the silent house. A whispered burst of suppressed mirth, its tone brooked keen
and subtle understanding.
The weird shape; the eerie laugh - these were tokens of a sinister
identity. They were signs before which the bravest man of crime would quail.
They were the symbols that signified the presence of The Shadow!
Relentless enemy of crime, The Shadow was a being who had become the
scourge of evil-doers. Though he moved with ghostly tread, his physical
manifestation was that of a superfighter whose automatics could thunder doom to
those who plotted crime.
Tonight, two detectives, each on a different case, had failed to pick a
dark-skinned gypsy as the man who held clues to crimes. But where the law had
failed, The Shadow had been in readiness.
The master sleuth was at work. His actions showed that this was not the
first step in his campaign. Crime had struck; coming crime loomed. The Shadow
was in readiness!
CHAPTER II
THE SHADOW PREPARES
WHEN The Shadow, swift fighter of the darkness, moved against crime, he
employed the services of certain agents to aid him in his work. To maintain
continued touch with his operatives, The Shadow had chosen Burbank as a contact
man.
Though lacking in action. Burbank possessed a remarkable power of
endurance. He could remain at his post for days when occasion demanded it. Here
at the switchboard, he relayed instructions. All The Shadow's agents could reach
him by regular telephone. So could The Shadow; when the master sleuth was in
action. Burbank, however, also controlled a special wire that led to The
Shadow's sanctum. Hence, through Burbank, The Shadow could direct his agents
from that hidden, unknown spot where he planned his campaigns against crime.
"BURBANK speaking."
The announcement came from a man who was seated in front of a small
switchboard. The sole occupant of a single-lamped room, this individual was
doing operator's duty. A pair of earphones was clamped to his head.
Clicks came across the wire. Low monotoned replies from Burbank. The man
changed plugs at the switchboard. Again his voice sounded:
"Burbank speaking."
The earphones were clicking. Burbank was talking with The Shadow. The
contact man repeated messages that he had received.
"Report from Vincent," announced Burbank. "He is on his way to watch the
gypsy house. Will keep watch from the vacant house across the street, as
ordered."
A pause. The Shadow was confirming Burbank's statement.
"Report from Burke," came Burbank's next announcement. "He watched the
gypsy at the morgue. He thinks the man recognized the dead Spaniard. No one else
noticed that fact."
