A revolver gleamed as a finger pressed against its trigger. But The Shadow — ever alert — had been waiting for the action. Flame burst from this right-hand automatic. The pistol shot resounded through the seance room.
Benjamin Castelle sprawled headlong on the floor, his revolver sliding and jouncing ahead of his finger-spread hand.
"Your companion in crime," announced The Shadow coldly. "The man you called your chief. Benjamin Castelle, the pretended skeptic. The promoter of your swindle schemes.
"He, too, is a murderer" — the voice paused, then corrected itself mockingly — "was a murderer!" The words were true. Benjamin Castelle lay dead. The Shadow's well-aimed bullet had found his evil heart.
Rajah Brahman backed away toward the end of the room, a cowering, helpless figure. But his evil brain was seeing its chance of escape. With the shot fired by The Shadow, the door at the corner had opened slightly, and Barney Gleason was peering into the seance room.
He could see the form of Dick Terry standing by the rajah's throne. He could see the dead body of Benjamin Castelle. He could see the sitters drawing away in fright to the farther corner of the room. He could not see the tall form of The Shadow, in the guise of Thomas Telford. But he did see Rajah Brahman cowering away from a menace, and he caught the hunted gleam in the mystic's eyes. Slowly, cautiously, the mob leader peered around the corner of the doorway. He was seeking to discover the form that he knew must be beside the wall. His automatic was dark and sullen. Did The Shadow know the danger that was coming?
The question was never answered, for Dick Terry acted at that moment. Gleason, intent upon his purpose, had ignored Dick, who was standing silent and alone.
Dick saw the muzzle of the automatic against the edge of the doorway. He quickly lifted his right arm and his short-barreled revolver responded to the trigger. A bullet crashed the wall an inch from Barney Gleason's hand.
It was the signal of battle!
Barney Gleason dropped back and aimed at the new enemy. Dick Terry made a quick dive for the shelter of the rajah's throne. Gleason, seeing him out of action, leaped into the seance room, the other gangster at his heels.