Entering the apartment house； this visitor walked up a broad flight of stairs to the second floor。 He rang a bell； at the imposing door that formed the entrance to Ruthley's apartment。 Haija answered the ring； the Jap bowed when he saw the visitor。
〃Good evening； Honorable Mr。 District Attorney；〃 said Haija。 〃Honorable Master expect you。〃
The district attorney followed the house…man to Ruthley's den。 Ruthley received him with outstretched hand； the gray…haired boss acpanied the gesture with his most genial smile。
〃Good evening； Wilderton！〃 greeted Ruthley。 〃Sit down； have a cigar。 Make yourself right at home。〃
Louis Wilderton took a chair opposite the portrait of Aramis。 The glow of a floor lamp showed the prosecutor to be a man in his thirties； a serious chap who tried to appear older than he was。 Wilderton was frail of build； light…haired and peaked of face。 His pointed nose supported a pair of large spectacles that gave him an owlish expression。
〃Trouble； Wilderton？〃 Ruthley purred the question in a fatherly tone。
Wilderton nodded。
〃Don't worry about Dunson's death；〃 remarked Ruthley。 He picked up a copy of the Daily Banner and pointed to the headlines。 〃It's up to the police to arrest this killer； Dorsch。 When they once find him； you will have no trouble convicting him of murder。〃
〃I know that；〃 vouchsafed Wilderton。 〃It's something else that bothers me； Mr。 Ruthley。 Prescott Dunson intended to run against me； for district attorney。
People haven't forgotten that。〃
〃He would not have gained the support of the reform party；〃 remarked Ruthley。 〃You have proven yourself petent； Wilderton。〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Ruthley。 Just the same； Dunson had many supporters； chiefly those who expected him to make startling revelations。 That puts it up to me。〃
〃To do what？〃
〃To disclose the facts that Dunson promised to reveal。 I must find the man higher up； the one whom Dunson intended to attack。〃
Stephen Ruthley nodded in mending fashion。 Approaching Wilderton's chair； he clapped the district attorney upon the shoulder。
〃You have a great head； Louis；〃 approved Ruthley。 〃I admire your foresight。 Yes； you must make every effort to find the man who ordered Dunson's death。〃
LOUIS WILDERTON produced a sheet of paper and handed it to Ruthley。 It bore a list of names； written in pencil。
〃This is confidential；〃 stated Wilderton； in a strained tone。 〃I have written down the names of a dozen men； any one of whom might have had reason to fear Dunson。 I would like your opinion on it； Mr。 Ruthley。〃
Ruthley studied the list solemnly。 As he expected； his own name was absent； so were those of Elvin Marclot and Kirk Borman。 Even Lance Gillick's name was missing； for； today； Lieutenant Maclare had openly testified that he had raided the Club Adair prior to Dunson's murder and that Gillick was there at the time the killing took place。
The names on the list were those of small…fry politicians； also a few local contractors。 Ruthley suppressed a pleased smile as he noted the name of Adam Woodstock。
〃Understand； Mr。 Ruthley；〃 remarked Wilderton； 〃I have no evidence whatever against any of these men。 I have merely assumed that someone in Westford must have wanted Dunson to die。〃
〃I understand。〃 Ruthley placed the paper on his desk。 〃Wilderton； I think that the best course is to wait。 This matter will smooth itself。〃
〃How so？〃
〃If one of those men is responsible；〃 returned Ruthley； indicating the list； 〃he will soon lose his nerve。 Dunson's murder has raised a huge cry。 The fact that the police so promptly identified Dorsch as the killer will make the man behind the murder feel uneasy。 He will do something that will prove his part in crime。 Your problem will be solved。〃
〃I hope that you are right； Mr。 Ruthley。〃
〃I feel confident that I am right。 Be tranquil； Louis。 Sit tight…let us say for the next two days…and if nothing has occurred within that time； e to me again。〃
Wilderton arose。 He smiled wanly； pleased by Ruthley's reassurance。
Glancing at his watch； the prosecutor remembered an appointment。 Ruthley showed him to the door。
AS soon as Wilderton was gone； Ruthley returned to his desk。 He picked up the list； chuckled as he read it。 The names were written on a sheet of paper that bore Wilderton's name； printed in the upper left corner。 Ruthley turned the paper downward。 He picked up the telephone； stroked his chin as he tried to remember a number。 He put the telephone back on its table； picked up the directory instead。
Turning to the 〃W's；〃 Ruthley found Woodstock's number。 He repeated it aloud： 〃Marvin 6384。〃 He was about to reach for the telephone when he heard a ring of the doorbell； Haija's prompt footsteps followed。 Ruthley stepped to the desk； and made a notation on the back of Wilderton's paper。
The memo that he wrote was： 〃Woodstock。 Marvin 6384。〃
Haija appeared； to announce Kirk Borman。 The police director entered。
Ruthley leaned against the desk； to hear what he had to report。 Borman was both prompt and brief。
〃Just gave another interview to the Daily Banner；〃 said the police director。 〃Stated that we are looking for Theo D。 Shaw； as an acplice of Beezer Dorsch。 Our theory is that Shaw lured Dunson to the Majestic Hotel； so that Beezer could kill him on the way。〃
〃Good business；〃 approved Ruthley。 〃What else？〃
〃Finding Shaw's note on Dunson；〃 continued Borman； 〃the police went to question the man。 Found that Beezer Dorsch was there ahead。 Surprised Beezer and Shaw in conference。 Both made a get…away； but we bagged two of their acplices。〃
〃Fine！〃 chuckled Ruthley。 〃Beezer was wise to get rid of those fellows。 Go on； Kirk。〃
〃Still searching for Shaw out by the water tower。 The Flying Squadron is watching for him； as well as for Beezer。 They know that he is The Shadow； but they're keeping that to themselves。〃
〃You've added more men to the squadron？〃
〃Yes。 Lance Gillick brought in a new bunch today。 We gave them the phony examination； to qualify them。 It gives us a force of forty。〃
Another chuckle from Ruthley。 One of the smartest moves in the master crook's game had been the formation of the Flying Squadron。 To a man； that outfit was recruited from thugs whom Lance Gillick had called to Westford。 All gave false addresses； pretending that they came from this locality。
Director Borman； in his call for 〃picked men；〃 invariably gave these camouflaged thugs a high mark when he examined them。 Other applicants were always rated low； thereby rejected。
〃They'll chop down The Shadow； if they see him；〃 declared Borman。 〃Too bad we didn't guess that he was Shaw； last night。〃
〃We should have；〃 purred Ruthley； his eyes showing a glint。 〃Look at this； Kirk。〃
STEPPING to his desk； Ruthley picked up a pencil。 Beneath Woodstock's telephone； he printed the name： 〃Theo D。 Shaw。〃 Crossing out letters in irregular fashion； he spelled the name： 〃The Shadow。〃
Kirk Borman whistled。
〃I get it！〃 exclaimed the police director。 〃He faked that name for Dunson's benefit。 So that if Dunson began to study it closely； he would catch on to the idea。 No wonder Dunson trusted Shaw。 He must have guessed that he was The Shadow。〃
〃Just as we should have guessed it；〃 returned Ruthley。 He glanced at the paper。 〃Wait a minute； Kirk； while I call Adam Woodstock。〃
Noting the telephone number again； Ruthley made the call。 He pleted a brief conversation； crumpled the sheet of paper and tossed it into an empty wastebasket。
〃Woodstock is waiting to see me；〃 Ruthley told Borman。 〃I called him this afternoon； told him to stay at home tonight； and see to it that he was alone。〃
〃Is he？〃
〃Yes。 His family has gone out。 By the way； did you get those notes I wanted？〃
Borman nodded； he pulled folded papers from his pocket。
〃I went to the Club Adair right after dinner；〃 he stated。 〃My pretext was to make a final check on Lance's alibi。 I gave him a clean bill of health。 I saw Beezer； in Lance's office； while we were alone。 He had the notes all ready。〃
Ruthley pocketed the notes。 He nudged his thumb toward the door。
〃You go out the front way； Kirk；〃 he told Borman。 〃I intend to use the secret passage。 I have a car parked in the back alley