"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 123 - Washington Crime" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

into unconsciousness from the pounding his head had received, choking from the
clutches at his throat, paralyzed by the weight of a half a dozen foemen.
Framed above, the last sight that The Shadow could remember was the
fire-tinted visage of Hugo Creelon, glaring with the evil glory of a conqueror
who had overcome his greatest foe.


CHAPTER IV

WITHOUT A TRACE

SOON after The Shadow's encounter with Hugo Creelon, a stocky, mustached
man arrived at the Hotel Barlingham and went up to Senator Releston's
apartment. The senator immediately received the stocky man; his visitor was
Vic
Marquette, of the secret service.
The two had cooperated before, for Senator Releston had always been
active
in pushing investigations that pertained to government matters. To-night,
however, Marquette looked disgruntled and Releston was prompt to notice it. He
inquired as to the trouble. Marquette was hesitant for a few moments; then he
spoke bluntly.
"It's about the NEC, senator," stated Vic. "The day after it turned out
to
be missing, you and I had a conference."
"Of course," returned Releston. "I promised you my cooperation, and I
have
given it."
"You told me that you would see that facts reached The Shadow."
 "Which I have done, through giving them to his friend, Lamont Cranston.
The president himself summoned Mr. Cranston to to-day's court-martial
proceedings!"
Releston spoke with an emphasis that indicated he had gone through with
his bargain. Marquette, however, was not satisfied. As bluntly as before, he
declared:
"You agreed to something else, senator: You said that you would notify us
regarding any conversation that you had with Cranston; where he would be in
case we wished to contact him -"
Releston started an interruption, but Marquette was in no mood to hear
it.
Snappily, Vic added:
"You failed to do that, senator! I have just come from Washington police
headquarters, where I learned of the attack made upon Cranston at the Hotel
Halcyon!"
Senator Releston sat flabbergasted. Whatever he had intended to say was
forgotten through his astonishment at this news. Realizing that he had
dumfounded the senator, Marquette added the details.
"It happened at eight-twenty," declared the secret service operative.
"Cranston had just gone up to his suite. The police learned that because he
stopped at the check room to get a bag. The telephone operator also reported