flung himself right out of the battle because there had been no other way, but
in a few seconds more he would be back in it, unless these two prevented him.
Maybe they had thoughts of a bonus, as they aimed for The Shadow. Extra pay for
treachery that they were never to collect.
A gun spoke from the floor, the one gun that The Shadow could use at that
moment. It clipped one of the aspiring traitors and felled him, but left the
other with an opportunity. The fellow didn't have time to use it. Another gun
spoke.
It wasn't The Shadow's second automatic; it was a revolver drawn by Colin
Nayre. He, too, had seen The Shadow's roll. Nayre's target was the second
traitor, and he dropped the man whose aim The Shadow couldn't have stopped
alone.
There was no time to exchange compliments. On his feet, The Shadow was
wheeling out through the room, passing the unscathed bankers in their corners,
and the two officers; they had halted, wondering whether to pursue Murk and his
mob, or stand by to fight off a counter-attack. The Shadow cleared sprawled
figures - two thugs and two of Durez's companions, who had gone down in a
deadlock.
He was in the hallway. Ahead was another of the fugitives from Centralba,
dead through his own folly. Murk Wessel was struggling personally with Jose
Durez, trying to drag the money-mad colonel into the elevator, where two of
Murk's men were ready with their guns.
The Shadow sent a laugh along the hallway, a tone that almost woke the
dead with whom the criminals thought he was already numbered.
Sight of the black-cloaked avenger was too much. Murk gave Durez a fling,
which wasn't difficult, considering that the man was already wounded. Then,
with a dive, Murk was in the elevator and his men were trying to slam the door.
Sudden was The Shadow's stop, straight his aim. He wanted to put three
bullets in that elevator before the door slammed: one apiece for the men
inside. It was Durez who prevented it. Still on his feet, the foolhardy colonel
flung himself right into the closing doors, blocking The Shadow's aim completely.
Guns ripped, but not The Shadow's. They were revolvers belonging to Murk
and his lieutenants. They riddled Durez, flaying his dead body out from the
doors, which promptly slammed.
Yet, in that last moment when Durez sagged away, The Shadow poked a shot
between the three-inch space, to find one of Murk's lieutenants straight
through the heart.
Speeding along the hallway, The Shadow found a stairway and started down.
Things had been happening in instants, upstairs, so rapidly that the police
from outside were just getting into the hotel. The Shadow passed them like a
streak of light, as he saw the rear stairway to the garage. A few of the police
followed him. Others dashed upstairs.
IN the garage, Murk and his one remaining lieutenant jumped into the rear
door of the armored truck. There was a driver at the wheel, and they were
telling him to get started.
No one had been worrying about the truck while it was empty, hence crooks
had taken it over easily. The driver had to do what they told him, and the
coffers were all on board; but one detail was forgotten: the garage door wasn't
