switch had turned the stronghold into a prison； as close…walled as a tomb。 Harsh； gleeful cries amid the darkness told that men of crime were sure that their ruse had worked。 A raucous voice called for lights。
Quickly； The Shadow rolled beneath the roadster。 He lay there； face downward； clasping an automatic in each fist。 The lights came on； crooks piled from their pill…box to join the others on the floor。 Together； they surged to the wall beside the roadster； they tramped roughly on the leveled roof； they bent to shout jeers that they hoped The Shadow would hear within his tomb。
While thugs made merry； The Shadow prepared to end their revelry。 The far side of the roadster was deserted； except for the one thug who lay unconscious。
Three from the pill…box； two from the floor； had all assembled above the tight…sealed prison where they believed The Shadow trapped。 Edging outward； The Shadow was almost ready to e to his feet； when an interruption sounded。
Someone was pounding at the front door of the garage。 For beyond that heavy barrier came the shouted order：
〃Open！ In the name of the law！〃
THE SHADOW abandoned his plan to surprise the clustered； crooks who stood flat…footed by the wall。 He had recognized the shouting voice。 The tone was that of Lieutenant James Maclare。 Half to his feet； The Shadow dropped low again； he edged beneath the roadster as crooks scurried from the wall。
He saw one man reach the door and yank a switch that controlled the far pill…box。 It descended； the thug at the switchboard pulled a lever to open the rear door of the garage。 Two crooks picked up the unconscious thug； the lights went out to cover their departure by the opened rear door。 Only two remained； to pass as garage attendants when they admitted Maclare and his bluecoats to the innocent…looking garage。
The Shadow had new opportunity in the darkness。 He took it。 Rolling from beneath the roadster； he moved swiftly to the rear door。 Crooks were away before he reached it； The Shadow slid through just as the door was closing。
The rear alley was darkened； groping； The Shadow found a passage that led through to the front street； between the garage and an empty store。 He took this route； stopped just before he reached the front。 Peering from the corner； The Shadow was witness to the next scene。
Lights were on again in the garage； the front door had been opened to admit Maclare。 The lieutenant had made a brief inspection； he had called the thuggish attendants out front； to give them a brief quiz。
〃Nobody came in here tonight？〃 demanded the police officer。 〃You're sure of it？〃
〃Nobody； lieutenant；〃 replied one of the thugs。 〃This garage is closed for repairs。 We're storin' no cars； here； right now。〃
〃Humph！ Who does that roadster belong to； then？〃
〃It's my own car； lieutenant。〃
〃All right；〃 decided Maclare。 〃The men we're after were reported riding in a coupe。 Last place we spotted them was near here。 We thought maybe they'd made into your garage。
A siren sounded as Maclare finished。 Two motorcycles chugged up； then a police car。 Members of the Flying Squadron stepped to the street。 An official car arrived。 Director Kirk Borman alighted。 He talked with Lieutenant Maclare。
〃I'll take charge here；〃 decided Borman。 〃Good work； lieutenant！ I heard about your surprise raid。〃
〃I meant to notify you； director；〃 stated Maclare； 〃only we weren't sure of the tip…off…〃
〃I understand；〃 put in Borman； brusquely。 〃Results are what count； lieutenant。 You gained them。 That's all that matters。 Better get back to your precinct。 The Flying Squadron will find Lance Gillick。〃
MACLARE saluted； he departed with his bluecoats。 The honest lieutenant was grim。 For once； he had kept back facts that he might have given to the police director。 The tip…off that Maclare had received had specified that no one； not even Director Borman； be informed beforehand。 Rather than miss his opportunity to catch Lance Gillick red…handed； Maclare had agreed to the terms。 He had trusted the mysterious voice that had e over the wire to his precinct office。
Director Borman went into the garage； while members of the Flying Squadron spread out to fake a search of the area。 The Shadow saw chance of new encounter； which he wanted to avoid。 In darkness； he whipped off his cloak and hat and folded them under his arm。 Choosing a moment when no khaki…uniformed men were near； he walked out from his hiding…place and approached Director Borman's car。
He opened the door； tossed his garments into a corner of the rear seat。
The chauffeur turned about； saw only the features of Trig Callister。 The Shadow whispered gruffly； stating that he wanted to see Director Borman。 The chauffeur was one of Borman's trusted aids。 He knew that the director had dealings with characters of Trig's sort。 He motioned The Shadow into the car。
Kirk Borman returned soon afterward； a pleased smirk on his sharp…featured face。 As he entered the car； The Shadow spoke again。
〃I'm Trig Callister；〃 he gruffed。 〃Say…did they get The Shadow？〃
〃He's where we want him；〃 chuckled Borman。 〃Buried alive！ We'll leave him there until he croaks！ That won't be long； he's in an air…tight spot。〃
The Shadow's disguised face was visible by the glow of a street lamp。 To Borman； those features answered Lance Gillick's description of Trig。
Nevertheless； Borman questioned suddenly：
〃How did you get here？〃
〃I hopped on the back of Lance's coupe；〃 returned The Shadow with a sight guffaw。 〃I was in a bad spot when that raid hit。 A worse one； when The Shadow tagged Lance。 I had to drop off to keep from getting hit when he busted loose with those gats of his。 I was too busy to yank a rod of my own。 It's tough holding on to the back of a coupe； going the speed Lance was driving that one。〃
The story clicked。 Borman told the chauffeur to drive along。 He was not suspicious when The Shadow questioned：
〃How about Lance and Beezer？ Did they make it to Ruthley's O。K。？〃
〃They did；〃 acknowledged the police director。 〃That's where we are going at present。〃
〃You'll have to drop me on the way；〃 objected The Shadow。 〃When we get to the place where I parked my sedan。 I've got to get out in the country and keep the old judge bluffed。 Tell Lance I made my get…away。 Everything is jake。〃
BORMAN nodded。 Events had worked out better than he hoped。 With Lance and Beezer in a safe hide…out and Trig at large； all was well with men of crime。
Maclare's surprise raid had made trouble。 Borman was sure that it had been instigated by The Shadow。 The Shadow's return had brought repense； however； it had spelled the finish of the black…cloaked warrior； according to Borman's positive belief。
The Shadow spoke as they neared his parked sedan。 Borman ordered the chauffeur to stop； he chuckled good…by to Trig Callister。 He saw his panion alight； but he did not notice the small bundle beneath Trig's arm。 The Shadow was careful to keep his wadded cloak and hat away from the police director's view。
The Shadow whispered a prophetic laugh as he boarded his sedan。 His plans had worked tonight。 He had slipped the trap without losing too much time； and with that exploit； he had left crooks confident that they had bagged their greatest foeman。
That； in particular； was to The Shadow's liking。 The greater the confidence among men of crime； the greater would be their consternation when The Shadow delivered the final stroke of his campaign。
CHAPTER XXII
ESTELLE'S DISCOVERY
DESPITE his quick departure from the toils of crooks； The Shadow had lost many valuable minutes。 He had purposely clipped the time element to a minimum； that he might plete his campaign while his enemies were retarded。 The episode at the garage trap had therefore been damaging to The Shadow's schedule。
One vital phase of The Shadow's game was a trip to the country mansion …
there to meet Judge Benbrook and bring him back to town。 That would be easy； as Trig Callister； The Shadow could pass the outer cordon of thugs without question。 But it was necessary to have Judge Benbrook in Westford well before the time at which the meeting of the Civic Club was scheduled。
If all went well； The Shadow wo