The Ghost Makers

Stepping from the cabinet was Dick Terry, his arms folded, his living, accusing eyes staring straight at Rajah Brahman. The mystic, backing away, began to draw his revolver from his robe. Then a solemn voice came from the side of the room, by the wall switch.

Rajah Brahman turned. All the members of the circle — some standing; others crouched upon the floor — stared in the direction of that voice.

Thomas Telford was standing at the wall. His face, no longer old, was gleaming with a sinister smile. His eyes were like living coals. In each hand he held an automatic.

"You have reached the end," he said coldly, to the bewildered seer. "Rajah Brahman, thief and murderer, is finished. You sought to deceive me as you have deceived others. Your companion in murder, Martin Slade, has paid for his crimes with his life.

"You are doomed, Bert Clutten" — the Hindu garbed seer winced at the name — "and your evil work is ended! You have known me as Thomas Telford. That is a false identity. Thomas Telford does not exist.

"Know me now! I am—"

Before the tall man could deliver the name that Rajah Brahman feared — the name of The Shadow — a hand was raised amid the cowering circle.

A revolver gleamed as a finger pressed against its trigger. But The Shadow — ever alert — had been waiting for the action. Flame burst from this right-hand automatic. The pistol shot resounded through the seance room.

Benjamin Castelle sprawled headlong on the floor, his revolver sliding and jouncing ahead of his finger-spread hand.

"Your companion in crime," announced The Shadow coldly. "The man you called your chief. Benjamin Castelle, the pretended skeptic. The promoter of your swindle schemes.

"He, too, is a murderer" — the voice paused, then corrected itself mockingly — "was a murderer!" The words were true. Benjamin Castelle lay dead. The Shadow's well-aimed bullet had found his evil heart.

Rajah Brahman backed away toward the end of the room, a cowering, helpless figure. But his evil brain was seeing its chance of escape. With the shot fired by The Shadow, the door at the corner had opened slightly, and Barney Gleason was peering into the seance room.

He could see the form of Dick Terry standing by the rajah's throne. He could see the dead body of Benjamin Castelle. He could see the sitters drawing away in fright to the farther corner of the room. He could not see the tall form of The Shadow, in the guise of Thomas Telford. But he did see Rajah Brahman cowering away from a menace, and he caught the hunted gleam in the mystic's eyes. Slowly, cautiously, the mob leader peered around the corner of the doorway. He was seeking to discover the form that he knew must be beside the wall. His automatic was dark and sullen. Did The Shadow know the danger that was coming?

The question was never answered, for Dick Terry acted at that moment. Gleason, intent upon his purpose, had ignored Dick, who was standing silent and alone.

Dick saw the muzzle of the automatic against the edge of the doorway. He quickly lifted his right arm and his short-barreled revolver responded to the trigger. A bullet crashed the wall an inch from Barney Gleason's hand.

It was the signal of battle!

Barney Gleason dropped back and aimed at the new enemy. Dick Terry made a quick dive for the shelter of the rajah's throne. Gleason, seeing him out of action, leaped into the seance room, the other gangster at his heels.

The gang leader's automatic was aimed toward The Shadow. Out of its mouth came barking, hasty shots, that Gleason hoped would end the formidable foe.

But The Shadow, close against the wall, was safe from those wild shots. His own automatic replied the moment that Barney Gleason leaped out from cover. The gang leader fell, a bullet through his stomach. Cursing, coughing, he still kept up his futile fire as he lay, half crawling, on the floor. The effort marred his aim. His bullets were wide of their mark.

With one automatic, The Shadow still covered Rajah Brahman at the end of the room. With the other, he calmly fired two quick shots that dropped the man who had followed Barney Gleason. The Shadow's bullets struck just as the man made a futile leap back toward the other room. Following The Shadow's shots came quick reports from behind the throne. Dick Terry had opened fire on the other mobsters, coming in from the reception room.

The Shadow fired one last shot that lowered Barney Gleason's weak arm; then he swirled toward the new menace. The gangsters were ducking back to safety. Dick had them covered. The Shadow's action gave Rajah Brahman his opportunity. Had he attempted to draw his revolver and fire, he would have been clipped by The Shadow. But he performed a different action that was a split second faster.

He leaped for the shelter of the huge metal Buddha at the end of the room. He reached it in safety. The Shadow's pursuing shot clipped the side of the huge image.