Men of Mystery

Midnight Visit

One summer evening in 1938, as the economic depression that had gripped America five years earlier was ebbing, an odd figure moved across a mid-Western city. He wore a costume of blue tights over his strong muscular body. He had dark hair and a firm chin. A grim expression kept his eyes narrow and his lips thin.

Jumping great distances and carrying a woman bound and gagged, the figure crossed the great metropolis in one stride, landing in at Governor Peterson's mansion. The estate was situated on a large tract of land, grounds kept meticulously neat. Dropping the woman on the corner of the lawn, the figure moved quickly to the building through the cool night air and dew-topped lawn. He gave the woman no concern as she was a murderer and someone else was scheduled to die for her crime.

Despite the late hour, the stranger banged on the double doors of the mansion seeking to wake the inhabitants inside. The Governor's butler, wearing a green robe and a red night cap answered the door. He was an average looking man with thinning hair and brown eyes.

"What do you want ?" asked the servant.

"I must see the Governor. It's a matter of life and death," replied the stranger.

"You can see him in the morning," countered the butler slamming the door shut.

Shock and dismay filled the stranger. Precious seconds were ticking by. Clearly he would have to do this the hard way.

Ramming into the door and breaking it down, the stranger said, "I'll see him now."

"You can't come in uninvited," spat the butler. "I'll have you arrested."

Ignoring the comment the stranger shouted, "Are you going to take me to the Governor?"

"No! Leave at once."

"Then I'll take you to him." Lifting the butler with one hand, the stranger climbed the staircase to the second floor.

Squirming and flailing the butter cried out for help, but to no avail. There was no one to assist him. They reached the top of the stairs and the stranger put the butler down. On the right wall was a locked door.

"This is the Governor's bedroom, but the door is locked and I'm not opening it for you."

The stranger sighed with dismay. Gripping the door by the edges, he ripped it off it's hinges. The butler gaped in disbelief.

A small night light snapped on as the noise from the commotion woke the Governor. He was an older man, bald with a silver gray mustache and stern expression on his face. He wore light blue pajamas and sat up in bed as he stared at the intruder.

"What's the meaning of this?" he demanded.

The stranger pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. "Eve Cordyn will be electrocuted in about fifteen minutes for a murder she didn't commit. I have proof here of her innocence." He waved the paper. "A sign confession from the real murderer."

Suddenly the butler interrupted pointing a revolver at the strange costumed man. "Put your hands up."

The stranger turned to face this new threat. "Put that away," he commanded in a stern voice, stepped closer.

The butler ignored him. "I warn you. Take another step and I'll shoot."

Now it was the stranger's turn to ignore what was said. A second later the butler opened fire. The bullet struck the the struck squarely on the chest and bounced off. A butler looked astonished giving the stranger time to lunge for the weapon and wretch it away from the manservant.

Turning back to the Governor, the stranger said, "We're losing precious time. Only you can stop the execution."

The Governor, out of bed now, said, "Let me see those papers."

It was just as the stranger had described. A signed confession by one Ann Draper. He knew that name. She had been suspected of the murdered in the Cordyn case. Immediately he picked up the telephone receiver and dialed the operator.

"This is Governor Peterson. Connect me with the penitentiary."

Minutes later in the execution chamber Eve Cordyn sat in the electric chair and the prison guards were fastening the straps to her. Suddenly a man came bursting in. "Stop! The Governor has pardoned her."

Eve's eyes widened. She was sure she was going to die for this murder she hadn't done. Silently she thanked God as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

The Governor hung up the telephone and turned to speak to the stranger once more, but to his surprise, the man was gone. "Where'd he go?" the older man asked his butler.

The servant shrugged. "But he left a note." He picked up a paper from the bed. The real murderer, Ann Draper, is bound and delivered on the lawn of the estate."

"Call the state police," said the Governor. "Have them arrest her."