mg.dictatorofcrime-第12章

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inspector　was　evidently　an　officer　e　to　organize　the　new　guards。　Finding　the　steps　unwatched；　he　simply　supposed　that　they　had　been　overlooked；　so　he　was　summoning　another　soldier　to　patrol　the　weak　spot。
　　Binding　and　gagging　the　man　who　had　forcibly　gone　off　duty；　The　Shadow　tried　a　door　leading　in　from　the　balcony。　It　was　locked　and　bolted　on　the　other　side；　so　he　tackled　a　window；　instead。　The　window　had　a　heavy　grating；　clamped　on　the　inside；　but　The　Shadow's　fingers；　probing　through；　worked　delicate　wonders　with　those　clamps。　The　grating　came　loose。
　　All　was　silent　in　the　mansion。　Occasional　lamps；　soft　in　their　glow；　revealed　deserted　rooms　furnished　in　exquisite　Spanish　style。　There　were　short　hallways；　abbreviated　flights　of　steps；　that　gave　the　house　the　semblance　of　catabs；　though　the　atmosphere　itself　was　pleasant。
　　Below　a　curving　flight　of　stairs　The　Shadow　saw　a　stronger　light；　that　indicated　a　habitable　portion　of　the　ancient　domicile。　He　glided　down　the　curving　stairs　and　came　to　a　square　hall；　not　more　than　ten　feet　on　a　side。
　　The　light　was　from　the　ceiling；　and　the　hallway；　with　tiled　floor　and　walls；　was　something　of　a　patio　in　miniature。　Opposite　the　stairway　was　a　curtained　doorway；　through　which　more　light　came。　On　either　side　were　similar　curtains；　denoting　darkened　rooms。
　　Considering　the　solitude　upstairs；　those　side　rooms　would　also　seem　deserted。　The　Shadow's　logical　course　was　across　the　hallway；　to　the　door　at　the　other　end。　He　started　there。
　　It　was　then　that　the　lulling　atmosphere　produced　a　warning。　The　place　was　too　quiet；　too　unguarded；　to　be　safe。　The　thought　flashed　to　The　Shadow's　brain　a　split…second　before　the　trouble　came。　Before　he　could　get　his　hand　to　a　gun；　the　curtains　at　each　side　of　the　hallway　parted　simultaneously。
　　From　each　direction　sprang　an　attacker。　Wearing　no　uniforms；　their　drab　attire　gave　them　the　look　of　spies；　or　servants；　both　dark…faced；　and　so　alike　that　they　might　have　been　twins。　But　The　Shadow　had　no　time　for　such　parisons；　except　in　relation　to　the　weapons　that　the　pair　carried。　Each　dark　attacker　was　brandishing　a　machete。
　　Both　deadly　blades　were　slashing　for　The　Shadow。　Had　he　remained　rooted；　his　doom　would　have　been　sure。　At　best；　he　was　only　able　to　wheel　toward　the　man　on　the　right；　meeting　him　a　moment　earlier　than　the　other；　but　the　quick　twist　was　a　lifesaver。
　　The　first　machete　sliced　above　The　Shadow；　carving　nothing　more　than　a　portion　of　his　cloak　sleeve。　Before　the　second　man　could　lengthen　his　lunge　to　bury　the　knife　blade　in　The　Shadow's　back；　the　cloaked　fighter　had　gripped　the　first　attacker　and　was　wheeling　him　about。
　　With　a　side　step　toward　the　stairs；　the　second　man　tried　to　make　a　cross…stab　at　The　Shadow；　but　the　spin　was　too　swift。　Using　the　first　attacker　as　a　human　bludgeon；　The　Shadow　flung　him　upon　his　panion。
　　As　both　reeled　toward　the　stairs；　The　Shadow　followed　up　his　brief　advantage　with　whippet　speed。　He　grabbed　the　first　knife　hand　that　came　his　way　and　sprawled　its　owner　to　the　stairs；　where　a　jutting　step　met　the　back　of　the　man's　head。　Then；　lunging　from　the　steps　themselves；　The　Shadow　gained　an　added　impetus　that　flattened　the　other　who　was　swinging　in　to　meet　him。
　　They　landed　heavily；　the　machete　specialist　beneath。　As　the　machete　clattered　the　tiles；　The　Shadow　sprang　from　atop　his　half…stunned　foe　and　moved　toward　the　curtains　at　the　far　end　of　the　hall。
　　He　needed　a　vantage　point　from　which　to　hold　off　his　recuperating　enemies；　who　were　jolted；　but　not　out　of　the　fight。　His　spring；　however；　stopped　before　he　reached　the　curtains。
　　They　had　parted；　and　The　Shadow　was　confronted　with　a　leveled　revolver；　held　in　the　slender　but　determined　hand　of　a　dark…eyed　Spanish　girl；　whose　blazing　gaze　told　him　that　another　step　would　bring　action　from　her　trigger　finger。
　　
　　
　　HALTED；　his　gloved　hands　lifting　slowly；　The　Shadow　laughed　softly　but　grimly。　That　touch　of　strange　mirth　was　induced　by　the　sounds　behind　him；　for　he　knew　that　within　a　dozen　seconds　the　machete　experts　would　be　on　their　feet　again；　the　knives　in　their　hands。
　　They'd　follow　the　usual　rule；　those　fellows；　of　striking　first　and　inquiring　afterward。
　　The　girl's　eyes　told　that　she　felt　no　mercy　toward　an　unannounced　intruder。　Small　wonder；　therefore；　that　The　Shadow　laughed。　Unless　his　wits　could　prove　quicker　than　a　gun　trigger；　or　the　strokes　of　deadly　knives；　this　would　be　the　last　time　he　would　ever　phrase　his　famous　mirth。
　　Often；　The　Shadow's　tone　had　sounded　as　a　knell　to　dying　men　of　crime。
　　This　time；　seemingly；　it　was　the　preface　to　his　own　death。
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XII　
　　　THE　COURSE　AHEAD　
　　FRIENDS　of　The　Shadow！
　　Such；　by　rights；　should　be　the　dwellers　in　this　mansion；　instead；　they　were　proving　the　deadliest　of　foes。　Only　a　Spanish　girl's　rigid　adherence　to　custom　was　prolonging　The　Shadow's　slim　opportunity　to　live。
　　The　senorita　preferred　that　the　servants　should　give　death　to　the　cloaked　intruder；　since　it　was　their　appointed　task。　Her　stern　gaze　assured　The　Shadow　that　no　ten…second　argument　could　save　him。
　　Perhaps　the　girl　expected　a　voluble　plea　in　Spanish；　she　was　certainly　steeled　to　ignore　it。　Nevertheless；　The　Shadow　spoke。
　　His　words　were　in　English。　That　made　no　difference。　A　plea　in　any　language　would　be　useless。　However；　The　Shadow　did　not　plead。
　　〃Good　evening；　Senorita　Peridor；〃　he　said。　〃I　mistook　your　servants　for　Castenago's　men。　I　bring　a　message　from　a　certain　friend。〃
　　The　Shadow　took　just　ten　seconds　for　that　speech；　and　his　emphasis　upon　the　word　〃friend〃　carried　just　the　needed　touch。　The　widening　of　the　girl's　eyes；　the　slight　parting　of　her　lips；　told　that　her　gun　hand　had　relaxed。
　　Already；　the　servants　were　beginning　a　new　lunge；　there　wasn't　time　for　time　girl　to　call　to　them；　even　had　she　chosen。　It　was　The　Shadow　who　supplied　the　needed　action。
　　He　jabbed　his　left　hand　for　the　girl's　gun；　caught　it；　hand　and　all；　finishing　with　a　twist　as　he　lurched　her　through　the　curtains。　The　revolver　clattered　away　and　The　Shadow's　speeding　grip　slid　to　the　senorita's　wrist；　whirling　her　full　about。
　　The　Shadow　had　her　safety　in　mind；　along　with　his　own；　for　in　turning　her　as　a　human　shield；　he　carried　her　beyond　the　reach　of　the　driving　machetes。
　　The　servants　tried　to　flank　The　Shadow…too　late；　for　he　was　through　the　doorway；　where　they　couldn't　reach　him　except　by　tearing　the　girl　from　his　grasp。　They　never　went　through　with　such　a　plan；　for　by　then；　their　attack　was　fully　balked。　The　Shadow's　right　hand　had　pulled　a　gun　from　beneath　his　cloak。
　　He　hadn't　actually　drawn　the　automatic；　he'd　done　something　even　swifter。
　　The　holstered　gun　was　pointed　toward　the　hallway　at　the　time　of　his　grab；　and　he　wheeled　his　body　away　from　it。
　　Practically　where　it　was；　the　。45　was　pointing　across　the　shoulder　of　the　dark…eyed　senorita；　whose　efforts　to　break　from　The　Shadow's　grasp　were　nudging　the　weapon　from　left　to　right；　so　that　it　confronted　each　of　the　servants　in　successive　turn！
　　〃From　a　certain　friend；〃　repeated　The　Shadow；　in　the　girl's　ear；　〃named　Colin　Nayre。〃
　　〃You've　seen　Colin？〃
　　〃Yes。　He　is　still　alive…〃
　　As　The　Shadow　paused；　his　eyes　still　on　the　servants；　he　had　to　move　the　gun　of　his　own　accord。　The　girl's　struggle　had　bee　a　tremble；　which　ended　only　when　The　Shadow　added：
　　〃And　safe。〃
　　The　girl's　happy　sigh　was　drowned　by　the　clash　of　machetes　against　the　tile。　The　servants　had　recognized　the　futility　of　further　struggle　against　The　Shadow。
　　Relaxing　his　hold　upon　the　girl；　The　Shadow　let　her　turn　to　speak　to　them。
　　They　bowed　when　she　used　the　term　〃amigo〃　to　define　The　Shadow　as　being　a　friend。
　　Then；　before　the　girl　could　question　him　further；　The　Shadow　announced：
　　〃My　message　is　for　Professor　Peridor。〃
　　The　girl　turned　and　led　the　way　to　her　father's　room。　When　she　knocked　at　the　door；　her　tap　was　recognized。　A　kindly　voice　inquired　in　Spanish：
　　〃What　is　it；　Mariquita？〃
　　〃I　must　see　you；　father；〃　the　girl　replied。　〃A　friend　is　here；　bringing　word　from　Colin　Nayre。〃
　　
　　
　　THE　door　opened；　instantly；　and　Mariquita　ushered　The　Shadow　into　a　room　where　Professor　Peridor　stood　ready　to　greet　him。
　　Dark　eyes；　as　kindly　as　the　voice　that　acpanied　them；　peered　with　amazement　from　a　mild；　white　bearded　face。　Then；　recovering　from　his　surprise；　Peridor　spoke：
　　〃La　Sombra！〃
　　Peridor　had　heard　of　The　Shadow　by　that　title　from　times　when　the　black…cloaked　stranger　had　visited　other　Caribbean　countries；　in　the　interests　of　justice。
　　Mariquita's　lovely　face　became　more　and　more　bewildered　when　she　saw　her　father　and　The　Shadow　seat　themselves　beside　a　table　and　begin　an　immediate　conference。　For　the　things　that　Professor　Peridor　broached　were　his　true　opinion　of　Luis　Castenago；　expressions　which　would　mean　death　in　Centralba；　should　they　reach　the　wrong　ears！
　　〃I　was　a　fool　to　believe　Castenago；〃　Peridor's　tone　carried　bitter　sorrow。
　　〃All　my　efforts　to　better　conditions　in　Centralba　have　been　twisted　to　justify　Castenago's　evil　deeds。　Instead　of　improving　matters；　I　have　placed　myself　in　a　predicament　where　I　am　helpless；　and　my　country　totally　unable　to　shake　off　a　tyrant's　misrule！〃
　　Finding　The　Shadow's　interest　plete；　the　elderly　professor　gave　a　brief　summary　of　events　in　Centralba；　valuable；　because　it　was　the　first…hand　story　of　a　sincere　man。　Peridor　had　undergone　the　ordeal　met　by　all　right…minded　persons　who　have　sought；　by　ordinary　measures；　to　restrain　a　dictator's　rise。
　　Peridor　had　criticized　the　Castenago　regime　from　the　start；　advocating　a　policy　of　passive　resistance。　Peridor's　claim；　that　right　could　triumph　over　might；　had　even　seemed　to　win　the　dictator's　respect；　but　it　had　merely　slowed；　not　halted；　the　growth　of　Castenago's　tyranny。
　　At　least；　it　had　caused　Jose　Durez；　champion　of　open　revolution；　to　seek　Peridor's　support。　Though　Durez　was　by　no　means　unselfish；　he　promised　to　improve　the　government　if　he　came　into　power。　Since　Peridor　was　opposed　to　violence；　Durez　agreed　to　hold　his　own　strength　in　the　background；　as　a　threat　in　case　Castenago　would　not　accept　Peridor's　terms　of　justice　without　revolution。
　　〃How　cleverly　Castenago　solved　the　problem！〃　exclaimed　Peridor；　facing　The　Shadow。　〃He　showed　willingness　to　promise；　if　we　told　him　our　terms。　Hearing　them；　he　met　our　separate　desires。　He　promised　me　that　he　would　improve　the　government；　while　to　Durez；　he　offered　wealth。
　　〃Thus　dividing　our　power；　he　further　specified　that　I　should　remain　in　Centralba；　while　Durez　must　leave。　My　patriotic　sentiments；　and　Durez's　lack　of　them；　produced　our　separate　accessions　to　his　terms。〃
　　Obviously；　Peridor　had　bee　enmeshed　in　an　intrigue　which　produced　a　dilemma　in　his　honest　mind。　Durez　was　definitely　a　case　in　point。　Peridor　had　been　glad　to　see　him　go；　yet　knew　that　his　own　life　was　safe　only　so　long　as　Durez　might　return。　The　day　after　Durez's　departure；　students　had　demonstrated　against　Peridor；　alleging　that　he　had　helped　Durez　rob　Centralba。
　　Of　course；　the　demonstration　was　instigated　by　Castenago's　agents；　but　it　had　been　sufficient　pretext　for　the　dictator　to