But tonight, Cleve saw nothing that indicated the presence of the man in black. The Shadow could not be everywhere. Furthermore, Cleve had never seen actual traces of his presence outside of Chinatown. Traveling into the city proper, he felt sure that he would free himself from the realm of The Shadow’s observance.
Past the outskirts of Chinatown, Cleve hailed a passing cab and gave an address near the apartment house where Joseph Darley lived. Reaching his destination, he alighted, paid the driver, and waited until the tail light of the departing cab had faded in the distance.
Here, Cleve felt safe. He smiled the peculiar smile of Hugo Barnes, as he stepped into the shuffling stride.
Hugo Barnes would enter Joseph Darley’s home tonight. There, Hugo Barnes would make a find that would be of interest to Cleve Branch.
And The Shadow would not know!
CHAPTER XII
A SHOT FROM THE DARK
TO enter the apartment house, Cleve Branch took the simplest and most effective method. He walked in the front door.
He knew that an attendant was sometimes on duty. If the man happened to be there, Cleve intended to make a false inquiry, using a fictitious name. But the attendant was not on hand, and Cleve calmly sauntered up the flight of stairs at the side of the quiet lobby.
He used this course because he did not wish to wait for the automatic elevator, which might be on an upper story. The apartment which Darley occupied was on the third floor. Cleve arrived there a minute after he had left the lobby.