 | #021 "Shadowed Millions"
Vol. 4, No. 3 Published: 01/01/33 Submitted: 05/06/32 under the same title Author: Walter Gibson Review date: Nov 15, 2002 |
SHADOWED MILLIONS was originally published in the January 1, 1933 issue of The Shadow Magazine. And when this title mentions "millions" it really means it. We're talking about ten million dollars in cash and government bonds. It's all going to the newly formed Central American government of The Republic of Santander. Or is it? Not if certain sinister powers have their way!
It all begins when we meet the suave South American, Alvarez Legira, consular agent of Santander. He's working with a group of nine wealthy Americans, including our friend Lamont Cranston, to sell some trade concessions. In return for these valuable trade concessions, The Republic of Santander is to receive ten million dollars. Small potatoes by today's standards, that amount of money in 1933 dollars would be an invaluable sum to an emerging Central American nation.
All seems to go well with the negotiations. The prosperous businessmen agree to Legira's proposal and select one from their midst, John Hendrix, to be the sole person to deal with the transfer of funds to Senor Legira. But Hendrix is soon to find out that things are not as they seem. There are ominous plots going on in secret.
Questions abound. Is Legira on the up-and-up? His request for the funds to be in cash, which he will personally transport to Santander, seems unusual. Does he plan on absconding with the funds? Will the millions make it intact to the intended nation? Why is Martin Powell, detective, shadowing Legira? Who has hired him and for what purpose? What about the two thugs that slink about outside Legira's apartment in the darkness? What are they up to?
Then Pete Ballou enters the picture. Ballou claims to represent the "unofficial" government and demands half of the ten million dollars. He threatens that if he isn't given half of the fortune, a revolution will take place in Santander. And Legira will be killed! Ballou gives Legira ten days in which to turn over half the monies... or else!
Alvarez Legira isn't about to take this sitting down. He intends to keep the entire sum. But whether for himself or his country is uncertain. He begins by hiring Perry Wallace to impersonate him. In that way, the real Legira can slide out of the picture and make secret arrangements while Wallace, as the fake Legira, will remain under surveillance by Ballou, Powell and the two unknown thugs.
It's a wild ride as we watch The Shadow skulk through in the background, watching the various suspicious activities and making his secret plans. The Shadow is unable to stop the murder of wealthy old John Hendrix. And he's unable to stop the murder of detective Martin Powell. Will he be able to stop future murder? Will he be able to thwart Pete Ballou? Will he discover the hidden master who pulls the strings to which Ballou responds? Will he keep Legira from disappearing with the entire ten million?
It's a big job, but it's one that only The Shadow can accomplish. There are coded messages from the yacht Cordova to Legira, that The Shadow amazingly breaks. There's a sliding panel that reveals the hidden underground passageway to Legira's stronghold. The shootout between agents of The Shadow and mysterious henchmen seeking to capture the millions. And the mysterious ringleader of a band of international crooks. All these things will thrill you when you read this Shadow mystery!
Appearing in this story are Cliff Marsland, Clyde Burke and Harry Vincent in small roles. Burbank has a larger role in this story. Detective Joe Cardona appears a couple times to help out. And Lamont Cranston appears twice. Most of the appearances of The Shadow are as his undisguised, black-robed self.
Finally, a few notes of interest regarding this story. In The Shadow's sanctum, we see the rays of a green-shaded lamp falling on the smooth-topped table. In most other stories, it was a blue light. But in this one, it is described as green. I guess we'll have to chalk that up to being an early story, only the nineteenth written (and twenty-first published).
While in his sanctum, The Shadow writes with pencil and paper. In later stories, The Shadow was famous for writing with a pen filled with his famous blue disappearing ink. Again, we'll write this off as due to being an early story in the series.
We are told that The Shadow writes cryptically; his handwriting being legible only to himself. Gee, and I thought my doctor had bad handwriting. And speaking of writing, The Shadow has the ability to write in the dark. Yes, in this story he writes with the lights off. And when they are turned on, we are told that the handwriting is "perfectly inscribed." Sounds like this guy writes more legibly with the lights off than on!
The strange little vial of purplish liquid which The Shadow carries in some of his stories makes an appearance, here. But rather than using it to imbibe and restore strength, it's used as smelling salts to rouse an unconscious victim. The man has been doped, but when The Shadow places the small bottle under his nostrils, we're told the pungent odor of the liquid completely overcomes his lethargy. Now that's a new one on me.
A final note of interest. In this story The Shadow, in his disguise as Lamont Cranston, willingly gives Joe Cardona his finger prints as part of the investigation of the murders. In fact, he suggests it! That doesn't seem like a very smart thing to do. Having his finger prints on file could lead to all sorts of future problems. Just imagine what might happen if, in future years, the "real" Lamont Cranston were finger printed, and it came to light that they were different from the ones already on file. Or what would happen if Kent Allard's finger prints were found to match those taken earlier of Cranston? If I were The Shadow, I wouldn't want my finger prints on file at police headquarters. Too many potential problems in the future! So why does he do it? Who knows...