it, calling for others either to join him quietly and promptly or to go to the
reception room across the hall and calm themselves there.
Servants were appearing from other parts of the house, and Nevlin snapped
orders at them. He told them to go outside and make sure that no one had broken
in by one of the den windows; then to stay there and keep watch, until summoned
back into the house.
Fortunately, some of the guests were joining Nevlin before the servants had
time to start. Since people were blocking the route to the vestibule from which
The Shadow watched, the servants chose other ways to go outside, leaving The
Shadow in comfortable possession of his convenient lookout post.
Nevlin was rattling at the knob of the den door. Finding it latched, he
announced ruefully that Aldriff had the only key. The guests suggested breaking
it down, but Nevlin preferred to pound away, shouting through the door in hope
of an answer from Aldriff.
None coming, guests hurried away to find implements for breaking down the
door.
Two guests met a servant coming in to report that the bars of the windows
were still tight in place, the panes of glass unbroken, and the shades drawn.
The windows were well up from the ground, but the servant suggested breaking
them.
He produced a fire ax from the closet under the stairs, and the guests,
considering Nevlin in charge, decided to ask the secretary if he wanted the
windows smashed.
At sight of the ax, Nevlin seized it.
"What would be gained by smashing the windows?" he demanded. "You might see
Mr. Aldriff, but you couldn't help him. We'd have to tear down the house walls
to get those bars out of place!"
Turning to the door, Nevlin poised the ax and took a hard slash at a panel.
The wood was stout, but the ax blade cracked it. Another slash, and Nevlin
splintered away a chunk of wood. He chopped again, widening the hole.
Motioning the others back, Nevlin tried cautiously to insert his hand
through the splintered space. He drew it back as if stung, expressing the fear
that gripped him.
"There can't be anyone in there except Mr. Aldriff," began Nevlin. "And yet
-"
He shook his head; pushed his hand toward the hole again, and found that it
wouldn't go through. He was stepping back for another slice with the ax, when
Joan pressed him aside. Unsnapping the sleeve of her dress, the girl bared her
slim arm to the shoulder and worked her hand through the narrow space.
Others watched, breathless, admiring her courage, as Joan stretched her arm
full length and moved her hand within the door until she found the knob.
Turning the knob, she warded back the others, while she withdrew her arm.
Flinging the door inward, Jean was the first to cross the threshold. Her face
was grim when she saw exactly what she expected.
Aldriff was lying dead upon the floor. He was across the room, near the
nook. The two light chairs were turned askew, facing each other at an angle, to
allow room for the chess table.
But Aldriff hadn't put the table where it belonged. He had been beside it
when the shot was fired; in falling, he had overturned it, sending the chessmen
scattering. Finally, he had struck the floor almost beside the table.
