mg.dictatorofcrime-第4部分

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　　He　hadn't　whirled　away；　he　had　taken　a　headlong　dive；　ahead　of　the　barrage！
　　Rolling　on　the　floor；　The　Shadow　had　been　below　the　range　of　bullets。　He'd　flung　himself　right　out　of　the　battle　because　there　had　been　no　other　way；　but　in　a　few　seconds　more　he　would　be　back　in　it；　unless　these　two　prevented　him。
　　Maybe　they　had　thoughts　of　a　bonus；　as　they　aimed　for　The　Shadow。　Extra　pay　for　treachery　that　they　were　never　to　collect。
　　A　gun　spoke　from　the　floor；　the　one　gun　that　The　Shadow　could　use　at　that　moment。　It　clipped　one　of　the　aspiring　traitors　and　felled　him；　but　left　the　other　with　an　opportunity。　The　fellow　didn't　have　time　to　use　it。　Another　gun　spoke。
　　It　wasn't　The　Shadow's　second　automatic；　it　was　a　revolver　drawn　by　Colin　Nayre。　He；　too；　had　seen　The　Shadow's　roll。　Nayre's　target　was　the　second　traitor；　and　he　dropped　the　man　whose　aim　The　Shadow　couldn't　have　stopped　alone。
　　There　was　no　time　to　exchange　pliments。　On　his　feet；　The　Shadow　was　wheeling　out　through　the　room；　passing　the　unscathed　bankers　in　their　corners；　and　the　two　officers；　they　had　halted；　wondering　whether　to　pursue　Murk　and　his　mob；　or　stand　by　to　fight　off　a　counter…attack。　The　Shadow　cleared　sprawled　figures…two　thugs　and　two　of　Durez's　panions；　who　had　gone　down　in　a　deadlock。
　　He　was　in　the　hallway。　Ahead　was　another　of　the　fugitives　from　Centralba；　dead　through　his　own　folly。　Murk　Wessel　was　struggling　personally　with　Jose　Durez；　trying　to　drag　the　money…mad　colonel　into　the　elevator；　where　two　of　Murk's　men　were　ready　with　their　guns。
　　The　Shadow　sent　a　laugh　along　the　hallway；　a　tone　that　almost　woke　the　dead　with　whom　the　criminals　thought　he　was　already　numbered。
　　Sight　of　the　black…cloaked　avenger　was　too　much。　Murk　gave　Durez　a　fling；　which　wasn't　difficult；　considering　that　the　man　was　already　wounded。　Then；　with　a　dive；　Murk　was　in　the　elevator　and　his　men　were　trying　to　slam　the　door。
　　Sudden　was　The　Shadow's　stop；　straight　his　aim。　He　wanted　to　put　three　bullets　in　that　elevator　before　the　door　slammed：　one　apiece　for　the　men　inside。　It　was　Durez　who　prevented　it。　Still　on　his　feet；　the　foolhardy　colonel　flung　himself　right　into　the　closing　doors；　blocking　The　Shadow's　aim　pletely。
　　Guns　ripped；　but　not　The　Shadow's。　They　were　revolvers　belonging　to　Murk　and　his　lieutenants。　They　riddled　Durez；　flaying　his　dead　body　out　from　the　doors；　which　promptly　slammed。
　　Yet；　in　that　last　moment　when　Durez　sagged　away；　The　Shadow　poked　a　shot　between　the　three…inch　space；　to　find　one　of　Murk's　lieutenants　straight　through　the　heart。
　　Speeding　along　the　hallway；　The　Shadow　found　a　stairway　and　started　down。
　　Things　had　been　happening　in　instants；　upstairs；　so　rapidly　that　the　police　from　outside　were　just　getting　into　the　hotel。　The　Shadow　passed　them　like　a　streak　of　light；　as　he　saw　the　rear　stairway　to　the　garage。　A　few　of　the　police　followed　him。　Others　dashed　upstairs。
　　
　　
　　IN　the　garage；　Murk　and　his　one　remaining　lieutenant　jumped　into　the　rear　door　of　the　armored　truck。　There　was　a　driver　at　the　wheel；　and　they　were　telling　him　to　get　started。
　　No　one　had　been　worrying　about　the　truck　while　it　was　empty；　hence　crooks　had　taken　it　over　easily。　The　driver　had　to　do　what　they　told　him；　and　the　coffers　were　all　on　board；　but　one　detail　was　forgotten：　the　garage　door　wasn't　open。
　　Purposely；　Murk　had　left　that　to　the　final　moment；　so　the　police　wouldn't　expect　the　ing　flight。　But　The　Shadow　wasn't　allowing　the　final　moment。　He　was　aiming　for　the　rear　door　of　the　truck　as　Murk　dived　inside。
　　Hurdling　the　coffers；　Murk　flattened　beyond　them；　they　stopped　The　Shadow's　shots。　The　driver；　responding　to　the　menace　of　guns；　spurted　the　truck　right　through　the　garage　door；　which　smashed　apart　like　pasteboard。
　　An　ordinary　car　wouldn't　have　had　the　weight　to　acplish　that　little　feat；　but　the　truck　was　as　heavy　as　a　fair…sized　army　tank。　All　that　The　Shadow　gained　was　a　nice　wide　exit　through　which　he　could　dash　on　foot。
　　As　he　came　out；　he　saw　the　taxicab　that　had　brought　him　from　the　airport。
　　The　driver；　stiffened　at　the　wheel；　didn't　know　what　to　do。　The　Shadow　sprang　into　the　cab　and　told　him。
　　
　　
　　THINGS　were　happening　elsewhere。　Up　in　the　room　where　the　battle　began；　one　man　was　fighting　off　a　pair。　The　one　man　was　Colin　Nayre；　and　he　was　struggling　with　the　two　policemen　who　had　been　in　the　fray　from　the　start。
　　They　had　quite　the　wrong　idea　regarding　Nayre。　They　thought　that　his　chance　opening　of　the　connecting　door　had　been　intentional；　and　they　wanted　to　hold　him　to　account　for　it。　After　all；　Nayre　didn't　quite　belong　to　the　Durez　faction…a　point　which　the　bankers　were　shouting　aloud。　He'd　been　ruled　out　of　the　business　conference　by　Durez。　Maybe　he'd　sold　out；　the　way　the　two　private　detectives　had。
　　Only　The　Shadow　could　have　testified　in　Nayre's　behalf；　and　The　Shadow　was　gone。　So　Nayre；　thinking　that　The　Shadow　perhaps　had　fled　from　a　misunderstood　situation；　decided　that　a　quick　out　was　his　course；　too。　Flinging　the　two　officers　aside；　he　dived　for　the　balcony　just　as　other　members　of　the　Beach　force　came　plunging　into　the　room。
　　All　during　the　cannonading　on　the　third　floor；　Margo　Lane　had　undergone　a　flood　of　reactions。　First；　she　had　stood　petrified　on　the　diving　board；　then；　knowing　that　The　Shadow　must　be　in　the　thick　of　things；　Margo　had　wondered　what　she　could　do。
　　She　had　hesitated；　worrying　about　the　police　outside；　particularly　the　guardian　of　the　hedge；　until　she　realized　that　the　battle　must　have　attracted　them。
　　Dashing　from　the　shore　end　of　the　spring　board；　Margo　reached　the　hedge　and　pushed　through　it；　to　her　car。　The　keys　were　in　the　lock；　where　she　had　left　them　just　to　show　the　too…suspicious　cop　that　she　trusted　him。
　　All　the　while；　Margo　was　darting　looks　up　to　the　balcony；　expecting　to　see　The　Shadow　e　out　by　the　route　which　he　had　used　for　entry。　She　only　hoped　that　his　exit　wouldn't　be　a　tumble。
　　A　terrific　crash　distracted　her。　It　was　the　armored　truck；　smashing　out　through　the　garage　door。　Margo　didn't　see　The　Shadow　follow；　for　she　was　looking　upward　again。　Not　sighting　The　Shadow　made　her　magnify　his　plight；　and　she　started　the　roadster；　feeling　positive　that　he　would　arrive　in　crippled　condition　and　need　someone　to　drive　him　away。
　　She　realized；　then；　that　she　should　have　stopped　to　pick　up　her　robe　and　slippers；　but　it　was　too　late　to　get　them。　So　Margo　promised　by　getting　rid　of　the　bathing　cap；　so　she　could　shake　her　hair　loose。
　　The　roadster's　seat　was　deep；　and　anyone　noticing　her　head　and　shoulders　would　think　that　she　was　wearing　an　evening　gown　and　driving　home　from　a　party；　instead　of　being　a　fugitive　direct　from　the　Equator　swimming　pool。
　　As　Margo　wheeled　the　roadster　about；　she　saw　a　figure　vault　the　balcony；　run　and　drop　to　the　roof　of　the　garage；　but　it　wasn't　The　Shadow。　She　recognized　Nayre；　and　he　didn't　stop　with　the　garage　roof。　Instead；　he　leaped　across　it　and　jumped　to　the　ground；　just　ahead　of　shots　that　police　began　to　fire　from　the　balcony。　
　　Taking　it　for　granted　that　revolution　had　broken　out　amid　the　Durez　faction　itself；　Margo　thought　that　the　police　pursuit　of　Nayre　was　quite　legitimate。　Though　she　had　liked　his　looks　when　she　first　saw　him；　that　wasn't　going　to　help　him；　at　present。
　　Nayre；　it　happened；　had　a　way　of　helping　himself。　He　saw　Margo　at　the　moment　she　forgot　him。
　　A　cab　was　starting　away。　It　was　the　cab　in　which　The　Shadow　had　arrived。
　　Remembering　her　former　impression；　Margo　had　an　idea　that　The　Shadow　was　in　it　and　decided　she　ought　to　overtake　the　cab；　to　give　him　a　chance　to　change　vehicles。
　　On　that　inspiration；　she　pressed　the　accelerator；　just　too　late　to　avoid　taking　on　a　passenger。
　　The　passenger　was　Nayre。
　　He　opened　the　door　just　as　the　roadster　spurted；　and　before　Margo　could　shift　to　the　brake　pedal；　Nayre　decided　matters　for　her。　He　still　had　his　revolver；　and　he　nudged　Margo　with　it；　telling　her　firmly：
　　〃Keep　right　ahead；　as　fast　as　you　can　go！〃
　　
　　
　　MARGO　kept　ahead。　She　wanted　to　overtake　the　cab；　but　couldn't　quite　manage　it。
　　Guns　were　popping　off　like　firecrackers；　somewhere　back；　and　police　cars　were　whining　to　the　chase。　Up　ahead；　an　armored　truck　was　roaring　off　into　the　maze…like　depths　of　Miami　Beach；　and　the　taxicab　was　heading　after　it；　which　Margo　wanted　to　do；　too；　but　Nayre　decided　otherwise。
　　In　a　tone　as　frigid　as　his　gun　muzzle；　he　ordered：
　　〃Turn　right。　We're　going　north。〃
　　They　turned　right　and　went　north　at　full　speed；　with　Margo　giving　a　last　frantic　glance　toward　the　departing　taxicab；　hoping　that　The　Shadow　would　see　her。　He　couldn't　have；　thought　Margo；　or　the　cab　would　have　stopped　and　returned　to　follow　her　roadster。　Instead；　the　cab　kept　right　ahead。
　　One　reason　that　it　kept　ahead　was　because　The　Shadow　did　see　Margo　and　the　passenger　in　her　car。　If　there　was　any　man　who　deserved　a　break　for　freedom；　that　man　was　Nayre。　Not　only　did　The　Shadow　know；　he　was　sure　that　Margo　would　understand；　in　due　time。　But　there　were　other　men；　who　deserved　no　chance　at　all：　Murk　Wessel　and　his　crew　in　the　armored　truck。
　　Since　he　was　on　their　trail；　The　Shadow　stayed　with　it。　His　last　word　to　Margo　was　a　parting　laugh　that　she　was　too　far　away　to　hear！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　V　
　　　VANISHED　CRIMINALS　
　　THE　chase　through　the　streets　of　Miami　Beach　was　unique　in　the　annals　of　that　city。　In　a　sense；　it　wasn't　a　pursuit。　It　was　a　case　of　worriment。　Any　attempt　to　overtake　and　crack　an　armored　truck　was　out　of　the　question。　The　thing　to　do　was　keep　the　crooks　on　the　go；　until　they　gave　up　through　weariness　and　exhaustion　of　their　ammunition。
　　The　Shadow　set　the　style；　and　the　police　promptly　copied　it。　Attracted　by　the　sounds　of　shots；　one　police　car　cut　into　the　scene；　to　see　a　taxicab　spurt　toward　the　truck　and　swing　into　a　zigzag。
　　A　few　shots　from　the　cab　window　enticed　a　whole　deluge　from　the　truck；　but　the　responding　bullets　didn't　count；　because　the　cab；　by　then；　had　veered　into　another　street。
　　So　the　police　car　took　a　stab　at　it　and　found　that　it　worked。　A　few　blocks　more　and　the　cab　reappeared；　giving　an　example　to　anot