"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 020 - Kings of Crime" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

The laugh died away; but its echoes responded from the hidden walls. Those echoes were convulsive
reverberations that might have been the cry of a host of ghoulish demons, so unreal was their tone!

A white hand stretched forth from the black robe. Its appearance was uncanny, for it moved like a
detached creature as it crept across the surface of the table. The hand stopped upon a switch that was
attached to a black box on the wall.

On the third finger of the hand shone a shimmering gem, a rare fire opal that glimmered with
ever-changing shades.

From deep maroon, the jewel changed to a purplish hue that blended with the pervading light. Then its
rays were a light blue; again they became a firelike red, shining from uncalculable depths.

That stone was The Shadow's girasol—a priceless gem, unmatched in all the world—the solitary symbol
of The Shadow!

The switch clicked softly. A whispered voice spoke through the purplish gloom.

"Report."

A quiet voice answered from the wall.

"Burbank speaking. Contact arranged with Seaview City. Vincent has opened interior wire connection.
Ready for direct communication by radio."

"Proceed."

Silence followed the whispered order. Then came a slight clicking from the wall. After that, a confused
murmur gradually developed itself into the distinct voices of men, speaking.

The hand pressed a button at the side of the table. The purplish light faded. Thus, immersed in total
darkness, The Shadow had become an unseen member of a group of unsuspecting men miles away from
New York City!

Through his amazing genius and the cooperation of his trusted operatives, this mysterious presence had
invoked mechanical aid to place himself where he could hear without being seen.

The serious counsel of certain men was being brought directly to The Shadow's consideration. From the
hidden depths of his sanctum, he could both consider and advise.

MASTER of the unknown, The Shadow had a purpose in this self-appointed task. His identity a secret,
his strange habitation undiscovered, The Shadow, more than any other person, was equipped to battle
crime.

That, alone, was the clew to The Shadow's presence in this sanctum, and his actions to-night. When The
Shadow prepared, it could be for one purpose only. The thwarting of master plotters was The Shadow's
work.

A voice was speaking from the invisible box upon the wall. Its tones were deliberate and precise. It was