mg.dictatorofcrime-第1部分

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　　　A　MATTER　OF　MILLIONS　
　　THE　Clipper　smacked　the　blue　of　Biscayne　Bay　and　settled　into　a　lazy　squat；　from　which　it　taxied　toward　a　landing。　An　audible　sigh　of　relief　came　from　the　roped…off　crowd　that　lined　the　shore　of　Dinner　Key。　Little　wonder　that　the　sigh　was　heard；　for　the　throng　was　immense。
　　Seldom　did　the　population　of　Miami；　citizen　and　tourist；　assemble　en　masse　at　the　Marine　Airways　Base　to　witness　the　arrival　of　a　Clipper　plane。　But　the　winged　ship　just　in　from　the　Caribbean　was　worthy　of　a　huge　turnout。　Not　only　because　its　passengers　were　something　of　celebrities；　but　because　of　the　cargo　that　they　brought。
　　The　plane　was　in　from　Centralba；　a　Caribbean　republic　long　established　but　recently　renamed　by　its　dictator；　Luis　Castenago；　a　〃strong　man〃　who　masqueraded　under　the　title　of　president。　The　passengers　on　the　Clipper　were　the　militant　leaders　of　the　anti…Castenago　party：　Colonel　Jose　Durez　and　a　handful　of　associates。　What　they　were　bringing　with　them　was　money；　to　the　total　of　ten　million　dollars。
　　Only　this　afternoon　had　the　news　broken　that　the　ing　revolution　in　Centralba　had　been　called　off。　Remarkable　was　the　fact　that　it　had　been　settled　on　peaceful　terms；　with　the　iron…fisted　Castenago　sending　his　opponents　into　banishment；　instead　of　forcing　them　to　meet　the　muzzle　end　of　a　firing　squad。
　　Most　extraordinary　of　all　was　the　report；　on　positive　authority；　that　Durez　and　his　faction　had　sold　their　holdings　and　concessions；　at　full　price；　to　the　government　of　Centralba…which；　in　two　words；　meant　Luis　Castenago。
　　Singular　that　Castenago；　of　all　persons；　should　have　gone　〃genteel；〃　for　wholesale　assassinations　had　long　been　the　Centralban　substitute　for　politics；　with　Castenago　always　supreme。　Naturally；　the　facts　led　to　rumors；　of　which　there　were　two　that　carried　a　strong　degree　of　truth。
　　The　first　was　that　Castenago；　planning　a　merger　of　several　Caribbean　countries；　with　himself　as　head；　felt　that　a　show　of　leniency　to　opponents　in　his　own　republic　would　win　over　adherents　in　neighboring　republics。
　　The　other　rumor　was　that　Durez；　while　plotting　revolution；　had　wisely　gained　the　support　of　Francisco　Peridor；　former　president　of　Centralba　and　idol　of　the　populace；　whose　friends…Durez　now　included…had　never　been　attacked　by　Castenago。
　　Of　course；　there　was　the　fact　that　the　United　States　was　dickering　for　defense　bases　in　Centralba；　but　that　had　been　no　deterrent　in　Castenago's　killing　off　the　opposition　in　the　past；　and　therefore　could　have　no　bearing　on　the　future。
　　The　first　rule　of　a　good　neighbor　being　to　ignore　all　family　squabbles　in　the　house　next　door；　gave　Castenago　all　the　leeway　he　wanted　in　his　own　home　without　having　even　to　pull　down　the　shades；　though　he　was　usually　courteous　enough　to　do　so。
　　At　any　rate；　live　arrivals　from　Centralba　were　a　novelty　in　Miami；　and　everyone　had　e　to　wele　the　heroes　who　had　been　paid　off　in　gold　instead　of　bullets。　Particularly；　the　crowd　wanted　to　see　the　money；　itself；　which　accounted　for　the　presence　of　about　fifty　Miami　police；　with　motorcycles；　squad　cars；　patrol　boats；　tear　gas；　and　all　the　appurtenances。
　　From　the　moment　they　alighted；　Durez　and　his　panions　were　surrounded　by　a　flood　of　khaki　uniforms。　The　spectators　caught　glimpses　of　some　fair…sized　coffers　that　other　police　took　from　the　Clipper；　but　those；　too；　were　promptly　lost　from　sight。
　　Then　the　procession　was　proceeding　toward　the　Terminal　Building；　which　had　been　blocked　off　to　the　public。　The　only　persons　who　remained　were　government　inspectors；　who　piled　into　the　Clipper　with　fumigation　apparatus；　to　make　sure　that　Durez　and　his　friends　hadn't　smuggled　in　some　yellow　fever　carriers　along　with　their　chests　of　funds。
　　
　　
　　NEAR　the　entrance　to　the　balcony　restaurant　within　the　Terminal；　Margo　Lane　watched　the　procession　arrive。　She'd　been　smart　enough　to　get　into　the　building　by　buying　a　ticket　for　San　Juan；　which　she　intended　to　redeem　later。
　　For　Margo　wasn't　contemplating　a　trip　to　Puerto　Rico。　She　was　here　on　a　much　more　important　mission。
　　Only　a　few　hours　ago；　when　the　radio　had　begun　to　blast　that　Durez　was　ing；　and　newsboys　had　started　shouting　special　extras　in　the　Miami　streets；　Margo　had　received　a　wire　from　Lamont　Cranston；　telling　her　to　get　to　the　airways　base　and　learn　everything　she　could。
　　The　wire　had　added　that　Cranston　was　leaving　New　York　immediately；　by　plane；　for　Miami；　in　hope　of　arriving　before　Durez　did。
　　Unfortunately；　the　wind　was　strong　from　the　south　and　it　had　sped　the　Clipper　into　Miami　ahead　of　schedule。　Meanwhile；　Cranston's　southbound　ship　was　meeting　head　winds；　that　retarded　it。　This　worried　Margo；　when　she　considered　what　Cranston's　interest　in　Durez's　affairs　might　be。
　　In　private　life…or　perhaps　the　other　way　about…Lamont　Cranston　was　The　Shadow。　He　made　it　his　business　to　battle　men　of　crime；　and　the　bigger　they　came；　the　better。　If　certain　crooks　had　aspirations　to　acquire　ten　million　dollars　belonging　to　Durez　&　Co。；　they　would　have　to　be　very　big；　indeed。
　　In　Margo's　estimation；　that　made　it　all　the　more　important　that　Cranston　should　have　arrived　first；　which；　quite　apparently；　he　hadn't。
　　They　were　crossing　the　broad　floor　of　the　Terminal；　now；　Durez　and　his　band。　Margo　got　a　good　view　of　them　as　they　passed　the　ten…foot　revolving　globe　in　the　center　of　the　concourse。　A　mosquito　would　probably　have　crowded　the　Republic　of　Centralba　on　that　huge　spherical　map；　nevertheless；　Durez　and　the　others　paused　to　look　for　the　little　patch　that　they　had　hoped　to　wrest　from　Castenago。
　　By　the　time　they　had　found　Centralba；　they　were　being　pressed　by　the　police　who　were　carrying　the　ten　million　dollar　consolation　prize；　so　Durez　and　his　panions　smiled　politely　and　resumed　their　way。
　　During　the　pause；　Margo　identified　Durez　quite　easily；　by　his　thin；　sharp…featured　face　and　small　nervous　eyes。　As　for　the　others；　four　of　them；　three　looked　very　much　alike；　darkish　men；　who　made　good　stooges　for　Durez。
　　The　fourth　man　was　a　pronounced　exception。
　　His　face　was　dark　as　the　result　of　tan　acquired　by　long　residence　in　the　tropics。　At　that；　it　was　but　a　mild　shade　of　bronze；　and　he　must　have　suffered　sunburn　during　the　tanning　process；　for　his　plexion　wasn't　the　sort　to　take　tan　well。　His　light　hair；　a　real　straw…yellow；　indicated　that　his　natural　skin　color　should　be　a　very　clear　white。
　　He　looked　youthful；　probably　more　so　than　he　was；　and　his　trim　uniform　enhanced　his　military　bearing。　In　fact；　Margo　was　wondering　if　he'd　be　more　handsome　if　he　weren't　tanned；　when　it　suddenly　came　to　her　who　he　was。　She'd　read　about　him　in　an　extra；　while　riding　to　the　airways　base　by　cab。
　　This　young　man　was　Colin　Nayre；　until　lately　captain　of　the　guard　in　Castenago's　own　palace。　Margo　had　expected　Nayre　to　be　a　grizzled　soldier　of　fortune；　instead；　he　looked　like　a　recent　graduate　from　a　military　college；　which；　indeed；　he　might　be。
　　Somehow；　for　reasons　not　specified　in　the　skimpy　edition　of　the　newspaper；　Nayre　had　shifted　from　Castenago　and　joined　the　Durez　faction。
　　Nayre　didn't　seem　the　sort　who　would　sell　out　anyone；　even　a　double…dyed　wolf　like　Castenago。　It　struck　Margo　that　the　rise　against　Castenago　must　have　reached　the　point　of　open　demand；　rather　than　remaining　a　secret　cabal；　otherwise；　a　decent　chap　like　Nayre　wouldn't　have　had　part　in　it。
　　
　　
　　MARGO'S　reflections　were　promptly　justified。　Past　the　big　globe；　Nayre　overtook　Durez　and　plucked　his　arm。　In　a　voice　that　was　pleasant；　yet　touched　with　an　embarrassed　tone；　Nayre　spoke：
　　〃Perhaps　I　should　leave　you　here；　senor。　You　have　important　business　to　attend　to；　with　your　friends；　while　I…〃
　　〃No　no；〃　interrupted　Durez　sharply。　〃You　e　with　us；　capitan。　You　are　to　be　our　guest；　and　we　shall　remember　you　in　that　so　important　business。〃
　　〃But　we　are　no　longer　in　Centralba…〃
　　〃Exactly！　We　are　safer　here　than　there。　You　e　with　us；　capitan；　to　the　Hotel　Equator；　where　we　have　one　fine　room　reserved　for　you。　We　talk　business　with　the　bankers；　and　afterward…〃
　　Margo　heard　no　more。　The　party　was　nearing　the　main　doorway　leading　out　to　the　avenue　of　royal　palms；　where　cars　awaited　them。　She　saw　the　cavalcade　roar　away；　it　was　paced　by　motorcycle　police。　Then　came　the　cars；　and　finally　an　armored　truck；　carrying　the　precious　coffers。　By　the　time　another　motorcycle　squad　had　closed　behind　the　speedy　caravan；　Margo　was　on　her　way　to　a　telephone　booth。
　　The　afternoon　was　late。　Darkness　would　soon　arrive　in　the　sudden　way　it　did　in　Miami's　clime。　As　she　called　the　municipal　airport；　Margo　was　hopeful　that　Cranston's　plane　had　arrived。　She　learned　that　it　hadn't；　though　it　was　expected　any　minute。　So　Margo　left　a　message。
　　〃Tell　Mr。　Cranston　that　Miss　Lane　called；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　stopping　at　the　Hotel　Equator；　in　Miami　Beach；　and　will　meet　him　there。〃
　　It　happened　that　Margo　wasn't　stopping　at　the　Equator。　Some　of　her　friends　stayed　there；　and　she　had　guest　privileges；　but　she　considered　the　rates　outlandish；　even　at　times　when　she　had　money　enough　to　afford　them。　Cranston　knew　all　that；　and　therefore　would　understand　what　her　message　really　meant。
　　It　told　that　Margo　had　learned　the　one　thing　that　wasn't　in　the　newspapers；　and　probably　wouldn't　be　made　known　for　a　few　hours：　namely；　that　Jose　Durez　and　his　party　were　the　persons　who　would　actually　be　found　at　the　Equator。
　　There　wasn't　any　reason　why　Margo　shouldn't　be　there；　too。　Hurrying　from　the　airport；　she　took　a　cab　and　managed　to　get　started　ahead　of　the　departing　sightseers。　Her　own　car　was　in　a　parking　lot　in　Miami；　and　she　was　sure　that　she　could　get　it　and　drive　across　the　Venetian　Way　to　Miami　Beach　ahead　of　Cranston；　even　if　his　plane　happened　to　land　shortly　at　the　municipal　airport。
　　Perhaps；　Margo　felt；　she　might　learn　even　more　before　Cranston　arrived！
　　Margo　was　still　considering　that　possibility　when　she　transferred　to　her　car　at　the　parking　lot。　She　turned　on　the　lights　because　darkness　had　actually　begun　to　settle。　However；　by　that　time；　her　chances　of　learning　much　more　were　being　paratively　slim。　A　plane　had　just　landed　at　the　municipal　airport。
　　Its　pilot　was　Lamont　Cranston。
　　Margo