mg.greeneyes-第12部分

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he　Tiger　Tong。　With　it　was　a　letter　from　Ling　Soo。〃
　　〃What　did　he　have　to　say？〃
　　〃I　only　glanced　over　the　papers。　Tomorrow　I　can　let　you　see　them。　I　think；　however；　that　I　can　give　you　the　general　facts；　right　now；　from　memory。〃
　　〃I'd　like　to　hear　them。〃
　　〃It　appears；〃　said　Darley；　〃that　the　Tiger　Tong　made　it　known　in　no　uncertain　terms　that　it　did　not　like　the　Wu…Fan。　So　Ling　Soo　sent　a　delegate　to　talk　with　a　leader　of　the　Tiger　Tong；　who　makes　his　headquarters　at　a　dive　called　the　Sun　Kew。〃
　　This　was　illuminating！　The　delegate　must　have　been　the　man　who　said　he　would　not　go　again！
　　〃The　delegate；〃　continued　Darley；　〃encountered　some　sort　of　trouble。　So　Ling　Soo　ordered　three　men　to　go　there　instead。〃
　　〃They　waited　until　late　at　night；　because　the　riff…raff　of　the　Tiger　Tong　are　usually　around　the　Sun　Kew　in　the　evening。　When　the　delegates　arrived　there；　they　found　the　police　in　possession。　There　had　been　a　riot　at　the　Sun　Kew。〃
　　〃What　caused　it？〃　asked　Cleve。
　　〃The　police　could　not　find　out；〃　declared　Darley。　〃But　it　was　in　reference　to　that　riot　that　Ling　Soo　wrote　to　me。　He　believes　that　the　Tiger　Tong　lured　a　few　members　of　the　Wu…Fan　to　the　place　and　attacked　them。
　　〃Whether　or　not　Ling　Soo's　followers　rendered　a　good　accounting　and　escaped；　is　a　matter　of　speculation。　It　seems　evident；　however；　that　the　disturbance　was　made　by　the　members　of　the　Tiger　Tong　themselves。〃
　　〃It　happened　in　their　bailiwick；〃　agreed　Cleve。
　　〃Yes；〃　resumed　Darley；　〃and　it　would　be　extremely　unlikely　that　Ling　Soo　would　have　ordered　an　attack　at　that　place。　The　Wu…Fan　is　not　admired　by　the　other　tongs。　If　the　Wu…Fan　should　start　trouble　with　the　Tiger　Tong；　it　would　place　itself　in　a　very　dangerous　position。〃
　　〃This　may　be　important；〃　said　Cleve。
　　〃It　is　important；〃　declared　Darley。　〃Important　to　you　as　well　as　to　me。〃
　　〃Why　to　me；　particularly？〃
　　〃Because　it　proves　that　any　member　of　the　Wu…Fan　is　in　danger。　It　settles…in　my　mind…the　question　of　Stephen　Laird's　death　on　the　Mountain　Limited。〃
　　〃You　believe　that　he　was　murdered　by　Chinese　opposed　to　the　Wu…Fan？〃
　　〃Without　a　doubt。〃
　　Cleve　reflected。　Joseph　Darley's　theory　appeared　correct。　Stephen　Laird　had　died　from　a　knife　thrust。　The　members　of　the　Tiger　Tong　had　been　knife…wielders。　They　had　attacked　Cleve…an　American　and　a　member　of　the　Wu…Fan。
　　
　　
　　IT　was　logical　that　Stephen　Laird…also　an　American　affiliated　with　the　Wu…Fan…had　been　a　victim　of　the　Tiger　Tong。　If　this　were　true；　it　meant　that　Cleve's　investigation　of　this　case　was　ended。
　　The　Chinese　tongs　were　already　under　surveillance。　The　Bureau　of　Investigation　was　interested　in　the　Wu…Fan　only　because　it　was　a　new　organization。　Laird's　death　had　appeared　as　a　smirch　upon　its　record。　With　the　Wu…Fan　exonerated；　Cleve　could　make　his　final　report　and　leave　San　Francisco。
　　He　put　one　question　to　Joseph　Darley；　because　he　knew　that　the　answer　would　have　an　important　bearing　on　the　situation。
　　〃We　must　remember；〃　he　said；　〃that　Stephen　Laird　was　not　killed　in　San　Francisco。　He　was　murdered　while　traveling。　Is　that　in　accord；　with　tong　practice？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Darley　emphatically。　〃At　least　to　the　degree　that　it　affects　this　case。　Had　Laird　been　killed　far　away　from　San　Francisco…or　in　some　small　city…we　could　hardly　blame　the　tong。　This　city　and　New　York　are　the　strongholds　of　the　tongs。　But　Laird　was　less　than　a　night's　journey　on　his　trip　eastward。
　　〃Some　member　of　the　Tiger　Tong　may　have　been　appointed　to　kill　Laird。
　　Failing；　the　assassin　took　the　chance　of　following　him　on　the　train。　It　goes　badly　with　tong　members；　you　know；　if　they　fail　in　a　definitely　appointed　task。〃
　　Cleve　was　thinking。　He　was　recalling　the　dying　words　of　Stephen　Laird；　as　they　had　been　emblazoned　in　the　newspaper　reports。　〃Tag　A…see　in　the　box。〃
　　These　statements　and　a　vague　reference　to　someone　with　green　eyes　were　the　only　message　that　Laird　had　given。　After　all；　they　sounded　trivial。
　　Perhaps；　somewhere；　Laird　had　left　a　report。　A　tag　marked　〃A〃　might　have　been　a　bit　of　evidence　that　would　lead　to　the　man　who　had　murdered　him…a　man　with　green　eyes。
　　Green　eyes！　Cleve　had　noticed　none　as　yet。　Ling　Soo's　eyes　were　usually　dull。　They　flashed　at　times；　but　they　were　dark…not　green。　So　were　the　eyes　of　his　crouching　servant；　Foy。　Dark　eyes…all　dark　eyes。
　　Cleve　smiled　as　he　looked　at　Joseph　Darley。　Thinking　of　eyes；　he　encountered　those　of　the　mitteeman。　Mild；　kindly　eyes；　of　a　light　grayish…blue。　Like　Darley's　countenance；　and　the　man's　gray　hair；　they　expressed　sympathy　and　understanding。
　　〃I　think　that　you　are　right；〃　declared　Cleve。　〃While　I　remain　in　San　Francisco；　it　would　probably　be　best　for　me　to　learn　facts　about　the　Tiger　Tong　instead　of　the　Wu…Fan。　Can　you　aid　me　in　that？〃
　　〃I　shall　do　as　much　as　possible；〃　said　Darley。　〃The　police　can　also　give　you　information。　They　know　of　men　who　are　reputed　to　be　killers。〃
　　〃Tomorrow；　then；〃　said　Cleve；　〃I　shall　prepare　to　finish　my　report。〃
　　The　decision　seemed　a　good　one。　It　obviated　further　necessity　of　being　Hugo　Barnes。　With　plete　data　on　the　Tiger　Tong…evidence；　perhaps；　of　attempted　killings　or　actual　deaths　of　Wu…Fan　members…Cleve　could　terminate　this　adventurous　stay　in　San　Francisco。
　　With　thoughts　along　these　lines；　Cleve　dined　with　Joseph　Darley。　But　as　he　ate；　Cleve　had　new　thoughts…impressions　which　meant　that　he　must　stay　a　while　before　his　work　was　ended。
　　Cleve　was　thinking　of　The　Shadow。
　　The　invisible　man　who　had　chosen　to　appear　on　one　occasion　still　remained　a　mystery！
　　Why　was　The　Shadow　here？　Why　had　he　been　at　Ling　Soo's？　Why　had　he　followed　Cleve？　Why　had　he　made　the　rescue？
　　Important　questions…all。　But　there　was　another　realization　that　brought　a　furrow　to　Cleve's　brow　as　he　considered　it。
　　The　Shadow　had　followed　him　while　he　was　Cleve　Branch；　and　also　while　he　was　Hugo　Barnes。　Could　it　be　possible　that　this　man　of　the　dark　knew　the　existence　of　both　identities？
　　Cleve　recalled　that　he　had　been　left　close　by　Moy　Chen's　shop。　Evidently；　The　Shadow　knew　that　Hugo　Barnes　had　contact　there。　Where　was　the　explanation　of　the　riddle？
　　Instinctively；　Cleve　glanced　about　him。　His　eyes　sought　the　floor。　They　saw　a　shadow　there！　But　there　was　no　mystery　to　this　shadow。　It　belonged　to　a　gentleman　who　was　dining　alone　at　a　table　close　by…scarcely　within　earshot　of　Cleve　Branch　and　Joseph　Darley。
　　Cleve　watched　as　the　gentleman　arose　and　strolled　from　the　dining　room；　his　shadow　moving　with　him。　A　waiter　was　bowing　as　the　man　went　by。
　　Evidently　a　guest　at　the　hotel…not　a　person　whom　one　could　connect　with　darkened　alleyways　and　sinister　dives　in　Chinatown。
　　The　departing　guest　was　speaking　to　the　head　waiter　at　the　door　of　the　dining　room。　That　was　a　considerable　distance　away；　and　Cleve　lost　his　passing　interest。　He　turned　to　dinner　and　continued　with　the　course　that　he　was　eating。
　　Yet　his　thoughts　were　still　of　The　Shadow。　That　man　of　mystery　was　one　whom　Cleve　could　not　forget。　Although　he　did　not　mention　it　to　Darley；　Cleve　intended　to　remain　in　San　Francisco。
　　He　was　determined　to　learn　the　secret　of　The　Shadow！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　IX　
　　　THE　SHADOW　LAUGHS　
　　THE　gentleman　left　the　dining　room　and　walked　slowly　across　the　spacious　lobby　of　the　St。　Thomas　Hotel。　He　stopped　at　the　desk；　and　spoke　to　the　clerk。
　　He　received　a　key　that　bore　the　number　1216。
　　〃No　messages；　Mr。　Arnaud；〃　said　the　clerk。
　　Henry　Arnaud　nodded　pleasantly　and　went　to　the　elevator。　He　rode　upstairs　in　silence。　His　face　was　inscrutable…as　calm　as　it　had　been　the　night　when　its　owner　had　first　arrived　in　San　Francisco。
　　Henry　Arnaud's　shadow　moved　along　the　twelfth　floor　beside　the　man　who　cast　it。　Cleve　Branch　had　noted　that　shadow　in　the　dining　room。　A　difficult　thing　to　recognize…a　person's　shadow。　No　wonder　that　Cleve　had　failed　to　identify　the　shadow　with　the　one　that　had　flitted　through　Chinatown。
　　Calm；　deliberate；　Henry　Arnaud　was　not　the　type　of　person　whom　one　might　expect　to　see　garbed　in　a　black　cloak　and　slouch　hat；　with　smoking　automatics　looming　in　his　hands。　The　Shadow；　as　Cleve　had　seen　him；　was　a　personage　who　had　answered　the　last　named　description。
　　Yet　Henry　Arnaud　was　The　Shadow！
　　The　artifices　of　Moy　Chen…the　dabs　whereby　the　Chinese　merchant　had　transformed　the　visage　of　Cleve　Branch　into　that　of　Hugo　Barnes…these　were　childlike　when　pared　to　the　craft　of　The　Shadow。
　　As　a　master　of　disguise；　The　Shadow　had　no　equal。　His　personality　of　Henry　Arnaud　was　assumed。　So　were　a　hundred　others…each　as　effective　as　this　one。
　　The　Shadow　was　a　man　of　changing　countenance；　and　he　alone　in　all　the　world　knew　his　true　identity。
　　The　only　guise　to　which　he　constantly　resorted　was　that　of　a　figure　clad　in　black…a　sinister；　menacing　figure；　that　brooked　no　opposition。　Many　had　seen　the　man　in　black；　but　the　countenance　beneath　the　brimmed　hat　had　remained　unviewed　by　them。
　　The　flash　of　piercing　eyes…that　was　all　that　ever　showed；　between　the　turned…down　brim　and　the　upraised　collar　of　the　long　black　cloak。
　　One　man　had　seen　The　Shadow's　face…seen　it　against　The　Shadow's　will。
　　That　man　had　sought　to　thwart　The　Shadow；　and　for　a　time　his　schemes　had　availed。
　　But　that　man　no　longer　lived！　Like　other　foemen　of　The　Shadow；　he　had　gone　to　deserved　oblivion。
　　For　The　Shadow；　whether　in　his　customary　black　or　in　the　guise　of　some　adopted　personality；　was　the　sworn　enemy　of　those　who　plotted　crime。　With　law　and　lawlessness　swinging　in　the　balance；　The　Shadow　was　the　factor　who　turned　the　scales　in　favor　of　justice。
　　A　master　of　detection；　a　man　with　vast　resources；　a　swift…moving　phantom　of　the　dark；　The　Shadow　sought　the　source　of　crime　and　obliterated　it。
　　Of　all　his　amazing　abilities；　his　greatest　was　his　power　of　action。　No　odds　were　too　great　for　The　Shadow。　His　rescue　of　Cleve　Branch；　at　the　Sun　Kew；　was　proof　positive　of　that　fact。
　　
　　
　　AS　Henry　Arnaud；　this　man　of　the　dark　was　now　entering　his　room　on　the　twelfth　floor　of　the　hotel。　The　room　contrasted　greatly　with　that　room　in　the　Aldebaran　Hotel；　where　Henry　Arnaud　had　disappeared　so　strangely