For, while The Shadow worked, he paused and searched alternately. It was a long, painstaking labor. In the other rooms of the house, twilight came; lights were switched on. Still, The Shadow took his time.
At last, the delicate task was accomplished. Slowly twisting the steel, The Shadow’s hand wedged it into a crevice that he had detected.
He held it there carefully, while the other hand, using a second implement, pried open the lid of the box.
AS the lid came up, there was a click. The top of the box swung open to show a boltlike bit of metal that had been actuated by a spring.
This controlled a little hammer, which had fallen with the shock. But the hammer never reached its mark.
Below it was the piece of steel that The Shadow had inserted. This, alone, had stopped the descending hammer.
With right hand steady, The Shadow reached forward with his left and pinched the little hammer. The bit of steel was removed.
The gripping fingers, firm as steel itself, let the hammer descend slowly. The motion was imperceptible.
There was no striking force when the hammer had completed its descent.
The hand drew away, but remained motionless above the box.