Then, from the anteroom, the door of which stood slightly opened, came a peal of startling laughter. It was a long, weird laugh, that carried a sinister note of gloom to Nick Savoli and his henchmen. It was The Shadow’s laugh of triumph!
CHAPTER XXVII
MOB RULE ENDS
THE newspapers told of the events which had led to the apprehension of Nick Savoli and his lieutenants.
One week before, Harry Vincent had appeared at the home of Morris Clarendon. He had told how he had been captured by the Homicide Twins, Anelmo and Genara, and how he had been rescued by a man who had overpowered his torturers.
From that time on, the prosecuting attorney had been plentifully informed of what was going on in Chicago’s underworld. Letters and telephone calls had been received, which had proven of tremendous value in assembling evidence against Nick Savoli as well as lesser gangsters.
During the mob war which had swept Chicago, the mysterious informant had been active. His advice had enabled the police to take their part in the strife, and to lessen the damage wrought by the fighting gangsters.
But the final touch had been the tip upon which the police had made their final action. On the day that Savoli had planned the death of Mike Larrigan, a letter had been received by Morris Clarendon which had outlined a complete plan for the invasion of Savoli’s headquarters.
The district attorney had gone with Harry Vincent and the detectives. Dressed as workmen, they had entered the apartment of Howard Blake, who was out of town, presumably because of the alterations being made in his apartment. There they had discovered the gas machine, and the hallway plug that had been cleverly altered into an opening that entered the apartment where the gunmen were on guard.
Acting upon a perfect schedule that The Shadow had arranged for them, the agents of the law had overpowered the guarding gangsters.