NEW DEVELOPMENTS
IT was early in the evening. The old building on Twenty-third Street was dark. All the occupants of the dingy offices had gone home a few hours before.
A single light gleamed in a room on the second floor. But any one going through the building would not have observed it; for the room in which it appeared was thoroughly curtained. A black cloth hung over the glass door on which the name “B. Jonas” appeared.
Beneath the shaded light was a table, and there hands were at work. Like a creature of the night, The Shadow was going over the data which he had received from his agent, Claude Fellows.
The insurance broker’s report was one of definite information. It referred in part to Harry Vincent:
Vincent called at five o’clock. Followed Berger last night. Left him at theater. Followed man who had been trailing Berger. Was lured to place known as Pink Rat. Learned name of man whom he followed. Volovick. Vincent attacked by Volovick and gang. Rescued by a girl who helped him hide in secret compartment behind the wall of room. Girl disappeared. Vincent opened panel of wall by accident. Escaped through aid of an unknown man who fought Volovick and his gang. Vincent received a letter to-day. Forwarded it unopened. Letter inclosed herewith. Vincent also met girl again. She was with Bruce Duncan. Has known Duncan only a few days. Her name is Arlette DeLand. Pretended she did not recognize Vincent. She lives at Hotel Paragon. Data regarding Whitburn difficult to obtain. Have located several Whitburns. Professor Arthur Whitburn seems most probable. Formerly head of engineering department, Hornell University. Now retired. Lived on island in Lake Marrinack, Connecticut. Have traced inclosed advertisement to him.
A clipping lay on the table. The hands raised the slip of newspaper, which had been cut from the Morning Sphere. It read as follows:
WANTED: Young Man, single, college graduate, to assist in experimental work. State qualifications, age, et cetera. A. W., care of Sphere.
The moving hands discarded the newspaper clipping. Then they turned to another task. They lifted the envelope which Harry Vincent had received in the morning mail. It was addressed in the writing of Stanley Berger.
Slowly the hands opened the envelope, and spread the letter upon the table.
For two full minutes the hands remained motionless. The fire opal, glimmering beneath the brilliant light, sparkled as though it were alive; yet it seemed attached to a waxwork hand.
The message written by Stanley Berger was perplexing to the mind that was invisible in the surrounding darkness. It was in the suicide’s writing, yet the facts which it stated were not what had been expected.
The simple announcements that Berger was “miserable and unhappy”; that the “shock had left him helpless”; and that when the letter was received he “would be gone” carried no semblance of a murderer’s confession. Instead, these statements were ones which an innocent man might have written.
THE letter dropped to the table. The hand that wore the fire opal picked up the envelope. The fingers of the other hand carefully peeled the stamp from the corner where it was attached.
The envelope was discarded. Producing two sheets of paper, and two pencils, each hand poised as though ready to write. Finally the left hand inscribed these words:
Berger began to write a complete confession. His mind was directed to that channel.
The right hand took up the task, forming words that seemed to come from another mind:
The letter received by Vincent is not a confession. It was dictated by another person.
Then, right and left hand writing in rapid alternation, these sentences quickly filled the two papers:
Berger first addressed the envelope. Unknown to him, that envelope was marked in the corner. The stamp was placed over the mark. There is no mark on the envelope received by Vincent. This is not the envelope which Berger originally addressed. Berger’s mind was directed to mail the original envelope. His mind, acting upon the suggestion given it, would not have remembered the address. Vincent’s name would have been unknown. Some one intercepted the letter of confession. That person now knows that Harry Vincent is connected with this matter.
The amazing hands held the two sheets of paper side by side; then crumpled them together.
Now the right hand, as though inspired by the comparative thoughts, began to write alone; and it showed that a master mind was at work, piecing together bits of evidence.
The words were scattered, and obscure in their meaning; but at last the hand became methodical, and compiled a list of names, with statements following them. The first was:
Stanley Berger. Member of a powerful organization. Attended meetings. Ordered to obtain correspondence between Jonathan Graham and man named Whitburn. Berger succeeded. Murdered Graham to cover up trail. Received notification to stay away from future meetings. Did not know exact nature of correspondence which he stole.
A second name appeared upon the list:
Volovick. Another member of the organization. Deputed to observe Berger. Saw Vincent. Led him into a trap. Sought to kill him.
The third name would have interested Harry Vincent:
Arlette DeLand. Saved Harry Vincent temporarily. Is a friend of Bruce Duncan. Now fails to recognize Vincent. Has some purpose in making Bruce Duncan’s acquaintance.
The moving fingers became motionless. The directing brain was considering the next person on the list. Finally the hand wrote; but this time it inscribed no name. Instead, it used the letter X to denote an unknown factor.
X. A supervising power of the organization. The person who visited Stanley Berger. A keen, strong mind. Overcame the suggestion under which Berger was working. Gave him new directions. Induced him to commit suicide.
The forefinger of the right hand ran down the list, carefully checking every statement which had been written. Then, with precise care, it wrote a definite summary upon another sheet of paper:
Stanley Berger worked for an unknown purpose. Therefore he was inspired by a cause not governed by personal gain. Murder was too drastic an action to merely cover up his theft. He murdered Jonathan Graham because in him he saw an enemy to his cause. Graham had no known personal enemies. He was a millionaire, and noteworthy as a capitalist. He was an outstanding opponent of communism. This would be sufficient cause for a fanatic to kill him. Berger was a fanatic. His suicide proves it. Volovick has connection with gangsters. But he is not identified with major activities in the underworld. He is a Russian. A logical member of a Red organization. The members of this organization do not know one another — except when deputed to watch a former member of the group; as Volovick watched Berger. Arlette DeLand, as an agent of the organization, did not recognize Volovick; or was not recognized by him. Hence she did not know that Vincent was under observation as a supposed enemy. Bruce Duncan is being tracked by the organization because he was the recipient of czarist wealth. That is the only reason why he would be investigated. Arlette DeLand is working for the group, to learn more about him.
The Shadow, invisible in the darkness, had summarized his facts. Now his hand wrote the details of his future plans. They were brief and definite:
X must be traced. Two methods. First, through Volovick. Second, by warning Bruce Duncan to watch Arlette DeLand. Find connection between Whitburn and Graham. Danger may threaten Whitburn. He must be protected. Vincent is now in danger. His name is known to X. Two in danger are safer together. Whitburn will be reached through Vincent.
The hand paused; then it used the pencil to underscore the last sentence. The hand produced a pen, and wrote a brief note in ink. The message was quickly folded; the newspaper clipping of A. W. was dropped with it, into an envelope.
Using another pen — one which evidently contained permanent ink — The Shadow addressed the envelope to Claude H. Fellows, in the Grandville Building.
The light was turned out. Silence reigned amid the blackness. The mind of The Shadow had performed its work. Now the man had gone forth to act!