“Not very well. We must have a poor connection. I’m busy at present. I’ll call you back.”
A click came over the wire. Cliff grinned as he hung up the receiver.
Softly, almost to himself, he repeated the words that he had said, accenting two of them.
“Can you hear me now.”
He had sent his first concealed message by The Shadow’s secret method. He had been informed of it in one of his letters of instruction.
“In reporting,” the letter had said, “phrase an innocent sentence in which accented words will give your message. Expect replies of the same nature.”
Cliff had sent his message. By accented words, he had conveyed the information, “Here now.” It could mean but one thing to the recipient — that Ernie Shires was at present in the hotel, visiting Killer Durgan.
Shires was the man whom Cliff was awaiting. There was only one place where Shires would be. All that would be understood.
IT was now only a few minutes after nine. Exactly twenty-four hours ago, Cliff had left Madge Benton near the hotel, and had come in, after she had entered, to resume his vigil in the lobby.
He had used his own initiative when he had gone with Madge. He had run the risk of missing Shires if the man had made a quick visit to Larchmont Court. But he had gained much by the hour which he had spent with Killer Durgan’s moll.