Stepping to the front of the porch, Cliff flung his cigarette on the lawn. He turned toward the big building, and his sidelong gaze wandered to the wing at the right. Therein lay the secret of this place. Before his work was ended here, Cliff would know all about it.
The sun was setting over a mountain, and the cold gloom of night was spreading its haze about these gray walls. The sullen turrets spoke of crime and mystery. Soon they would be dark and shadowy. There was a prophetic touch to the scene. To Cliff, the growing dusk bespoke the presence of a living shadow — a man who lived within the night. Cliff was here because The Shadow knew that all was not well within these walls.
Crime, but suspected only by The Shadow! Was it crime of the past or crime of the future? Cliff smiled grimly as he entered the high front door and strode across the darkening hallway. Tonight, if all went well, The Shadow would learn of plots that were transpiring here.
He would learn of them through Clifford Marsland's watchfulness.
Chapter IX–Cliff Sends a Message
It was evening. Three men were seated in the living room of Ivan Orlinov's abode. One was the Russian; the second was Glade Tremont; the third was Cliff Marsland.
Tremont had arrived before dinner. He had been introduced to Cliff by Orlinov. Cliff had caught the shrewd, penetrating glance of the lawyer, and it had placed him immediately upon his guard. From that moment, Cliff had sensed that Tremont knew all about his presence here. He saw a connection between the attorney and Biff Towley, the New York gang leader.
Yet now a lulling silence had fallen. The discussion during dinner had been of little consequence. Here in the living room, the men were seated before a glowing fire, for evenings brought chill in this region of high altitude. Tremont was speaking of the difficulties that went with the patenting of new inventions; but he was not at all specific in his remarks.
At last the subject changed. Tremont, glancing from the corner of his eye, looked toward Cliff Marsland, who saw the action, but gave no indication of having noticed it.
"Well, Mr. Orlinov," said the lawyer, "I am glad that the last apparatus you received has proven satisfactory. It is working well?"