"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 243 - Room of Doom" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

"If he knows that he is only wanted as a witness, we shall hear from
him,"
added Dulther. "That is why I say that he may reappear before we find
Kelburn."
Oddly, Joan did not feel impelled to make another outburst in defense of
her uncle. The recent excitement had sobered her, and she realized the mistake
of being too impetuous. She knew that The Shadow had befriended her, even
though
she had fired shots that might have killed him, and such generosity on his
part
made her quite humble. She hoped that she might sometime meet that unknown
friend and thank him for all that he had done.
Meanwhile, she did not feel entirely friendless. Among those present was
one who had likewise stood in her behalf. As she watched the group, Joan
caught
a glance from Cranston.
His eyes did not have the fiery gaze of The Shadow's; instead, they were
very calm. They were deep eyes, though, that showed understanding, and Joan
not
only trusted them, but their owner, too.
She was glad when Cranston offered to take her into town in his
limousine.
Not only did it offer her a chance to talk to him alone; it suited the police
commissioner.
Weston decided that Cranston's surveillance would be sufficient, in
Joan's
case. Of course, he was counting upon Cranston to press some subtle inquiries
during the trip; but that didn't occur to Joan.
When they entered the limousine, Joan saw something on the rear seat.
Without a gasp, the girl quickly covered it with her arm. As soon as the car
had
started, Cranston reached across, lifted Joan's arm and picked up the hidden
object.
It was a .32 revolver, which he weighed as he inquired:
"Yours?"
Joan hesitated; then nodded.
"I thought so," said Cranston quietly. "I found it in the car when I went
after Nevlin. Who put it here" - he shrugged - "well, that can be left to
speculation. The main point was to clear up its ownership, which we have."
He tucked the gun in a side pocket of the car, as though he intended to
forget it. Decidedly, Cranston was Joan's friend, and she needed only a slight
stimulus to bestow upon him the gratitude that she was reserving for The
Shadow.
Subtly, Cranston made it a mutual answer.
"You will be hearing from your uncle," Cranston predicted. "When you do,
assure him that you can help, if he will tell you how and where to find him. I
have a friend who would like to meet him." Cranston paused; with a trace of a
significant smile he added: "The friend is not the police commissioner."
Joan's nod proved that she understood. Cranston wanted Smead Kelburn to
meet The Shadow, the mysterious personage who, upon this evening, had proven