mg.cyro-第24部分

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　　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　with　their　guests。　Reginald　Exeter　had　little　to　say。　Lighting　his　pipe；　the　Australian　stared　off　across　the　lawn　while　Raoul　Brilliard　and　Tracy　Lence　kept　up　their　conversation。
　　Brilliard　was　voluble　in　his　French　accent。　Lence；　playing　the　part　of　a　quiet　gentleman；　displayed　a　surprising　knowledge　of　art。　He　had　rehearsed　this　with　Brilliard　in　preparation　for　the　visit　here。　All　their　conversation　was　a　buildup　to　what　was　ing　later。
　　〃Luke；〃　remarked　Lence；　suddenly；　〃why　don't　you　drive　out　ahead　to　the　Club　Caprice？　You　can　have　my　roadster。　I　can　e　later；　in　a　taxi；　and　drive　back　with　you。　I'd　like　to　chat　a　while　more　with　Monsieur　Brilliard。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　agreed　Luke。　〃But　why　don't　you　leave　him　to　Exeter？　The　way　they　were　talking　French　at　the　table；　you'd　think　they　were　old　pals。〃
　　〃Eet　ees　not　about　ze　art　that　I　talk　with　Monsieur　Exeter；〃　put　in　Brilliard。　〃Eet　ees　about　Paree。　Ah；　moi！　He　has　known　ze　Paree…〃
　　Exeter　took　his　pipe　from　his　lips　and　shot　a　remark　in　fluent　French。
　　Brilliard　replied；　both　men　chuckled。　Luke　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　started　into　the　house。
　　〃I'll　drive　out　to　the　Club　Caprice…〃
　　Luke　broke　off　as　he　encountered　the　butler　whom　the　Gaudrins　had　hired　for　this　occasion。　The　servant　spoke　quietly；　and　Luke　nodded。
　　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　in　a　puzzled　tone。　〃I'll　talk　to　him　in　the　parlor。〃
　　〃Who　is　it；　Percival？〃　inquired　Alicia；　as　the　butler　stepped　out　to　pick　up　some　glasses。　Luke　had　already　gone　on　toward　the　parlor。
　　〃A　gentleman　to　see　Mr。　Luke；〃　responded　Percival。　〃His　name；　miss；　is　Mr。
　　Medbrook…Mr。　Royal　Medbrook。〃
　　〃The　chap　from　the　Club　Caprice！〃　exclaimed　Lence。　〃I　remember；　now。　He　said　he　might　drop　in　here　some　time　when　he　was　ing　by。〃
　　
　　BRILLIARD　resumed　a　conversation　with　Exeter。　While　they　parried　in　French；　Alicia　sat　in　troubled　silence。　She　was　worried　about　the　advent　of　Royal　Medbrook。　Lence；　puffing　a　cigar；　sat　meditative。
　　Lence　was　conscious　of　two　facts：　One；　that　Percival；　the　butler；　had　left。　Like　the　other　servants；　Percival　had　been　hired　for　the　dinner。　The　help　had　eaten　beforehand；　Percival；　since　he　did　not　reappear；　must　have　joined　them　in　their　departure　from　the　mansion。
　　The　other　fact　was　that　neither　Royal　Medbrook　nor　Luke　Gaudrin　had　gone　out。　The　two　must　still　be　talking　together　in　the　parlor　on　the　other　side　of　the　house。　Brilliard；　too；　was　conscious　of　these　circumstances。　He　proved　it　when　he　turned　suddenly　to　Lence。
　　〃Ah；　monsieur！〃　exclaimed　the　artist。　〃If　you　must　go　so　soon；　eet　ees　that　I　must　show　you　ze　sketches　zat　I　have　breeng　with　me。〃
　　〃Where　are　they？〃　inquired　Lence。
　　〃In　ze　room　where　we　have　dined；　monsieur。　Eef　you　will　so　kindly　excuse；　Mademoiselle　Alicia；　we　shall　go　zere…Monsieur　Lence　and　I…〃
　　〃Certainly；　Monsieur　Brilliard。〃
　　Brilliard　shot　another　chatty　remark　to　Exeter。　The　Australian　laughed　and　delivered　a　response　in　French。　Exeter　was　still　chuckling　when　Brilliard　and　Lence　went　into　the　living　room。
　　〃Interesting　chap；〃　remarked　Exeter　to　Alicia。　〃Quite　witty。　Well；　we　can　forget　the　others　for　a　while。　Do　you　realize　that　we　are　alone　together　for　the　first　time　this　evening？〃
　　〃I　do；〃　replied　Alicia；　with　a　smile。
　　
　　IN　the　parlor；　Luke　Gaudrin　and　Royal　Medbrook　were　engaging　in　a　buzzed　conversation。　Luke　was　promising　the　money　that　he　owed；　assuring　Medbrook　that　the　treasure　had　arrived。
　　〃I　saw　the　boxes　e　in；〃　he　said。　〃Honest；　Royal；　nine　of　them。　Supposed　to　be　coral…〃
　　〃And　maybe　that's　all　they　were；〃　interposed　the　gambler。　He　stared　suspiciously　toward　the　hall。　〃How　do　you　know　different？〃
　　〃They　were　heavy；　Royal。　Too　heavy　for　coral　specimens。　They're　being　opened　now；　in　the　study。〃
　　Medbrook　glanced　toward　the　door　of　the　connecting　passage；　as　Luke　indicated　it。　A　keen　look　appeared　upon　the　gambler's　face。
　　In　the　dining　room；　Lence　and　Brilliard　were　drawing　revolvers。　They；　too；　were　whispering　when　they　stalked　toward　a　door　that　led　across　the　rear　hall；　directly　to　the　entrance　of　the　study。
　　〃The　servants　have　gone　all　right；〃　assured　Lence；　〃and　that　means　our　squads　will　be　ready。　They'd　have　seen　the　servants　go　out　through　the　back。〃
　　〃I　know　the　servants　have　gone；〃　returned　Brilliard。　〃I　caught　a　flash　signal　from　Larribez…off　beyond　the　veranda。　I　arranged　it　with　him　this　afternoon。〃
　　〃He's　ing　through　the　back　door？〃
　　〃Yes…to　be　ready　when　we　need　him。〃
　　They　were　at　the　door　of　the　study。　Brilliard　tried　the　knob　cautiously。
　　The　door　moved　slightly。　It　was　unlocked。　Brilliard　motioned　to　Lence。　Then；　with　a　swift　move；　the　Frenchman　opened　the　door。　He　and　Lence　swung　into　the　study；　with　revolvers　leveled。　Brilliard　calmly　closed　the　door　behind　his　back。
　　
　　THEY　had　walked　into　an　astonishing　scene。　Gathered　about　the　nine　boxes　were　four　men。　The　boxes　were　open；　they　showed　the　heaps　of　golden　coin　that　constituted　the　treasure　of　the　old　ship　Don　Carlos。
　　While　Captain　Emory　and　Professor　Babcock　looked　on；　Danforth　Gaudrin　was　aiding　Dunwood　Marr　in　the　selection　of　rare　mintage。　Upon　the　desk　were　stacks　of　gleaming　doubloons　and　pieces…of…eight　that　they　had　picked　as　the　finest　specimens　of　Spanish　money。
　　All　swung　upward　at　sight　of　the　revolvers。　Brilliard　and　Lence　had　caught　their　prey　helpless。　Coins　dropped　from　the　hands　of　Gaudrin　and　Marr。　The　glimmering　disks　clinked　and　rolled　on　the　carpet　as　the　trapped　men　raised　their　hands。
　　Motions　from　the　revolvers　caused　Gaudrin　and　Marr　to　back　to　the　wall　beyond　the　desk。　Captain　Emory　and　Professor　Babcock　joined　them；　also　with　elevated　hands。　Strolling　in　by　the　treasure　chests；　Brilliard　calmly　reached　in　his　pocket　and　produced　a　second　revolver。　Simultaneously；　Lence　lowered　his　weapon。
　　〃Not　a　move！〃　snarled　Brilliard；　with　no　trace　of　his　French　accent。　〃I'm
　　ready　to　shoot。　Hold　that　pose　you've　taken；　if　you　figure　your　lives　are　worthwhile。　All　right；　Lence。　Pass　the　word。　This　swag　is　going　out。〃
　　Lence　turned　toward　the　door　that　led　to　the　hall。　Brilliard　kept　a　steady　glare　toward　the　men　who　stood　along　the　wall。　No　one　was　observing　the　door　to　the　enclosed　porch。　A　key　was　grating　slightly　in　the　lock。　Brilliard　noted　the　sound。　He　called　suddenly　to　Lence；　who　turned。　Brilliard　swung；　too　late。
　　The　door　shot　open。　Two　men　surged　through。　Their　aiming　revolvers　caught　both　Lence　and　Brilliard。
　　Lence　dropped　his　gun。　Brilliard；　turning　to　fire；　heard　it　clank　upon　the　floor。　Quickly　the　Frenchman　released　his　own　weapons　and　thrust　his　hands　above　his　head。
　　The　rescuers　had　trapped　the　crooks　without　a　shot。　Stalwart　and　steady；　they　had　saved　the　treasure。　Joe　Cardona　and　Lieutenant　Wayson　had　arrived　from　the　path　laid　for　them　by　The　Shadow！
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XXI　
　　　THE　NEXT　TURN　
　　〃WHICH　one　of　you　is　Cyro？〃
　　There　was　no　response　to　Cardona's　growled　challenge。　Brilliard　and　Lence　stood　sullen。　Joe　studied　the　bearded　Frenchman；　then　eyed　Lence。
　　〃Maybe　neither　of　you　is；〃　was　the　detective's　ment。　〃But　you're　the　fellow〃…he　centered　on　Lence…〃who　bumped　off　Roke　Rowden　in　New　York。　How　about　it？〃
　　No　answer。　Lence　seemed　disinterested　in　Cardona's　quiz。　Danforth　Gaudrin；　stepping　from　the　wall；　spoke　in　question：
　　〃Who　do　you　mean　by　Cyro？〃
　　〃He's　the　big…shot；〃　affirmed　Cardona。　〃No　wonder　I　didn't　spot　his　game。
　　We　were　looking　for　a　swindler；　not　for　a　grab　like　this。　I'm　Detective　Cardona；　from　New　York。　This　is　Lieutenant　Wayson；　of　the　New　Orleans　force。〃
　　〃I　am　Danforth　Gaudrin；〃　stated　the　owner　of　the　mansion。　〃This　is　Dunwood　Marr；　from　Miami；　Captain　Emory；　skipper　of　my　yacht；　and　Professor　Babcock；　from　London。〃
　　〃The　professor　chartered　your　yacht；　didn't　he；　Mr。　Gaudrin？〃　questioned　Wayson。　〃I　read　about　it　at　the　time。　A　coral　cruise。　Is　this　what　the　yacht　brought　back？〃
　　Gaudrin　nodded。　Tersely；　he　explained　about　the　recovery　of　the　Spanish　gold。　He　made　mention　of　Marr's　purchase　of　the　Nautilus。　Cardona　came　through　with　a　prompt　remark；　as　soon　as　Gaudrin　had　finished。
　　〃Then　no　one　else　knows　about　the　treasure？〃　he　demanded。　〃No　one　outside　of　you　four？〃
　　〃No　one；〃　returned　Gaudrin。　Then；　suddenly：　〃I　see　your　point；　Cardona。
　　Some　one　must　have　learned　about　the　treasure。　This　man　Cyro；　for　instance。〃
　　〃That's　it；　Mr。　Gaudrin。　These　fellows〃…Joe　turned　toward　Brilliard　and　Lence…〃are　keeping　mum　about　something。　They're　stalling；　to　cover　up。　Well；　we'll　have　it　out　right　here。　Unless　you　know　of　someone　who　might　have　wised。〃
　　〃My　son　Luke；〃　observed　Gaudrin；　suddenly。　〃He　has　not　been　in　my　confidence　regarding　this　matter。　I　believe　we　should　question　him；　Cardona。　He　might　have　talked　about　this　cruise…not　knowing　the　full　facts…and　someone　might　have　heard　him。〃
　　〃We　should　speak　with　Exeter　also；〃　put　in　Captain　Emory。　〃He　was　a　friend　of　Professor　Babcock's。　Didn't　I　hear　you　say；　Mr。　Gaudrin；　that　Exeter　has　been　staying　here　while　we　were　gone？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　responded　Gaudrin。　Then；　slowly：　〃I　think　you　will　find　Exeter　on　the　veranda。〃
　　〃You　have　a　gun；　captain？〃　asked　Joe。
　　Emory　nodded。
　　〃You　and　I　can　cover　them；〃　decided　Joe。　〃Wayson；　will　you　help　Mr。
　　Gaudrin　bring　in　this　fellow　Exeter？〃
　　The　lieutenant　agreed。　He　and　Gaudrin　went　out。　They　crossed　the　dining　room。　In　the　living　room；　they　unexpectedly　encountered　Exeter　and　Alicia　ing　in　from　the　porch。　Abruptly；　Gaudrin　demanded　that　both　e　into　the　study。
　　Wayson　followed。　As　the　trio　entered　the　study；　the　police　lieutenant　hesitated。　He　went　out　toward　the　front　of　the　house。
　　Remembering　mention　of　Luke；　Wayson　wanted　to　see　if　Gaudrin's　son　happened　to　be　about。　Glancing　into　the　parlor；　he　saw　a　door　closing　on　the　opposite　side。　Wayson　stole　forward；　he　yanked　the　door　open　and　covered　the　passage。　As　he　barked　an　order；　two　men　turned。　Their　hands　went　up。
　　
　　WAYSON　had　trapped　Luke　Gaudrin　and　Royal　Medbrook　on　their　way　to　th