The entire balcony was grated; and the top of the grating ran along a series of crossbeams. The light climbed upward along the grating. It went out as an invisible figure squeezed itself between two beams. Then the unseen prowler descended the grating until he hung suspended above the floor of the banking room.
There was a dull plop as the invisible form dropped lightly from the balcony. The light reappeared for an instant; then vanished.
The Shadow was in the County National Bank!
The only token of the mysterious one's presence was the occasional flicker of the light, which appeared unexpectedly in various places. The keenest listener could not have trailed the progress of The Shadow. His light showed in the little office where Hubert Salisbury had talked with Wellington. It beamed upon the huge vault, and The Shadow's black-gloved hand appeared before it. The entire floor was subjected to a thorough inspection.
The watchman, going on his rounds, heard nothing that attracted his attention. When he approached, the light went out, and all was still within the large room.
At last, the light appeared downstairs. There, it showed on the floor — on the exact spot where Wellington had been found dead. The light swept along the walls.
When it again reappeared, it was upstairs once more, in Salisbury's little office. There, beneath a tiny circle of light, a hand — no longer gloved — appeared and began to write.
Hubert Salisbury — story correct. Wellington suspected truth — but did not know. Bank entered by careful plotters. Vault shows signs of expert work in opening it. Drawer in Salisbury's desk has been opened by a special key. Revolver removed evidently as a precaution for the future. Only possible egress through room below. Man entered; listened to conversation between S. and W. Murder committed. Gun left.
The paper disappeared. The light went out. A slight swish told that The Shadow was leaving the office. Again his torch illuminated the downstairs room. There, it began a thorough examination of the floor. As clearly as if Wellington's body had been lying there, The Shadow pictured the scene when the investigator had died. His flashlight moved along the dusty floor, looking for hidden clues. It reached the side of the room, where the grating of the safe-deposit compartment made a corner with the wall itself. There, it gleamed upon a smooth, solid panel.
This was the spot that The Shadow sought. All other portions of the wall were alike; but here, a broad panel was bisected by the last vertical bar of the grating.