mg.cityofcrime-第26部分

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Westford；　to　keep　a　circled　watch　about　the　old　mansion　that　had　been　Judge　Benbrook's　lodging　overnight。　Audible　ments　passed　among　these　armed　hoodlums。
　Word　passed　along　concerning　Lance's　call　to　the　cottage。　The　cordon　was　to　tighten；　then　drive　in　hard　upon　the　smaller　crew　within　the　house。　Crooks　knew　the　identity　of　the　men　whom　they　were　to　attack。　They　were　ready　with　a　vengeance；　these　thugs；　to　deal　with　agents　of　The　Shadow。
　Some　were　keeping　lookout　for　The　Shadow　himself。　He　had　e　and　gone　as　Trig　Callister；　they　had　let　the　sedan　ride　through。　None　knew　if　Judge　Benbrook　had　gone　out　on　that　last　trip；　there　was　a　chance　that　he　was　still　within　the　house。　If　so；　The　Shadow　would　be　back。　He　would　fare　badly　when　he　came。
　First　the　agents；　then　The　Shadow。　As　for　Judge　Benbrook；　the　finger　had　pointed　toward　him　also。　This　was　to　be　a　massacre；　beginning　with　a　surprise　attack　upon　the　mansion　that　stood　so　silent　within　the　very　center　of　the　creeping　horde。　The　house；　itself；　was　open　to　attack。　Every　window　would　offer　entry　for　invading　thugs。
　The　tightening　process　ceased。　Evil　fighters　were　ready　for　mand。　They　were　under　the　leadership　of　two　whom　Lance　had　deputed　to　such　duty。　Those　two　manded　more　than　a　score　of　gorillas；　the　dregs　of　the　scum　who　had　so　long　been　rampant　in　Westford。　Some　of　the　crew；　in　fact；　had　been　members　of　the　horde　that　had　gunned　for　Lieutenant　James　Maclare。　Brave　through　power　of　numbers；　they　had　boasted　their　wish　for　another　contact　with　The　Shadow。
　It　was　the　moment　when　a　mand　seemed　imminent。　Thugs　waited　for　rasped　orders。　Suddenly；　the　stillness　broke；　but　not　with　the　expected　mands。　From　somewhere；　like　a　ghostly　taunt；　came　a　strident；　mocking　laugh　through　the　darkness。
　The　laugh　of　The　Shadow！
　
　
　THE　cloaked　fighter　had　arrived。　He　had　left　his　car　a　safe　distance　away；　he　had　slipped　through　a　net　of　enemies　set　to　watch　for　him。　He　was　in　the　circle　itself；　and　hard　upon　his　mockery　came　the　proofs　of　his　actual　position。
　Automatics　tongued　from　blackness；　stabbed　flame　picked　out　crouching　hoodlums。　As　snarling　fighters　spun　about；　they　heard　yells　from　their　crippled　panions。　The　Shadow　had　first　located　thugs　amid　the　darkness。　His　first　shots　counted。
　〃The　Shadow！　Get　him！〃
　As　a　mobleader　roared　the　mand；　thugs　sought　to　obey。　Twenty　against　one；　they　had　their　opportunity；　they　would　spot　The　Shadow　if　he　fired　again。
　They　did　not　realize　the　purpose　of　The　Shadow's　opening　shots；　they　did　not　guess　that　he　had　withdrawn　for　the　moment。　Those　shots　had　been　a　signal。
　An　instant　later；　floodlights　glared　from　the　beleaguered　mansion。　Crooks　were　bathed　in　the　brilliance　that　came　from　upper　windows。　The　Shadow　had　applied　the　very　method　that　crooks　had　found　so　useful　in　the　past。　His　agents　had　set　up　searchlights；　ready　to　use　them　when　the　signal　came。
　Crooks　were　as　bewildered　as　Maclare's　bluecoats　had　been；　that　night　at　the　Mississippi　Hotel。　Wildly；　they　turned　toward　the　house。　Remembering　The　Shadow's　marksmanship；　they　fired　for　the　floodlights。　The　brilliant　orbs　remained　unshattered。　These　searchlights　were　equipped　with　bulletproof　glass。
　Rifles　crackled　from　below　the　brilliance。　The　Shadow's　agents　were　at　the　ground　floor　windows；　clipping　the　savage　hoodlums　who　fired　back　in　vain。　Like　wild　tribesmen；　thugs　started　for　the　house；　thinking　to　dislodge　The　Shadow's　agents　with　wide…aimed　bullets　and　curdling　yells。　The　rifles　crackled　on；　at　close　range。
　Crooks　sprawled；　as　they　kicked　up　the　earth；　others　broke。　They　dashed　for　the　limits　of　the　lighted　ground；　followed　by　steady　shots。　Reserves；　the　ones　posted　to　watch　for　The　Shadow；　came　up　with　encouraging　shouts；　for　they　were　blanketed　by　night。　They　were　met　by　another　fire：　The　Shadow's　own。
　The　attack　was　ended。　Those　thugs　who　could；　went　scattering　into　the　night。　The　Shadow's　strident　laugh　resounded；　it　added　impetus　to　the　speed　of　the　survivors。　It　was　a　signal　also；　at　the　sound　of　the　weird　call；　the　searchlights　were　suddenly　extinguished。
　
　
　TO　fleeing　crooks；　the　darkness　brought　new　dread。
　Pursuers　might　be　anywhere；　everywhere。　Each　thug　who　fled　fancied　himself　the　only　one　who　had　escaped；　for　more　than　half　the　horde　had　sprawled　upon　the　turf。　The　same　had　happened　with　the　cluster　of　reserves；　The　Shadow　had　driven　bullets　into　their　very　midst。　Some　thugs　found　cars；　they　sped　away　from　beyond　the　cottages；　heading　away　from　the　direction　of　Westford。　The　others　took　to　the　brush；　making　the　best　time　that　they　could　on　foot。
　The　Shadow　had　classed　these　toughs　as　mass　fighters　only。　They　had　behaved　in　typical　fashion；　once　their　attack　had　bee　a　rout。　New　silence　dominated　the　mansion；　then；　from　a　space　in　front；　came　a　hoarse　whisper。　It　was　〃Hawkeye〃；　he　had　e　out　to　join　The　Shadow。
　The　cloaked　chief　answered。　He　gave　Hawkeye　new　instructions。　Hawkeye　slid　back　to　the　house。　Soon　men　came　stealing　outward　through　the　darkness。　They　were　The　Shadow's　agents；　ready　for　new　battle。　The　first　had　taken　less　time　than　the　limit　The　Shadow　had　set。
　Choosing　the　banks　along　the　dirt　road；　The　Shadow's　agents　waited。　Their　chief　had　gone　somewhere　ahead；　again　they　listened　for　his　signal。　Lights　appeared；　police　cars　and　motorcycles　came　in　caravans　all　manned　by　the　khaki…clad　thugs　who　called　themselves　the　Flying　Squadron。
　The　Shadow　waited　until　the　last　car　was　abreast　of　his　position。　Again；　his　strident　laugh　rang　forth。
　Cars　halted　at　the　startling　cry。　Automatics　tongued　an　opening　message。
　Fake　cops　wheeled　about；　aimed　for　the　spot　whence　the　shots　had　issued。　Again；　The　Shadow　was　gone；　but　his　agents　took　their　cue。　From　the　sheltering　embankment；　they　ripped　away　with　automatics；　raking　the　whole　line　of　the　halted　squadron。
　Bullets　winged　tires；　windshields。　They　found　the　occupants　of　cars。
　Khaki…clad　men　dived　from　their　machines；　left　their　motorcycles　and　scattered　on　foot。　This　time；　floodlights　were　unneeded。　The　cars　and　motorcycles　of　the　unsuspecting　squadron　were　targets　enough。
　From　the　rear；　The　Shadow　pummeled　shots　along　the　road。　Uniformed　crooks　ran　ahead；　hoping　to　join　the　thugs　who　had　once　formed　a　vanished　cordon。　The　Shadow's　aids　pursued；　keeping　along　the　banks；　they　harried　the　newly　routed　horde　and　drove　them　off　into　the　darkness。
　Those　scattered　men　would　not　soon　return。　When　they　did；　they　would　find　their　cars　useless。　Again；　The　Shadow　and　his　half　dozen　agents　had　routed　more　than　a　score。　The　Shadow's　agents　held　together；　their　task　acplished；　they　were　returning　to　the　house；　to　hold　it　in　case　enough　enemies　rallied　to　attempt　invasion。
　
　
　THERE　was　one　car　that　had　remained　unscathed　throughout　the　fray；　for　the　simple　reason　that　it　had　been　left　alone。　This　automobile　had　e　up　behind　the　others。　It　had　stopped　at　the　mand　of　a　man　in　back。　It　was　Director　Borman's　official　car。　Borman　had　told　his　chauffeur　to　wait。
　Fuming；　Kirk　Borman　recognized　all　that　had　happened。　The　pick　of　his　Flying　Squadron　had　been　ambushed。　He　wanted　to　get　back　to　town　again；　to　summon　other　details；　particularly　the　group　that　he　had　left　idle　at　Judge　Benbrook's　house。　With　a　growl；　Borman　told　the　chauffeur　to　swing　the　car　about。
　The　chauffeur　obeyed；　as　he　swung　the　big　car　past　the　verge　of　a　ditch；　blackness　rose　from　the　fringe　of　the　headlights。　The　chauffeur　alone　saw　it；　he　yanked　a　revolver　and　jabbed　it　from　the　window。
　A　slugging　fist　came　through；　swinging　an　automatic。　The　chauffeur's　cap　was　bashed　down　over　his　head；　the　man　tilted　sidewise；　he　sprawled　to　the　roadway　as　the　door　yanked　open。
　Kirk　Borman　made　a　leap　for　the　front　seat。　A　black…cloaked　avalanche　came　in　from　space。　Springing　past　the　steering　wheel；　The　Shadow　met　the　fighting　police　director；　gloved　fingers　found　their　hold　on　Borman's　neck。　The　police　director　slumped　to　the　floor　by　the　rear　seat。
　The　Shadow　picked　handcuffs　from　a　pocket　in　a　rear　door。　They　were　useful　items　in　a　police　director's　car；　The　Shadow　had　noted　them　when　he　had　ridden　with　Borman；　in　the　guise　of　Trig　Callister。　He　put　the　bracelets　on　the　director's　wrists。　Borman　offered　no　struggle；　he　was　still　gasping　for　air。
　Leaving　Borman　sprawled　in　back；　The　Shadow　dropped　behind　the　wheel。　He　stepped　on　the　gas；　shot　the　big　car　back　toward　town。　The　tires　jounced　along　the　bumpy　road；　while　Borman　bounced　helplessly　about　in　back；　striking　his　head　against　the　seat　and　the　doors；　experiencing　new　grogginess　every　time　he　started　to　recover。
　One　laugh　of　triumph　from　The　Shadow's　hidden　lips；　then　the　cloaked　victor　maintained　silence。　Sooner　or　later；　he　would　meet　roving　units　of　the　Flying　Squadron。　They　would　let　him　pass；　recognizing　the　police　director's　car。　The　Shadow　was　traveling　far　ahead　of　any　reports　that　would　e　from　the　battle　ground　where　he　and　his　agents　had　dealt　with　thugs　and　false　upholders　of　the　law。
　In　effecting　his　capture　of　Kirk　Borman；　The　Shadow　had　topped　off　a　well…planned　campaign。　He　had　known　that　his　presence　would　bring　the　police　director　to　the　scene　outside　of　Westford。　The　Shadow　had　counted　upon　this　capture　as　a　final　stroke。
　Each　strategic　move　had　succeeded。　Massed　hordes　vanquished；　The　Shadow　was　ready　to　meet　Stephen　Ruthley　and　his　remaining　lieutenants；　to　deal　with　them　as　effectively　as　he　had　with　Kirk　Borman。
　
　
　CHAPTER　XXV　
　WITHIN　THE　DEN　
　HALF　an　hour　had　passed　since　The　Shadow's　victory　on　the　road。　Stephen　Ruthley　was　standing　in　the　center　of　his　luxurious　den；　eyeing　Elvin　Marclot　and　Louis　Wilderton。　The　mayor　and　the　district　attorney　both　looked　troubled；　but　with　different　reasons。
　〃Kirk　Borman　ought　to　be　back　soon；〃　purred　Ruthley；　staring　from　a　front　window　to　study　the　lighted　boulevard。　〃He's　taken　along　all　the　men　that　he　had　posted　here。〃
　〃Men　we　posted　here？〃　queried　Wilderton。　〃Why　was　that；　Mr。　Ruthley？〃
　〃For　the　same　reason　that　we　should　have　had　men　at　Judge　Benbrook's；〃
　returned　Ruthley。　〃Any　honest　man　is　in　danger；　living　here　in　Westford。　I　requested　guards；　Borman　gave　them　to　me。〃
　〃He　offered　to　guard　Judge　Benbrook's　house；〃　put　in　Mar