〃Ah； Judge Benbrook！〃 ejaculated the arrival。 〃You have again gone contrary to my advice。 I must insist that； as my patient； you refrain from new exertion…〃
〃e； e；〃 snorted Judge Benbrook。 〃You forget yourself； Doctor Lunden。
I have paid you to make me a well man。 You have succeeded。 I need no more advice。〃
〃But the medicine that you have taken…〃
〃Has proven beneficial。 Let me see； doctor； I recall that you once told me that my improvement would be remarkable。 You stated that when my weary spells ended； I would be free to exert myself again。〃
〃Provided that you kept on with the medicine；〃 added Estelle； nodding toward her father。 〃That was what Doctor Lunden told you。〃
Lunden winced。 He remembered that he had made such optimistic statements。
〃Very well；〃 he decided。 〃But I warn you； judge； if you experience another turn of illness； I cannot be held responsible。〃
UPSTAIRS； The Shadow was busy before a mirror。 He had donned a new suit from the package that Estelle had brought him； the attire was garish； but it did not conflict with The Shadow's countenance。 He had taken another object from the package： a small； flat make…up box。 With deft hands； he had already altered his face。
The Shadow's new visage was long； blunt…nosed and coarse。 He had filled his eyebrows so that they hung heavy； and gave him a permanent glower。 The window was open； The Shadow heard a slam of the front door。 He peered out into the dusk； to see Doctor Lunden making his departure。 The Shadow's thick lips moved； as he whispered a significant laugh。
Placing a brace of automatics in holsters under his arms； The Shadow donned hat and cloak。 He picked up a small hand bag； carried it with him and went downstairs。
Judge Benbrook and his daughter had returned into the parlor。 The Shadow heard Estelle laugh； as she congratulated her father on the way he had managed Lunden。 The Shadow passed the doorway and made a silent exit。 His course led out into the darkness； through the side door to which he had a key。
Doctor Lunden had walked away from the house。 Had he glanced behind him； the physician might have suspected that someone was on his trail。 That is； if Lunden had been keen enough to note a strangely flitting streak of blackness that occasionally glided beneath a lamp light。 Few persons； however； had the keenness to detect such a silent token of a follower； and Lunden； at present； was too intent with his own thoughts even to suspect that his trail had been taken。
The physician reached the Club Adair。 He entered； went to a table near the far door。 He signaled to the head waiter； who nodded。
Lunden was ushered through to the gaming room； which was doing business。
The baldish physician eyed the roulette wheel eagerly； then curbed himself and went to the door of Lance Gillick's office。 He knocked briskly。 The door opened。
LANCE smiled sourly when he saw his visitor。 The sallow…faced gambler beckoned Lunden into the office； closed the door and snarled unpleasantly。
〃Well； croaker；〃 he questioned； 〃how did you make out？〃
〃No luck； Lance；〃 whined Lunden。 〃The judge won't listen to advice。〃
〃No？ All right； sawbones。 That means you're through。 No chance of any dough for you。〃
〃But I owe you twenty thousand…〃
〃That's written off。 I got orders tonight from…well； never mind who gave them。 Anyway； your gambling debt is cancelled。 You don't get a bonus； that's all。〃
〃Then I can leave town？〃
〃You'd better。 You've bluffed the medico fake too long。 If it hadn't been for me fixing things； they'd have questioned your phony license long ago。〃
Lunden seemed relieved to know that he was getting out of his unfortable situation。 He stepped toward the door； Lance stopped him。
〃Just a minute；〃 said Lance。 〃You've given me the real lowdown on that dope gag； haven't you？〃
〃I swear it； Lance！〃 returned Lunden。 〃Three tablets were the absolute maximum。 More would be fatal； if Judge Benbrook died； the coroner would surely learn the cause of his death。〃
〃Then the old boy simply got used to the big dose and shook it off？〃
〃That seems the only answer。 He is still taking his prescription。 With a man of his age； the drug habit is not easily formed。 The effects of a drug that is regularly administered may be lost。 Nevertheless； I could not risk a greater dosage。〃
〃O。K。 You've got your walking papers。 Take them。〃
〃But if anything happens to Judge Benbrook…〃
〃You won't be blamed for it。 Anyway； you'll be on the lam。 Better start tonight。〃
AS soon as Lunden had gone； Lance returned to a task on which he had been working。 That was the wording of a telegram； addressed to a man named Roger Callister； otherwise 〃Trig〃 Callister。 Lance had mentioned that individual to Police Director Borman。 Tonight； in conference with Stephen Ruthley； Lance had again spoken of Trig。
In fact； Lance had just returned from Ruthley's； with instructions to bring Trig Callister back to Westford。 Trig had been around a lot； just before crime's heaviest outbreak。 He had left Westford prior to the night of Lieutenant Maclare's raid on the Mississippi Hotel。 Lance had intended to bring him into town again； but had postponed that plan because it had seemed unnecessary。
Right now； Trig would prove most useful； chiefly because he had been absent from Westford during the recent episodes。 That meant that Trig would have a clean slate when he returned。
Just as he was finding the right words for the telegram； Lance heard a knock at the door。 He thrust the telegram into a drawer； called for the person to e in。 The door opened and closed； Lance turned about in his swivel chair。
His sallow lips emitted a pleased ejaculation。 The man who had entered was Trig Callister himself。
Trig was long…faced and blunt…nosed。 His eyes had an habitual glower； yet his manner had a certain smoothness that offset those characteristics。 Though he bore a reputation as a killer； Trig was recognized chiefly as a smooth swindler…a confidence man who could handle the most wary dupes。
Apparently； Trig had just arrived in Westford。 He was carrying a hand bag that he planked on the desk。 Lance pulled out the telegram； passed it to his visitor。
〃How did you guess I wanted you here； Trig？〃 queried Lance。 〃I thought you were going to wait until you heard from me？〃
〃I didn't have to be a mind reader；〃 returned Trig； in an even…toned voice。 〃I read the newspapers； Lance。 I saw that things were hot in Westford。
Later on； I learned that they had cooled。〃
〃That's sensible；〃 agreed Lance。 〃Still； what made you think I'd need you？〃
〃When I heard that Beezer Dorsch was on the lam；〃 explained Trig。 〃He was your best torpedo； Lance。 I knew that you would need somebody to pinch…hit for him。〃
〃Beezer's still good；〃 chuckled Lance； 〃but he has to lay low。 I'm hiding him out； here in my apartment。 Listen； though； Trig。 Here's the lay。〃
〃WE have to handle an old judge named Benbrook；〃 explained Lance。 〃We thought he was a has…been； but he has started to kick up some trouble。 We can't croak him； we can't snatch him。 We have to coax him away for a while； long enough to make people lose confidence in him。〃
〃Won't he make trouble when he es back again？〃
〃We'll fix him； if he does。 Once he's lost his strangle hold on these club reformers； they won't care so much about what happens to him。 Here's the idea； Trig： You're to go and see Judge Benbrook； to talk him into going somewhere with you。〃
〃Easy enough；〃 decided Trig； promptly。 〃I know one dodge that will work。
These old gazebos always fall for a request to e to Washington and give expert testimony before a congressional mittee。〃
A pleased gleam reflected itself from Lance's eyes。
〃Try it with Benbrook；〃 decided Lance。 〃Only you won't have to take him to Washington。 We'll have a place all set near here； where you can sidetrack him。〃
Trig considered； then shook his head。 〃That won't work； Lance；〃 he objected。 〃That is； not unless you let me handle it my own way。〃
〃How do you mean？〃
〃Keep your bunch out of the picture。 Let me bring in some workers of my own。 They're smooth； they look like dudes。 Only they can be plenty tough； in a pinch。〃
〃All the better；〃