Then came the answering fire. The members of the Silent Seven shot with deadly aim. Two of Cardona’s men fell.
“Behind the wall!” screamed Cardona. His cry was too late. There were five men with him; all had come forward. Two were out of the fight. The others fired with their automatics.
Answering shots came from the enemy. Another of Cardona’s men gasped and collapsed.
Cardona raised himself to fire. A shot came from across the roof. The detective’s arm dropped helplessly as a bullet struck his wrist.
The odds were against the detectives. Cardona realized that. The merciless survivors of the Silent Seven were about to exterminate the detectives. There was no hope.
Cardona saw a hooded figure rise boldly, by the edge of the roof. He knew that he was the man’s target; and he was helpless. His eyes were staring. Then he heard the report of a revolver.
He thought the hooded man had fired.To his amazement, the man toppled and plunged headlong from the roof of the building!
Then Cardona saw who had fired. Another man had appeared, through an opening close by the spot where the last of the Seven were grouped. Standing like an avenging specter, this newcomer had shot the man whose gun was trained upon the helpless detective!
“The Shadow!” exclaimed Cardona. “The Shadow!”
Four hooded men arose as one. They were the last of the Silent Seven. With one accord, they hurled themselves at the man who blocked their path to safety. The Shadow’s gun spoke again and again and again. His enemies went down — all but one.