Caverns of Death; 9-11-1938

The story opens in some kind of underground caverns, a place called Natural Hall with vapors coming out of Vulcan's Pit. It's a class outing of college students.

The tour guide talks about this crater in the Southwest. It has a bottomless pool of water. The rail breaks and some students fall into the pit. Seventeen students have fallen into the pit. A rescue squad member says that they were not able to find any bodies at all in the pit.

Margo shows up the next day and talks to the professor who says no students have been found yet. Lamont shows up after a plane trip. Lamont wants to look at the caverns, noting he has some questions about exactly what happened.

A guide takes Margo and Lamont inside. Lamont decides to go into the pit to investigate, and Margo says she'll go with him. They hear something at the bottom of the pit. Lamont pulls out one of the students, but he's really out of it.

The rope breaks and the kid falls to his death. Lamont says the rope was cut.

Some guy is talking to the “Boss,” admitting he cut the rope. Another guy shows up and talks to him. (The “Boss” supposedly has a gas mask on, but his voice doesn't sound any different.) The Boss and his helper plan to go into the pit. The other guy (the cook) stays behind, and hears the voice of the Shadow.

The cook reveals that there is a lower level to the caverns. He admits that the boys did not fall due to an accident. A shot rings out, and the cook dies. The Boss is there and talks to the Shadow; he's behind the wall.

The Boss basically challenges the Shadow and tees him off really good.

Later, Lamont and Margo are back down in the crater. They are looking for a secret entrance into a lower entrance for the cavern. They find the hidden entrance. Margo stays at the entrance while Lamont searches the passages.

Margo is attacked and screams. The Boss and his helper have her. They lock up Margo and go searching for Lamont. The Shadow talks to Margo and gets her out of the vault. Lamont tells Margo she is to return to the Village and send the police.


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