mg.dictatorofcrime-第11章

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　　Cabs　didn't　often　roll　up　to　the　Imperial　Hotel　without　passengers　inside　them；　unless　they　had　been　ordered。　This　cab　should　have　had　a　passenger；　the　driver　was　describing　him　and　swearing　by　the　sacred　volcano　of　Lotomoro　that　he　had　brought　the　man　in　question　from　the　Casino　Internacional。
　　A　serious　offense　on　the　part　of　the　missing　passenger；　could　the　cab　driver　prove　that　he　really　had　one；　for　the　Castenago　regime　was　very　strict　on　such　matters。
　　Nevertheless；　the　chance　arrival　of　an　empty　cab　did　not　account　for　all　the　police　and　soldiers。　The　Shadow　laughed　softly　as　he　looked　up　and　saw　the　real　reason。
　　A　light　blinked　off　from　an　upstairs　window；　the　very　room　which　The　Shadow　occupied　as　Kent　Allard。　The　police　and　military　had　been　finishing　the　search　ordered　by　Castenago；　when　the　cab　arrived。
　　The　last　of　the　searchers　came　downstairs。　They　were　a　pair　of　Castenago's　sinister　gatomontes。　The　men　in　fancier　uniforms　began　reporting　to　them。　The　case　had　reached　the　proper　hands　to　bring　official　results。　The　Shadow　let　his　gaze　range　his　own　side　of　the　street；　and　saw　what　he　expected。
　　A　car；　parked　in　the　darkness；　was　getting　into　motion；　its　lights　dimmed。
　　It　was　ing　right　past　The　Shadow；　the　very　car　that　had　followed　the　cab　from　the　casino。
　　
　　
　　IN　swinging　the　corner；　the　cab　had　to　pass　beneath　a　street　light；　so　The　Shadow　watched　it　closely。　He　knew　that　it　wouldn't　contain　gatomontes；　because　there　had　been　none　of　them　around　the　casino。　He　was　sure　that　this　car　was　manned　by　irregulars；　in　the　service　of　Castenago。　Having　lured　them　into　the　light；　The　Shadow　wanted　to　identify　them。
　　A　sharp　glitter　came　from　the　cab。　It　was　the　muzzle　of　a　machine　gun；　trained　directly　toward　The　Shadow；　but　it　didn't　begin　to　mouth　deadly　flame。
　　The　men　behind　the　rapid…fire　weapon　failed　to　see　The　Shadow　in　his　nest　of　gloom；　even　though　they　were　leaning　from　their　car；　intent　on　searching　every　inch　of　the　route　back　to　the　casino。　All　they　did　was　put　their　own　faces　on　display　for　The　Shadow's　eaglelike　scrutiny。
　　The　Shadow　recognized　those　faces。　He　had　seen　them　before。　Leader　of　the　murderous　roving　band　was　Murk　Wessel；　the　men　with　him　were　the　sharpshooting　lieutenants　who　had　aided　in　the　wiping　out　of　Jose　Durez　and　his　panions　from　Centralba！
　　There　was　a　whispered　laugh　when　the　cab　had　passed；　then　The　Shadow；　too；　was　gone；　sidling　uncannily　through　the　darkness。　The　tone　of　The　Shadow's　mirth　did　not　betoken　a　discovery。　It　merely　announced　the　proof　of　a　well…held　theory。
　　While　the　New　York　police　were　tracking　down　the　planted　rumors　that　Murk　Wessel　and　his　band　of　killers　were　somewhere　in　Manhattan；　The　Shadow　had　unearthed　that　notorious　crowd　in　the　one　refuge　where　no　one　else　had　thought　to　look　for　them。
　　Only　The　Shadow　could　have　analyzed　the　truth：　that　Murk　Wessel　had　not　operated　on　his　own；　but　was　secretly　in　the　employ　of　Luis　Castenago！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XI　
　　　FRIENDS　OF　THE　SHADOW　
　　NATIVES　were　dancing　in　the　esplanade　of　National　University　when　The　Shadow　arrived　there。　There　were　students　among　the　crowd；　and　they　were　amusing　themselves　in　various　ways。
　　Some　were　tossing　pennies　to　the　stolid　marimba　player；　who　still　kept　up　his　musical　beats　outside　the　patio　entrance　to　Professor　Peridor's　mansion。
　　Others　were　engaged　in　catching　fireflies；　of　the　amazing　red…and…green　variety　seen　in　the　tropics。　The　insects　looked　like　flying　traffic　lights；　and　they　stayed　at　an　appropriate　altitude；　which　made　them　difficult　to　trap。
　　Whenever　snared；　they　immediately　bee　adornments　for　high　bs　worn　by　the　promenading　senoritas；　wherein　they　shone　like　decorative　jewels。
　　The　briskness　of　the　firefly　hunt　forced　The　Shadow　to　travel　close　to　Peridor's　wall　in　order　to　avoid　the　roaming　students。　They　avoided　the　wall　as　if　it　were　charged　with　electricity；　because　they　knew　the　ways　of　the　patrolling　soldiers。　Castenago's　militia　was　trained　to　shoot　at　sight；　should　anyone　violate　a　taboo。
　　As　The　Shadow　kept　to　the　wall's　sheltering　gloom；　he　heard　rifles　crackle；　at　intervals；　followed　by　an　immediate　scattering　of　students　and　a　fluttery　flight　of　pigeons　from　the　esplanade。
　　Fortunately；　the　soldiers　were　indifferent　marksmen。　Students　and　pigeons　promptly　returned　to　their　respective　tasks…the　students　plucking　fireflies　for　the　senoritas　who；　meanwhile；　were　feeding　almonds　to　the　pigeons。
　　Around　the　corner　of　the　wall；　The　Shadow　saw　a　uniformed　man　approach　against　the　light　from　the　esplanade。　Blended　with　the　tan　stucco　background；　The　Shadow　awaited　the　soldier's　arrival。　Scouting　students　dashed　close；　saw　the　uniform；　and　scudded　away　as　the　soldier　raised　his　rifle。
　　With　a　long　stretch；　The　Shadow　reached　the　top　of　the　wall　and　lifted　himself　by　his　very　fingertips。　His　soft…toed　shoes　dug　into　the　stucco；　and　he　was　rolling　across　the　wall　top　when　the　soldier　resumed　patrol。
　　The　patio　resembled　a　sunken　garden；　being　several　feet　deeper　than　the　ground　outside。　Clumps　of　shrubbery　might　prove　the　lurking　spots　of　inside　guards　posted　by　Castenago；　so　The　Shadow　decided　to　choose　the　spot　where　he　dropped。
　　There　were　trees　inside　the　wall；　and　one；　a　coconut　palm；　sprouted　from　the　midst　of　flowery　tropical　bushes。　It　looked　like　a　good　landing　spot；　so　The　Shadow　flicked　the　pencil　beam　of　his　tiny　flashlight　toward　it。
　　Instantly；　crouched　figures　came　to　life。　They　could　only　be　gatomontes；　for　no　other　uniforms　would　have　blended　so　well　with　the　shrubbery。　Their　silence　told　that　they　were　ready　to　shoot；　once　sure　where　the　prowler　with　the　flashlight　was　located。
　　The　Shadow　was　quite　sure　that　the　gatomontes　were　excellent　marksmen　with　revolvers。　Shifting　along　the　wall；　he　reached　for　the　thick…sprayed　foliage　of　the　palm　tree。
　　Voices　hissed　below。　The　gatomontes　were　preparing　to　rake　the　wall　with　their　fire。　Even　if　The　Shadow　beat　them　to　the　shots；　it　wouldn't　help。　The　sound　of　any　gun　within　the　patio　would　bring　a　score　of　guards；　with　powerful　flashlights。　So　The　Shadow　flicked　his　own　flashlight；　instead。
　　However；　its　beam　was　no　longer　white。　This　was　the　special　flashlight　which　he　often　used　in　signaling　his　agents。　Its　glow　could　be　adjusted　to　red　or　green；　and　The　Shadow　used　both。
　　The　well…timed　flickers　were　a　perfect　representation　of　the　local　firefly。　Hovering　between　palms　and　wall；　the　blinks　provided　actual　illumination。　Like　tiny　beacons　from　the　blackness；　they　guided　the　lurkers；　giving　them　opportunity　to　work　along　the　wall　without　using　their　own　flashlights。
　　They　were　evidently　pleased　that　such　a　magnificent　firefly　should　have　drifted　by　at　such　a　moment。　But　the　〃firefly〃　was　skittish。　It　suddenly　floated　toward　the　wall；　gave　quick；　parting　flashes　and　disappeared。
　　It　was　gone　beneath　The　Shadow's　cloak；　and　the　men　below　were　suddenly　curious　regarding　the　firefly's　gyrations。
　　
　　
　　EASING　toward　the　branches　of　the　palm；　The　Shadow　tilted　his　head　at　an　angle　and　counted　coconuts　against　the　reflected　glare　from　the　esplanade。
　　The　palm　was　quivering；　not　from　The　Shadow's　well　placed　weight；　but　from　the　clutch　of　hands　that　were　using　the　branches　to　gain　the　summit　of　the　wall。
　　Five　coconuts；　bobbing　and　dipping　crazily　against　the　dim　light。　One　went　down　from　sight；　but　came　up　again；　bringing　another　with　it。　Then　one　more　extra　coconut　appeared　right　beside　the　first　newer。　Releasing　his　grip　on　the　palm　boughs；　The　Shadow　lurched　out　into　space；　his　hands　ahead　of　him。
　　Crazy　business；　grabbing　hanging　coconuts　to　prevent　a　fall。　Ordinarily；　they'd　be　slippery；　and　useless　as　support；　since　they　would　drag　down　the　boughs　if　grasped。
　　Not　these　coconuts。　They　weren't　the　sort　that　grew　on　palm　trees。　They　were　interlopers。
　　Catching　the　two　he　wanted；　with　an　insweep　of　his　hands；　The　Shadow's　lurch　was　halted　by　supporting　bulks　attached　beneath　the　coconuts。
　　Nothing；　however；　could　have　stayed　the　swift　motion　of　his　powerful　hands；　ing；　as　they　did；　like　unseen　creatures　of　the　night。　They　bounced　the　coconuts　together　as　a　musician　would　crash　a　pair　of　cymbals。
　　The　Shadow　had　chosen　the　right　coconuts。　The　rest　flipped　upward；　as　all　weight　was　released　from　the　palm　boughs。　Two　figures　thudded　the　ground；　and　in　sprawling；　they　broke　the　finish　of　The　Shadow's　dive。
　　Rising　among　the　shrubs；　the　coconut　basher　turned　his　flashlight　toward　the　ground；　using　its　white　beam。　A　low　laugh　sounded　from　the　darkness　above　that　penciled　glow。　The　Shadow　was　viewing　the　two　gatomontes；　both　limp　and　stunned。
　　Having　remembered　that　these　fellows　always　worked　in　pairs；　The　Shadow　had　simply　waited　for　them　to　introduce　a　pair　of　human　coconuts　among　the　fruit　variety。　They'd　done　it　in　their　customary　precision；　making　each　head　a　target　for　the　other；　under　The　Shadow's　swift　clutch。
　　The　gatomontes　wore　fancy　belts　with　their　otherwise　drab　uniforms。　The　Shadow　found　those　belts　quite　handy　in　trussing　the　unconscious　pair。　They　carried　gaudy　handkerchiefs；　too；　in　their　inside　pockets；　for；　like　most　Centralbans；　they　had　a　dash　of　the　Indian　in　them。
　　The　Shadow　used　the　handkerchiefs　as　gags。　Tossing　a　pair　of　revolvers　into　the　shrubbery；　he　started　a　foot　tour　of　the　patio。
　　There　were　other　guards　about；　police　and　soldiers　on　patrol。　They　were　easily　spotted　by　The　Shadow　and　were　paratively　harmless；　since　The　Shadow　had　eliminated　the　mainspring　of　the　works　in　the　persons　of　the　gatomontes。
　　One　soldier；　however；　was　a　real　obstacle。　He　stood　on　guard　at　a　flight　of　steps　leading　up　to　a　balcony　that　offered　the　only　access　to　Peridor's　mansion。
　　With　the　notes　of　the　marimba　flitting　in　from　the　great　gate；　The　Shadow　had　an　excellent　musical　score　acpanying　his　next　exploit。　He　skirted　the　tropical　plants；　and　suddenly　confronted　the　soldier　just　as　the　fellow　turned。
　　The　Shadow　sped　both　hands　toward　the　sentry's　rifle　and　seized　it　with　a　viselike　grip。
　　Naturally；　the　guard　doubled　his　own　grip　on　the　gun；　which　was　exactly　what　The　Shadow　wanted。　Dipping；　he　drove　his　knee　against　the　sentry's；　and　as　the　man　caved；　The　Shadow　used　the　gun　for　leverage；　rolling　the　surprised　soldier　right　across　his　shoulders　to　a　headlong　landing　on　the　tiled　paving　of　the　patio。
　　There　was　a　thud；　but　no　clatter；　for　The　Shadow　was　the　one　who　retained　the　rifle；　the　sentry　losing　his　own　hold　under　the　twist　that　acpanied　the　rapid…rolling　somersault。
　　Another　guard　was　ing　through　the　patio；　blinking　a　flashlight　toward　the　shrubs　along　the　walk。　So　The　Shadow　hoisted　his　stunned　prisoner　and　carried　him　away；　rifle　and　all；　under　the　fringe　of　the　balcony。
　　Reaching　an　isolated　marble　bench；　The　Shadow　mounted　it　and　shouldered　his　human　burden　over　the　balcony　rail。　Poking　the　rifle　through　the　uprights；　The　Shadow　finished　by　climbing　over　the　rail　itself。
　　
　　
　　MEANWHILE；　the　glow　from　the　flashlight　had　stopped　back　at　the　steps。　The　Shadow　heard　orders　in　Spanish；　slurred　with　the　local　dialect。　The　inspector　was　evidently　an　officer　e　to　organize　the　n