The Gray Phantom

by Herman Landon

  CHAPTER XVIII

  THE FIGURE ON THE STAIRS

  The Phantom could scarcely hold back a cry of exultation as he saw theabject fear written in Doctor Tagala's face. Knowing how ingeniouslyMr. Shei had laid his plans and guarded against every imaginableemergency, he had not been altogether certain that his artfulcontrivance would succeed. But the scientist's acute distress wasample proof that Mr. Shei had been outmaneuvered and that The GrayPhantom was master of the situation.

  "It appears Mr. Shei has overlooked something, after all," observedThe Phantom in tones that expressed his elation. "Now, doctor, let mewarn you that evasions and trickery will only aggravate your position.Where is the antidote?"

  Tagala seemed to be making an effort to gather his scattered thoughts."If I tell you, will you release me at once?" he asked shakily.

  "All I promise is to spare your eyesight," declared The Phantom, stillholding the little bottle in dangerous proximity to the scientist'sterror-filled eyes. "You will have to be content with that, and I amreally letting you off very easily. Now answer my question."

  The doctor glanced at the bottle, gave an involuntary shudder, andseemed to be trying hard to think clearly.

  "The antidote," he finally managed to say, "is hidden in the wall ofmy bedroom, exactly one foot from the window and directly above thehead of the bed. The wall is apparently solid, but if you willcarefully run your hand over the space I have indicated, you will finda slight protuberance. A light pressure on it will release a hiddenpanel, and inside you will find a number of small bottles, each onecontaining a full course of treatment. You will find completedirections on the label."

  The Phantom searched his face, but found no signs of guile. "I hope,for your sake, that you have told the truth," he said sharply. "Ishall be back as soon as I have verified your statement."

  He examined the cords around the doctor's feet and hands and saw thatthey were securely tied. Then he stepped out of the little chamber,carefully closing the sliding door before he ran up the stairs. Evennow he could scarcely realize that his stratagem had succeeded. Therewere still dangers and obstacles in the way, but somehow he would winout. He would take as many bottles as his pockets could hold, then hewould find Helen, and they could easily make their escape through thetunnel. His imagination pictured Mr. Shei's discomfiture when heshould learn that this stupendous scheme had failed.

  The Phantom drew his revolver before stepping out in the hall. Theslightest slip or a chance encounter might easily reverse thesituation and turn the tables against him. His feet glided soundlesslyover the floor till he came to the laboratory. A quick glance up anddown the corridor assured him that so far he was safe. He opened thedoor and entered the bedroom at the side of the laboratory. Now hetook out his electric flash, placed his automatic within easy reach onthe bed, then gingerly ran his fingers over the area specified byDoctor Tagala.

  In a short time he had found the slight protuberance mentioned by thedoctor, but he hesitated for several moments before pressing it. Firsthe carefully examined the surrounding space, looking everywhere forhidden wires. Even when controlled by terror, the wily scientist wasnot to be trusted, and The Phantom had no intention of walking blindlyinto a trap. His search satisfied him, however, and finally he placeda finger on the tiny projection and pressed inward. Almost instantly anarrow portion of the wall opened. Within, arranged in an orderly rowon a shelf, stood a number of small bottles.

  He drew a long breath of intense relief. Before him was visible proofthat he had frightened the truth out of the scientist. His head swam alittle as he contemplated his success. Each one of the bottles wouldhave netted Mr. Shei a fortune if the audacious plan had succeeded.What seemed more wonderful still, one of them would save the life ofHelen Hardwick. The Phantom's hand trembled excitedly as he reachedout and clutched one of the bottles.

  In the next instant his hand darted back. Something was wrong, for thebottle was immovable, as if clamped down with rivets, and a hideoussuspicion flashed through The Phantom's mind. Simultaneously therecame a loud clanging which reverberated throughout the house,confirming his agonizing suspicion that a gong had been released themoment his hand touched the bottle. He had blundered into a trap,after all. For an instant he marveled dazedly at the almost uncannyscope of Mr. Shei's precautions.

  Then suddenly alert and tense once more, he put the electric flashlight back into his pocket and snatched up his automatic. The clangorof the gong, resounding throughout the entire house, was almostdeafening. Overhead doors were slamming and voices shouting excitedly.From the direction of the stairs came a tumultuous clatter, and abovethe hubbub he caught the insistent tones of Slade's commands. He casta glance at the window, its outlines delineated by a gray dusk againstthe darker background. But flight was out of the question, for hecould not leave Helen behind him. The Phantom steeled himself forbattle. Often in the past he had fought against overwhelming odds, andthis time something far greater than his life depended on the outcome.

  Every vein tingling, he left the bedroom and crossed the floor of thelaboratory. Maintaining a steady grip on his automatic, he pushed thedoor open and stepped out into the hall. A chorus of shouts greetedhis appearance. Men in various stages of attire were running excitedlyup and down the corridor, but all stopped at sight of the tall, tensefigure standing with his back against the laboratory door. His eyes,hard as steel and swift as speeding arrows, surveyed them narrowlywith a long, comprehensive sweep. The barrel of his automatic, held inreadiness for instant action, glimmered ominously in the dim lightshed by a single bulb in the ceiling.

  "The Gray Phantom!" was the hushed whisper that went back and forth inthe huddled crowd. A spell seemed to fall over them as they stared atthe man of whose amazing exploits they had heard and read, but whomfew of them had seen until now. But their inaction lasted only a fewmoments. Some of the bolder ones were already crowding forward.

  "Stop!" cried The Phantom. The gong had ceased ringing, and his voicerang sharp and clear down the hall. "The first man that moves will geta bullet."

  Momentarily awed by the metallic tones, the crowd fell back. ThePhantom's glittering eyes seemed to encompass them all in their sweep,and there was an air of desperate determination about his tense,slightly crouching figure that impressed them strongly.

  The situation was the most critical The Phantom had ever faced, yet hefelt a tingle of triumph as he surveyed the huddled throng. Any one ofthem could have crippled or killed him with a well-aimed shot, but nota hand moved. For the moment, at least, he was holding them insubjection through the sheer strength of his domineering personalityand his attitude of utter fearlessness.

  Someone laughed, and The Phantom's eyes turned to Slade, standing onthe outer fringe of the crowd. He held a pistol in his hand, but themuzzle was pointed downward.

  "You must be crazy," he said contemptuously. "Can't you see that youare outnumbered eleven to one?"

  "I hadn't taken time to count," said The Phantom calmly. In the sameinstant a crack and a flash of fire came from his automatic. One ofthe crowd, more intrepid than the others, had ventured forward as hespoke, and now a yell of pain signified that The Phantom had aimedstraight.

  Slade scowled. On his face was a look of mingled wonder and rage.

  "Mr. Shei's orders are not to kill you unless necessary," heexplained, "and I have been hoping you wouldn't make it necessary. Mr.Shei has the highest admiration for you."

  "Thanks," said The Phantom dryly, and for a mere instant his thoughtswent back to the ludicrous figure of Fairspeckle. "It's too bad Ican't say that the sentiment is mutual."

  Slade's scowl deepened. He seemed inclined to instruct his men toadvance, but something evidently restrained him.

  "You ought to know by this time that Mr. Shei is invincible," hedeclared impressively. "You are a wonder in some ways, but a fool inothers. How you keep slipping in and out of this house is beyond me.Not that it matters, for you have sung your last tune. What have youdone to Doctor Tagala?"

/>   A thin smile hovered about The Phantom's compressed lips.

  "I suppose you have kidnaped him," Slade went on, "but we will findhim before long. You see, Mr. Shei foresaw even such a possibility asthat, and prepared for it. He anticipated that pressure of some sortmight be used on Tagala to make him reveal where the antidote ishidden, and so he prepared the trap you walked into a moment ago. Thebottles, as you may have guessed by this time, contain only water. Thereal antidote is elsewhere, and Tagala is the only man who can put hishand on it."

  "So I understand." There was a momentary flicker in The Phantom's eyeswhich indicated that Slade's words had suggested something ofimportance to him. "Mr. Shei is amazingly clever--but there is such athing as being _too_ clever."

  Slade looked as if he sensed a hidden meaning which his mind could notquite grasp. Presently he shrugged and fixed his frosty gaze on ThePhantom.

  "I'll give you just one more chance to surrender," he warned. "Throwdown your pistol and tell us where Tagala is, and I promise you willnot be harmed."

  "Very anxious to learn Tagala's whereabouts--aren't you, Slade? WithoutTagala you can't find the antidote, and without the antidote yourbeautiful scheme goes to pieces. It would be very awkward for you ifyou shouldn't be able to deliver the goods when your seven victimshave come around to the point where they are willing to pay yourprice."

  Slade mumbled something under his breath. Again The Phantom's eyesdarted over the fringe of sullen faces in the background. He wasgambling for Helen's life and his own, and he still held one card inreserve.

  "Tagala seems to be the key to the whole situation," he went on. "Ihave hidden him in a place where you will never find him, even if yousearch from now till doomsday. Men sometimes die of hunger in threedays, especially if they do a lot of fretting in the meantime. Slade,why don't you order your men to shoot me?"

  The last sentence was spoken in taunting tones, and Slade's faceshowed that the gibe had gone home. Inwardly fuming, he glaredsavagely at The Phantom.

  "Is it because you realize that, if I am killed, Tagala will die withme?" The Phantom's smile told that he once more felt he was master ofthe situation. "Is that the reason, Slade?"

  Slade grumbled inarticulately. He glanced gloomily at the men lined upbehind him. Then he looked again at The Phantom, and his face took ona baffled look. He seemed unable to account for the fact that one man,single-handed, was holding nine at bay. Suddenly, as his glanceflitted up and down The Phantom's tense figure, his face brightened atrifle. He whispered something in the ear of the man at his side, andthe latter immediately hurried away.

  The Phantom felt a twinge of misgiving. It was evident from thegratified smirk on Slade's lips that an inspiration had just occurredto him and that he was planning a surprise of some sort. The Phantomwondered whether the resourceful Mr. Shei had provided against thislatest emergency as he had against the others. He waited in a state oftremulous tension, and presently a slight sound drew his attention tothe stairs at the end of the hall.

  He glanced aside out of the tail of an eye, and then sudden despairtook hold of him. Halfway up the stairs, gazing blankly down upon thescene in the hall, stood Helen Hardwick. There was a look in her facethat caused a groan to break from The Phantom's lips.

  Suddenly he stiffened. In an instant he saw the meaning of the elatedsmile on Slade's face. Directly behind Helen he discerned a crouchingfigure, evidently the man who had left the hall a few minutes before.

  "Splendid!" ejaculated Slade. "I see you have already glimpsed theidea. At this very moment the muzzle of a pistol is pressing againstMiss Hardwick's back. The slightest pressure on the trigger will senda bullet through her heart. You cannot fire at him, much as you wouldlike to do so, for Miss Hardwick's figure makes an excellent bulwark.Will you admit you are beaten?"

  Torn between rage and despair, The Phantom gazed rigidly at Helen. Thestolid expression on her face showed plainly that she had not thefaintest inkling of what was going on. Now and then her lips twitchedas if she were on the point of laughing. Of the figure crouchingbehind her only an elbow and a narrow strip of shoulder were visible.An anguished cry rose in The Phantom's throat as he saw the fullinfamy of Slade's ruse.

  "I shall begin to count," said Slade in triumphant tones. "If, by thetime I come to ten, you have not signified by throwing down yourpistol that you are willing to surrender, Miss Hardwick will dieinstantly."

  A hush, charged with an electric tension, followed the ultimatum.Then, slowly and evenly, Slade began to count:

  "One--two--three--four--five----"