Never Bring a Revolver to an Elevator Fight!

 

cover art by George Rozen

Treasure hunt stories are inherently fun. In this case, the treasure being hunted is Revolutionary War-era gold supposedly hidden in an old mansion--a mansion that is also said to be haunted by the ghost of a British soldier.

Vanished Treasure (written by Walter Gibson under the Maxwell Grant house name) was published in the October 15, 1938 issue of The Shadow Magazine. We jump right into the story when Marcus Beld goes to the hotel room/headquarters of gambler Itch Fendel to tell him he doesn't have enough money to pay off his 30 grand gambling debt.

By the way, at first it seems as if "Itch Fendel" is the best gangster name ever. But we soon meet Itch's bodyguard Croak Lorman. That's the best gangster name ever!

Beld would normally be in trouble because of his shortage of funds, but he has valuable information. A relative owns an old mansion in which a fortune in treasure is supposedly hidden. That relative thinks he can find the treasure. So Beld can keep Itch informed and then Itch can move in to take the treasure as soon as its found.

illustration by Edd Cartier

The Shadow is there, though, listening in. So a battle of wits between the Shadow and the villians begins.

Actually, they battle with more than wits. The Shadow gets into a hand-to-hand struggle with Croak. And, surprisingly, Croak gets the upper hand. That's not something that happens to the Shadow that often.

But Burbank, one of the Shadow's agents, is nearby posing as an elevator operator. Burbank reacts with speed and cleverness. Croak quickly learns that you don't bring a revolver to an elevator fight. It's a great action scene which allows an agent who normally just answers the phone to show his true mettle. 

Harry Vincent, the Shadow's primary agent, is soon involved as well, looking after a man named Roger Hasting. Roger is connected to the Beld family by being engaged to the very pretty Eunice Beld. He's doing research on the treasure in a small library when he and Harry find themselves surrounded by thugs. Fortunately for them, the Shadow arrives in time to save them.

illustration by Edd Cartier

From there, the story begins to take a number of twists and turns. There are more fights, a kidnapping, a rescue, and a ghost sighting. As is so common in a Shadow novel, when we think we know who the main bad guys are, we actually don't. The Shadow plays the villains off against one another, which leads to gun play in the mansion's cellar, a few surprising revelations and a satisfying conclusion.

But as much fun as Vanished Treasure turns out to be, another treasure-themed Shadow novel published ten months later is even better. We'll take a look at that one next week.