mg.cityofcrime-第15部分

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　he　left　a　clue　which　proved　that　he　had　actually　e　to　the　contractor's　home。　This　blotter　could　nullify　the　evidence　that　Ruthley　had　planted　in　Woodstock's　safe。
　Ordinarily；　The　Shadow　would　have　left　the　blotter　on　the　desk。
　Circumstances　caused　him　to　do　otherwise　tonight。　The　Shadow　had　gauged　Stephen　Ruthley　too　well；　to　believe　that　the　murderer　would　leave　anything　to　chance。
　Though　Ruthley　thought　his　crime　was　perfect；　he　would　certainly　count　upon　the　opinion　of　a　man　well　qualified　to　judge。
　This　crime　would　be　discovered。　Police　would　arrive；　with　them；　Police　Director　Borman。　Knowing　Ruthley　to　be　the　perpetrator　of　crime。　Kirk　Borman　would　be　on　the　lookout　for　every　minor　detail。　If　Borman　found　the　blotter；　he　would　promptly　dispose　of　it。　As　evidence；　the　blotter　would　never　serve；　if　left　upon　the　scene　of　crime。　Therefore；　The　Shadow　kept　the　blotter；　he　placed　it　beneath　his　cloak；　along　with　other　items　that　he　had　acquired　upon　this　night　of　investigation。
　The　Shadow　was　ready　for　a　return　visit　to　Stephen　Ruthley's　apartment。　He　knew　that　he　could　enter　there；　through　the　secret　passage；　to　surprise　Ruthley　in　the　latter's　own　den。　Almost　ready　for　departure；　The　Shadow　paused　on　the　far　side　of　the　desk；　to　lean　across　and　make　a　last　inspection　of　Woodstock's　body。　It　was　while　The　Shadow　stood　in　this　position　that　he　heard　a　sound　from　somewhere　in　the　house。
　
　
　BOARDS　were　creaking；　as　though　invaders　were　creeping　up　the　front　stairs。　Wheeling　from　the　desk；　The　Shadow　crossed　the　room。　He　gained　the　hall　and　reached　the　top　of　the　back　stairs；　to　listen　for　sounds　from　the　front。
　Audible　whispers　reached　The　Shadow。
　〃Maybe　it　was　a　crank　call；〃　came　one　ment。　〃The　guy　that　phoned　headquarters　may　have　just　thought　he　heard　a　shot。〃
　〃We　can't　take　any　chances；　though；〃　was　the　response。　〃Director　Borman　said　to　move　in；　softlike；　and　investigate。〃
　〃Yeah。　He's　outside；　too；　waiting　for　us　to　report。〃
　〃That's　why　we'd　better　take　a　gander　into　that　lighted　room。〃
　The　approaching　men　were　detectives　from　headquarters。　A　call　had　been　made　there；　reporting　a　gun…shot　heard　within　Woodstock's　house。　Probably；　Ruthley　had　made　that　call；　soon　after　his　departure。　Kirk　Borman　had　been　at　his　office；　expecting　it。　Since　Borman　was　outside；　it　was　likely　that　members　of　the　Flying　Squadron　were　with　him。
　The　Shadow　decided　upon　stealthy　departure；　in　order　to　head　for　Ruthley's　without　trouble　on　the　way。
　The　two　detectives　went　past。　As　they　neared　the　door　of　Woodstock's　study；　The　Shadow　began　his　descent　of　the　back　stairs。　He　was　only　half…way　down　when　a　shout　came　from　above。　The　dicks　had　discovered　Woodstock's　body。
　They　were　pounding　out　into　the　hall；　to　raise　a　loud　alarm。
　Instantly；　there　was　a　response　from　below。　Footsteps　clattered　near　the　bottom　of　the　back　stairs。　There　was　a　click；　a　flashlight　gleamed　upward；　the　light　was　furnished　by　another　detective；　who　happened　to　be　near　the　back　stairs　when　he　heard　the　shout。　He；　too；　raised　a　cry。
　The　dick　below　had　made　a　discovery　of　his　own。　Straight　in　the　path　of　his　upward　glare；　he　saw　The　Shadow。　The　detective's　shout　was　spontaneous。　He　told　all；　as　he　cried：
　〃There's　a　guy　on　the　back　stairs！　Get　him！〃
　More　footsteps　below；　as　new　arrivals　hurried　to　join　the　detective　who　held　the　light。　Shouts　from　above；　as　the　two　who　had　found　Woodstock's　body　reached　the　back　stairs　to　see　The　Shadow　against　the　brilliant　glare。
　The　Shadow's　chance　of　stealthy　departure　was　ended。　Trapped　between　two　forces；　he　was　faced　by　a　situation　more　pressing　than　the　one　he　had　encountered　the　night　before。
　
　
　CHAPTER　XV　
　FOILED　HOUNDS　
　ONE　factor　favored　The　Shadow。　Though　trapped；　he　had　been　found　by　men　who　were　not　of　a　criminal　sort。　Director　Borman；　knowing　that　Adam　Woodstock's　body　was　to　be　discovered；　had　used　smart　policy。　He　had　sent　ordinary　detectives　into　the　contractor's　house；　men　who　had　long　been　on　the　Westford　force。　He　had　decided　that　their　preliminary　reports　would　be　better　than　those　of　the　outsiders　who　formed　the　Flying　Squadron。
　As　yet；　The　Shadow　had　not　clashed　directly　with　any　of　the　city's　loyal　police。　Bluecoats　had　joined　the　khaki…clad　squadron　men　in　last　night's　chase；　but　The　Shadow　had　been　speeding　away　when　the　regular　police　took　up　the　chase。
　Hence；　he　was　an　unknown　factor　to　the　real　supporters　of　the　law　in　Westford。
　These　headquarters　men　were　like　the　police　of　Lieutenant　Maclare's　precinct。　They　were　capable；　but　slow…witted。　Director　Borman　preferred　such　officers。　The　Shadow　knew　that　fact；　he　took　advantage　of　it。　Despite　his　trapped　position；　he　saw　chance　for　a　quick　getaway。
　As　usual；　The　Shadow　did　the　unexpected。　His　natural　course　lay　downward；　but　he　spurned　that　route。　His　prompt　decision　was　based　on　the　fact　that　men　were　better　prepared　below；　moreover；　there　was　no　way　to　guess　instantly　their　number。　Above　were　but　two　men；　they　were　in　the　throes　of　a　second　surprise；　for　they　had　just　found　Woodstock's　body。　They　did　not　expect　The　Shadow　to　e　in　their　direction。
　That　direction；　however；　was　the　one　that　The　Shadow　chose；　and　he　took　his　course　with　amazing　speed。　Wheeling　on　the　stairway；　he　came　upward　with　long　bounds；　swinging　his　arms　high；　each　hand　held　an　automatic。　The　detectives　were　drawing　guns；　but　they　ducked　as　The　Shadow　came　upon　them。
　Sweeping　his　arms　sidewise；　The　Shadow　carried　the　pair　half　across　the　hall。
　He　was　clear　of　the　light　from　below。　The　startled　dicks　were　sprawled；　despite　the　fact　that　The　Shadow　avoided　damage　with　his　sweeping　blows。　One　headquarters　man　took　the　back　of　a　gloved　fist　upon　the　chin。　That　swing；　weighted　with　an　automatic；　was　a　knock…out　punch。
　The　other　detective　swung　at　The　Shadow；　missed　him　in　the　darkness　and　fired　two　wild　shots　at　nothingness。　A　swinging　forearm　staggered　him　to　the　top　of　the　back　stairs；　where　he　did　a　downward　dive；　into　the　arms　of　men　who　were　dashing　upward。
　The　Shadow　sped　down　the　front　stairway；　turning　the　landing　just　as　the　flashlight　stabbed　in　his　direction。　A　detective　fired　two　useless　rounds。　The　Shadow　was　gone　before　the　fellow　tugged　the　trigger。
　
　
　THE　SHADOW　had　made　a　perfect　start；　but　he　knew　that　it　was　but　preliminary　to　the　struggle　that　was　to　e。　Revolver　shots　had　been　heard　outside；　shock　troops　were　prepared　to　answer　the　alarm。
　As　The　Shadow　hurled　the　front　door　open；　a　spotlight　glared　full　upon　him。　The　shouts　that　went　up　were　delivered　by　hoarse…voiced　members　of　the　Flying　Squadron。
　Nearly　a　third　of　that　outfit　was　on　hand。　Those　sharp…shooting　thugs　were　dangerous　with　their　guns。　Knowing　it；　The　Shadow　did　not　pause　to　fire　at　the　focused　light；　instead；　he　sprang　off　toward　a　front　corner　of　the　house；　getting　away　from　the　glare　in　an　instant。
　The　light　swung　about；　it　did　not　show　The　Shadow。　He　had　cut　in　back　of　thick；　intervening　shrubbery。
　Guns　began　to　bark；　bullets　whistled　through　foliage；　thudded　the　house　walls。　A　challenging　laugh　sounded　from　off　beside　the　house。　Raucous…voiced　crooks　shouted　harsh　epithets；　as　they　heard　The　Shadow's　weird　mockery。　They　fired　toward　spots　whence　they　thought　the　sinister　mirth　had　issued。　Their　bullets　were　wide　by　yards。
　No　one　could　place　The　Shadow's　laugh　in　blackness。　Those　who　tried；　merely　rendered　their　gunfire　useless；　as　The　Shadow　wanted　it。　The　real　tokens　of　The　Shadow's　position　came　when　automatics　tongued　streaks　of　flame；　straight　for　men　who　had　revealed　themselves　by　the　spurts　from　their　own　revolvers。
　Groans；　not　bullets；　answered　The　Shadow。　In　four　shots；　he　scored　two　hits。
　The　Shadow　was　on　his　way　again；　circling　off　through　darkness　while　his　enemies　fired　blindly。　A　loud　mand　was　issued；　it　was　in　Kirk　Borman's　voice。　The　police　director　recognized　the　futility　of　the　tactics　that　his　thugs　had　taken。　He　was　ordering　them　to　follow　a　better　method。
　Khaki…clad　thugs　spread　away；　toward　the　hedges　that　formed　the　boundaries　of　Woodstock's　property。　There　were　patrol　cars　in　the　avenue　and　on　other　streets。　Each　automobile　served　as　a　base；　men　with　flashlights　passed　from　car　to　car。
　Borman　joined　the　detectives　inside　the　house；　he　put　men　on　guard　at　each　door。　A　few　of　the　Flying　Squadron　lugged　in　the　pair　of　wounded　men　whom　The　Shadow　had　clipped；　after　that；　they　hurried　to　carry　out　Borman's　latest　orders。　Those　were　instructions　for　the　cordon　to　close　inward。
　
　
　SOMEWHERE　in　the　darkness　was　The　Shadow。　He　had　paused；　expecting　the　move　that　came。　It　suited　him；　for　his　intention　was　to　find　an　opening　and　depart　while　his　enemies　made　futile　search。　That　was　possible；　if　he　moved　at　the　right　time。
　Two　minutes　passed；　while　surrounding　men　crept　closer；　searchlights　began　to　sweep　from　patrol　cars；　like　a　barrage　above　the　head　of　the　advancing　men。
　Wisely；　the　men　in　the　cars　kept　the　lights　high；　hoping　to　disclose　The　Shadow　without　revealing　the　positions　of　the　men　who　closed　in　upon　the　cloaked　fighter。　The　Shadow　saw　his　opportunity　and　took　it；　close　to　the　ground；　he　moved　rapidly　outward；　just　before　a　flood　of　light　came　in　his　direction。　He　escaped　the　path　of　the　gleam。
　The　cordon　could　not　function　fully　until　it　tightened；　the　creeping　men　were　expecting　The　Shadow　to　lurk　until　he　neared　them。　One　lone　fighter；　sought　by　many；　would　ordinarily　have　let　the　circle　close　about　him。　The　Shadow's　tactics　were　different。　He　was　actually　on　a　line　with　the　closing　men；　beneath　the　gleaming　lights；　like　themselves。
　The　Shadow；　however；　was　moving　in　an　outward　direction。　Moreover；　he　had　chosen　the　simplest　path　as　the　one　that　would　be　least　guarded。　He　was　creeping　along　the　driveway　to　the　avenue。
　The　Shadow　was　almost　to　the　gate　before　he　was　discovered；　even　then；　he　was　noted　by　accident。　Reinforcements　had　e　up；　among　them；　men　on　motorcycles。　One　of　these　was　ordered　to　ride　through　to　the　house；　to　form　new　contact　with　the　police　director。　Obeying　instructions；　the　man　on　the　motorcycle　chugged　for　the　driveway。　As　he　took　the　curve；　his　headlamp　threw　a　glare　inward　from　the　gate。
　Squarely　ahead；　the　rider　saw