"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 116 - Intimidation,Inc" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

his
chair. "They must be waiting for you there."
"No, no," returned Bursard, motioning for the mayor to remain. "I talk
from here. The hook-up is all ready. This room is soundproof. Remain here, but
please keep absolute silence. How about the speech. Does it suit you, Mr.
Mayor?"
"Quite."


THERE was a slight crackle from the corner of the room; then came the
voice of the radio announcer through a loudspeaker.
Gesturing for silence, Bursard stepped to the corner near his special
clock gong and turned on a light beside an adjustable microphone. Holding his
papers, he waited until the announcement was ended; then he began his speech.
Bursard's voice was a good one for the air. Its well modulated tones were
exactly the same as when The Shadow had heard them previously.
Here, in the actual room from which Bursard broadcasted, The Shadow was
able for the first time to judge the man's full ability. Bursard had a way of
pausing between statements; and it added a definite emphasis to his talk. As
The Shadow watched him lay aside the papers, another reason for Bursard's
deliberation became apparent.
It was obvious that Bursard had not timed this particular speech and was
therefore taking no chances on running short. When he was halfway through, he
stopped to calculate the papers that he had already covered. From then on, the
pauses were shorter and less apparent. Almost at the finish of his allotted
time, Bursard clipped his final statements and finished the broadcast in
effective manner.
Off the air, Bursard smiled and sat down at his desk. He looked like a
man
who had finished an ordeal. That was not surprising, for he had hedged
considerably in his speech. Mayor Wrightley nodded approvingly.
"Good work, Bursard," he said. "You handled that well. You described the
courtroom and the verdict; but you went easy on Clewiss. It was fine business,
commending justice; speaking highly of Judge Noy."
Bursard shook his head.
"It went against my grain," he declared. Then, with a pound on the desk,
"Why did we weaken, Wrightley? You and I had our chance to stop that stadium
contract. We let Clewiss and Radbourne override us."
"We couldn't help it," protested Wrightley. "We were threatened, Bursard
-"
"We've been over that before. It has only made matters worse. Wait a
moment, Wrightley" - Bursard's gaze narrowed - "have you heard from Radbourne
about this?"
"Not a word," replied Wrightley, "but that is not odd. Radbourne does not
know that Clewiss received the threat. They cannot see each other, after what
happened in court today. It would look as though Radbourne bribed Clewiss."
"It would be a good plan for you to see Radbourne," remarked Bursard.
"Some time tomorrow - or perhaps the next day. He ought to know what has
happened. By the way, does Clewiss still have that letter he found today?"
"No. He showed it to me and destroyed it in my presence."