The Living Shadow
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THE LIVING SHADOW Maxwell Grant THE LIVING SHADOW Table of Contents THE LIVING SHADOW...................................................................................................................................1 Maxwell Grant.........................................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER I. OUT OF THE MIST........................................................................................................2 CHAPTER II. THE FIRST MESSAGE..................................................................................................5 CHAPTER III. THE MAN IN THE NEXT ROOM................................................................................8 CHAPTER IV. A BOLD MURDER.....................................................................................................12 CHAPTER V. THE SHADOW ON THE WALL.................................................................................16 CHAPTER VI. THE SECOND MESSAGE..........................................................................................22 CHAPTER VII. THE INSURANCE BROKER....................................................................................25 CHAPTER VIII. THE TEA SHOP OF WANG TOO..........................................................................30 CHAPTER IX. THE ROOM OF DOOM..............................................................................................34 CHAPTER X. THE FIGHT IN THE GLOOM.....................................................................................37 CHAPTER XI. A BAFFLING MYSTERY..........................................................................................40 CHAPTER XII. TWO DETECTIVES TALK.......................................................................................46 CHAPTER XIII. LOO CHOY'S COUSIN............................................................................................52 CHAPTER XIV. AT HOLMWOOD ARMS........................................................................................54 CHAPTER XV. TWO MEN MEET......................................................................................................60 CHAPTER XVI. WHAT VINCENT HEARD......................................................................................64 CHAPTER XVII. BINGHAM SEES A SHADOW..............................................................................69 CHAPTER XVIII. FELLOWS ASSEMBLES FACTS.......................................................................73 CHAPTER XIX. WOVEN FACTS.......................................................................................................77 CHAPTER XX. A LETTER FOR HARRY..........................................................................................80 CHAPTER XXI. WANG FOO RECEIVES A VISITOR....................................................................83 CHAPTER XXII. FRESH TROUBLE..................................................................................................87 CHAPTER XXIII. ENGLISH JOHNNY'S GAME...............................................................................94 CHAPTER XXIV. A VISIT TO BINGHAM'S.....................................................................................98 CHAPTER XXV. A FRIEND IN NEED............................................................................................103 CHAPTER XXVI. A RACE FOR LIFE.............................................................................................107 CHAPTER XXVII. THE CODE IS SOLVED....................................................................................110 CHAPTER XXVIII. VINCENT SEARCHES.....................................................................................113 CHAPTER XXIX. ENGLISH JOHNNY'S TRICK............................................................................118 CHAPTER XXX. TRAIL'S END........................................................................................................122 CHAPTER XXXI. HARRY'S MESSAGE..........................................................................................126 CHAPTER XXXII. ENGLISH JOHNNY ARRIVES........................................................................130 CHAPTER XXXIII. ENGLISH JOHNNY EXPLAINS....................................................................132 CHAPTER XXXIV. ENGLISH JOHNNY DEPARTS......................................................................135 CHAPTER XXXV. AT HEADQUARTERS......................................................................................138 CHAPTER XXXVI. THE GEMS' DELIVERY..................................................................................140 CHAPTER XXXVII. WHAT THE PAPERS SAID...........................................................................143 i THE LIVING SHADOW Maxwell Grant This page copyright © 2001 Blackmask Online. http://www.blackmask.com • CHAPTER I. OUT OF THE MIST • CHAPTER II. THE FIRST MESSAGE • CHAPTER III. THE MAN IN THE NEXT ROOM • CHAPTER IV. A BOLD MURDER • CHAPTER V. THE SHADOW ON THE WALL • CHAPTER VI. THE SECOND MESSAGE • CHAPTER VII. THE INSURANCE BROKER • CHAPTER VIII. THE TEA SHOP OF WANG TOO • CHAPTER IX. THE ROOM OF DOOM • CHAPTER X. THE FIGHT IN THE GLOOM • CHAPTER XI. A BAFFLING MYSTERY • CHAPTER XII. TWO DETECTIVES TALK • CHAPTER XIII. LOO CHOY'S COUSIN • CHAPTER XIV. AT HOLMWOOD ARMS • CHAPTER XV. TWO MEN MEET • CHAPTER XVI. WHAT VINCENT HEARD • CHAPTER XVII. BINGHAM SEES A SHADOW • CHAPTER XVIII. FELLOWS ASSEMBLES FACTS • CHAPTER XIX. WOVEN FACTS • CHAPTER XX. A LETTER FOR HARRY • CHAPTER XXI. WANG FOO RECEIVES A VISITOR • CHAPTER XXII. FRESH TROUBLE • CHAPTER XXIII. ENGLISH JOHNNY'S GAME • CHAPTER XXIV. A VISIT TO BINGHAM'S • CHAPTER XXV. A FRIEND IN NEED • CHAPTER XXVI. A RACE FOR LIFE • CHAPTER XXVII. THE CODE IS SOLVED • CHAPTER XXVIII. VINCENT SEARCHES • CHAPTER XXIX. ENGLISH JOHNNY'S TRICK • CHAPTER XXX. TRAIL'S END • CHAPTER XXXI. HARRY'S MESSAGE • CHAPTER XXXII. ENGLISH JOHNNY ARRIVES • CHAPTER XXXIII. ENGLISH JOHNNY EXPLAINS • CHAPTER XXXIV. ENGLISH JOHNNY DEPARTS • CHAPTER XXXV. AT HEADQUARTERS • CHAPTER XXXVI. THE GEMS' DELIVERY • CHAPTER XXXVII. WHAT THE PAPERS SAID As originally published in "The Shadow Magazine," April/June 1931. THE LIVING SHADOW 1 THE LIVING SHADOW Out of the darkness came a being of the night to give Harry Vincent another chance; a chance to live his life with enjoyment, danger and excitement; a chance to risk it for an honorable cause in the service of the mysterious character known only as The Shadow! CHAPTER I. OUT OF THE MIST THE fog was thick at the center of the bridge where the man stood leaning against the rail. Although the streets of New York were scarcely a hundred yards away, he might have been in a little world of his own. For the only light in the midst of that cloud of black night fog came from an arc light on the bridge. A taxicab, carrying a late passenger home, shot through the mist. The man stepped away from the rail and crouched beside a post. He saw a flash of the red tail light on the cab; a moment later it was lost in the fog. As the noise of the motor died away, the man stood up again and placed his hands upon the rail. He listened, afraid that another cab might be coming across the bridge; then, reassured, he leaned over the rail and stared downward. Mist; thick, black mist − nothing but mist. It seemed to invite his plunge. Yet he hesitated − as many wait when they are upon the brink of death − until, with a mad impulse, he swung his body across the rail and loosened his hands. Something clamped upon his shoulder. An iron grip held him − balanced between life and death. Then, as though his body possessed no weight whatever, the man felt himself pulled around in a sweeping circle. He staggered as his feet struck the sidewalk of the bridge. He turned to confront the person who had interfered. He swung his fist angrily, but a hand caught his wrist and twisted it behind his back with irresistible power. It was as though the man's strength had been wrested from him when he faced a tall, black−cloaked figure that might have represented death itself. For he could not have sworn that he was looking at a human being. The stranger's face was entirely obscured by a broad−brimmed felt hat bent downward over his features; and the long, black cloak looked like part of the thickening fog. The man who had attempted suicide was too startled to speak. Fear had come upon him, and his only desire was to shrink from this grim and eerie master of the night. But he felt himself pulled across the sidewalk, and at the curb he stumbled through the open door of a large limousine, which he had not seen until that moment. His arm was freed, and he shrank into the far corner of the car. The door closed and the car moved onward. Fear still clutched the man whose life had been saved against his will. Rescued, he sensed that the grim stranger was in the seat beside him. He expected new evidence of that weird personage's presence. The evidence came. A voice spoke through the darkness. It was a weird, chilling voice − scarcely more than a whisper, yet clear and penetrating. "What is your name?" CHAPTER I. OUT OF THE MIST 2 THE LIVING SHADOW It was not a question. Rather, it was a command to speak. "Harry Vincent," replied the man who had been deterred from self−destruction. The words had come to his lips automatically. "Why did you try suicide?" It was another command. "Melancholy," said Vincent. He was speaking of his own accord now; somehow he