordered an investigation of the adjoining room. He waited. Two minutes later, Harry’s voice again came over the wire. The agent was reporting that Room 308 was empty. The news did not surprise The Shadow.
Calmly, he gave brief instructions. Hanging up, he waited a few moments, then put in a call to Doctor Roy Tam. He held a brief conversation with the Chinese physician. His call completed, The Shadow departed by the door of his apartment. He tried the lock, to learn that the latch was set.
Shortly afterward, a weirdly whispered laugh was uttered within the confines of a small coupe. The Shadow, driving down a slippery slope, had found good reason for sinister mirth. His tone carried a prophetic note.
As yet, The Shadow had planned only to balk men of crime in their foray for hidden treasure. He had found a way to blunt their evil hopes; but he had not dealt with them in person. He still had work to do; to pin the blame for crime where it belonged.
A sudden change of situation had arisen; but through it, The Shadow could see a coming break. Once again, Dave Kelroy needed rescue. This time, in such accomplishment, there would be a chance for final clues.
Treasure was the goal of crime. Upon that fact, The Shadow based his belief that he might clear the whole mystery before this night was ended.
CHAPTER XX. KU LUAN’S MESSAGE
DAVE and Colin had reached the Oriental Museum. They were standing in front of the granite building when a large car pulled up. By a glimmering street lamp, Dave recognized the hired limousine in which he had ridden that afternoon. Before he could make a comment, a man stepped from the car. It was Doctor Barnett Lestman.
“Here’s the curator,” chuckled Colin. “Leave it to me, Dave. I’ll explain to him—”
He stopped abruptly. Two others were also stepping from the car. The light showed the faces of Weldon Dryer and Mark Eldreth. Following close behind Lestman, they paused when they spied Colin on the steps with Dave.
“So this is our answer!” exclaimed Dryer, in a harsh tone. “We never thought that you would be here, Colin! Come! Explain yourself!”
“Why should I make explanations?” demanded Colin. “It seems to me that they should come from you. Who asked you to join us, Dryer? Or you, Mark?”
It was Lestman who replied.
“I was the one responsible,” acknowledged the curator. “I realize now that I misunderstood Mr. Kelroy. When he said that he was bringing Mr. Eldreth, I thought he meant Mark — not you, Colin.”
“What did you do?” queried Colin. “Call Mark up to make sure?”
“I merely thought it best to ask about Mr. Dryer,” returned Lestman. “I happened to know that he stays in town, at times, when the bay is very foggy. That was why I called Mark Eldreth’s home. I learned that Mr. Kelroy was not there.”
“So I told Doctor Lestman to call Mr. Dryer,” added Mark, his rounded face meeting Colin’s scowl. “I thought that perhaps Mr. Dryer was staying over night at the St. Francis. It chanced that he was.”
“Your question is answered, Colin!” snapped Dryer. “It is your turn, now, to tell us how you happened to meet Mr. Kelroy; and why you instructed him to hoax Doctor Lestman.”
“Hear that?” asked Colin, turning to Dave. “I told you what would happen if Dryer and Mark were called in. Well, we’ve kept our appointment. Suppose we stroll along. We can come to see you tomorrow, Doctor Lestman. Kelroy and I, alone.”
As Colin tried to draw Dave from the steps, a roadster pulled up at the curb. From it stepped a stocky man who approached with long strides.
“This is Inspector Romson,” remarked Dryer, eyeing Colin. “Perhaps he can prevail upon you to alter your decision. I called the inspector after I heard from Doctor Lestman.”
“What about Mare Island?” gibed Colin. “Did you call there, too? Or did you think it was too foggy to invite the marine corps over from the Navy Yard?”
Dryer made no answer. He was turning to greet Romson. Briefly, the lawyer related circumstances to the inspector. Colin shook his head wearily and turned to Dave.
“More explanations needed,” he declared. “Romson will have to know who you are — why you came from Shanghai — whether or not you are actually missing—”
“Cut it,” snapped Romson. “I saw Mr. Dryer earlier this evening. He told me all about the case. I intended to see you tomorrow, Kelroy. We’re making it tonight instead. Give me that box you’re holding. Humph. So this is what the Chinamen were battling about. They and Zack Ruggey’s outfit. Come on — let’s be getting inside.”
DOCTOR LESTMAN rang the night bell of the museum. A minute passed; eyes appeared through an opening wicket. Then the door swung wide. Lestman looked at the watchman who admitted them.
“Why are you here alone, Perry?” demanded the curator. “I thought I gave orders for both you and Singledon to be together when you answered the door.”
“I haven’t seen Singledon for some time, sir,” returned Perry. “That was why I came alone. Ah! Here is Singledon.”
The sour-faced attendant had arrived. Lestman questioned him. Singledon replied that he had been in a far corner of the second floor when he first heard the bell.
“We shall go directly to the Chinese Room,” decided Lestman. “Come along, Singledon. You have the key.”
They reached the Chinese Room. Singledon was wearing a smug smile when he unlocked the door. He had good reason; for he had visited this room when he first heard the curator’s ring.
Inside, Singledon had signaled by taps beside the Manchu statue. He knew that all would be silent when these visitors entered. Close against the door, Singledon’s face was hidden. No one observed his smile.
Lights turned on, the group assembled in the Chinese Room. Only Perry was absent. Lestman had sent the watchman back on duty. The curator motioned to Singledon to leave; the attendant did so, pulling the door almost shut behind him. Lestman looked about the room.
It appeared to be totally undisturbed. Dave watched the curator, then looked toward Colin, who changed a frown into a smile and gave a pleased nod.
“Everything looks excellent,” observed Colin, blandly. “I must compliment you, Doctor Lestman, on the way you keep up the standard of the museum. It has been quite a while since I was here in this Chinese Room. I had forgotten what the place looked like. Too bad we have to do some excavation.”
“What do you mean?” stormed Lestman. He had detected sarcasm in Colin’s first remarks.
“Excavation?”
“Certainly,” returned Colin. “Bring out some picks and shovels. We are going to wreck the pedestal of this large statue.”
“You will never receive my permission!” shouted the curator, infuriated by Colin’s statement. “Inspector Romson, I demand you arrest this man!”
“I’ll do it,” put in Romson, gruffly, “as soon as he starts something.”
“Let me explain matters, Doctor Lestman,” put in Dave. “We found a message on the tapestry in the teakwood box. It says that the treasure is beneath the large statue.”
DAVE turned to Romson, who was holding the box. The inspector opened it; he allowed Dave to remove the tapestry. Noting two small hooks at the sides of a niche in the end wall, Dave hung the tapestry from them. Plucking up the prayer papers, he began to arrange them on the floor, just below the tapestry.
“Where did you find these prayer papers?” queried Lestman. “They are ones that bear translations.”
“They belong to me,” asserted Colin, stepping up to the curator, as the latter stooped to read the papers.