"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 096 - North Woods Mystery" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

Leaning against the desk, clutching Loon Kow's revolver, Tam was about to pour forth words of
gratitude. His lips had parted; but his speech halted. Tam had heard another snarl from the floor. Turning
about, he saw the murderous Mongol halfway to his feet.

The big killer was not through. He had snatched up his knife in his left hand. The Mongol was
ambidextrous. Tam, horrified, saw the killer's good arm swing. The gleaming knife blade whistled from
the Mongol's fist; its point, like an arrow tip, was whizzing straight for The Shadow!

The Mongol's fling was as accurate as his thrust had been for Tam. The knife was already on its way. No
bullet could have stopped it. Yet the dirk never reached the mark for which it was intended. The
Shadow's left hand had acted as quickly as the Mongol's.

HOLDING the doorknob, The Shadow yanked the barrier half closed; his stratagem was simultaneous
with the Mongol's dispatch of the knife. The door was still swinging when the flashing dirk arrived; like a
shield, it had come in to cover The Shadow.

The knife blade found the woodwork. Its point stabbed through; the handle of the knife stopped farther
progress. The Shadow shifted beyond the door, edging his left shoulder away from the projecting knife
point. His right hand aimed its automatic to cover the crippled Mongol.

As he swung to aim, The Shadow hissed a quick word to Doctor Tam. It was a command to withhold
fire. Tam was too late to obey.

Desperately, the rescued man had aimed toward the Mongol. Tugging the trigger of Loon Kow's
revolver, Tam sped three straight bullets toward the murderer. The Mongol spun about, then withered.
He flattened to the floor. This time, he remained.

Tam bounded past Loon Kow's body. He stopped beside the slayer. A gloved hand thrust Tam aside.
The Shadow had arrived. Tam moved away. He saw The Shadow stoop; he heard a hissed tone quiz the
dying Mongol in the murderer's own tongue.

The Shadow was commanding speech. He was ordering the killer to name the person who had sent him
here to slay Loon Kow. The Mongol grimaced. His dying gaze met burning eyes. Fear showed in the
murderer's glare. Lips gasped a last utterance, as the killer's head sagged back.

Two words. A name. The Shadow heard; and so did Doctor Tam. The murderer had spoken the title of
an evil master whose dictates he obeyed:

"Kai Luan!"

CHAPTER II. A STRANGE CLUE
"KAI LUAN."

The name was spoken by hidden lips. The Shadow's.

The cloaked avenger was standing above the body of the Mongol whom Doctor Tam had slain. The
Shadow's utterance was a summary of the one fact that he had learned. The murderer had come from
Kai Luan.

Doctor Tam was solemn. He knew that he had made a great mistake. The Shadow could have slain this