mg.cyro-第23部分

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　　That　door；　strangely；　had　been　half　an　inch　ajar。　It　closed　mysteriously　as　Danforth　Gaudrin　approached。　The　elderly　man　did　not　observe　the　motion。　He　opened　the　door　and　revealed　a　darkened；　porchlike　room。　It　was　on　the　east　side　of　the　house。　Fading　sunlight　had　allowed　a　heavy　gloom　to　settle　here。
　　Gaudrin　looked　across　to　dim　windows。　The　others　peered　from　behind　him。
　　Gaudrin　closed　the　door。　In　the　gloomy　room；　something　moved。　A　vague　figure　stepped　from　an　obscure　corner　and　returned　to　the　door。　A　gloved　hand　turned　the　knob。　Imperceptibly；　the　silent　watcher　opened　the　door　to　the　space　of　half　an　inch。
　　
　　THE　SHADOW　had　been　listening　in　on　the　discussion。　Cloaked　in　black；　he　had　e　to　Gaudrin's；　after　the　delivery　of　the　treasure。　The　boxes　had　been　brought　by　truck　from　the　canal　where　the　Nautilus　had　openly　unloaded　the　supposed　coral。　The　Shadow　had　been　waiting　near　the　mansion。
　　〃Since　we　must　leave　the　treasure　here；〃　remarked　Danforth　Gaudrin；　as　The　Shadow　resumed　his　unseen　listening　post；　〃I　want　to　be　sure　about　the　safety　of　this　room。　The　door　that　I　just　opened　leads　into　the　enclosed　porch。　I　shall　lock　that　door　later。
　　〃Yonder　door〃…he　pointed　frontward…〃leads　through　to　the　front　parlor。
　　It　is　always　locked。　Over　here〃…he　turned　to　his　right…〃is　the　usual　entrance　from　the　hall。　It　is　the　only　one　that　we　shall　use。〃
　　Seated　at　his　desk；　Danforth　Gaudrin　pondered　as　he　looked　at　the　big　boxes　on　the　floor。　They　were　clamped　tight　with　heavy　padlocks。
　　〃Tonight；〃　mused　Gaudrin；　〃Alicia　is　giving　a　dinner　party　for　some　guests。　Marr　and　I　discussed　the　matter　and　decided　that　the　dinner　should　not　be　postponed。　All　the　guests　are　reliable　people。
　　〃If　we　called　off　the　party；　they　might　suspect　something　wrong。
　　Furthermore；　it　seems　desirable　to　have　everything　seem　quite　normal　in　the　house。　Nevertheless；　we　must　think　of　the　treasure。　These　boxes　would　be　difficult　to　open　or　to　remove；　but　they　must　be　watched。〃
　　〃I'll　look　out　for　them；〃　put　in　Captain　Emory。　〃I'll　stay　here　while　you　folks　are　at　dinner。〃
　　〃But　you　will　miss　your　meal…〃
　　〃I'll　eat　beforehand。　How　about　this　plan；　Mr。　Gaudrin：　Just　about　dinner　time；　a　couple　of　men　from　my　crew　will　drop　in　here。　I'll　have　to　talk　to　them。　We'll　e　in　here。〃
　　〃A　good　suggestion；〃　declared　Gaudrin。
　　〃Then　they'll　leave　when　you　folks　are　ready　to　e　in；〃　continued　Emory。
　　〃That　will　be　about　half　past　eight；　won't　it？〃
　　Gaudrin　nodded。
　　〃I　can　e　in　here　first；〃　remarked　Professor　Babcock；　〃to　arrange　some　of　my　coral　specimens…before　the　others　have　left　the　dinner　table。〃
　　〃And　my　men　will　go　when　the　professor　arrives；〃　added　Emory。
　　〃How　about　ourselves？〃　inquired　Marr；　dubiously；　as　he　turned　to　Gaudrin。
　　〃What　pretext　can　we　make　to　the　guests？〃
　　〃Simply　that　we　have　business　with　Emory　regarding　the　transfer　of　the　yacht；〃　replied　Gaudrin。　〃No　one　will　know　that　the　transaction　has　been　pleted。　Emory　will　be　in　here；　checking　the　coral　specimens　with　Professor　Babcock。　We　will　have　to　see　Emory…on　business。〃
　　
　　THE　plans　were　pleted。　Danforth　Gaudrin　arose　and　went　to　the　door　that　led　out　through　the　enclosed　porch。　He　turned　a　key　that　was　in　the　door；　then　put　the　key　in　his　pocket。　As　before；　the　door　closed　imperceptibly　as　Gaudrin　approached。
　　〃From　now　on；〃　decided　Danforth　Gaudrin；　〃there　will　always　be　two　of　us　in　this　room。　At　least　two　of　us。　You　can　leave　and　dress　for　dinner；　professor。　Marr　and　I　shall　remain　with　Captain　Emory。　Return　here　when　you　are　dressed。　You　can　stay　until　the　men　from　the　crew　arrive。　During　that　interim；　Marr　and　I　shall　be　dressing　for　dinner。〃
　　Professor　Babcock　bowed　solemnly　as　he　arose。　He　went　from　the　room。
　　Captain　Emory　picked　up　the　telephone　and　put　in　the　required　calls　that　would　bring　the　members　of　the　crew。　He　boomed　into　the　mouthpiece　as　if　he　were　giving　orders　from　the　bridge。
　　
　　PROFESSOR　BABCOCK　had　left　by　the　usual　door…the　one　that　led　into　the　rear　hall　of　the　mansion。　Behind　the　other　barriers；　listeners　were　on　hand。
　　Luke　Gaudrin；　crouching　in　the　passage　from　the　parlor；　did　a　sneak　to　the　front　after　Babcock　left。
　　Past　the　door　to　the　enclosed　porch；　The　Shadow　was　at　work。　Silently；　he　was　probing　the　lock　with　a　strange　key。　He　drew　this　device　from　the　door。
　　Moving　to　the　window；　he　examined　it　by　the　fading　light。
　　The　key　was　made　of　a　soft；　puttylike　metal。　Carefully；　The　Shadow　scraped　away　portions　of　frayed　chunks。　He　drew　a　pouch　from　his　pocket。　Opening　it；　he　pressed　the　key　against　a　saturated　sponge。
　　The　pouch　went　beneath　The　Shadow's　cloak。　A　cigar　lighter　came　in　view。
　　It　ignited；　and　hissed　faintly　like　a　Bunsen　burner　as　the　flame　issued　forth。
　　The　Shadow　passed　the　key　back　and　forth　through　the　torchlike　blaze。
　　Out　went　the　light。　The　fitted　key　had　hardened。　Returning　to　the　door；　The　Shadow　inserted　it。　Noiselessly；　he　unlocked　the　door；　then　relocked　it。　He　left　the　key　in　the　door。
　　The　Shadow　had　heard　Danforth　Gaudrin　turn　and　remove　the　original　key。
　　The　Shadow　had　inserted　a　new　key　in　its　place；　but　from　the　porch　side　of　the　door。
　　Going　to　a　window；　The　Shadow　opened　it　softly　and　edged　outward。　Clinging　to　a　ledge；　he　closed　the　window　behind　him。　He　dropped　to　the　ground。　He　was　totally　obscured　by　the　darkness　that　clung　to　this　wall　of　the　mansion。
　　Moving；　The　Shadow　became　a　ghostly　shape　as　he　followed　the　long　stretch　of　blackness　laid　by　a　huge　oak　tree。　He　departed　past　a　line　of　palms。
　　
　　DOWN　in　the　French　Quarter；　Raoul　Brilliard　and　Tracy　Lence　were　chatting　in　the　artist's　studio。　Both　were　attired　in　evening　clothes；　preparing　for　their　trip　to　the　Gaudrin　home。
　　〃I　saw　Larribez　this　afternoon；〃　remarked　Brilliard；　in　a　tone　of　finality。　〃He　met　his　friends…the　old　pals　of　the　Porto…and　they　performed　missionary　work　along　the　water　front。　The　new　crew　is　ready。〃
　　〃You　can　rely　upon　them？〃
　　〃Certainly。　Larribez　prefers　them　to　the　old。　They　are　tough；　they　know　nothing。　Tabac　will　be　with　them。　He　knows　but　little。　Larribez　will　be　in　direct　charge。　His　crew　will　cover　the　left　side　of　the　grounds。〃
　　〃And　Link　Ruckert　will　be　at　the　right；　with　the　gorillas。　I　contacted　with　him　today。〃
　　〃Good！　Well；　Lence；　it　is　time　for　you　to　leave。　Start　for　Gaudrin's　at　once。　I　shall　follow　shortly。　There　we　will　meet　and　be　introduced；　presumably　for　the　first　time。〃
　　〃And　Cyro？　Will　he　be　there？〃
　　〃He　should　be。　But　we　will　not　know　him。　You　know　his　methods；　Lence。　He　will　not　appear　as　a　member　of　the　game。　Unless…〃
　　〃Unless　an　emergency　arises。　Then　we　can　count　on　him。〃
　　Tracy　Lence　strolled　from　the　studio。　Raoul　Brilliard　started　shortly　afterward。　Men　of　crime　had　moved　at　the　order　of　the　relentless　Cyro。
　　
　　IN　a　room　at　the　Hotel　Douran；　Joe　Cardona　was　pacing　restlessly　while　Lieutenant　Wayson；　calm…faced；　watched　him　from　a　chair。　They　were　preparing　for　another　trip　to　the　Vieux　Carre。
　　〃Your　lead；　Cardona；〃　remarked　Wayson；　bluntly。　〃Say　the　word　and　we　start　for　another　round。　I'll　find　the　places　where　your　man　might　be。〃
　　〃It　seems　hopeless；　Wayson；〃　returned　Cardona。　〃If　it　weren't　for　orders　from　the　missioner；　I'd　call　the　game　quits。　I　told　him　I'd　be　after　a　needle　in　a　haystack。〃
　　〃I'm　on　special　duty；〃　reminded　Wayson。　〃No　reports　necessary。　Orders　straight　from　you。　That's　the　ticket　the　chief　gave　me。　If　you　want　to　try　the　water　front；　where　they　had　that　battle　last　night…〃
　　〃It　doesn't　sound　like　a　Cyro　proposition；〃'　interposed　Joe。　〃Still；　those　thugs　at　Debeq's　didn't　fit　either…〃
　　He　broke　off　as　the　telephone　rang。　Joe　picked　up　the　instrument。　Wayson　saw　a　strange　fixed　gaze　e　into　Cardona's　eyes。　The　detective's　voice　became　mechanical　as　he　uttered　short　responses。
　　Joe　Cardona　was　listening　to　a　weird　voice　that　he　recognized。　It　was　the　whisper　of　The　Shadow！　Orders　were　ing　over　the　wire；　fierce…toned　instructions　that　Cardona　could　not　fathom；　yet　which　he　instinctively　promised　to　obey。
　　〃Yes。。。　〃Cardona　spoke　mechanically。　〃Yes。。。　One　moment。。。　Yes；　I'll　make　sure。。。〃
　　The　detective　turned　to　Wayson　and　spoke　in　a　steady　tone。
　　〃You　are　game　for　anything？〃　questioned　Joe。　〃You　are　with　me；　wherever　I　lead？〃
　　〃Absolutely！〃　responded　the　lieutenant；　a　bit　puzzled。　〃Wherever　you　lead；　Cardona。〃
　　Joe　babbled　the　assurance　into　the　telephone。　He　heard　a　whispered　laugh；　then　the　click　of　the　receiver　at　the　other　end。　For　a　moment；　Cardona　stared　straight　ahead；　then　he　hung　up　and　again　turned　to　Wayson。
　　〃You　remember？〃　questioned　the　detective；　slowly。　〃You　remember　how　we　were　helped　at　Debeq's？　By…by　some　rescuer？〃
　　Wayson　nodded。
　　〃I　thought　I　knew　him；〃　continued　Cardona。　〃Now　I　am　sure　of　it。　I　have　heard　from　him。　He　told　me…gave　me　orders…about　tonight。　We　are　starting；　Wayson〃…Cardona　paused　for　emphasis…〃and　at　the　end　of　the　trail；　we　shall　find…〃
　　〃Cyro？〃　questioned　Wayson。
　　〃Cyro！〃　replied　Cardona。
　　There　was　positive　assurance　in　Cardona's　tone。　It　came　with　a　note　of　prophecy。　For　that　was　the　promise　that　the　ace　detective　had　received　from　The　Shadow！
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XX　
　　　STROKE　AND　COUNTERSTROKE　
　　DINNER　had　ended　at　the　Gaudrin　mansion。　Alicia's　party　had　been　a　great　success。　Danforth　Gaudrin　arose　from　his　chair　at　the　head　of　the　table　and　sighed　reluctantly。
　　〃Captain　Emory　is　waiting　in　the　study；〃　he　remarked。　〃We　must　talk　with　him；　Marr…about　the　transfer　of　the　Nautilus。〃
　　〃Very　well；〃　responded　Marr。　〃But　the　professor　went　in　there；　Danforth；　just　before　those　crew　members　left。　Perhaps　we　should　not　disturb　Babcock　while　he　is　arranging　his　coral　specimens。〃
　　〃We　shall　not　disturb　him。　e；　Marr。　Captain　Emory　may　be　anxious　to　have　us　plete　this　matter。〃
　　The　two　men　left。　Alicia　suggested　to　the　others　that　they　go　out　to　the　veranda。　They　left　the　dining　room　by　a　front　door　that　led　to　the　living　room。
　　This　was　directly　across　the　hall　from　the　parlor　that　lay　in　front　of　the　study。
　　Reaching　the　porch；　Alicia　and　her　brother　Luke　began　to　chat