mg.dictatorofcrime-第15部分

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s　are　discovered　at　the　casino；　Castenago　can　blame　their　presence　on　Pierre　Treban；　the　manager；　who　is　a　man　of　very　questionable　repute。〃
　　〃The　blame　will　fall　on　Castenago　personally；〃　assured　The　Shadow；　〃If　he　is　found　in　pany　with　the　assassins　themselves。〃
　　〃But　Castenago　never　visits　the　casino。〃
　　〃I　know。　That　is　why　I　was　more　interested　in　the　presidential　palace。　We　shall　wait　until　the　assassins　visit　Castenago　there。〃
　　〃Impossible！　Why　should　Castenago　ever　invite　them　to　the　palace？〃
　　〃To　settle　certain　unfinished　business；〃　explained　The　Shadow。　〃So　large　a　matter；　that　Castenago　cannot　ignore　it。　Ten　million　dollars　is　a　large　sum；　professor；　even　to　Castenago。〃
　　
　　
　　THE　point　struck　home。　Until　this　moment；　Peridor　had　almost　forgotten　the　Durez　money。　Now；　he　realized　why　Castenago　had　been　so　generous　toward　the　Durez　faction。　The　dictator　had　merely　entrusted　them　with　funds　that　he　had　already　arranged　to　reclaim　through　Murk　Wessel。
　　It　fitted　perfectly　with　the　schemes　of　Castenago。　Well　did　he；　the　master　plotter；　understand　the　workings　of　the　criminal　mind。
　　Castenago　had　chosen　Wessel　as　a　man　who　would　be　satisfied　with　a　fraction　of　the　ten　millions　involved。　To　a　certain　point；　Murk　would　want　all　he　could　get；　beyond　that　he　would　sacrifice　the　rest　for　protection；　the　sort　that　only　Castenago　could　supply。
　　It　was　a　certainty　that　the　stolen　wealth　now　lay　in　the　security　of　Castenago's　secret　vaults；　which　were　so　deeply　hidden　that　even　Peridor　did　not　know　their　location　in　the　palace。
　　Whatever　percentage　he　had　promised　the　assassins；　Castenago　would　offer　less；　now　that　the　work　had　been　acplished。　In　his　turn；　Wessel　would　want　more。
　　Such　was　the　significance　of　the　laugh　that　Peridor　heard；　softly　uttered　by　The　Shadow's　hidden　lips。　Nor　did　The　Shadow　need　to　mention　the　logic　that　lay　behind　it。　In　fact；　The　Shadow　himself　was　responsible　for　the　situation；　because　he　had　thinned　the　ranks　of　Wessel's　crew　in　the　battle　at　Miami　Beach。
　　It　would　be　the　invariable　story。　Castenago；　as　the　brain；　would　argue　that　since　there　were　less　crooks　to　share　the　profits；　they　could　afford　to　take　a　smaller　percentage。
　　Contrarily；　Wessel　would　claim　that　crime's　hazard　had　proven　greater　than　anticipated；　therefore　warranting　a　bonus。　The　settlement　would　require　a　meeting；　and　a　long　one。
　　〃I　shall　watch　Wessel；〃　The　Shadow　told　Peridor。　〃When　the　right　time　es…〃
　　This　wasn't　the　right　time；　it　was　the　wrong　time。　The　door　of　the　room　was　thrust　open　by　one　of　Peridor's　servants；　who　exploded　a　streak　of　Spanish；　including　the　name　〃La　Sombra；〃　which　he　emphasized　by　gesticulating　toward　The　Shadow。
　　It　wasn't　necessary　for　Peridor　to　interpret。　The　Shadow　understood；　even　though　the　servant's　outpour　was　thick　with　Centralban　dialect。
　　Patrolling　soldiers　had　found　the　gatomontes　lying　in　the　shrubbery。　They　were　ing　in　to　search　the　mansion；　to　learn　if　it　contained　a　lurker。　As　he　finished；　the　servant　drew　his　machete；　brandishing　it　bravely；　to　indicate　that　this　time　he　would　use　it　in　The　Shadow's　service。　Peridor　was　opening　a　table　drawer　to　bring　out　an　old…fashioned　pistol。
　　The　Shadow　stopped　them　both。
　　〃My　visit　must　not　be　known；〃　he　told　them。　〃Show　me　a　quick　way　out。
　　Afterward；　claim　that　you　did　not　see　me。　You　can　do　it　best　by　doubting　that　I　even　exist。〃
　　Peridor　nodded。　Though　honest　to　a　fault；　he　could　carry　through　that　bluff。　It　was　possible　in　the　case　of　La　Sombra；　who　came　and　vanished　like　the　night　itself。　He　told　the　servant　to　show　The　Shadow　the　short　route　to　the　patio。
　　Lights　were　bobbing　all　about　when　The　Shadow　crept　out　through　a　forgotten　door　beneath　the　balcony　of　Peridor's　mansion。　The　patio　was　alive　with　police　and　soldiers；　some　on　the　balcony　itself。
　　The　other　servant　had　opened　the　main　door；　but　the　search　of　the　house　had　not　begun　because　someone　had　stumbled　upon　the　sentry；　who　lay　near　the　end　of　the　balcony。　Excitement　over　the　new　find　produced　a　new　excitement。
　　Barely　escaping　the　sweep　of　lights；　The　Shadow　was　weaving　out　through　the　patio。　He　was　near　the　gate　before　he　revealed　his　presence；　with　a　challenging　laugh　that　brought　a　quiver　even　from　the　crinkly　palm　branches　just　above　his　head。　Lights　swung　wildly；　when　one　beam　caught　The　Shadow；　the　others　copied　it。
　　
　　
　　IN　the　focused　glare；　a　score　of　men　saw　The　Shadow；　half　turned　toward　the　gate；　as　though　he　had　given　up　all　thought　of　entering　Peridor's　mansion。
　　He　turned　and　backed　his　challenge　by　prompt　stabs　from　a　pair　of　guns。
　　Those　shots　picked　flashlights　from　the　hands　that　held　them。　Other　lights　went　flying　through　the　air；　flung　by　their　owners。
　　There　wasn't　a　shot　in　return。　Police　and　soldiers　were　diving　for　shelter　before　taking　chances　with　The　Shadow。
　　The　echo　of　the　strident　laugh　was　fading　from　the　courtyard；　for　a　few　seconds；　the　only　sound　was　the　hollow；　plunking　tune　of　the　marimba　outside　the　gates。　Then　came　the　crack　of　many　guns　from　all　about　the　patio。
　　Castenago's　uniformed　men　were　gunning　for　The　Shadow；　only　to　be　taunted　by　the　laugh　that　they　couldn't　find。　He　was　cutting　through　the　patio　while　they　were　aiming　back　where　he　had　been。
　　As　he　sped；　The　Shadow　delivered　quick　spurts　from　his　guns；　clipping　foemen　who　huddled　in　the　shrubbery。　Their　return　shots　were　badly　wide；　for　The　Shadow's　mirth　persisted。
　　Officers　were　howling　orders；　and　by　luck；　someone　struck　upon　the　right　one。　Deep　in　the　patio；　The　Shadow's　only　outlet　was　the　balcony。　An　officer　yelled　to　seize　him　when　he　reached　the　steps；　and　men　were　on　hand　when　The　Shadow　arrived；　but　they　hadn't　bargained　for　the　fight　he　gave　them。
　　Changing　tactics；　The　Shadow　flung　himself　into　the　cluster　of　uniforms；　slugging　right　and　left。
　　Through　the　sprawling　group；　he　reached　the　steps。　Soldiers　found　their　feet　and　stumbled　after　him。　Along　the　balcony；　The　Shadow's　path　was　clear；　or　would　have　been　if　two　police　hadn't　popped　out　suddenly　from　within　the　house　itself。
　　Slugging　one；　The　Shadow　met　the　other　in　a　grapple　and　flung　him　toward　the　steps。　Spinning　like　a　toy　top；　the　man　in　uniform　lost　his　balance　and　floundered　downward；　spilling　the　stumblers　who　were　ing　up。
　　With　The　Shadow　on　the　run；　men　in　the　patio　took　new　chances　with　their　flashlights。　Spreading　beams　showed　The　Shadow　at　the　far　end　of　the　balcony。
　　He　was　on　the　rail；　reaching　for　the　roof　above。　The　flashlights　followed　him；　but　guns　were　late。　The　Shadow　had　reached　the　roof；　where　he　was　protected　from　those　who　aimed　from　below。
　　From　the　roof；　his　next　goal　was　to　be　the　wall。　Men　at　the　patio　gate　were　shooting　wildly；　while　others　yelled　The　Shadow's　destination。　Two　men　heard　it；　they　were　the　gatomontes；　ing　up　the　steps　to　the　balcony；　thrusting　the　bewildered　soldiers　aside。
　　Real　sharpshooters；　the　gatomontes　were　following　the　balcony；　sure　that　they　could　clip　The　Shadow　in　midair　when　he　sprang　from　roof　to　wall。
　　It　was　a　question　whether　he　could　plete　the　leap　before　the　gatomontes　could　reach　the　end　of　the　balcony　and　aim　past　the　inner　corner。　The　Shadow　was　depending　upon　that　corner　as　a　delaying　element。
　　If　anything；　he　had　the　advantage；　for　he　was　launching　from　the　roof　when　the　sharpshooters　reached　the　center　of　the　balcony。　It　might　depend　upon　his　landing　when　he　struck　the　wall。
　　The　question　was　never　quite　settled。
　　Timed　to　The　Shadow's　leap；　something　came　scaling　through　the　air　from　the　direction　of　the　gate。　Briefly；　the　flashlights　caught　an　elongated　object　that　couldn't　be　identified　before　it　landed　on　the　balcony。　It　struck　in　front　of　the　gatomontes；　who　were　well　ahead　of　the　soldiers。
　　The　thing　exploded　with　a　tremendous　burst。　It　settled　the　gatomontes　permanently；　for　they　disappeared　with　the　explosion；　along　with　a　great　chunk　of　the　balcony。　The　rest　of　the　balcony　caved　in；　sliding　a　flattened　row　of　soldiers　down　into　the　patio；　where　they　landed　in　a　heap；　to　be　showered　by　a　tumble　of　debris。
　　
　　
　　STRIKING　the　wall　just　as　the　explosion　ripped；　The　Shadow　never　paused。
　　As　if　the　outward　concussion　gave　him　impetus；　he　used　the　wall　as　a　mere　stepping…stone　for　a　further　leap　beyond　it。
　　So　quickly　did　he　travel；　that　the　men　in　the　patio；　momentarily　numbed　by　the　bomb　burst；　couldn't　believe　that　it　all　happened　in　so　short　an　interval。
　　To　their　eyes；　The　Shadow　simply　vanished。　The　explosion　couldn't　have　harmed　him；　for　the　wall　where　he　landed　was　intact。　But　it　was　quite　as　incredible　to　believe　that　he　still　existed。　They'd　seen　him　leaping；　they'd　been　dazzled　by　a　great　blaze　of　light；　and　The　Shadow　was　gone　with　the　blast！
　　A　result　quite　to　The　Shadow's　liking；　for　it　would　back　the　story　that　Francisco　Peridor　would　tell。　Dramatic　in　itself；　The　Shadow's　departure　had　been　intensified　by　the　timely　bombshell　that　might　have　e　from　nowhere。
　　Around　the　corner　from　the　esplanade；　The　Shadow　paused　and　peered　along　the　sidewalk。　He　could　hear　a　babble　from　the　patio；　and　its　excitement　carried　out　beyond　the　gates。　The　fiesta　was　over　and　the　few　remaining　students　were　scurrying　away；　as　frightened　as　the　pigeons。　The　marimba　player　was　packing　up　his　gourds；　anxious　to　get　away　from　this　dangerous　vicinity。　Very　rapidly；　the　scene　was　being　deserted。
　　Turning；　The　Shadow　glided　away　from　the　wall　and　blended　into　darkness。
　　As　he　went；　he　gave　a　strident　laugh　that　he　knew　would　carry　to　the　patio　and　increase　the　bewilderment　there。　Such　mirth；　carried　on　the　still　night　air；　would　add　to　the　elusive　reputation　of　La　Sombra。
　　Tomorrow；　all　that　had　happened；　and　more；　would　be　credited　to　a　creature　of　blackness；　with　superhuman　prowess。　A　being　who　could　clear　a　high　wall　at　a　single　bound；　blasting　balconies　behind　him　as　he　vanished　in　midair；　with　a　laugh　so　distant　that　it　could　have　e　from　the　crater　of　a　smoking　volcano　miles　beyond　the　city　of　Libertad。
　　They　believed　such　things　in　Centralba；　if　given　enough　evidence　to　stir　the　native　imagination。　The　Shadow's　own　efforts；　coupled　w