"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 029 - The Golden Grotto" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

imparted other motion to the steamship. Although an old vessel, and of comparatively light tonnage
beside more modern liners, the Patagonia was making excellent headway on this last night at sea.

The coolness of the sea air was sufficient excuse for Clyde Burke to lean against the rail and slowly turn
his gaze toward the bow of the ship.

Had the two men who had left still been walking along the stretch of deck, Clyde would easily have
spotted them. As it was, the observer saw that the deck was clear. There was only one inference. The
men had entered the opening to the stairway that led to the deck below.

Clyde Burke drew away from the rail and took the course that he knew the others must have traveled.
He reached the stairway and descended. He stopped at the door of the main saloon, and watched the
dance that was in progress. He saw no sign of the two who had gone ahead.

Wending his way along a corridor, Clyde reached the door of his stateroom. He entered and closed the
door behind him. Seating himself at a small table, Clyde opened the book which he carried, and
transcribed the coded dots and dashes to a sheet of paper.

The message was undecipherable. The man who had sent it had evidently been using a code known only
to himself and to those who were meant to receive it.

Clyde Burke arose, a serious expression upon his face. He flipped his cigarette through the open
porthole; then walked quietly to the door and listened cautiously. Satisfied that no one was in the corridor
outside, Clyde returned to the table and began to make penciled notations.

Ostensibly, Clyde Burke was a freelance journalist who had found it profitable to act as a newspaper
correspondent in England and France. His presence on this boat appeared of no special significance. A
young man, quiet in demeanor, and watchful rather than loquacious, Clyde had the ability to render
himself inconspicuous.

Privately, however, Clyde Burke followed an occupation quite different than that which he openly
professed. His voyage as a passenger on the Patagonia, now bound from Southampton to New York,
was not being made in the interests of journalism.

In fact, Clyde was particularly anxious not to encounter unusual news items during the journey. For Clyde
Burke was acting as an agent for The Shadow!

A few weeks ago, Clyde recalled, he had been in London, picking up news suitable for cable dispatches.
Then shortly before the Patagonia had sailed from Southampton, Clyde had received a special order
from The Shadow to embark as a regular passenger upon this particular boat.

There had been no question about the purpose of his mission. Reaching in his pocket, Clyde drew forth
the important item that concerned it. This was a newspaper clipping, which read:

GOLD SHIPMENT FOR UNITED STATES

A shipment of gold said to exceed $2,000,000 in value has been scheduled for transport on the S. S.
Patagonia. Detailed information has been withheld, but it is assumed in financial circles that the shipment
involves a transfer of private funds. With the prevailing rates of exchange adverse to shipment of gold
from England to the United States, this constitutes the first considerable transfer that has occurred within