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Glancing at his watch； the prosecutor remembered an appointment。 Ruthley showed him to the door。
AS soon as Wilderton was gone； Ruthley returned to his desk。 He picked up the list； chuckled as he read it。 The names were written on a sheet of paper that bore Wilderton's name； printed in the upper left corner。 Ruthley turned the paper downward。 He picked up the telephone； stroked his chin as he tried to remember a number。 He put the telephone back on its table； picked up the directory instead。
Turning to the 〃W's；〃 Ruthley found Woodstock's number。 He repeated it aloud： 〃Marvin 6384。〃 He was about to reach for the telephone when he heard a ring of the doorbell； Haija's prompt footsteps followed。 Ruthley stepped to the desk； and made a notation on the back of Wilderton's paper。
The memo that he wrote was： 〃Woodstock。 Marvin 6384。〃
Haija appeared； to announce Kirk Borman。 The police director entered。
Ruthley leaned against the desk； to hear what he had to report。 Borman was both prompt and brief。
〃Just gave another interview to the Daily Banner；〃 said the police director。 〃Stated that we are looking for Theo D。 Shaw； as an acplice of Beezer Dorsch。 Our theory is that Shaw lured Dunson to the Majestic Hotel； so that Beezer could kill him on the way。〃
〃Good business；〃 approved Ruthley。 〃What else？〃
〃Finding Shaw's note on Dunson；〃 continued Borman； 〃the police went to question the man。 Found that Beezer Dorsch was there ahead。 Surprised Beezer and Shaw in conference。 Both made a get…away； but we bagged two of their acplices。〃
〃Fine！〃 chuckled Ruthley。 〃Beezer was wise to get rid of those fellows。 Go on； Kirk。〃
〃Still searching for Shaw out by the water tower。 The Flying Squadron is watching for him； as well as for Beezer。 They know that he is The Shadow； but they're keeping that to themselves。〃
〃You've added more men to the squadron？〃
〃Yes。 Lance Gillick brought in a new bunch today。 We gave them the phony examination； to qualify them。 It gives us a force of forty。〃
Another chuckle from Ruthley。 One of the smartest moves in the master crook's game had been the formation of the Flying Squadron。 To a man； that outfit was recruited from thugs whom Lance Gillick had called to Westford。 All gave false addresses； pretending that they came from this locality。
Director Borman； in his call for 〃picked men；〃 invariably gave these camouflaged thugs a high mark when he examined them。 Other applicants were always rated low； thereby rejected。
〃They'll chop down The Shadow； if they see him；〃 declared Borman。 〃Too bad we didn't guess that he was Shaw； last night。〃
〃We should have；〃 purred Ruthley； his eyes showing a glint。 〃Look at this； Kirk。〃
STEPPING to his desk； Ruthley picked up a pencil。 Beneath Woodstock's telephone； he printed the name： 〃Theo D。 Shaw。〃 Crossing out letters in irregular fashion； he spelled the name： 〃The Shadow。〃
Kirk Borman whistled。
〃I get it！〃 exclaimed the police director。 〃He faked that name for Dunson's benefit。 So that if Dunson began to study it closely； he would catch on to the idea。 No wonder Dunson trusted Shaw。 He must have guessed that he was The Shadow。〃
〃Just as we should have guessed it；〃 returned Ruthley。 He glanced at the paper。 〃Wait a minute； Kirk； while I call Adam Woodstock。〃
Noting the telephone number again； Ruthley made the call。 He pleted a brief conversation； crumpled the sheet of paper and tossed it into an empty wastebasket。
〃Woodstock is waiting to see me；〃 Ruthley told Borman。 〃I called him this afternoon； told him to stay at home tonight； and see to it that he was alone。〃
〃Is he？〃
〃Yes。 His family has gone out。 By the way； did you get those notes I wanted？〃
Borman nodded； he pulled folded papers from his pocket。
〃I went to the Club Adair right after dinner；〃 he stated。 〃My pretext was to make a final check on Lance's alibi。 I gave him a clean bill of health。 I saw Beezer； in Lance's office； while we were alone。 He had the notes all ready。〃
Ruthley pocketed the notes。 He nudged his thumb toward the door。
〃You go out the front way； Kirk；〃 he told Borman。 〃I intend to use the secret passage。 I have a car parked in the back alley。〃
〃Good luck to you； Steve。 I'll be at my office in city hall； ready for any phone calls。〃
Kirk Borman departed； out through the front door。 He descended the stairs and reached the street。 He stepped aboard his official car。 The chauffeur drove away。
THE front of the big apartment house was recessed and； therefore； dark； except at the door； where two lights glowed。 Kirk Borman had glanced casually along the front wall； as his car rolled away； but he had noted nothing unusual。
It was after the director's car had gone that the unusual occurred。
Blackness moved from the darkened building front。 At a moment when no cars were passing on the boulevard； a shrouded figure stepped in front of the lights by the door。 For one second only； a plete shape was revealed。 The lights showed The Shadow； cloaked in his garb of black。
With quick glide； The Shadow entered the lower hallway of the apartment house。 No attendant was on duty； even had one been present； he could easily have failed to spy the intruder。 Though the large hall was lighted； its walls were dark…paneled and therefore dim。 The Shadow's silent course was along the wall。 He seemed no more than a mammoth blot； as he moved toward the stairs。
Reaching the second floor； The Shadow stopped by the door of Ruthley's apartment。 He set to work with a pick； he performed his task with nicety； although it required several minutes to properly probe the lock。 At last the door yielded； The Shadow stepped into the apartment and closed the barrier behind him。
Beyond a dim hallway； he saw the half…opened door of a lighted room。
Advancing noiselessly； The Shadow reached that goal； he drew an automatic from beneath his cloak as he peered into Ruthley's lighted den。 After a few moments； The Shadow stepped across the threshold。
The room was empty。 The Shadow had reached Stephen Ruthley's lair； only to find that the master crook was absent。
CHAPTER XII
THE SHADOW'S CLUE
THOUGH The Shadow had anticipated a meeting with Stephen Ruthley； he was not disturbed to find the master villain gone。 It merely meant that the meeting would be postponed； to a degree； that would prove to The Shadow's advantage。
Through various forms of investigation； The Shadow had labeled Ruthley as the master of crime in Westford。 Until tonight； he had considered it good policy to wear down the forces at Ruthley's mand； to weaken them； in preparation for a final conflict with Ruthley himself。
The death of Prescott Dunson had partly altered The Shadow's decision。 He knew that other victims might be slated for the spot； therefore； it was no longer wise to hold back a final stroke。 Moreover； The Shadow's own position had bee precarious last night。 Hunted by the law； he had needed his most stealthy tactics to leave the house by the water tower tonight。
ing into Westford on foot； The Shadow had seen many signs of the increased Flying Squadron that was covering all portions of the city。 He knew that the number of his enemies had been increased。 Hence he had ventured onward； to strike directly at Ruthley； knowing that if he boxed the master of crime； the whole evil structure would collapse。
Since Ruthley was absent； The Shadow intended to remain until he returned。
Meanwhile； he had an excellent opportunity to gain new facts regarding Ruthley； through an examination of the latter's papers。 The desk and the filing cabinet offered possibilities； if searched。 Stepping past an armchair； The Shadow reached the desk； to begin there。
As he placed his hand upon the handle of an upper drawer； The Shadow saw the wastebasket beside the desk。 Conspicuous within the basket was a crumpled sheet of paper。 Stooping； The Shadow picked out the paper and smoothed it。 He saw immediately that he had made a find。
The paper was stationery from the office of Louis Wilderton； The Shadow recognized the district attorney's precise handwriting； for he had seen it on official documents。 Studying the list of names； The Shadow understood their significance。 These were persons whom Wilderton wanted to investigate。 The prosecutor had e to Stephen Ruthley for advice on the matter。
Turning the paper over； The Shadow saw the penciled notations on the back。
Again he recognized a handwriting that he had seen before： Stephen Ruthley's。
The Shadow read the notation： 〃Woodstock。 Marvin 6384。〃 Below it； he saw the name； 〃Theo D。 Shaw；〃 with the letters crossed by lines。 The Shadow's lips phrased an almost inaudible laugh。 He had supposed that by this time Ruthley would have guessed the significance of the signature of Theo D。 Shaw。
Most important was Ruthley's notation of Woodstock's name and telephone number。 Knowing that graft was rampant in Westford； The Shadow had held suspicions of all persons who had undertaken city contracts。 Woodstock's name； however； had been but one of several。
The Shadow had seen no reason to investigate the contractor； in preference to others。 This notation； however； showed clearly that Ruthley intended contact with Woodstock。 Since Ruthley was absent； it followed that he could have gone to Woodstock's home。
HAVING seen Kirk Borman leave the apartment house after a definite visit； The Shadow knew that Ruthley must have been at home while the police director was here。 Therefore； Ruthley must have chosen another exit。
For the moment； The Shadow did not consider the large painting on the wall； for it seemed likely that Ruthley could have gone out by a back door of the apartment itself。 The Shadow decided to look for such an exit。 Before he did so； he went to the telephone； lifted the receiver and dialed Woodstock's number。
The only response was a busy signal。 It meant either that Woodstock was talking over the telephone or that the contractor had taken his receiver from the hook。 Hanging up； The Shadow went out through the hallway of the apartment； to begin a stealthy search for another outlet。
The Shadow had not proceeded far before he found reason to abandon his search。 As he turned the corner of a hallway； he heard the creep of footsteps。
Gliding through the doorway of a darkened room； The Shadow found another opening and reached the hall near Ruthley's den。 Again； he heard a guarded creep。
Someone had heard the click of the telephone dial when The Shadow had used it。 That person had visited the den following The Shadow's departure。 His presence known； The Shadow had need of strategy。 His best course was to return to the den； since the vigilant guard had already been there。 The Shadow crossed the hallway。 His tall form threw a long silhouette upon the floor； almost to a corner beyond the door of the den。 Gliding into the lighted room； The Shadow neared the desk； intending to pass beyond it。 A sound made him wheel； he faced the doorway just as a wiry attacker sprang into view。
It was Haija。 Almost as stealthy and as observant as The Shadow； the keen Japanese had spotted the silhouette upon the hallway floor。 ing from beyond the corner； he had reached the doorway of the den。 Seeing The Shadow； Haija was leaping to prompt attack。 The fact that The Shadow swung to meet him did not perturb the speedy Jap。 Haija was grinning as he came。
With nimble hands； Haija caught The Shadow's right arm； as it swung toward the front of the black cloak。 Haija thought that The Shadow was reaching for a gun。 His guess was wrong。 The Shadow had recognized a jujitsu thrust； his move was a bluff to counteract it。
As Haija performed a back…spin； expecting to speed The Shadow over his shoulders； a gloved left hand hooked cross…arm； to clutch the Jap's neck。 Haija jolted short。 The Shadow whipped backward； his long arms were like tremendous levers； as they hoisted Haija from the floor。 Releasing his grip； The Shadow let Haija hurtle over an armchair； shoulder foremost； the Japanese bashed against the side of the heavy framed painting that adorned the wall。 The canvas quivered from the thud； instantly； The Shadow recognized that it served as a door。
HAIJA lay motionless on the floor； stunned by a bump his head had