mg.dictatorofcrime-第18部分

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　　〃So　Castenago　wants　to　see　us；〃　Murk　was　saying。　〃I　told　you　we'd　be　hearing　from　him　soon　enough。〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　put　in　a　crook。　〃But　he　didn't　say　anything　about　giving　us　the　cut　we　asked　for。〃
　　〃Why　should　he？〃　demanded　Murk。　〃Treban　is　only　the　go…between。　Castenago　is　going　to　talk　to　us；　personal。　Don't　worry　about　us　getting　ours。　I'll　make　him　boost　the　ante；　if　anything。〃
　　〃How'll　you　do　that；　Murk？〃
　　〃By　playing　up　this　Shadow　business。　Maybe　His　Nibs　is　worried。　Those　monkeys　of　his　met　up　with　The　Shadow　last　night；　and　didn't　do　a　thing　about　it。　We're　the　guys　Castenago　needs。〃
　　There　were　mutters　of　doubt。　Murk's　followers　hadn't　forgotten　what　happened　to　their　pals　in　Miami　Beach。　They　were　figuring　that　Murk　was　playing　into　Castenago's　probable　argument　that　less　money　would　be　satisfactory；　if　each　man　received　a　larger　share。　Maybe　there　would　be　larger　shares；　if　thugs　met　up　with　The　Shadow。　Larger；　for　those　who　survived。　Understanding　the　grumbles；　Murk　silenced　them。
　　〃That's　only　the　line　I'm　going　to　hand　Castenago；〃　he　assured。　〃What　we　asked　for；　with　a　bonus　later；　when　we　nick　The　Shadow。　When　we　get　the　dough；　we　can　forget　the　bonus。〃
　　
　　
　　IN　the　pleased　responses；　The　Shadow　caught　references　to　〃a　million　bucks；〃　which　indicated　that　Castenago　had　promised　a　straight　ten　percent　to　Murk　for　knocking　off　Durez　and　bringing　the　funds　back　to　the　dictator's　treasury。
　　It　wasn't　surprising　that　Murk　had　settled　for　so　little。　A　million　dollars　was　probably　far　beyond　any　of　his　crooked　dreams。　Besides；　ten　millions　wouldn't　have　been　worth　ten　cents；　had　he　stayed　in　the　United　States　after　his　crime；　or　even　fled　to　any　country　other　than　Centralba。　Murk　was　marked；　safe　only　through　Castenago's　aid。
　　〃Get　ready；　guys；〃　declared　Murk。　〃We're　due　at　the　palace　soon。　We'll
　　sneak　out　and　give　a　flash　to　Treban。　He'll　flash　back　from　his　office　when　everything's　ready。　The　gatomontes　will　be　along　the　route；　signaling　if　its　clear。
　　〃Treban　says　we'll　have　an　hour　before　the　council　meeting。　Castenago　wants　to　have　a　session　with　us　first；　and　let　his　regular　stooges　wait。　An　hour's　enough。　It　won't　take　us　long　to　sell　our　idea　to　Big　Chin　Face。　I'm
　　telling　you；　Castenago　is　worried！〃
　　The　partition　had　closed。　The　Shadow　was　returning　upstairs。　Margo　had　finished　her　first　course；　and　the　next　was　waiting；　so　Allard　told　the　waiter　to　serve　it　and　bring　the　rest　along。　As　soon　as　the　waiter　had　hurried　away；　The　Shadow　said　to　Margo：
　　〃I'll　stay　about　twenty　minutes。　After　that；　if　anyone　asks　you；　just　say　that　I'm　still　around。　I　found　those　fellows；　and　they're　going　to　the　presidential　palace。　Somebody　has　to　do　something　about　it。〃
　　Margo　gained　the　impression　that　〃somebody〃　was　The　Shadow；　and　that　Allard　intended　to　inform　him　of　the　brewing　trouble。　She　still　believed　that　Lamont　Cranston　had　e　to　Libertad　and　had　established　contact　with　Kent　Allard。
　　Twenty　minutes　later；　Allard　was　on　his　way　and　Margo　was　finishing　her　desert　alone。　As　she　left　the　table；　she　saw　Treban　approaching；　and　walked　straight　past　him；　looking　toward　the　roulette　players　as　though　expecting　to　see　Allard　among　them。
　　Treban　cocked　his　head；　looked　at　the　table　that　Margo　had　left；　and　promptly　went　back　to　his　office。　Margo　hoped　he　wasn't　going　to　call　Castenago。　Allard　hadn't　had　much　time　yet　to　contact　Cranston。
　　Margo　wouldn't　have　worried　had　she　been　able；　at　that　moment；　to　see　them　both…Allard　and　Cranston；　rolled　into　one　personality：　The　Shadow。　He　was　in　the　back　room　of　the　little　shop　which　he　used　as　headquarters；　and　had　just　finished　putting　on　his　cloak　and　hat。
　　Something　rolled　from　the　shelf；　and　The　Shadow　caught　it　before　it　fell；　to　turn　his　flashlight　on　it。　The　thing　was　a　hollow　wooden　egg；　that　broke　open　slightly；　to　show　a　smaller　egg　within　it。
　　A　novelty　of　Japanese　manufacture；　popular　years　ago　in　America；　and　probably　something　new　today　in　Centralba。　The　Shadow　laughed　softly　as　he　replaced　the　wooden　egg　upon　the　shelf。
　　It　made　him　think　of　the　ing　situation：　a　game　within　a　game。　Perhaps　it　would　have　been　better　had　The　Shadow　let　the　wooden　egg　fall　to　the　floor。
　　He'd　have　remembered；　then；　that　there　were　still　more　eggs　within　it；　a　whole　nest　of　them；　that　would　have　cracked　apart；　down　to　the　smallest　egg　that　formed　the　tiny　core。
　　When　Luis　Castenago　played　a　game　with　a　game；　there　were　apt　to　be　games　inside　that　game；　and　many　of　them。
　　The　Shadow　was　to　learn！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XVI　
　　　WELE…THE　SHADOW！
　　
　　IT　was　a　very　swift　and　easy　trip　to　the　presidential　palace；　for　The　Shadow　took　short　cuts；　through　narrow　passages　between　buildings　and　even　across　plazas。
　　Last　night；　there　had　been　gatomontes　lurking　among　the　buildings；　and　merrymakers　thronging　the　plazas；　making　both　courses　difficult。
　　This　evening；　the　gatomontes　were　watching　the　streets；　to　make　sure　that　a　certain　car　ing　from　the　casino　was　neither　followed　nor　intercepted；　while　the　plazas　were　deserted　because　there　was　no　fiesta。　In　fact；　The　Shadow　didn't　have　the　slightest　bother；　until　he　reached　the　palace　itself。
　　There　were　soldiers；　palace　guards；　around　the　fountains　above　the　great　marble　steps。　They　had　hired　a　strolling　marimba　player　to　entertain　with　his　music；　and　the　mellow　notes　of　the　instrument　were　blending　with　the　tinkle　of　the　illuminated　fountains。
　　There　was　too　much　light　for　entry　by　that　route；　but　the　presence　of　so　many　soldiers　pleased　The　Shadow。　It　meant　that　there　would　be　less　inside　the　palace；　and　probably　none　around　their　own　headquarters；　the　presidio。　So　The　Shadow　skirted　the　palace；　scaled　the　low　roof　of　the　rear　building；　and　took　a　look　at　a　large　courtyard　within。
　　The　yard　was　a　cement　parade　ground；　very　dim　in　the　darkness　behind　the　palace。　Footsteps　would　clatter　a　warning　if　they　arrived　there；　so　The　Shadow　calmly　stretched　to　the　nearest　window　of　the　palace　and　gradually　worked　it　open。
　　Once　inside；　he　worked　his　way　through　darkness；　with　the　occasional　use　of　his　tiny　flashlight。　He　took　a　look　from　a　side　window　to　make　sure　that　no　cars　had　yet　arrived；　bringing　the　members　of　Castenago's　so…called　〃council。〃
　　Seeing　no　cars；　The　Shadow　took　his　time。　He　was　quite　sure　that　Castenago　and　Wessel　would　prolong　their　business　meeting　to　the　limit。
　　However　well　Murk's　offer　impressed　Castenago；　the　dictator　would　try　to　chisel　on　the　price；　because　if　he　didn't；　Murk　would　try　to　raise　it。　If　they　did　e　to　terms；　Castenago　would　want　Murk　to　detail　just　how　he　would　go　after　The　Shadow；　and　in　turn；　Wessel　would　have　to　stall　over　that　particular　question。
　　With　fifteen　minutes　still　to　go　before　the　hour　when　the　regular　council　met；　The　Shadow　had　enough　time；　indeed；　too　much。
　　The　Shadow　was　playing　for　the　perfect　moment。　It　would　e　when　Castenago　was　ready　to　end　his　present　conference；　to　make　ready　for　the　next。
　　Bold　though　it　seemed；　The　Shadow　intended　to　hold　one　group　until　the　other　arrived；　thus　placing　Murk　Wessel　&　Co。　on　exhibit　for　the　members　of　the　Centralban　national　council。
　　It　was　something　that　Castenago　would　never　wipe　off；　and　the　stroke　was　possible。　The　Shadow　intended　to　acplish　it　by　a　system　of　swift　surprise。
　　Through　the　almost…deserted　palace；　which　he　knew　quite　well　from　Peridor's　information；　The　Shadow　reached　the　elevator　leading　up　to　the　council　room。　He'd　seen　a　few　secretaries；　like　Estaban；　but　had　easily　glided　from　sight　behind　the　filigreed　pillars　and　fancy　doors　so　prevalent　throughout　the　palace。
　　The　Shadow　made　a　quick　search　with　his　eyes；　to　make　sure　that　no　one　was　near　the　elevator　passage；　then　pressed　the　button　that　brought　the　silent　car。
　　Stepping　into　the　elevator；　The　Shadow　waited　while　the　door　slid　shut。
　　The　car　started　its　upward　trip；　and　during　the　ride；　the　cloaked　invader　produced　his　automatics。　He　was　at　the　very　front　of　the　elevator　when　it　stopped；　and　as　the　door　slid　aside；　he　made　a　quick　twist　through　the　opening　into　the　lighted　council　chamber　As　he　came；　The　Shadow　issued　a　sinister　laugh　that　left　no　doubt　as　to　his　identity。　There　were　figures　about　the　great　table；　but　all　were　turned　away　except　one：　Luis　Castenago。
　　It　was　straight　for　the　thick…necked　dictator　that　The　Shadow　directed　one　bulging　gun；　giving　it　an　upward　gesture。　The　move　brought　Castenago　to　his　feet；　hands　half　raised；　making　it　impossible　for　him　to　use　the　knee　buttons　that　would　summon　aid。
　　Meanwhile；　The　Shadow's　other　gun　was　circling　the　table；　ready　to　explode　if　a　single　person　defied　him。　The　piercing　burn　of　the　eyes　beneath　The　Shadow's　hat　brim　were　meant　for　all　to　see。　Rats　like　Murk　Wessel　couldn't　take　a　chance；　now　that　The　Shadow　had　cowed　Castenago　in　the　tyrant's　own　lair。
　　The　Shadow　knew。　Yet；　with　such　knowledge；　his　next　laugh　faded　on　his　lips　as　frightened　faces　met　his　eyes。
　　The　game　had　gone　one　layer　deeper。
　　These　men　with　Castenago　weren't　Murk　Wessel　and　his　brood　of　murderers。
　　They　were　dignified　Centralbans；　half　a　dozen　of　them；　some　with　dark…bearded　faces；　others　with　sallow　countenances　that　had　taken　a　curious　pallor。
　　They　didn't　exclaim；　〃The　Shadow；〃　as　crooks　would　have。　The　name　they　uttered　was：
　　〃La　Sombra！〃
　　
　　
　　RIVETED；　The　Shadow　understood。　He　had　broken　right　into　the　middle　of　a　bona　fide　council　meeting。　Stooges　or　not；　these　were　the　men　who　represented　the　law　in　Centralba；　and　The　Shadow　had　mistakenly　disclosed　himself　in　a　manner　that　would　cause　them　to　regard　him　as　an　armed　malefactor。
　　These　were　the　very　men　to　whom　The　Shadow　had　intended　to　reveal　Castenago's　masquerade；　by　unmasking　the　dictator　as　the　real　head　of　a　group　of　international　murderers。
　　How　neatly　had　Castenago　called　the　turn！　The　smile　on　his　evil　lips　was　an　answer　to　the　simple　riddle　that　The　Shadow　had　already　solved。
　　Castenago　had　called　the　council　meeting　early。　The　Shadow　hadn't　seen　the　cars；　because　they　had　e　and　gone。　Positive　that　Kent　Allard　was　The　Shadow；　sure　that　the　mysterious　crime…hunter　would