They wanted to hear her story and Lois gave it, in perfect detail, up to the point where she and Rundon had been struggling in the hands of captors. Grendale and Denwood left to make telephone calls; turning to Cranston, Lois queried anxiously:
'What about Niles? Is he-'
'He is quite safe,' interposed Cranston, calmly. 'As safe as Howard Carradon.'
'Do you mean that they abducted Niles, too?'
'Yes. Instead of you.'
Lois shuddered. Cranston's calm gaze steadied her. Oddly, worries seemed to end with Cranston; perhaps because Lois still recalled the amazing finish of the airplane trip. She wanted to question him further; but, by then, Denwood and Grendale had returned.
'We've checked on Rufus,' declared Grendale. 'The fellow skipped. But Paula is giving the horoscope to the sheriff. We'll meet him at Scorpio's.'
The bearded professor received them very cordially in his reception room at the Castle. Adversity seemed to add to Scorpio's suavity. He seemed quite intrigued with the horoscope that the sheriff brought. He tested its secret ink over the heat of an electric toaster.
'Quite cute of Rufus and his friend,' said Scorpio; 'to intercept my notes to Paula Lodi and fix them up as secret messages. Didn't you say that Rufus had a pal with him'-the professor turned to Lois-'when he fired at you from my dock?'
Lois nodded.
'Thank you,' bowed Scorpio. 'Sheriff, I shall drop all charges against Miss Melvin for stealing my speedboat. Considering her predicament, I am glad that the boat was available.'
It was the sheriff's turn to storm, along with Grendale. Even Denwood looked annoyed; but Cranston seemed to take the situation rather lightly.
'You have no proof,' reminded Scorpio, 'that I marked the message on the horoscope. Speaking of horoscopes, I have one for you, Miss Melvin. A more complete one than I gave you before. Your birthday is September 10th. Am I right?'
'You knew that before.'
'I suppose I did.' Scorpio dismissed the fact with a shrug. 'But this horoscope'-he passed a folded paper to Lois-'deals particularly with marriage. As you probably know, your sign is Virgo.'
Lois nodded.
'No one born under Virgo,' warned Scorpio, 'should ever marry a person in Gemini; and it happens'-he stroked his black beard-'that Gemini is Niles Rundon's sign.'
WITH all his fakery, Scorpio had moments when he seemed thoroughly sincere. This was one of them.
His words impressed Lois. She had wondered sometimes about Niles-whether or not she was actually in love with him. Despite herself, the girl had doubts.
But the others weren't thinking of Rundon in emotional terms. Scorpio's mention of the missing man roused Hugo Grendale to new anger.
'I see your intimation,' began Grendale. 'Something has happened to Rundon since his abduction: He is dead-'
'No, no,' interrupted Scorpio. 'Both he and Carradon are alive and well. Chandra'-he leaned forward to call the servant-'bring me those notes that we found here.'
Chandra brought the notes. They were genuine, signed by the missing men, though they had evidently been written under pressure. Both were alike, stating that their captors were willing to consider negotiations for their release.
'It's the boldest thing I ever heard of!' exclaimed Grendale, in total amazement. 'Imagine it! A kidnaper handing over his own ransom notes in person! That's what you're doing, Scorpio.'
'Not at all,' argued Scorpio. 'As I stated. I found the notes here. I thought that very probably'-his tone was shrewd-'some of you had received word that they were sent to me. Rather than put myself in a false position. I am turning them over to the sheriff. I also felt that, in any event, you would be relieved to know that the missing men were safe.'
'Safe?' demanded Grendale. 'Where?'
'I do not know.' Scorpio gave a regretful shrug. 'By the way, have you found any trace of Barcla? When you do, I would like to bring charges against him because of his forcible entry here. I am quite sure that Miss Melvin will testify against him, since she was the person who saw him flee from this house.'
For sheer cheek, Professor Scorpio stood paramount. His suave twisting of circumstances to suit his own convenience was remarkable, even to The Shadow. As Cranston, The Shadow had chatted with many men who tried to cover up crookery, but none had come up to Scorpio. The bearded professor had a way of mixing fact with fable, that none could imitate.
His points driven home, he was rising from his chair to conclude the interview. Suavely, he was reminding everyone that he had been delivering a lecture all during the excitement the evening before; that his Hindu servants had been with him and could also be excluded from any blame for the things that had occurred.
The gaping sheriff tried to call a halt by producing a search warrant, but Grendale growled for him to put it away. There was no use searching Scorpio's Castle today, Grendale argued; not with Barcla gone.
As Scorpio smiled them to the door, Grendale was giving him a parting glower, nothing more. It was Denwood who caught a glance from The Shadow, and spoke for the committee.
'By the way, professor,' declared Denwood. 'We are looking forward to your next seance.'
A troubled look flashed over Scorpio. Grendale took sudden interest.
'Where will it be?' he demanded. 'And when?'
'At your house, Grendale,' smiled Denwood. 'Tomorrow evening. Mrs. Grendale arranged it, quite a while ago.'
'Under the circumstances,' began Scorpio, hastily, 'I am quite willing to forego-'
'Not at all,' interrupted Grendale with a dry chortle, catching his cue from Denwood. 'I shall be most delighted to have you with us, professor.'
'And the spirits also,' added Denwood. 'They never fail you, do they, Professor Scorpio?'
His eyes darting, Scorpio finally centered his glare on The Shadow. He was trying to get some inkling of the thoughts behind the impassive face of Cranston. Always a good guesser, Scorpio was quite sure that his impassive visitor was behind the plan suggested. But Scorpio was smart enough to show outward composure.
'The spirits will appear,' he assured. 'Like the stars, they have never failed me.'
BY the time departers reached the dock, Sheriff Kirk wanted to go back to the Castle. He declared that he could settle matters by arresting Professor Scorpio. Grendale and Denwood argued the opposite, but it took The Shadow to convince the sheriff that a waiting policy was best.
'The greatest favor you could do for Scorpio,' spoke The Shadow in Cranston's calm, convincing style,
'would be to arrest him. The professor may like his Castle, but be would prefer your jail, sheriff, for the next few days. He would then be unable to give the seance at Grendale's.'
'But he said he'd give it-'
'He tried to get out of it,' interposed The Shadow. 'Tell me, sheriff, do you believe in ghosts?'
'Of course not!'
'But you saw one at Paula Lodi's.'
'A fake!' The sheriff gave a wise nod. 'The ghost was Barcla, made up like Francois, Miss Lodi's first husband. He's a clever actor, that Barcla. We know he was working with Scorpio, even though his nibs won't admit it.'
'You may be able to prove it tomorrow night.'
The idea drilled home upon the sheriff. Even the others were just catching the full import of the plan inspired by The Shadow.
Scorpio's seance would be a failure, unless a ghost appeared. Such failure would do more than imply that he was a fraud; it would practically prove it. If a ghost did arrive, a grab by a concerted group would mean a capture. Barcla would be found without a further search for him.
All were enthusiastic, as they rode away in their boat. The sheriff was seeking suggestions for tomorrow night.
Grendale favored rapid action, once the ghost should appear. Denwood, again taking his cue from The
