"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 101 - The Gray Ghost" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

Suddenly, The Shadow's flashlight became black. At the opened window, The Shadow had heard an
approach below. Leaning out into the darkness, he listened. He caught mumbled voices below the wall.

“I saw it, Towden,” came a trembling tone. “I tell you, there was a light at the study window!”

“There's no light there now, Furbison.”

“It wasn't the study light. It was like a little flashlight. We must inform the master!”
“A good idea! Get inside, Furbison. I'll watch here.”

In examining the jimmied window, The Shadow had allowed an unguarded blink. It had been spotted by
two men roaming the lawn: Furbison, the butler and Towden, the chauffeur. Towden evidently had
returned from the city with the movie-goers.

Evidently, Debrossler had instructed his servants to look about the grounds. Faring forth, they had
arrived too late to surprise The Shadow making entry. But Furbison had spotted the flashlight, and was
going in to inform Debrossler.

THE SHADOW'S only course was departure. An easy route would be the window. A surprise drop
upon Towden would be effective. But it would also betray the fact that there had actually been some one
in the study. The Shadow preferred to have Debrossler think that Furbison's observation of a blinking
flashlight had been a product of the butler's imagination.

Therefore, The Shadow chose the door leading from the study.

Opening the door from the inside, he stepped into the gloomy upstairs hall. He closed the door behind
him and moved to the stairs. Halfway down, he paused. Furbison had entered. The Shadow waited while
the butler passed through a living room to the enclosed porch.

Descending to the lower hall, The Shadow heard voices. The living room was darkened; he entered it.
With gliding course, The Shadow reached a pitch-black spot behind a door that was opened inward
from the porch. This was one section of a French window; it had a drawn shade. A trickle of light,
through the crack of the door, was insufficient to disturb the darkness of The Shadow's hiding place.

From this vantage point, The Shadow could hear and see the persons on the porch.

Furbison was speaking to Debrossler.

“Pardon, sir,” said the butler, “but I have just left Towden—”

“Do not interrupt us,” broke in Debrossler. “I know that you've left Towden; otherwise he would be here
with you.”

“But he is outside, sir—”

“Where he belongs. No interruption, Furbison.”

“Very well, sir.”