The Shadow 026 - The Creeper

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La Mont Cranston, a man of wealth, a student of science, and a master of a people's minds, devotes his life to righting wrong, protecting the innocence, and punishing the guilty using advanced methods that may ultimately become available to all law enforcement agencies. Cranston is known to the underworld as the Shadow, never seen only her as haunting, to superstitious minds, as a ghost, as inevitable as a guilty conscience. The Shadow's true identity is known only to his constant friend and Dave's Marvel Lane Today's story. A creeper, mother, is that you? Is this don frightening you? Mother? The cuiet? I won't hurt chill. I'm just trying to take you away, away. Where nobody will ever find you. Nobody will ever find you, and you won't be lonely. There are other. Fine young ladies like your self when I'm taking you. They were rich and beautiful too. One the month forgive me to make me rush over here to my apartment. At this time of the morning, I've just learned. That something's happened to one of my dearest friends. EATI day, Eat to day. I remember the Margo came out two seasons ago, didn't you, that good little dark haired girl? And as the Alan do. Yes, that's the one of the month. Her mother just told me she's finally. Terres My Margat, you compose yourself the exactly what's wrong, since as Margot laying my assistant and seminal investigation would do as someone who meant nothing to you. This is such a shark Lamont. It is missing, missing, Yes, she disappears from her bedroom last night. There were signs of a struggle. Where's the house is located in the Naysair District, five block section of all those recent robberies are good. Yes, and two murders and five other. Disappeared, right, but the paper said every block is a private garden, the finance, burglar alarms and in stores all the houses the month. It's terrible. People are disappearing and it's in without a trace, without any clue as to what's happened to them. Something awful must have happened to eat it. No ransom, no nothing, police good. Oh yes, warming all over the house. Commissioner Weston himself is conducting the inquiry. It's the day asked me to. Come over here and stay with her. But I want to talk to you first. Oh poor either police must have searched the house, I sus yes, we topped the bottom. It might have been carried across the rooftop. No, the doors of the roof was bolted and knocked on the inside. It's a quick to the burglar alarm too. Mmm mmmm, and grow ahead and from silver to day I go. I was hoping you'd come with man the moments, my girl, but it's it's a case for you as the shadow. The shadow will take a hand and in this game of violence, they are you absolutely starting. Your daughter does not see the house after midnight? Yes, yes, Commission of Western you asked me that before. Yes, I know, I'm sorry, come in. Kind of had the watchman's commission have him come in morning, Callahan. Your report shows you tried all the doors of this house every hour on. The hour last night. That's right, they were okay, they were all. Locked and nobody could have opened the door or a window in this house without setting off the burglar alarm in your. Agency central office. Yeah, yes, that's right. And miss Day must still be in this house, Sargon. Yes, sir, have your men made a complete search all through. The house or yes, Commissioner, from top to bottom. But ain't a place where haven't looked what I've got I mean we're miss dab my. Oh hello, hello, thanks you moving company. There is missus Kermont. I'm moving out in. A fair history. Yes I want a band today. Yes, I'm moving to a hotel. I won't spend a lot of night in this section. I'm calling it the sent of I'm giving notice I've been your buttles for ten years. But also the things that have happened. To me Later, Jack about that mayfair crime wave story make it hop or in the commission lessons, let's say untough crime soon on dead chick persons listing without. A trade to my actions, but don't tear it all of them. Take God, what are are you doing here in the public is now discovering things about this fair city of ours that I never knew before, Margot. I don't understand the man I'm trying to say. I need this day, Margo. It may seem a very roundabout way that the police and the private detectivations has approven of futility of direct methods. Then you have discovered something. Hold a month, what is it? And why did you come here to the. Public life because I wanted to look up some old maps and records of the city. Why What could that possibly have to do with Edith disappeared. I'm not sure, Margot, but it may have everything to do with it. I'll show you something that may surprive you a month. What are you driving at? That's just an old map. Exactly, Margo, an engineering map, a plan of the proposed water condits, so Theyden laid out in the year eighteen ninety six. Margo. I'll explain. This plan calls for a twelve foot water name from the West Park Reservoir to the central district, a distance of a mile and a half Margo, one mile of that water Condit was built. Then the Spanish American War came along and the project was abandoned, was sealed up. It's all here in the old city records. In some way, the whole project became lost in the tangles of official red tape and forgotten. Are you driving at? I still can't see what this has to do. I'll show you in just a minute. Yeah, here's a rough sketch of the Mayfair district, Margo on tissue paper. It marked the location of every house in that district. Or a murder, robbery or abductions taking place in the last two months. Yes, they said it this old matter, Ah love that see what happens. Fine a month, every one of those houses is ocated directly over that old abandoned water. May Yes, Margo, and unless I'm badly mistaken, that is the answer to the disappearance of Edith's day, and it will lead us to the solution of this crime wave in a Mayfair district. A month, that water may must be weighed down underground, so police search the basements of those houses that have to be an entrance big. Enough for land to get through. I believe there is, Margo. It's the only possible answer. In every one of these crimes, the story has been the same. No one was seen going into the houses, no one was seen going out, the burglar arms were intact. Yet people vanished a month. Only you're right, if there's still some chance eat us and those other poor. People are still alive down there in that abandoned hole in the earth. But who could do a thing like Adam? Why are would they do? It? Must be the work of a monster, Margo. I've checked up on the things was stolen the other crimes, richly apposted furniture, Tapester's. Paintings, never any money, or jewelry. Thinks you would orderly expect the feet to. Take happens them onth Do you think someone's taking those things down into that black hole? Yes, and he's taken something else that is doubly significant. Food store rooms have been stripped. Case after case of can goods has been carried away, Margot. Food enough for a dozen people, and it's more than anything else. Convinces me that the people who have vanished are still alive somewhere down there in the labyrinth of tunnels carved out of solid rock. Right, there's only some way we can get down there. I believe there is. I believe there is a way, a way the shadow can get down there with your help. I'll do anything anything, you know. That, Margot. I want you to go straight from here to missus days. I want you to stay there tonight. But what about you? Where will you be? Can't I do something to help later, Margaret? But don't worry. We walk through the doors the day mansion, the shadow will be with you. But I'm sure that somewhere the wall, the floor, the basement of that house will yield the answer to this ghastly riddle. Very very anyway, I heard something down there instead. Of a tapping sound. Oh, don't sit down there, Henry's don't do it. I tell you, Henry this, how is it giving. You the page? I won't work here another day and given notice to it's a day in the morning. She just have to get another age. Right, Yeah, don't see nothing now. Maybe just have to imagine that things up and what happened last night. I'm a bottler of the tectives. Missus dames. Just don't sing in this house. I'm leaving her service too. Or shut the door. Can I can't stand to look to that the hotel. Yes, yes, you have good reason to be afraid to stay in this house. And that's what I find what I'm looking for. This big stone slab has a hollow ring. This is it. This is the answer. Oh Margaret, you don't know. How much it means to me to have you stay here. All my friends want me to leave this house, but I can't. I can't and disturb and Sarah's trade. I'm sure they leave tomorrow. I'm glad I could be with you, Misssuri, But now don't think any more about it. See you tr try to get some rest. You're exhausted. And I'll try and Margaret, but I'm afraid I can't rest. All I can do is think. Don't think of what's happened. What may be happening to Edith? Oh for Darling. Oh it's so awful, Maggle, not to know what's happened today. Oh the house soon in the hall, Margle, would you want yes, yes, I'll ask it right away. Try to get some rest. Hello, Hello, Marco, Marco, yes, the money, you come down with the basic immediate Heay, try to get here without the big scene. The seven gone to bed. Hurry, hurry, Margo. Am my mind is Mago. Where are you ight here? Margo? As quiet as you can, have turned on my flashlights. What have you found over the heaven? Its look that the stone flabber? Then you were right, Lamont. This is how Edith was carried away down from that hole. But how in the world did you get. The flap up? Ms? Quite a pile Ice, I'm I'm by, be careful, I don't get too close to that hole, Mago. There's no telling how deep it is. I month. Now, now what are we gonna do? How we better notify the police, No, Margot, call him the police now I'm I mean the death of every one of his victims, if they're still alive. But suppose whoever's doing this heard you tapping down here, heard you lifting the stone. Suppose he's waiting for you down there in the dark somewhere, doctor risk that old How are you get down? There's no ladder, the heavy clothes line in the laundry room. The other hand, the cell I knows that I'm examined the words in there. I'll get it. So high, ladies and gentlemen. Before the Shadow's exciting adventure continues, I have a word about auto treads, because there are so many motorists who risk life and limb without knowing. Yes, the Shadow knows many a motorists rushes through the rain, puts himself in real danger of skidding, spinning, swerving on wet roads, can't stop, quick, can't stop, short. Can't control his car, and many a motorist faces a death, dealing accident, dealing blow out. Why should you risk your life through skied or blow out when today, without paying a set extra, you can get light saving protection against both of these habits. Yes, motorists, a new kind of tire, the new goods wretch spaces silver Town with a light favor tread grip, dry road drives wet roads, overcomes the hazard zone of motoring, where a slippery film of water on the road and a complete control of your car almost impossible. This means that you stop quicker, safer than you've ever stopped before, and the exclusive golden fly gives you real protection against dangerous high speed blowout. The new good Rich Silvertown is the safest thing on wheels. It's here to save your life. Yes, save your life at no extra car. Don't forget your car and everyone in it will be safer if you ride on Gudrich Safety silver Town. Do you hear that? Yes? Yes? Do you know what it means? The paper is bringing you another victim to keep his company in this living tomb. So there's only something we can do. We can only get these chains. Uh, I's no use, We're helpless. Not the comment. Do you think at any time any hope? You mustn't give up hope to day. Sooner or later the police will track the creeper, find the tunnel with the least list in all of you. Some of you have been here a day, a week, two weeks. I've been here too much, nothing but a creeper wrap for company, change like an animal halmstop, And I thought the police would find me. I had hope too, But now I know we'll die here. We'll never get out, never, never, never get out. What difference is the name? Sooner or later the creeper kill us all. We'll never see the light of day again. No, never see? Oh? Oh? Why did you hid him? He didn't know what he was saying. I had to. He's unconscious now, and it's better that way. I can't stand much more. Haven't helpless if someone doesn't get us out of here soon. Now, so you'll find out how I catch. All the fine beautiful ladies and bring them down here. Wait, you don't have to put those things on me. I was trying to get away. Nobody get away. Nobody ever gets away. Nobody knows about this whole kind of I found it long ago. How long have you lived down here? Who are you? Why have you crawled up into people's homes and dragged them down here? What have you done with him? You haven't killed him, have you? No? Only one? Because he wouldn't talk to me, always kept. Trying to get away. I killed him, so he wouldn't run away, But then there was no one. To talk to. I got lonely. So that was long long ago at the others, and I need a day. The girl you carried away last night? Were they you see real? Soon? It's not far from here down the tunnel, A great white place in the tunnel. It's like a big room. You usual tee. Wait, let me rest here a minute. Morning. Then I don't go with no, no, no, no. You know you you come now quickly? Don't they come with me? Let me tell you something. How do you know somebody else will find your hiding place, just just. As I did. Had you better go up and shot and blow that? No, no, no, no, you come now, try to trick me. I'll come back and fixt. That's when I'd change you up with the rest of him. Maybe too late. Someone knows I'm here. He was in the basement when you pulled me down here. Let him come. I'm not afraid of any man. Oh, men are afraid of me. I makes them afraid. I make them my slaves. They call me the creeper ceper. No, he was a creeper, and all men fear you. Oh was that? It was laughter? The boy. Yes, the lapt and voice of the shadow. There's no one here. I see no one. And here someone is here, someone you can't see, someone who's not afraid of you. You're hearing the shadow shadow, the shadows you my laugh do not speak. For years, I have lived among shadows in the darkness. Your crimes have found you out, creepers, the boy of a man. Why can't I see him? There's no place you can hide, not here. I am here close to you, creeper. Even by the yellow light of your lantern, you cannot see me because I have. The part of cast a shadow across your. Mind to save across your eyes. No, No, like a dream, like the dreams I used to have when I live down here alone. I I used to pretend I used to talk to people, pretend they. Talk to me. No, creeper, those others who spoke to you are fantastic creatures of your imagination. I am here. Watch out, pro you. See I went close enough. To snatch the chain from your hands. Throw it away now, now you are going to lead me to your. Other Victims'm I gonna get back it away? No, keep away from me, keep him away of us. That's the gun you used to kill Taggerty is a night watchman creeper? Yes, yes, he almost caught me. Yes, yes, I kill him. I kill him, and I'll kill you. Why don't you try? Why don't you shoot the creeper? Oh? If I can only see you, I. Keep no, no, no, no, that doesn't not that's a better way I come. See the girl. Keep away from me. Shut you keep aware of our shoes. Never has a chin, that's call me. You don't never think that even know? I told you you al I told you I get up. I told you a show. Why? Uh? My girl? Oh? What's school? I went to expose you to? Do you get away? No? I knocked him out, but not quite soon enough. Did you shoot you? Nothing in my nothing? Boy? It hit my shoulder. Only have fresh wood. I'll be alright, but I. Need to stay in the other of the money. Get him out of here. No, my god, that can wait. Stump this flot of blood. Come all right, me get up? H huh, I'm trying to get up. What's still? Then when I get to hang a chap, get. In I. Kind of tight. That's what you can do, and I'll get your little doctor there that a find some way of getting you back up that shine y. Please lem ut it on me a flash wood, I call you. We needs almost choptops. I'll be alright. Just see me here and go help the others. The on what the creeper the man he's gone, you said, good hid. Some guy, that's all. I knocked him out. You gotta go after him now. He know. If someone's on the fighting. Place, you kill eat it. You'll kill all the people he's got down here, Praige. All right, Mago, I hate to leave you here like this. Go on, please, I'm alright. I'll try to find a way to get. Up the shot and not if to put all right, Mago, or you think you can, there's a laddiber be carefully with gold and rocked and some of the runs are gone. I'll get off. I'll get help, but it maybe too late. And let's you can find the creeper and stop. Him from murring those poor people. He's dragged down into this. They be sure which way he wins. Trying to take me that way down the kind of line. Hurry him out, hurry take the line, all right, Mago, but get out of here. If you can notify the police, tell him the creeper shout you tell him you got him. Escape down here to the cellar, but don't come back down here, mago. There's no telling what may happen, what this scene may do. It's coming, No, the greatness come back to do this. Something's happened today. Maybe maybe the police upon this horrible place at mine. Oh he's station's seating. He's honest, horrible up like. The police are coming. He'll kill us, I know he will. Wait wait, going to that cherry calls the throne. He see you look something? Why is he standy? Turn him his way? Something's happened, don't right. I'm afraid something worse is going to happen. Nothing could be worse than nothing. Why don't you get it over with? Yes? Why don't I? Why don't I kill all of you? That's it, that's it, And. You won't be able to take me away from like countl of the up. So I have to dynamite, and it's already. All I have to do is life, the use, that's it. I just that'll see the codle and we'd all die. When we all me together, I would be lovely. It's too late for that creeper shadow. So you followed me up. Yes, creeper, you got it. This is the shadow. Shut up, shadow, listen to me. All of you got nothing to fear from me, nothing to fear from the shadows. I'd come to help you, get you out of the. Yeah, gee, but you want shadow, you would never take them away from me. Look look I have in my hand. See dynamite. Dynamite I stole that too, and you the Some day I might meet it, some day someone would come. But it just kill us all. And it's a case you do shadow. No, cleeper, I'm not change. I can get away from you. Why don't you follow me? Follow my voice? Oh h you're. Afraid, Chetto. You're running away, but you're walking bar you don't know. This color like I do. And follow me. Follow my boy, free bo, follow my boys. I'm following you. You god so much further. You've come the wrong way. Behighten you at the end of the tubble, the end of the tunnel. At the end of you. Yeah, this is the end of the tunnel. Off What are you waiting for? A free blunt like the fuse? How is your cat? Yes, yes, you're right now? Now was my time? No, you can't get away. Roll the dryamite throwing free bot got you guess where I am by the sounds of my boy. Yes, yes, your car, your cort tunnel. When you out of the way, no one else knows. I kept that girl and I killed her. She can't tod and I'll be safe. Oh oh, I thought, yes, right, I know. I've read the papers. They gave the shadow of very sign of Pistor a month. So what really happened? Well, when the police got there, Edith saying, mister comrade and the others told him the shadow arrived just as the creeper was going to die and might the place and kill them all. They said, the shadow trick the creeper and the following him down the tunnel away from the others so they wouldn't be killed. And then there was an explosion. They said, the creeper and the shadow were blown to pieces. Due I look blown to pieces the month. How did you escape? The old old trick of voice projection, Margo ventriloquism, It's easy. In that tunnel, the creeper followed my voice, heard the dynamite where he thought my voice was coming from ahead of him. All the time I was behind him far enough behind him. It is safe. Oh oh, I'm so glad. I was afraid that this time. Was true, that the Shadow was dead. No, Margo, As Mark Twain once said, the report of my death has been grossly exaggerated. The Shadow is still alive. That I'm much alive as the criminal world to discover. To its sorrow. You have been listening to a dramatized version of one of the many copy Rocket stories which appear in the Shadow magazine. Weed Crime, There's Bitter, Crime's not pay the Shadow Nose. All the characters and all the places named are physicians. Any similarity to person's living or dead is purely coincidental.