mg.dictatorofcrime-第14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！


　　〃All　my　efforts　to　better　conditions　in　Centralba　have　been　twisted　to　justify　Castenago's　evil　deeds。　Instead　of　improving　matters；　I　have　placed　myself　in　a　predicament　where　I　am　helpless；　and　my　country　totally　unable　to　shake　off　a　tyrant's　misrule！〃
　　Finding　The　Shadow's　interest　plete；　the　elderly　professor　gave　a　brief　summary　of　events　in　Centralba；　valuable；　because　it　was　the　first…hand　story　of　a　sincere　man。　Peridor　had　undergone　the　ordeal　met　by　all　right…minded　persons　who　have　sought；　by　ordinary　measures；　to　restrain　a　dictator's　rise。
　　Peridor　had　criticized　the　Castenago　regime　from　the　start；　advocating　a　policy　of　passive　resistance。　Peridor's　claim；　that　right　could　triumph　over　might；　had　even　seemed　to　win　the　dictator's　respect；　but　it　had　merely　slowed；　not　halted；　the　growth　of　Castenago's　tyranny。
　　At　least；　it　had　caused　Jose　Durez；　champion　of　open　revolution；　to　seek　Peridor's　support。　Though　Durez　was　by　no　means　unselfish；　he　promised　to　improve　the　government　if　he　came　into　power。　Since　Peridor　was　opposed　to　violence；　Durez　agreed　to　hold　his　own　strength　in　the　background；　as　a　threat　in　case　Castenago　would　not　accept　Peridor's　terms　of　justice　without　revolution。
　　〃How　cleverly　Castenago　solved　the　problem！〃　exclaimed　Peridor；　facing　The　Shadow。　〃He　showed　willingness　to　promise；　if　we　told　him　our　terms。　Hearing　them；　he　met　our　separate　desires。　He　promised　me　that　he　would　improve　the　government；　while　to　Durez；　he　offered　wealth。
　　〃Thus　dividing　our　power；　he　further　specified　that　I　should　remain　in　Centralba；　while　Durez　must　leave。　My　patriotic　sentiments；　and　Durez's　lack　of　them；　produced　our　separate　accessions　to　his　terms。〃
　　Obviously；　Peridor　had　bee　enmeshed　in　an　intrigue　which　produced　a　dilemma　in　his　honest　mind。　Durez　was　definitely　a　case　in　point。　Peridor　had　been　glad　to　see　him　go；　yet　knew　that　his　own　life　was　safe　only　so　long　as　Durez　might　return。　The　day　after　Durez's　departure；　students　had　demonstrated　against　Peridor；　alleging　that　he　had　helped　Durez　rob　Centralba。
　　Of　course；　the　demonstration　was　instigated　by　Castenago's　agents；　but　it　had　been　sufficient　pretext　for　the　dictator　to　insist　that　Peridor　seek　retirement　under　what　Castenago　termed　〃protection。〃
　　A　sad　travesty　on　the　truth　when　Castenago；　the　tyrant　who　styled　himself　〃liberator；〃　could　be　regarded　as　the　defender　of　Peridor；　the　one　man　most　loyal　to　Centralba！
　　Hard　upon　that　had　e　the　news　of　Durez's　death。　While　alive；　and　away　from　Castenago's　reach；　Durez　was　a　protection　to　Peridor。　His　death　meant　that　Castenago　could　dispose　of　Peridor　whenever　he　so　chose。
　　〃Castenago　bides　his　time；〃　declared　Peridor；　〃only　because　he　would　prefer　to　see　sentiment　grow　against　me　before　he　arranges　my　assassination。　In　a　way；　it　is　unfortunate　that　the　student　demonstrations　have　ceased；　for　it　will　shorten　my　life　span。　If　I　perish；　the　cause　for　the　redemption　of　my　country　will　be　at　an　end。〃
　　
　　
　　FROM　the　door；　Mariquita　was　impatiently　waiting　for　The　Shadow's　news　concerning　Colin　Nayre。　Catching　his　daughter's　eye；　Peridor　promptly　turned　to　that　subject。
　　〃One　ugly　rumor；〃　declared　Peridor；　〃is　the　claim　that　our　good　friend　Colin　Nayre　betrayed　Jose　Durez；　in　Miami。〃
　　〃It　is　more　than　a　rumor；〃　returned　The　Shadow。　〃The　police　have　proven　that　Murk　Wessel　and　the　other　killers　were　established　in　the　Hotel　Equator　when　Durez　and　his　friends　arrived　there。　Someone　must　have　sent　the　word　ahead；　so　suspicion　rests　on　Nayre。〃
　　〃Then　the　evidence　is　all　against　him？〃
　　〃Not　entirely；〃　interposed　The　Shadow。　〃I；　personally；　am　sure　of　Nayre's　innocence。　I　have　e　to　Libertad　to　find　the　real　culprit。〃
　　Peridor　mistook　the　words　for　an　accusation　against　himself。　Rising；　he　lifted　his　right　hand。
　　〃In　my　daughter's　presence；〃　he　avowed；　〃I　swear　that　I　revealed　the　plans　of　Jose　Durez　to　no　one！〃
　　〃Your　statement　is　unnecessary；〃　spoke　The　Shadow。　〃I　have　already　discovered　the　traitor。〃
　　〃Then　tell　us　who　the　culprit　is！〃　exclaimed　Peridor；　as　Mariquita　drew　closer。　〃I　shall　find　him；　wherever　he　may　be；　and　denounce　him　to　his　face！
　　Name　him！〃
　　〃You　will　find　him　in　the　presidential　palace；〃　affirmed　The　Shadow。　〃His　name　is　Luis　Castenago！〃
　　Peridor　and　Mariquita　couldn't　believe　their　ears。　They　knew　that　Castenago　had　granted　amnesty　to　Durez；　which　was　why　The　Shadow's　charge　seemed　at　variance　with　fact。　It　wasn't　until　The　Shadow　explained　the　double　game；　that　they　began　to　understand。
　　Leniency　was　known　to　be　Castenago's　new　policy；　to　display　it　he　had　merely　banished　Durez。　In　keeping　with　his　real　character；　Castenago　had　designed　death　for　Durez；　through　the　aiding　hands　of　American　mobsters。
　　Even　then；　The　Shadow's　listeners　doubted。
　　〃Impossible！〃　exclaimed　Peridor。　〃Castenago　would　never　risk　the　consequences　of　letting　such　assassins　remain　beyond　his　reach。　If　captured　by　American　authorities　and　forced　to　tell　the　truth；　their　testimony　would　bring　intervention　to　end　Castenago's　regime！〃
　　〃They　are　not　beyond　his　reach；〃　explained　The　Shadow。　〃Castenago　sent　Durez　away　to　find　false　security。　He　had　the　murderers　e　here　to　gain　real　protection。〃
　　One　person　would　have　accepted　that　statement　without　question：　namely；　Margo　Lane。　It　explained　the　matter　of　the　missing　mosquito　boat。　The　speedy　craft　in　which　Murk　Wessel　and　his　lieutenants　had　fled　Miami　was　identical　with　units　of　the　mosquito　fleet；　and　had　been　mistaken　for　such　a　boat。
　　It　couldn't　have　been　otherwise；　as　The　Shadow　reasoned　it。　With　ten　million　dollars　to　lose；　Murk　and　his　pals　wouldn't　have　trusted　a　boat　that　could　be　outraced　by　anything　else　on　Biscayne　Bay。
　　Twelve　mosquito　boats　had　gone　out　by　moonlight；　only　eleven　had　returned　by　day；　a　discrepancy　forgotten　by　everyone　save　The　Shadow。　Margo's　count　stood　justified；　though　she　didn't　know　it。
　　Not　having　heard　about　the　mosquito　fleet；　Francisco　Peridor　still　had　a　question　for　The　Shadow。　He　put　one；　right　to　the　point：
　　〃You　have　seen　these　men…Murk　Wessel　and　the　other　assassins…here　in　Libertad？〃
　　〃Yes。　By　day；　they　are　workers　on　the　grounds　of　the　Casino　Internacional；　where　they　pass　unrecognized。　At　night；　they　are　at　Castenago's　service。　Their　duty；　this　evening；　was　to　assassinate　me；　as　they　did　Durez。　They　failed。〃
　　The　Shadow's　statement　ended　with　a　whispered　laugh　induced　by　the　gazes　with　which　Peridor　and　Mariquita　acknowledged　his　words。　He　had　convinced　these　friends　that　his　theory　was　correct。　The　course　ahead　was　plain。
　　The　very　stratagem　whereby　Castenago　had　disposed　of　Durez　was　the　weak　link　in　the　dictator's　armor。　If　revealed　as　the　dabbler　in　international　crime；　the　dictator　would　find　himself　an　outcast。　The　unmasking　of　Luis　Castenago　was　the　deed　The　Shadow　sought　to　acplish。
　　Upon　it　depended　the　freedom　of　a　nation！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XIII　
　　　GONE　WITH　THE　BLAST　
　　ONLY　The　Shadow　could　have　found　the　weak　link　in　the　chain　with　which　Castenago　fettered　Centralba。　Visualizing　the　case　from　every　angle；　Francisco　Peridor　was　fixed　in　that　conclusion。　Strange　how　the　trail　had　reversed　itself　under　The　Shadow's　logic！
　　Leading　directly　away　from　Castenago；　it　had　e　right　back　to　the　man　itself；　but　what　to　do　about　it　was　a　very　moot　problem。
　　Peridor；　himself；　was　powerless　and　the　same　applied　to　Mariquita。　What　they　had　learned　aroused　their　hopes；　but　equally　increased　their　danger。
　　Should　Castenago　even　suspect　what　they　had　learned；　their　lives　would　be　snuffed　on　the　instant。　Both　felt　that　whatever　aid　they　might　supply；　would　be　too　feeble　to　assist　The　Shadow's　cause。
　　To　their　surprise；　The　Shadow　deemed　otherwise。　First；　he　was　counting　upon　Peridor　to　supply　him　with　needed　information　regarding　Castenago。　Details　of　the　presidential　palace　could　help；　so　Peridor　supplied　them。　Names　of　persons　who　might　oppose　Castenago　could　also　be　of　use；　but　Peridor　shook　his　head　at　the　mere　mention。
　　No　one　dared　oppose　Castenago；　he　said；　though　many　would　relish　the　chance。　That；　in　itself；　bore　one　promise。　Should　Castenago　be　exposed　as　an　international　plotter；　any　witness　to　the　fact　would　so　testify；　if　assured　of　safety。
　　In　brief；　Castenago　was　not　surrounded　by　a　council　of　plotters；　for　he　trusted　no　one　whose　craft　might　even　approach　his　own。　Instead；　he　depended　upon　human　tools　who　were　subject　to　intimidation。　It　would　be　a　case　of　turning　a　lot　of　worms　against　the　early　bird。
　　During　that　discussion；　The　Shadow　dropped　the　detailed　information　that　Mariquita　wanted。　He　mentioned　Colin　Nayre　and　the　fact　that　he　had　escaped　by　plane　to　somewhere　in　the　Caribbean。
　　Though　The　Shadow　did　not　definitely　state　that　Nayre　planned　an　immediate　return　to　Centralba；　Mariquita's　eyes　glistened　with　eager　hope。　It　was　after　she　had　gone　that　The　Shadow　told　her　father　that　Nayre　might　even　now　be　around。
　　〃Nayre's　safety；　of　course；　depends　on　secrecy；〃　declared　The　Shadow。
　　〃Should　his　path　cross　mine；　I　shall　acquaint　him　with　the　facts；　though　he　is　one　person　who　might　learn　them　independently。　Our　main　issue；　however；　is　Castenago。〃
　　There　was　a　solemn　nod　from　Peridor。　He　was　racking　his　brain　for　a　way　to　trap　the　dictator。
　　〃If　I　could　only　gain　more　time…〃
　　〃That　is　easy　enough；〃　interrupted　The　Shadow。　〃Play　into　Castenago's　hands　through　unwise　statements。　Offer　to　eulogize　Durez；　as　though　you　took　Castenago's　amnesty　at　face　value。　It　will　give　Castenago　opportunity　to　instigate　a　new　demonstration　among　the　students。〃
　　Wearily；　Peridor　smiled。　He　was　tired　of　intrigue；　but　the　suggestion　pleased　him。　It　would　be　a　duel　of　wits　between　La　Sombra　and　Luis　Castenago。
　　Peridor　was　glad　that　he　had　found　a　friend　who　could　supply　the　strategy　at　which　the　professor　himself　had　failed。　This　particular　stroke　was　so　in　keeping　with　Peridor's　natural　style；　that　Castenago　would　never　suspect　its　subtlety。
　　〃It　will　help；〃　Peridor　agreed。　〃But　to　what　end？　Granted　that　Castenago　has　afforded　refuge　to　assassins；　why　need　he　ever　admit　it？　If　Wessel　and　his　friends　are　discovered　at