In return, there was a tendency to soft-pedal belittling thrusts at Cardona’s capability. One tabloid journal indulged in condemnation, but the other sheets withheld their scorn.
There was nothing in James Throckmorton’s career to class him as a marked man. He had possessed wealth, but much of it had been expended in his hobbies.
He was a harmless person, whose chief weakness was ornithology. On various occasions, the members of the Falcon Society had visited his home.
These men were interested in the study of birds. It was mentioned, in the reports of the society, that Throckmorton had completed his book on ornithology a few months before. He had shown the manuscript to the members of the society at that time.
Not even the most painstaking reporter had been interested in the minutes of that meeting.
Birds and murder did not seem closely related. But to The Shadow, those minutes were of importance.
They would be recorded, in all probability, in the Avifauna Journal — a small publication of limited circulation which went to keen students of bird life.
Laying the newspaper aside, the man who appeared to be Lamont Cranston strolled to a corner of the extensive library.
The Cobalt Club subscribed to all sorts of unusual publications. These were kept on file until ready for binding.
Hanging from an obscure rack, the searcher discovered back numbers of the Avifauna Journal.