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a lever。 A door slid open at the far wall。
The Shadow reached the front； jamming the brakes of the roadster； he saw the thoroughfare。 In that instant； he thought that the far door had been open when Lance entered the garage； for the coupe was speeding through it。 To give a last zest to his pursuit； The Shadow swung his roadster into the garage； intending to drive clear through and follow the crooks a few blocks farther。
He realized his error； as he sped his car through the front doorway。
The rear door slid shut before The Shadow could reach it。 Jamming the brakes； The Shadow shoved the gear…shift lever into reverse。 Again； he was too late。 The front door slithered shut before The Shadow could back out through it。
Lights showed the garage devoid of cars。 A stone…walled room some sixty feet square； it formed a sealed snare； once the doors had closed； for they were of metal。 More ominous still were two small； boxlike rooms at each side of empty garage。 They were sheeted with metal； their closed doors were fronted with loopholes。
The tiny rooms were pill…boxes…safe spots from which hidden sharpshooters could riddle anyone who occupied the center of the garage floor。
Once the barrage began； it would spell instant doom for The Shadow。
CHAPTER XXI
THE SHADOW'S EXIT
IN a single instant； The Shadow sized his situation。 Big doors had clanged； to leap from the roadster and attempt to open them would be the worst move possible。 The Shadow knew that machine gunners were sequestered in the pill…boxes； ready to begin their fire the moment that he bobbed into view。
Even the roadster offered but temporary safety。 Bullets would spray it soon。 Yet； for some reason； the opening hail had been delayed。 Quick to note that fact； The Shadow looked for the answer； and found it。 A glance from the side of the roadster enabled him to see a scudding man in overalls； making across the stone floor for the pill…box on the left。
It was the attendant who had pulled the levers to close the garage doors。
The fellow was still inside the garage； the men in the pill…box were giving him time to join them。 The door of the pill…box was moving open； ready to admit the scudding thug。
The Shadow had an automatic handy。 He could have dropped the rowdy as he ran。 Such a move would have been futile。 If their pal fell； the men in the pill…boxes would have no further need to delay their machine gun fire。
Nor would The Shadow gain by blazing bullets into the doorway of the pill…box when it opened。 Unless he clipped every occupant； the door would slam again。 Even if he did wound that crew of sharpshooters； the men in the second pill…box would make up for it。 Not for an instant did The Shadow forget that he lay between two bands of murderers。
Without reaching for the 。45 that lay on the seat beside him； The Shadow staged a prompt surprise。 His move was totally unexpected； for that reason； it left his enemies momentarily bewildered。 The thug who was dashing for the pill…box had thirty feet to go。 The Shadow resolved to block him off； to keep him in a spot of danger as bad as The Shadow's own predicament。
With his left hand； The Shadow jerked the roadster's wheel。 He rammed the gear shift into low； with his right。 His foot thrust the accelerator to the floor。 The roadster leaped as if alive； skewed to the left and roared like a thunderbolt straight for the pill…box； just as the door of that tiny stronghold slid wide。
The Shadow passed the running thug in a split…second。 Jamming the brakes； he again yanked the wheel to the left。 The roadster halted with a screech； squarely between the startled thug and the opened door of the pill…box。
Again； The Shadow pulled a surprise。 As the man in overalls heeled about and dashed in the other direction； The Shadow let him go。 Diving to the right； The Shadow banged the roadster's door outward； with his left hand； while his rightmost grabbed the automatic from the seat。 In one continuous leap； he hurtled onward； straight through the opened door of the pill…box。
Two startled hoodlums； crouched in darkness； saw the cloaked avalanche whirl in upon them。 Dropping their machine gun； they sprang to meet The Shadow。
His right arm swished downward； the automatic smashed a thug's skull。 As the fellow sprawled； The Shadow swung a side blow； clipped the second gunner and rolled him out through the door of the pill…box。
The first thug partly blocked the door。 Stopping； The Shadow seized his shoulders and pitched his senseless body out beside the dazed man who had floundered on the step of the roadster。 That done； The Shadow grabbed the handle of the door and clanged the barrier shut。 Safe in the pill…box； he peered through the tiny loophole。
The Shadow had pletely tricked the gunners in the far pill…box。 His car had blocked their view of his rapid action。 They learned what had happened too late to defeat it。 Their knowledge came when the thug on the roadster's step suddenly grabbed his unconscious pal and dragged him out in front of the halted car。
It was stalemate： a trio of crooks in one pill…box； The Shadow in the other。 The abandoned roadster made a barrier in between； but it meant nothing。
The Shadow； like the crooks； had a machine gun and could fire through the open sides of the small car。 Volleys would prove useless； however； for both The Shadow and his opponents were safely entrenched。
True； there were three men somewhere on the garage floor； two of them were now dragging a third toward the front door。 The Shadow could have picked out those crooks and finished them； but they were unimportant。 He needed some way to break this stalemate； to leave the pillbox and be on his way to other tasks。
That was The Shadow's real dilemma。
Had crooks recognized the situation； they would have let matters remain as they were。 They； however； disliked the condition for reasons of their own。 They knew the identity of their foeman。 They were incensed because they had let The Shadow nullify their advantage。
Hoarse shouts came from the far pill…box。 The words were incoherent to The Shadow； due to the echoes from the barren walls。 To the men who were in the open； the cries were understandable。 One dropped the senseless man whom he was lugging； leaped for a wall and pulled a light switch。 The garage was plunged into darkness。
ON the face of it； this move seemed merely a protection for the men who were still at large。 Crooks naturally expected The Shadow to stay where he was。
Instead； The Shadow found the handle of the pill…box door。 He slid the door open； slowly and cautiously。 His move was just in time。
The thug by the outer door had found another switch。 He pulled it。 The result was sensed immediately by The Shadow。 His pill…box began a descent into the floor； lowering like an elevator。 The smooth action was acpanied by the rhythmic hum of hidden machinery。
Had The Shadow still been behind a closed door； he could not have left the descending pill…box； for it went down into the floor so steadily that the delay of opening the door would have been fatal。 However； The Shadow had already attended to the detail of opening the door。 His quick brain caught the need for immediate action。
With both hands； he grabbed the edge of outside floor when it was just waist…high。 With a long； forward leap from the floor of the descending pill…box； he shot headforemost through the closing space； performed a quick roll that brought his legs clear； just before the top of the pill…box doorway could trap them。
The pill…box stopped its descent with a sharp click。 Reaching along the garage floor in the darkness； The Shadow found that the roof of the pill…box was coated with cement； that formed a perfect level with the floor。 He knew that the other pill…box must operate in the same fashion； and the reason was obvious。 With the pill…boxes lowered into their pits； the garage floor would appear quite ordinary； and would therefore excite no suspicion when not in use as a trap。
Some crook had seen a smart way to render The Shadow's capture of the pill…box worse than useless。 The pull of the wall switch had turned the stronghold into a prison； as close…walled as a tomb。 Harsh； gleeful cries amid the darkness told that men of crime were sure that their ruse had worked。 A raucous voice called for lights。
Quickly； The Shadow rolled beneath the roadster。 He lay there； face downward； clasping an automatic in each fist。 The lights came on； crooks piled from their pill…box to join the others on the floor。 Together； they surged to the wall beside the roadster； they tramped roughly on the leveled roof； they bent to shout jeers that they hoped The Shadow would hear within his tomb。
While thugs made merry； The Shadow prepared to end their revelry。 The far side of the roadster was deserted； except for the one thug who lay unconscious。
Three from the pill…box； two from the floor； had all assembled above the tight…sealed prison where they believed The Shadow trapped。 Edging outward； The Shadow was almost ready to e to his feet； when an interruption sounded。
Someone was pounding at the front door of the garage。 For beyond that heavy barrier came the shouted order：
〃Open！ In the name of the law！〃
THE SHADOW abandoned his plan to surprise the clustered； crooks who stood flat…footed by the wall。 He had recognized the shouting voice。 The tone was that of Lieutenant James Maclare。 Half to his feet； The Shadow dropped low again； he edged beneath the roadster as crooks scurried from the wall。
He saw one man reach the door and yank a switch that controlled the far pill…box。 It descended； the thug at the switchboard pulled a lever to open the rear door of the garage。 Two crooks picked up the unconscious thug； the lights went out to cover their departure by the opened rear door。 Only two remained； to pass as garage attendants when they admitted Maclare and his bluecoats to the innocent…looking garage。
The Shadow had new opportunity in the darkness。 He took it。 Rolling from beneath the roadster； he moved swiftly to the rear door。 Crooks were away before he reached it； The Shadow slid through just as the door was closing。
The rear alley was darkened； groping； The Shadow found a passage that led through to the front street； between the garage and an empty store。 He took this route； stopped just before he reached the front。 Peering from the corner； The Shadow was witness to the next scene。
Lights were on again in the garage； the front door had been opened to admit Maclare。 The lieutenant had made a brief inspection； he had called the thuggish attendants out front； to give them a brief quiz。
〃Nobody came in here tonight？〃 demanded the police officer。 〃You're sure of it？〃
〃Nobody； lieutenant；〃 replied one of the thugs。 〃This garage is closed for repairs。 We're storin' no cars； here； right now。〃
〃Humph！ Who does that roadster belong to； then？〃
〃It's my own car； lieutenant。〃
〃All right；〃 decided Maclare。 〃The men we're after were reported riding in a coupe。 Last place we spotted them was near here。 We thought maybe they'd made into your garage。
A siren sounded as Maclare finished。 Two motorcycles chugged up； then a police car。 Members of the Flying Squadron stepped to the street。 An official car arrived。 Director Kirk Borman alighted。 He talked with Lieutenant Maclare。
〃I'll take charge here；〃 decided Borman。 〃Good work； lieutenant！ I heard about your surprise raid。〃
〃I meant to notify you； director；〃 stated Maclare； 〃only we weren't sure of the tip…off…〃
〃I understand；〃 put in Borman； brusquely。 〃Results are what count； lieutenant。 You gained them。 That's all that matters。 Better get back to your precinct。 The Flying Squadron will find Lance Gillick。〃
MACLARE saluted； he departed with his bluecoats。 The honest lieutenant was grim。 For once； he had kept back facts that he might have given to the police director。 The tip…off that Maclare had received had specified that no one； not even Director Borman； be informed beforehand。 Rather than miss his opportunity to catch Lance Gillick red…handed； Maclare had agreed to the terms。 He had trusted the mysterious voice that had e over the wire to his precinct office。
Director Borman went into the garage； while members of the