mg.cyro-第26部分
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Still； I tried to play my part。 As Dunwood Marr； I was ready to stand among the dupes。 Do you know where this treasure is going？ To the Nautilus！
〃You would never have found it there。 After the robbery； with my minions scattered； I would have boarded my new yacht…to travel away with the purloined treasure。 Police looking for crooks who carried nothing； while I； Cyro； sailed openly from Lake Pontchartrain。
〃I knew the Nautilus was after treasure。 I figured it a year ago； Gaudrin； when I took that cruise。 That's why I kept in touch with you。 Well； I've reached the pay…off。 What is more； I am going to leave as I intended。 I shall be Dunwood Marr aboard the Nautilus。 I shall say that I left this mansion early； before trouble started。 That〃…Marr paused insidiously…〃will be a true statement。〃
WITH an order to Brilliard and Lence； Marr swung from the center of the room。 He opened the door to the hall。 Those in the study heard him hiss a signal。 Marr reentered。 A few moments later； a dark…faced； mustached man joined him。 Brilliard and Lence grinned as they saw Larribez。
〃Jose Larribez；〃 introduced Marr； with a sneer。 〃Another friend； from Havana。 He was not to meet you tonight。 But I have altered my plan。 I shall tell you why。 Now that I am known as Cyro； I can not afford to leave living witnesses。 All of you are doomed。
〃Larribez has a crew from the water front。 They will carry out this treasure。〃 One gun pocketed； Marr was locking the opened boxes。 〃They will take it to the Nautilus where I shall meet them。 Lence has a squad of mobsters。 They will attend to matters here。 This place will be a shambles when they have finished。〃
With Brilliard and Lence steady with two guns each； Marr stopped and calmly scooped up odd coins that lay upon the floor。 Pocketing the gold； he turned toward Larribez。
〃Ah； Senor Cyro；〃 purred Larribez； 〃you are ready that I should take the treasure？ My men…they are waiting for…〃
〃Bring them；〃 ordered Marr。
Larribez walked from the room。 Marr suddenly swung after him。 He stopped Larribez at the door。
〃Wait； senor！〃 he manded。 〃Perhaps I have spoken too much。 It is wise that we should plan our game most safely。 We shall bring in the mobsmen first。
They can cover these prisoners。〃
So speaking； Marr leveled two guns toward the corner that Brilliard was covering。 He told the Frenchman to take Lence's place at the other station。
Larribez reached to his pocket。 Marr shook his head to indicate that it was not necessary。
〃The prisoners are unarmed；〃 he sneered。 〃Be ready； Larribez。 That is all。
But your only concern will be the removal of the treasure。〃
Then； speaking to Lence； Marr gave the final order：
〃Signal Link Ruckert and his crew。 From the back door。 When they have arrived； we can have Larribez call his seamen。〃
CONTEMPTUOUSLY； Marr centered his gaze on the helpless men before him。
Proud of his part as Cyro； he could not resist the chance to add new sneers to the old。 Glowering； fist…clenching men faced him。 But the four in the corner knew that an attack would spell instant doom。
At close range； Marr held them helpless。 Brilliard also had a group at bay。 His prisoners included only two who might have put up a fight。 Those were Danforth Gaudrin and Captain Emory。 Luke quivering； was no more dangerous than old Professor Babcock or Alicia。
Joe Cardona and Lieutenant Wayson were grim。 Royal Medbrook looked sour。
Reginald Exeter； however； showed that he was on edge。 He was thinking of more than his own life。 Alicia Gaudrin； the girl he loved； had been doomed to die with the rest。
Exeter stared toward the other corner。 He saw a brave expression on Alicia's face。 Tense； he was ready to spring at Marr。 He restrained himself； realizing that the act would bring an immediate barrage。 Wildly； Exeter stared about； hoping for some chance。 His gaze fell upon Jose Larribez。 Unnoticed； this new lieutenant had strolled to the door。
Meeting Larribez's stare； Exeter was momentarily conscious of steady； burning eyes that peered from that sallow mustached face。 He caught a slight nod of Larribez's head。 Turning； Exeter stared straight toward Dunwood Marr。
At that instant； a laugh burst from the door。 Strident； fierce； it came like a shuddering signal of doom。 Sinister merriment that shivered those who heard it。 A mocking； taunting cry from the sallow lips of Jose Larribez。
Instinctively； Dunwood Marr glanced sidelong。 Raoul Brilliard copied Cyro's action。 Larribez had been standing with folded arms。 Those limbs were sweeping wide； from beneath Larribez's coat came looming automatics。
Jose Larribez was The Shadow！
THE SHADOW had done more than spy upon the real Larribez。 Last night； after hearing the Spaniard's orders to Dombar； The Shadow had fallen upon Larribez with swift attack。 He had bound and gagged Cyro's lieutenant。
The Shadow had dealt with Larribez's henchmen； at the Cafe Internationale。
Then； disguised as Larribez himself； he had called upon Brilliard and Lence。 As Larribez； he had learned their plans。
Waiting outside the Gaudrin mansion； The Shadow had been ready； in case Wayson and Cardona failed。 ing in at Marr's signal； he had found Cyro revealed。 Here for vengeance； The Shadow had turned the tide！
CHAPTER XXIII
THE FINAL FRAY
THE SHADOW'S sudden attack had been brought about by Cyro's change in plans。 Dunwood Marr…as Cyro…had talked too much。 He had said so； himself。
As Brilliard and Lence had arranged it with the supposed Larribez； the squad of water…front fighters were to enter and carry off the treasure。 That would have left Marr and his two lieutenants in the house； Link Ruckert and his mob outside。
It had been The Shadow's plan to drop the role of Larribez when he went to summon the seamen。 Guised as The Shadow； sinister in his cloak of black； he had planned an unexpected return to catch Cyro and his lieutenants helpless。
That had been changed by Marr's sudden shift。 The big shot had sent Lence to call the mobsmen。 He had retained the person whom he thought was Larribez。
To meet Marr's unexpected measure； The Shadow had also changed his campaign。
The scant time remaining before Lence's return gave him no opportunity to change the character that he had adopted。 Still masked as Larribez； he had swung into his own role； and the maneuver had caught Marr and Brilliard totally unready。
Timing the draw of his guns； The Shadow had sprung a well…calculated game。
His purpose was to swing Marr and Brilliard upon him； giving them the thought that they might beat him to the shot。 Marr showed surprising swiftness。
His first shot barked while The Shadow's automatics were still on the move。 A bullet sizzled close to The Shadow's head。 Marr pressed the trigger for a second delivery。 That bullet would have scored； but for an intervention。
Reginald Exeter； tipped off by The Shadow's nod； was plunging forward as Marr fired his first shot。 As the fake millionaire fired for the second time； Exeter bowled him over。 Tumbling across the treasure chests； Marr shot wild。
His bullet lodged in the ceiling。
A split…second later； The Shadow's automatics roared； straight across the space that Marr and Exeter had vacated。 Tongues of flames； with them zimming bullets aimed for Raoul Brilliard。 The Frenchman； slower than Marr； went down with guns unfired。
Marr was grappling with Exeter。 Cardona and Wayson were leaping to aid him。 Medbrook was hard behind them。 But Marr had gained a break。 Wrenching free from Exeter； he aimed a wild shot toward the far corner； where other saved victims still stood。
Exeter caught the villain's wrist。 Marr's shot； directed for Alicia； went wide。 Striking a glancing blow； Marr dropped Exeter。 Springing away from other adversaries； he leaped for the door in the corner that led to the parlor passage。 A fiend at bay； he wheeled to pump lead into his unarmed foemen。
The Shadow was waiting at the outer doorway。 Men had been between him and Marr。 In settling Brilliard； The Shadow had been forced to rely again on Exeter。 Saving Alicia； the Australian had faltered。 But The Shadow was waiting for a split…second break。 It came。
Cardona…Wayson…Medbrook…all three were springing fiercely for the man whom they knew was Cyro。 In their wild attack； they were hurdling the boxes of Spanish gold。 That action broke their solid mass。 A space opened between Wayson and Cardona。
The Shadow boomed two rapid shots with his left…hand gun。 He picked that narrow opening； straight through to the corner from which Marr was aiming to deliver slaughter。 One shot burned the sleeve of Cardona's elbow。 The second bullet singed close to Wayson's shoulder。
With those shots； Dunwood Marr crumpled。 The Shadow had found the target that he wanted。 Vainly； Marr tried to clutch his revolvers。 Struggling as he slumped； he aimed to kill。 But before he could press a trigger； he was smothered。 His guns clattered to the floor as three men pounced upon him。
THE SHADOW had wheeled from the doorway。 He turned to an obscure spot in the further hall。 As he disappeared； shots broke loose outside the house。 The Shadow's inside attack had been a signal for his reserves。
Tracy Lence was bringing Link Ruckert's gorillas in through the back door when the shots started in the study。 Off by a side of the mansion grounds lay the water…front crew that had replaced the band eliminated last night。 It was this new outfit that opened the outside fire。
Guised as seamen； this band was posed of The Shadow's agents。 Ready for the signal； they arose and began a sudden barrage toward the skulking figures of Link Ruckert's mob。 Gorillas wheeled with oaths。 They responded。
Side by side in ambush； a quartet of sharpshooters loosed their fire through the darkness。 Cliff Marsland； Harry Vincent and Hawkeye…with them； a newer； Clyde Burke。 A reporter by profession； Clyde was also a petent marksman。
Two others were with this sharpshooting band。 One was Jericho； the other was Tabac； the lone Apache。 Powerful in a close range brawl； Jericho was no target shooter。 His job was to handle Tabac。
As the A
