mg.dictatorofcrime-第22章

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　　〃No　one　will　block　the　way；　I　assure　you；〃　declared　Castenago。　〃Look　for　followers；　if　you　wish；　for　you　will　see　none。〃
　　He　was　indicating　that　he　wanted　the　gatomontes　to　trail　from　a　distance；　keeping　strictly　out　of　sight。　Turning　into　another　passage；　Castenago　went　down　a　flight　of　stairs。　At　the　bottom；　Murk　told　him　to　wait。
　　Deep　in　another　section　of　the　palace　cellar；　Castenago　paused　in　front　of　a　wall　formed　by　great　stone　blocks。　He　probed　a　crack　so　thin　it　was　scarcely　visible；　and　his　fingernails　found　the　hidden　catch。
　　The　wall　opened；　it　was　a　great；　irregular　door　that　operated　upon　smooth；　noiseless　hinges；　so　perfectly　balanced　that　mere　finger　pressure　could　have　swung　the　barrier。
　　Below；　an　automatic　light　had　turned　on；　revealing　Castenago's　treasure　vault。　Huge　piles　of　American　currency　lined　the　shelves；　gold　coins　were　present　in　dozens　of　high；　glittering　stacks。　There　was　silver　in　the　form　of　bars；　along　with　gold　bullion。
　　Murk's　men　did　exactly　what　Castenago　expected。　They　forgot　their　prisoner　and　plunged　into　the　vault；　to　see　if　the　wealth　could　actually　be　real。
　　Only　Murk　hesitated；　then；　seeing　that　Nayre　was　covering　Castenago；　Murk　succumbed　to　the　lure。　He　started　into　the　vault；　too；　only　to　halt　as　he　heard　Castenago's　cold　tone：
　　〃This　vault　needs　guardians。　Dead　men　are　the　best！　Mere　mention　of　their　presence　will　frighten　away　the　living！〃
　　Murk　caught　the　meaning　too　late。　He　heard　a　clatter　as　he　wheeled；　acpanied　by　a　wild　gunshot。　Castenago　had　swung　upon　Nayre；　driving　his　revolver　wide。
　　Powerful　as　a　bull；　Castenago　was　hurling　Nayre　straight　toward　the　vault　door。　If　the　strugglers　merely　grazed　it；　the　smooth…hinged　barrier　would　clamp　upon　Murk　and　his　panions。
　　They　were　to　be　the　dead　men　who　would　serve　as　guardians　of　Castenago's　wealth！
　　Only　one　thing　could　stop　the　fatal　finish。　It　came：　the　laugh　of　The　Shadow！
　　Involuntarily；　Castenago　wheeled；　and　Nayre　wrenched　from　his　clutch。　At　the　entry　where　the　gatomontes　should　have　appeared；　Castenago　saw　The　Shadow；　dominating　the　square　cellar　room　outside　the　vault　of　doom。
　　From　that　very　vault；　other　men　were　lunging：　Murk　Wessel　and　his　crew。
　　Apparently；　The　Shadow　considered　them　more　dangerous　than　Castenago；　for　he　was　driving　toward　them。　The　entry　cleared；　Castenago　darted　toward　it；　howling　for　his　gatomontes。　He　didn't　stop　to　see　what　happened　behind　him。
　　Nayre　had　hurled　himself　upon　The　Shadow；　taking　the　cloaked　fighter　from　the　flank。　Bowled　backward；　The　Shadow　was　stabbing　wild　shots；　that　only　spurred　Castenago。
　　As　he　ran；　the　dictator　heard　The　Shadow's　laugh　as　well；　trailing　to　an　abrupt　halt。　The　sudden　finish　meant　nothing　to　Castenago；　but　it　did　to　Murk　and　his　crew。
　　The　laugh　stopped　as　Nayre　made　a　hard　swing　with　his　revolver。　Blackness　collapsed　in　Nayre's　clutch。　Half　crouched　above　The　Shadow；　Nayre　turned　and　gestured　with　his　gun；　to　hurry　Murk's　crowd　after　Castenago。
　　〃I've　handled　The　Shadow！〃　voiced　Nayre。　〃Leave　it　to　me　to　fill　him　full　of　bullets！　Get　Castenago！　Hurry；　before　he　can　reach　the　guards；　or　we'll　have　a　whole　army　fighting　us！〃
　　The　crooks　started　after　Castenago；　and　it　was　well　they　did。　Had　they　lingered；　they'd　have　met　with　instant　death。　Nayre's　gun　was　actually　covering　them；　and　so　were　two　others：　The　Shadow's。
　　He　was　motionless；　but　his　hands　were　pointing　up　from　the　floor；　each　with　a　ready　automatic。　Nayre's　gun　swing　had　stopped　short　of　The　Shadow's　head；　the　black…cloaked　fighter's　sprawl　was　just　another　detail　of　the　pretense。
　　Giving　Murk's　band　a　short　start；　The　Shadow　and　Nayre　followed　them。　They　could　hear　Castenago's　shouts　far　ahead；　and　the　bang　of　futile　gunfire　supplied　by　Murk　and　the　other　pursuers。　Along　the　route　The　Shadow　pointed　to　passages；　where　Nayre　saw　gatomontes　bound　and　gagged。
　　Earlier；　The　Shadow　had　silently　disposed　of　Castenago's　bodyguards；　but　he　didn't　specify　whether　he　had　handled　them　individually；　or　in　pairs。
　　The　trail　suddenly　became　very　hot；　for　it　was　leading　to　the　place　where　Castenago　expected　sure　refuge；　the　banquet　hall。
　　Out　of　breath；　the　bulky　dictator　staggered　into　sight　of　the　astonished　guests；　panting　for　guards　to　save　him。
　　For　the　benefit　of　the　guards　about　the　banquet　hall；　Castenago　turned　and　gestured　toward　the　door；　gasping　for　the　guards　to　hurry　and　block　off　his　enemies。　He　hadn't　finished　the　words　before　the　enemies；　themselves；　appeared。
　　Murk　and　his　men　saw　Castenago；　and　they　also　spied　the　guards；　who　were　grabbing　for　rifles。　Murk　didn't　wait　for　any　ceremony。
　　He　fired　straight　for　Castenago；　and　the　other　thugs　copied　the　act。　As　swiftly　as　they　had　murdered　Durez；　the　quick…triggered　assassins　disposed　of　Castenago。　They　were　turning　away　while　the　bulky　dictator　still　was　swaying　on　his　feet。　A　moment　later；　Castenago　toppled；　lifeless　when　he　struck　the　floor。
　　The　crooks　were　starting　back　to　the　treasure　vault；　hoping　to　rifle　it　and　get　away　amid　the　confusion。　From　the　very　passage　that　they　needed　came　a　challenging　laugh；　that　they　thought；　at　first；　was　ghostly：　the　laugh　of　The　Shadow；　the　fighter　that　they　regarded　dead！
　　
　　
　　AN　automatic　spoke。　Its　stab　proved　that　The　Shadow　was　alive。　The　shot　felled　one　of　Murk's　gunners。　Backing　The　Shadow's　fire　came　a　report　from　Nayre's　revolver；　staggering　another　of　Murk's　men；　who　managed；　however；　to　turn　with　the　rest　as　they　fled。
　　Guards　from　the　banquet　hall　saw　The　Shadow　and　started　to　aim　his　way；　but　he　flourished　an　automatic　toward　the　fleeing　crooks　and　gave　the　cry：
　　〃Vengeance…for　Castenago！〃
　　The　guards　didn't　recognize　the　irony　behind　the　order。　They　were　Castenago's　men；　taught　to　rally　at　mere　mention　of　his　name。　People　in　Centralba　switched　factions　so　often　that　it　wasn't　surprising　that　even　La　Sombra　should　do　so。
　　As　The　Shadow　sped　for　the　door　where　Murk　and　his　henchmen　had　fled；　Nayre　acpanied　him；　and　the　guards　followed。
　　Outside　the　palace；　Murk　and　his　crew　were　fighting　their　way　into　a　car。
　　Murk　saw　The　Shadow　and　pointed　him　out　to　the　guards　who　were　giving　the　crooks　trouble。　Those　guards　wheeled；　to　aim　for　The　Shadow；　who　hooked　Nayre's　arm　and　carried　him　beyond　a　fountain　before　the　rifle　fire　could　begin。
　　Leaving　the　two　groups　of　guards　to　explain　things　to　each　other；　The　Shadow　took　a　path　across　a　veranda；　to　another　waiting　car。
　　John　Smith　was　at　the　wheel；　with　Margo　Lane　beside　him。　The　Shadow　and　Nayre　sprang　into　the　rear　seat。　They　didn't　have　to　tell　John　where　to　take　them。　There　was　only　one　place　where　Murk　and　the　assassins　could　have　fled：　to　the　airport。
　　The　crooks　reached　their　goal　first。　They　drove　their　car　right　to　Allard's　plane；　and　sprang　on　board　it　unhampered　by　anyone；　for　Castenago　had　ordered　that　the　plane　be　allowed　to　go。
　　Seeing　another　car　approaching；　the　airport　guards　rushed　out　to　block　it。
　　As　the　car　halted；　Nayre　poked　his　revolver　from　the　window；　but　The　Shadow　reached　and　drew　it　back。
　　〃Our　work　is　acplished；〃　spoke　The　Shadow。　〃We　cannot　attack　the　airport　guards。　They　have　made　a　mistake；　that　is　all。〃
　　〃But　unless　we　get　through；〃　returned　Nayre；　〃Murk　and　the　other　killers　will　escape！〃
　　〃Let　them；〃　decided　The　Shadow。　〃Perhaps　they　deserve　the　opportunity。〃
　　Lights　tilted　as　the　ship's　nose　lifted　from　the　field。　Another　instant；　and　the　plane　was　gone。　Gone　with　a　blast　that　scattered　chunks　of　metal　hundreds　of　feet　about！
　　A　bomb；　more　powerful　than　a　whole　row　of　Nayre's　marimba　gourds；　had　blasted　the　plane　and　its　occupants：　Murk　Wessel　and　all　his　tribe；　save　one。
　　That　one　was　the　wounded　man　back　at　the　palace。　The　Shadow　had　specially　dropped　him；　knowing　that　someone　would　be　needed　to　testify；　first…hand；　regarding　Murk's　alliance　with　Castenago。
　　The　Shadow's　laugh　denoted　no　surprise。
　　〃I　suspected　something　of　the　sort；〃　he　told　his　panions。　〃Castenago　was　too　generous；　offering　Allard　his　chance　to　leave　the　country。　It　was　better　that　Wessel　should　have　tried　the　plane；　to　see　if　another　of　Castenago's　accidents　would　happen。〃
　　
　　
　　BACK　at　John　Smith's　shop；　they　separated。　Margo　went　to　the　hotel；　where　Nayre　met　her　later；　no　longer　in　his　native　disguise。　He　was　wearing　evening　clothes。　He　had　called　the　palace　and　found　that　both　he　and　Margo　were　expected　there。　So　they　called　a　cab。
　　An　exciting　scene　greeted　them　when　they　entered　the　banquet　hall。　Behind　the　main　table　stood　Kent　Allard；　proposing　a　toast　to　Francisco　Peridor；　president　of　Centralba。
　　The　council　had　just　held　a　meeting；　and　found　a　law　which　stated　that　the　office　reverted　to　its　former　incumbent；　since　Centralba　had　no　vice…president。
　　Luis　Castenago　had　never　deemed　it　expedient　to　provide　a　successor　for　himself。
　　The　toast　finished；　Margo　was　telling　Allard　about　the　plane　disaster。　His　responding　nod　indicated　that　The　Shadow　had　warned　him　not　to　accept　Castenago's　invitation　to　depart。　It　was　then　that　Margo　noticed　Francisco　Peridor　and　saw　the　smile　that　adorned　the　kindly　professor's　face。
　　〃He　should　be　happy；〃　said　Margo。　〃He's　president　again；　and　they've　found　the　millions　that　Castenago　stole　from　the　treasury。〃
　　〃I　think　that　Peridor　is　even　happier　over　something　else。〃
　　At　Allard's　words；　Margo　agreed。　She　saw　the　direction　of　Peridor's　gaze；　toward　the　two　persons　who　were　happiest　of　all：　Mariquita　and　Colin　Nayre。
　　They　had　hoped　long　for　this　reunion。　They　had　obtained　it…thanks　to　The　Shadow！







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