It was known that Wilhelm had dismissed one servant who had let one box lie unnoticed for two days by putting it in the hall, instead of placing it in the private room.
When the servant had gone, a tall, thin personage stalked through the room — a man clad in black. Only one man had that mysterious guise and carriage.
It was The Shadow!
Although there was light here, no outside observer could have seen the figure that had entered. The square box lay upon Wilhelm’s mahogany desk.
The Shadow lifted it and examined it with utmost care.
Then supple hands were at work. Delicately, carefully, the wrapping of the package was removed. A stamped cigar box was disclosed.
Between the side and the top of the box, The Shadow inserted a slender piece of steel and probed within.
He stopped his work, and placed the box aside while he carefully removed his black gloves.
The sensitive fingers, white in the gloom, seemed to feel and understand the motion of the flat steel within the box as the probing was resumed.
One might have said that the steel was a projection of the hand that plied it — a living thing, with nerves of its own.