Ruff's car had circled blocks from the spot where The Shadow had disappeared. As it swung a corner, the headlights threw their gleam upon a windowless wall. Snakes Blakey, his sharp eyes on the lookout, gave a sudden cry.
In bas-relief against the wall, the sneaky gangster had seen the figure that all were seeking. In the momentary flash of the headlights, he had viewed The Shadow!
The car came to a sudden stop. Mobsters sprang from its doors. Others along the street heard their cry.
All caught one short glance of The Shadow as the hunted warrior sprang from the spot where he had been standing.
Directly into the area of illumination beneath a street lamp leaped The Shadow. Guns barked as the black form disappeared beyond. Then came a fleeting glimpse of the tall shape as it shot into the doorway of an old three-story building. With fierce shouts, the gathering mobsters took up the chase.
THE SHADOW had arrived at some destination which he had evidently sought. Here, near the outskirts of the underworld, he had gained the entrance to a stronghold which he must have reserved for just this situation.
Ruff Shefflin was at the head of the pursuing mobsters. As he reached the doorway, the gang leader saw The Shadow disappearing at the top of a dimly-lighted stairway. Ruff fired—a fraction of a second too late. There was no answering shot.
With mobsters at his heels, Ruff dashed up the stairs. He made a turn to another flight. Again, he saw signs of The Shadow; this time a splotch of blackness that showed against the wall. Ruff fired foolishly as he headed for the third floor.
A door was closing at the end of a hall as the gang leader reached the top. With a cry to his followers, Ruff dashed forward and threw himself against the wooden barrier. It held. Other mobsters were with their leader. Two stalwarts plunged into the locked door. It shook from the shock.
Another cooperative burst ended the barrier. With a crash, the door smashed inward from its hinges. The gangsters sprawled and raised themselves to their feet as others flashed loaded revolvers. Ruff found a wall switch and pressed it.
A single light came on. The invaders—half a dozen—were standing in an empty room. The poorly painted walls were divided into panelings. On the opposite side, however, was the spot which showed where The Shadow must have gone.
A steel door blocked farther passage. It was a huge, formidable barrier, with triple locks. Ruff Shefflin mingled his anger with curses. This portal stood between the mobsters and The Shadow. Beyond, The Shadow might be in a stronghold. Nevertheless, Ruff was not willing to give up the chase.
Gangsters were stamping into the hallway. Ruff stopped them as they neared the little room in front of the steel door. He barked his orders to this horde that was ready to obey his bidding.
'The Shadow is in back of that door!' growled Ruff. 'We're going to blow him out. Scout up some guy that can hurry a load of soup. When the door goes down, there's two grand waiting for the bird that bags The Shadow!'
Snarls of approval greeted Ruff's decision. The gang leader wore a sullen smile, as he surveyed the situation. There could be no other entrance to the stronghold beyond the steel door. Perhaps The Shadow had new weapons there; perhaps he had plenty of ammunition. But the offer of two thousand dollars for The Shadow had done its work. Ruff knew that the score of mobsters who had arrived would risk their lives to get The Shadow.
This was one time when force of numbers would prevail! Already scurrying mobsters had sallied out on the mission which Ruff had ordered. The Shadow was trapped. Five armed gunmen were watching the steel door.
Gangsters were moving in and out. None paid attention to their fellows. The hallway was cluttered with the eager throng. Some were breaking open doors of empty side rooms. These unoccupied spots were forming places for the overflow.
Ten minutes passed. Ruff was getting impatient. Snakes was moving in and out, studying the gathered throng with beady eyes. He, too, was anxious for the finish.
'Here comes the soup!'
MOBSTERS moved aside and entered the rooms at the side of the hallway. Ruff Shefflin recognized two expert safe-blowers who had arrived with their equipment. He ordered them into the room where the steel door was located and watched them prepare their job.
Gangsters edged back into the hallway. The safe-crackers hurried with them. The hallway cleared as every one, Ruff included, sought the security of side rooms. Momentary silence reigned—the lull before the crash.
Then came the roar of the explosive. The old building shuddered. A terrific clamor arrived as the steel door crashed. The soup had done its work. As fumes billowed down the hallway, gangsters broke forward through the smoke.
Ruff was with the mob. He was one of those who stopped short as they reached the spot where the steel door had crashed. He was the first to voice his cursing amazement when he saw the result that had been obtained.
The steel door was down. But there was no room beyond it. Instead of an empty space, the gangsters saw a solid brick wall—the end wall of the building.
The steel door was a dummy. It had been planted as a blind. The Shadow had placed it here to deceive any who might follow him to his pretended stronghold. With that formidable barrier in view, all had thought that it must indicate the way which The Shadow had gone.
Instead, The Shadow had chosen some other exit. With wild imprecations, gangsters leaped to the side door. One of the panels broke loose as hands ripped at it. Beyond was a small closet. A doorway at the side opened into one of the abandoned rooms that adjoined the hallway.
Snakes Blakey, who had joined the invaders, was the first to realize The Shadow's strategy. The Shadow, when he had entered the first room, had gone through the panel. In the closet, he had doffed his cloak and hat. A full dress coat, shirt, and collar were hanging in the closet; but the cloak and hat were gone.
'I seen a guy in a black sweater!' The cry came from one of the mobsters. 'He was here in the side room. He was wearin' black trousers -'
'Yeah,' interrupted another voice. 'His sweater was bulgy, too.'
'What became of him?' demanded Ruff.
'I seen him go out,' informed a wheedling gangster. 'Some of the guys scrammed when the soup come in. He was along with them -'
'Dat was de Shadow, right enough,' added a pasty-faced mobsmen. 'Dat was him, all right.'
'We'll get him!' snarled Ruff, as he pushed men aside and headed for the stairs. 'Come along, you guys!
Spread out before the bulls get here. We're not through yet!'
MOBSTERS were on the street below. Again, patrolling cars took up their quest. With so many abroad, the odds still indicated that The Shadow must be within the confines of the bad lands. But Ruff Shefflin knew that the search had been foiled for to-night. Snakes Blakey held the same opinion, though he, like Ruff, failed to voice it.
The Shadow's stronghold had been a blind. By using it, The Shadow had drawn the most relentless of his pursuers to a useless task. While they had been engaged upon what they considered a sure effort, The Shadow, in the guise of a lesser mobsman, had walked out through the midst of those who thought him trapped.
Somewhere in the underworld The Shadow might be found. It was probable that he was lurking near the spots where gangsters sought him. Since he had a fake stronghold, it was natural that he would have a hide-out also. To find it would require a new and difficult search.
Single-handed, The Shadow had battled the massed hordes of gangdom. By a stroke of prearranged strategy he had escaped. The Shadow had shown his strength, both in fight and flight.
A menace to Gray Fist, The Shadow was still at large! He had foiled the superplotter's plans to slay him.
He had returned the home thrust that Gray Fist had delivered. The Shadow, although he had taken on an adventure which had brought opposition far greater than he had expected, was the victor in the conflict.
So long as The Shadow remained at large, Gray Fist would be forced to play a waiting game. For Gray Fist, like the underworld, would dread The Shadow's might!
