Harlow smiled; but Harry could see a fierce display of anger on the thin lips beneath the trim mustache.
Satruff opened the door; Harlow walked out. Satruff closed the door in mild fashion, turned about and went up the stairs.
Harry, glancing about for Okum, saw no sign of the old secretary. After a few minutes, he started up the stairs to report to Satruff. It was then that he heard the ring of a bell.
He would not have caught it had he been above; he realized suddenly that it must be the door on the other side of the house — the entrance to the strong-room which Satruff had mentioned.
Looking over the banister, Harry caught a glimpse of Okum. The old secretary had evidently been in the disused library, a small room on the ground floor. Okum’s stride was hasty; the cadaverous old fellow was heading in the direction of the strong-room.
“Okum!” Harry called the name in a warning tone. Okum did not appear to hear it.
Hurrying down the steps, Harry reached the hallway just as Okum disappeared in the passage to the strong-room.
With quick decision, Harry knew that it would be better to forestall Okum than to rush upstairs to Satruff. Gaining the passage, Harry pressed through to the door of the strong-room and opened, it.
He was just in time to witness a startling occurrence. Okum’s hand was still on the wall switch which controlled the outer door. He had already unlocked the inner door. Before Harry could make a move, the inner door swung open and a pasty-faced, scrawny mobster shoved a gun in Okum’s ribs.
As the invader laughed, the secretary raised his hands and backed across the room, under pressure. A pair of armed henchmen followed. Harry, staring, realized that the menace had come again. A new corps from the underworld, picking the spot where Pug Hoffler had failed, were here to burst the vault that housed Folsom Satruff’s wealth!
CHAPTER XIV. OUT OF THE NIGHT
HARRY VINCENT was still in the passage when he witnessed Bartlett Okum’s plight. The man who had covered the old secretary was Rabbit Gorton. Harry did not know the gang leader, but he recognized at once that he was an invader from the underworld.
Seeing the mobsters at Rabbit’s heels, Harry boldly yanked his revolver from his pocket. He caught the wicked leer on Rabbit Gorton’s face. In an effort to save the secretary’s life, as well as to repel this embryo invasion, Harry sprang into the strong-room, aiming at Rabbit Gorton as he came.
Simultaneously with a cry from the gangsters at the door, Rabbit wheeled toward Harry. The gang leader’s gun swung from Okum’s body to meet the new enemy. At the same time, Rabbit ducked behind Okum to gain cover.
Harry fired. His shot whizzed past Rabbit’s shoulder.
The gang leader replied with a wild bullet. Harry, backing toward the passage, fired two quick shots at the first of the mobsmen who were entering. One gangster dropped wounded. The other snarled as he fired at The Shadow’s agent. Harry’s dive for safety was just in time.
Okum must be saved. The secretary had cowered across the room. Harry, dropping low, loosed shots at random, hoping to repel the attack. His target was the doorway; the gangsters, scrambling into the strong-room, scattered for corners.
Harry heard a triumphant snarl; turning his eyes, he saw Rabbit Gorton taking new aim. Hurriedly, Harry swung his revolver and fired a quick but lucky shot. The bullet struck Rabbit in the left arm; the gang leader wavered.
In his desperate situation, Harry knew that his one hope lay in dropping this crook who led the invading crew. That could be the only stroke which might succeed. Grimly, The Shadow’s agent pressed the trigger as he aimed the revolver straight toward Rabbit Gorton. A click responded. Harry’s gun was empty.
A fiendish snarl came from Rabbit Gorton. Savagely, the gang leader cried a command to his pals. As the mobsters surged forward, Rabbit, steadying, aimed for Harry Vincent. With nothing but the passage behind him, Harry could not escape the shot.
Trapped, The Shadow’s agent made his last valiant effort. He flung his revolver squarely at his enemy. As the gun sailed past his ear, Rabbit, laughing gloatingly, pressed his finger to the trigger of his own revolver.
THE fatal shot was almost on its way; yet it was destined never to leave the muzzle of Rabbit Gorton’s gun. A huge, roaring report sounded from the outer door of the strong-room. Rabbit Gorton, a wild scream sounding from his lips, let his revolver fall to the floor. Blood spurted from his right hand as the gang leader doubled in agony.
The sight of their stricken leader caused the mobsters to turn to the outer door. As they did, they heard the strident tone of a weird laugh that burst through the shot-echoing room. There, before them, stood a figure which they knew.
The Shadow, garbed in black cloak and slouch hat, had shot the revolver from Rabbit’s hand. The master avenger had arrived in time. Lurking outside until the mob had entered, it was his turn to bring aid to those within.
The smoking automatic in The Shadow’s left hand was proof of his skill at single aim. As Rabbit’s mobsmen started to bring up their revolvers, both The Shadow’s automatics barked. Two gangsters fell; the others sprawled for spots of safety, seeking to avoid this grim battler whom all the underworld feared.
Harry Vincent, now safe in the passage, had heard The Shadow’s laugh and its attendant shots. Rabbit Gorton’s small mob, even though it was hand-picked, could not stand the fury of The Shadow. The gangsters had turned yellow when they had seen their leader fall.
There were five in all. Two were down. Of the other three, only one made an attempt to defy The Shadow’s wrath. The lone mobsman sprang to the passage where Harry Vincent was located. He whirled to fire at the black-garbed being who dominated the scene.
With a laugh rippling from his hidden lips, The Shadow pressed the trigger of an automatic. The defiant mobster’s whirl ended in a crazy twist. Gasping, the gunman crumpled to the floor. His revolver clattered to the feet of Bartlett Okum.
Nervously, the secretary stooped to pick up the weapon, while Harry Vincent cried to him to aid. Then some one came pounding into the passage in back of Harry. It was Folsom Satruff. The millionaire had arrived, with gun in hand. The sound of shots had brought him hither.
Seeing Okum, hearing encouragement from Harry, Satruff sprang into the strong-room. He and Okum covered the two remaining mobsters. Harry Vincent crowded in to join the pair. Harry’s first action was to gaze toward the outer door. No one was there.
His work done, The Shadow had departed. From the night he had come; into the night he had returned.
No sign of his presence remained; not even the dying echo of a sinister laugh remained as token of the work that he had done.
HARRY VINCENT picked up a revolver from the floor. He joined Satruff and Okum by the door, to aide them in covering the two cowed mobsters, who had dropped their own weapons and were standing sullenly in the corner.
Suddenly, Harry’s gaze turned toward Rabbit Gorton. The gang leader, with effort, had risen to his knees. His face was challenging as he glared toward the three men who had spread out by the entrance to the passage.
“You think I’m through!” Rabbit spat the challenge. “Through— because I’ve been double-crossed. I know who got me. The Shadow. I came here to be the goat — although I didn’t know it. The Shadow — he got in the game. I know who played me for a sucker. I’m going to talk—”
A hiss came from close behind Harry. Turning, The Shadow’s agent saw Doctor Wesley Harlow. The physician had come in through the front door. He had stopped at the door of the passage. As Rabbit Gorton tried to raise his weakened left arm, clutching the revolver which he had dropped, but had now recovered, Harlow sprang forward toward the gang leader with a shout of anger.