A woman was smoothing her hair before a full-length mirror in the living room. She was singing when the man came in; now her voice dropped to a gentle hum.
She was exquisitely gowned, apparently about to go out for dinner. The reflection of her face was beautiful, seen in the mirror.
Suddenly her face became rigid. A look of horror spread over her features. Gazing in the mirror, she had seen the image of the man in black.
He stood in the doorway behind her, the collar of his cloak obscuring his face, the broad brim of his hat throwing a shadow over his forehead.
The girl stood motionless. The man in black made no move. A grim, ghastly silence seemed to pervade the room. The girl recovered from her first shock. Still the look of terror remained on her face as she turned from the mirror to view this nocturnal visitor.
Words came from the man at the door — words that seemed uttered by no human lips. The voice was terrifying in its tone. The whispered statement recoiled from the very walls.
“Thelda Blanchet,” said the man in black. “I am The Shadow.”
The girl was too startled to reply.
“I have come to question you,” continued the man in his sinister tone. The sibilance of the word “question”
was unnerving.