mg.cityofcrime-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　From　then　on；　it　was　The　Shadow's　fight。　Gaining　a　footing；　he　beat　off　Boscul's　clutch；　drove　the　lookout　across　the　floor　with　a　series　of　slashing　blows。　Again；　they　grappled；　this　time；　The　Shadow　clutched　Boscul　as　he　had　gripped　Haija　in　that　fight　at　Ruthley's。
　The　husky's　bulk　was　greater　than　that　of　the　Japanese；　but　it　did　not　save　him　from　disaster。　Like　a　mongoose　overpowering　a　cobra；　The　Shadow　whipped　his　giant　antagonist　headlong　toward　the　steel　door。　Boscul　crashed　the　barrier。　He　slumped　to　the　stone　floor。
　Opening　his　hand　bag；　The　Shadow　brought　out　his　black　garb。　He　donned　cloak　and　hat；　eyed　Boscul　while　he　added　gloves　to　his　attire。　The　husky　was　groggily　trying　to　rise。　The　Shadow　spilled　him　to　one　side　and　opened　the　door　that　Boscul　had　already　unbolted。　The　door　came　inward；　its　outer　surface　showed　only　battered　wood；　not　steel。
　Viewed　from　the　outside　alley；　that　door　excited　no　suspicion。　Its　steel…sheeted　interior；　however；　made　it　immune　to　ordinary　attack。
　The　alleyway　was　darkened。　The　Shadow　was　invisible　as　he　edged　into　its　space。　Producing　an　automatic　from　its　holster；　he　pointed　the　。45　upward；　fired　two　quick　shots　in　the　air。　Immediately　afterward；　he　swung　back　into　the　entry；　took　quick　concealment　behind　the　opened　door。
　There　was　motion　in　the　alley。　Pounding　from　the　darkness　came　half　a　dozen　men；　with　them　was　Lieutenant　James　Maclare。　The　raiders　were　blue…uniformed　police。　Their　presence　was　explained　by　Maclare's　own　shout。
　〃Keep　going；　men！〃　ordered　the　lieutenant。　〃I　thought　this　tip…off　was　on　the　level！　Those　shots　were　the　signal　we　were　told　to　wait　for！　We'll　have　the　goods　on　Lance　Gillick　this　time！〃
　Opposition　came；　as　the　police　surged　into　the　doorway；　but　it　was　not　long…lived。　Boscul　had　found　his　feet；　he　tried　to　grapple　with　the　foremost　bluecoat。　Another　officer　swung　a　nightstick；　he　clubbed　the　groggy　lookout　into　insensibility。　Maclare　and　his　men　dashed　up　the　stairs；　never　stopping　to　look　behind　the　opened　door。
　They　found　the　passage　to　Lance's　office；　reaching　the　end　of　it；　they　saw　a　glimmer　of　light　through　the　back　of　the　painting。　Maclare　took　one　look　through　the　peep　hole；　then　ripped　through　the　canvas；　followed　by　his　squad。
　
　
　SHRIEKS　arose　from　the　gaming　room；　where　play　had　started　for　the　night。
　Croupiers　were　trapped　at　the　roulette　wheel；　money　and　chips　scattered　everywhere　as　the　police　rounded　up　snarling　waiters　and　frightened　customers。
　The　door　of　the　office　opened；　Lance　Gillick　peered　at　the　scene。　He　bobbed　from　sight；　slamming　the　door。　Maclare　leaped　for　it；　ordered　officers　to　slash　the　barrier　with　axes。　One　of　the　bluecoats　gave　a　sudden　shout：
　〃There　goes　Lance！〃
　The　gambler　had　opened　the　office　panel；　to　reach　the　passage。　The　policeman　had　spied　him　through　the　ruined　painting。　Maclare　sprang　away　from　the　office　door；　led　the　chase　with　a　pair　of　bluecoats　following。　Lance　reached　the　door　of　his　apartment；　yanked　it　open。　Peering　from　the　entry　below；　The　Shadow　saw　another　man　spring　out　to　join　the　gambler。
　It　was　Beezer　Dorsch。　Lance　had　feared　that　the　killer　would　be　trapped。
　The　police　had　passed　the　apartment　door　in　order　to　raid　the　gambling　joint；　but　their　return　was　imminent。　Lance's　pressing　thought　was　to　make　a　getaway　with　Beezer。
　The　pair　dashed　down　the　stairway；　just　as　revolvers　blasted　along　the　passage　above。　The　Shadow　dropped　behind　the　door。　He　let　the　fugitives　get　past；　then　bobbed　out　to　follow　them。　He　could　easily　have　halted　the　two　rogues；　but　he　had　a　reason　for　permitting　their　escape。
　Dashing　along　the　alleyway；　Lance　and　Beezer　ducked　through　an　opening　in　time　to　avoid　policemen　ing　from　the　front　street。　The　Shadow　was　close　behind　the　crooks；　but　the　clatter　of　their　own　footsteps　drowned　the　slight　sounds　of　his　pursuit。　Lance　and　Beezer　reached　a　garage；　they　rushed　in　and　boarded　a　coupe。
　By　the　time　the　coupe　swung　into　sight；　The　Shadow　was　in　a　small　roadster；　much　like　the　car　that　he　had　used　in　his　last　flight　from　the　Flying　Squadron。　He　took　up　the　chase；　within　two　blocks　Lance　and　Beezer　knew　that　they　were　being　tagged。
　Recognizing　that　by　the　burst　of　speed　that　the　coupe　showed；　The　Shadow　unlimbered　an　automatic　and　dispatched　two　quick　shots　after　the　coupe。　Bullets　whistled　close　enough　for　the　crooks　to　guess　who　was　on　their　trail。
　〃The　Shadow！〃　snarled　Lance；　as　he　gripped　the　wheel　of　the　coupe。　〃Lucky　he　didn't　bag　Trig　Callister。　He　must　have　barged　in　before　Boscul　had　time　to　lock　the　back　door。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　growled　Beezer；　〃and　he　tipped　off　Maclare　to　raid　your　joint。　We　gotta　shake　him；　Lance。〃
　〃You　bet　we　have　to！　We　don't　want　him　to　know　where　we're　headed。〃
　〃Where's　that？〃
　〃To　Ruthley's。　Where　else　would　be　safe　for　you　to　hide　out；　Beezer？〃
　Again；　Lance　Gillick　was　playing　into　The　Shadow's　hands。　In　this　pursuit；　The　Shadow　could　have　overtaken　the　crooks　as　easily　as　he　could　have　dropped　them　on　the　stairway。　His　plan；　however；　called　for　their　get…away。　He　wanted　them　to　be　at　Ruthley's　later；　for　The　Shadow　intended　an　end　to　crime　tonight。
　
　
　WITHIN　the　next　few　blocks；　The　Shadow　was　prepared　to　slow　his　pursuit；　to　give　Lance　the　very　chance　that　the　gambler　wanted。　Once　in　the　clear；　Lance　would　head　for　Ruthley's　apartment　house；　duck　from　his　car　and　take　Beezer　along　with　him；　straight　to　the　big…shot's　lair。
　Oddly；　luck　was　to　trick　The　Shadow。　Had　he　ended　his　pursuit　a　few　blocks　sooner；　all　would　have　gone　well。　However；　during　the　last　stretch；　Lance　Gillick　became　jittery。　He　started　to　express　his　worriment　to　Beezer；　then　stopped　short　as　he　saw　a　sign　that　read：　〃Century　Garage。〃
　〃What　a　break！〃　ejaculated　Lance。　〃Just　the　place　for　us　in　a　pinch；　Beezer！〃
　Beezer　recognized　the　sign。
　〃Yeah！〃　he　agreed。　〃It's　the　joint　the　boss　told　us　about；　in　case　we　needed　to　use　it。　Head　in　there；　Lance。〃
　Lance　spun　the　wheel；　jerked　the　coupe　suddenly　from　the　street；　straight　into　the　open　doorway　of　the　garage。　He　shouted　as　he　applied　the　brakes；　a　waiting　garage　man　caught　his　words　and　yanked　a　lever。　A　door　slid　open　at　the　far　wall。
　The　Shadow　reached　the　front；　jamming　the　brakes　of　the　roadster；　he　saw　the　thoroughfare。　In　that　instant；　he　thought　that　the　far　door　had　been　open　when　Lance　entered　the　garage；　for　the　coupe　was　speeding　through　it。　To　give　a　last　zest　to　his　pursuit；　The　Shadow　swung　his　roadster　into　the　garage；　intending　to　drive　clear　through　and　follow　the　crooks　a　few　blocks　farther。
　He　realized　his　error；　as　he　sped　his　car　through　the　front　doorway。
　The　rear　door　slid　shut　before　The　Shadow　could　reach　it。　Jamming　the　brakes；　The　Shadow　shoved　the　gear…shift　lever　into　reverse。　Again；　he　was　too　late。　The　front　door　slithered　shut　before　The　Shadow　could　back　out　through　it。
　Lights　showed　the　garage　devoid　of　cars。　A　stone…walled　room　some　sixty　feet　square；　it　formed　a　sealed　snare；　once　the　doors　had　closed；　for　they　were　of　metal。　More　ominous　still　were　two　small；　boxlike　rooms　at　each　side　of　empty　garage。　They　were　sheeted　with　metal；　their　closed　doors　were　fronted　with　loopholes。
　The　tiny　rooms　were　pill…boxes…safe　spots　from　which　hidden　sharpshooters　could　riddle　anyone　who　occupied　the　center　of　the　garage　floor。
　Once　the　barrage　began；　it　would　spell　instant　doom　for　The　Shadow。
　
　
　CHAPTER　XXI　
　THE　SHADOW'S　EXIT　
　IN　a　single　instant；　The　Shadow　sized　his　situation。　Big　doors　had　clanged；　to　leap　from　the　roadster　and　attempt　to　open　them　would　be　the　worst　move　possible。　The　Shadow　knew　that　machine　gunners　were　sequestered　in　the　pill…boxes；　ready　to　begin　their　fire　the　moment　that　he　bobbed　into　view。
　Even　the　roadster　offered　but　temporary　safety。　Bullets　would　spray　it　soon。　Yet；　for　some　reason；　the　opening　hail　had　been　delayed。　Quick　to　note　that　fact；　The　Shadow　looked　for　the　answer；　and　found　it。　A　glance　from　the　side　of　the　roadster　enabled　him　to　see　a　scudding　man　in　overalls；　making　across　the　stone　floor　for　the　pill…box　on　the　left。
　It　was　the　attendant　who　had　pulled　the　levers　to　close　the　garage　doors。
　The　fellow　was　still　inside　the　garage；　the　men　in　the　pill…box　were　giving　him　time　to　join　them。　The　door　of　the　pill…box　was　moving　open；　ready　to　admit　the　scudding　thug。
　The　Shadow　had　an　automatic　handy。　He　could　have　dropped　the　rowdy　as　he　ran。　Such　a　move　would　have　been　futile。　If　their　pal　fell；　the　men　in　the　pill…boxes　would　have　no　further　need　to　delay　their　machine　gun　fire。
　Nor　would　The　Shadow　gain　by　blazing　bullets　into　the　doorway　of　the　pill…box　when　it　opened。　Unless　he　clipped　every　occupant；　the　door　would　slam　again。　Even　if　he　did　wound　that　crew　of　sharpshooters；　the　men　in　the　second　pill…box　would　make　up　for　it。　Not　for　an　instant　did　The　Shadow　forget　that　he　lay　between　two　bands　of　murderers。
　Without　reaching　for　the　。45　that　lay　on　the　seat　beside　him；　The　Shadow　staged　a　prompt　surprise。　His　move　was　totally　unexpected；　for　that　reason；　it　left　his　enemies　momentarily　bewildered。　The　thug　who　was　dashing　for　the　pill…box　had　thirty　feet　to　go。　The　Shadow　resolved　to　block　him　off；　to　keep　him　in　a　spot　of　danger　as　bad　as　The　Shadow's　own　predicament。
　With　his　left　hand；　The　Shadow　jerked　the　roadster's　wheel。　He　rammed　the　gear　shift　into　low；　with　his　right。　His　foot　thrust　the　accelerator　to　the　floor。　The　roadster　leaped　as　if　alive；　skewed　to　the　left　and　roared　like　a　thunderbolt　straight　for　the　pill…box；　just　as　the　door　of　that　tiny　stronghold　slid　wide。
　The　Shadow　passed　the　running　thug　in　a　split…second。　Jamming　the　brakes；　he　again　yanked　the　wheel　to　the　left。　The　roadster　halted　with　a　screech；　squarely　between　the　startled　thug　and　the　opened　door　of　the　pill…box。
　Again；　The　Shadow　pulled　a　surprise。　As　the　man　in　overalls　heeled　about　and　dashed　in　the　other　direction；　The　Shadow　let　him　go。　Diving　to　the　right；　The　Shadow　banged　the　roadster's　door　outward；　with　his　left　hand；　while　his　rightmost　grabbed　the　automatic　from　the　seat。　In　one　continuous　leap；　he　hurtled　onward；　straight　through　the　opened　door　of　the　pill…box。
　Two　startled　hoodlums；　crouched　in　darkness；　s