Clyde was thinking of that destination as he traveled uptown. He knew where his message was going.
For the obscure office of B. Jonas was a receiving place used by that mysterious man of the night — The Shadow!
Clyde Burke, to the world a newspaper reporter, was actually a trusted agent of this master of crime detection.
DURING the past few months, it had been Clyde’s duty to watch for all startling developments in criminal activities. As a police reporter, especially with a tabloid newspaper that hungered for crime news, Clyde was in an excellent position to do this work.
Now, with the Wise Owl assignments in his hands, his contact with the underworld was reaching its zenith. He had already gained an insight into strange facts concerning the death of Joel Caulkins, and he had passed his findings on to his mysterious employer.
Despite numerous messages that he had delivered, Clyde had received no orders from The Shadow during these recent months. This was a singular state of affairs. Clyde could not recall any other period of inactivity on the part of The Shadow that was as long as this one. He wondered, sometimes, what had become of The Shadow.
Had the battler of crime withdrawn from the field? Had some shrewd gang leader pierced the unfathomable veil that obscured The Shadow and forced him to seek safety outside of New York?
These were unpleasant thoughts, but Clyde, at times, had worse qualms. Perhaps something had happened to The Shadow!
For years gangsters had been trying to put him on the spot. Had they succeeded?
The only ray of comfort was The Shadow’s broadcasts. Once a week this man of mystery spoke over the radio, and his uncanny laugh thrilled thousands of eager listeners. The broadcasts were going along on schedule; nevertheless, it was possible that some other man had taken The Shadow’s place. No one had ever positively identified The Shadow, Crime Detector, with The Shadow, Radio Broadcaster.