"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 044 - Treasures of Death" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

brief data that involved the theft of a valuable manuscript was all that Clyde Burke needed. He had sent
word to The Shadow.

Clyde had not spoken directly to his hidden chief. Instead, he had called Burbank, The Shadow's contact
agent. Whatever news came to Burbank went to The Shadow. Burbank served as a relay worker; he
was only one who passed the word along.

Thus Clyde Burke, as he traveled uptown, knew that The Shadow was informed regarding the sudden
death of Shattuck Barliss. Whether or not this demise of an old book collector was of sufficient interest
for the Shadow did not concern Clyde Burke. The reporter had done his accustomed duty; the rest lay
with The Shadow's judgment.

Clyde found a police car outside the Barliss home. He rang the doorbell of the old house. The servant
opened it; Clyde announced himself as a reporter from the Classic.
Ushered into a downstairs living room, Clyde faced several persons. Among them was a swarthy, stocky
individual whom the reporter recognized as Detective Joe Cardona, ace of the New York force.

"Hello, Joe." greeted the reporter.

"Hello, Burke," came the reply. "This is Terry Barliss, nephew of the dead man. This is Rodney Glasgow,
attorney. Sit down; it's all right for you to hear the story."

"It certainly is," agreed Terry Barliss. "I'm glad you arrived, Mr. Burke. I am just reporting the theft of a
rare manuscript. The discovery of the theft caused my uncle to fall dead of heart failure."

It was plain to see that Terry Barliss had been stunned by the death of his uncle. Nevertheless, the young
man plunged into his story, while Rodney Glasgow nodded corroboration. As he talked, Terry held forth
the bound copy of the Villon manuscript-the spurious collection of parchment pages that had come from
the safe behind the paneled wall.

As Joe Cardona took the volume to examine it, footsteps sounded on the stairs. The trained nurse
appeared, accompanied by a middle-aged man who was evidently a physician.

"This is Doctor Davenport," explained Terry. "He is an associate of Doctor Fullis, my uncle's physician.
We summoned him immediately."

"Doctor Fullis is out of town," added Doctor Davenport, addressing Cardona. "He prescribed special
capsules for Shattuck Barliss. I find that they have been administered in the appointed doses. They
produced the required stimulus that enabled Shattuck Barliss to live until to-night."

"The cause of death?"

"Heart failure. It was to be expected."

ALL eyes were upon the physician as he spoke. The doctor had entered the living room. The nurse had
come with him. No one was observant of what was occurring in the hall beyond. Neither Clyde Burke
nor Joe Cardona saw the slight flicker upon the hall wall-the indication that the front door was opening.

"You say," remarked Cardona, "that you expected Shattuck Barliss to die?"