"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 268 - Murder Lake" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

The thing dawned suddenly on Harry.

"A price for a real body snatch!" he exclaimed. "To make up for the amateur job that Shep did without
knowing it! Endorf must have known that Shep couldn't stand the heat."

The Shadow's laugh told that Harry had finally guessed it. Endorf could not afford to have Morgan's
disappearance become a matter of murder. Disposal of the corpus delicti had been the stumbling block in
every unsolved case on The Shadow's list to date. It showed the operations of a professional ring
working on a high-priced scale.

Fortunately, Endorf hadn't called in such expensive operators until he feared that the cheaper job done by
Shep would not stand the strain. The Shadow was at last upon a vital trail.

THIS road was dark because a cliff towered alongside it, part of the limestone ridge that housed Echo
Cave. Picking his way along the gloomy highway, Harry pulled up in front of the cave itself. All was quiet
there.

But soon cars would arrive, bringing representatives of the law. Until then, the body-snatchers would
have their chance to earn the money paid by Endorf - if they had not already done so. The Shadow was
banking on the prospect that the work was not yet completed. His specialty was holding up such games
of crime, but he couldn't afford to let his presence be discovered too soon.

Standing beside the car, The Shadow surveyed the cliff above and saw that, despite its height, it was not
formidable. To The Shadow it promised a route for later departure; so he instructed Harry accordingly.

"Drive along this lower road," directed The Shadow. "Take the first fork to the left. At the end of five
miles you will strike a dirt road that leads above the cliff. Drive back along it and wait on the higher level
until I join you."

Harry eased the car away, still without lights. Against the black entrance to the cavern, The Shadow was
totally invisible. With a whispered laugh he let the gaping darkness swallow him.

When a tiny flashlight flickered, it was deep within the shrouding confines of Echo Cave. The Shadow
discovered stumpy stalagmites that blocked his route; in sidestepping them he avoided the hanging
stalactites as well.

Through the gloom pierced by the thin, moving beam, came an unaccountable sound, a whisper that
seemed to pronounce the word, "Hush!" It was the faint stir of The Shadow's cloak, magnified by vaulted
roof of the cave.

The sound itself was helpful. Should invaders hear it they would never trace its human source. Rather,
they would take it as a ghostly warning, a thing to deter their expedition.

Such was in keeping with The Shadow's well-formed plan. By reaching the rear of the cave ahead of
Bevry's band, he would be able to hold them in abeyance, then drive them outward into the clutches of
new arrivals who represented the law.

In leaving the city hall, The Shadow had started with the certainty that the local authorities would not
delay long in investigating the claim made by Shep Kroot.