mg.greeneyes-第14部分

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　　〃Would　you　like　to　meet　this　celebrated　actor？〃　he　questioned。
　　His　friends　replied　in　the　affirmative。　Darley　stated　that　he　could　arrange　it。
　　〃Foo　Chow's　part　is　ended　now；〃　he　explained。　〃I　met　him　once　before。　I'll
　　go　back　stage　and　arrange　an　interview　with　him。　You　can　expect　me　back　shortly。〃
　　He　left　his　seat；　gained　the　aisle；　and　followed　the　wall　until　he　reached　the　curtains　that　led　to　the　downstairs　boxes。
　　Cleve　watched　Darley　go；　and　saw　him　disappear　behind　the　curtains。　Then　Cleve　studied　the　stage　indifferently；　and　settled　himself　back　in　his　seat。
　　This　evening　was　a　wasted　one；　he　decided。
　　The　performance　was　nearly　ended　when　Darley　returned。　He　motioned　from　the　end　of　the　row；　and　they　arose　and　joined　him　at　the　side　aisle。
　　〃e　on　back；〃　he　said。　〃This　way…through　the　entrance　by　the　boxes。〃
　　They　pushed　through　the　thick　curtain。　Cleve　was　the　last　of　the　four。　He　noticed　the　inner　entrances　to　the　unoccupied　boxes；　as　he　passed。　Then　they　reached　the　sliding　door　to　the　wings　of　the　stage。　Darley　conducted　the　party　to　a　dressing　room；　where　he　introduced　his　friends　to　Foo　Chow。
　　The　Chinese　actor　was　a　most　interesting　specimen　of　his　race。　He　was　much　older　than　he　had　appeared　when　on　stage。　He　shook　hands　in　American　style；　and　beamed　pleasantly。
　　〃I　like　these　visits　to　America；〃　he　said；　in　perfect　English。　〃There　is　an　appreciation　here　that　one　does　not　find　in　my　own　land。　There；　they　are　used　to　my　work。　Here；　it　is　new　to　those　who　witness　it。〃
　　To　Cleve；　the　brief　visit　was　as　uninteresting　as　the　performance　had　proved　to　be；　but　he　made　no　ment。　He　saw　no　possible　connection　between　Foo　Chow　and　the　affairs　of　Chinatown。
　　Ling　Soo…the　Wu…Fan…the　Tiger　Tong。　These　were　matters　that　seemed　of　more　importance　than　a　visit　back　stage　at　the　Mukden　Theater。
　　Such　thoughts　brought　Cleve's　mind　to　The　Shadow。　He　was　still　thinking　of　the　mysterious　man　in　black　when　he　left　the　dressing　room　with　his　panions。
　　They　followed　the　narrow　passage　beside　the　boxes；　Cleve　again　at　the　rear。　As　they　came　to　the　curtain；　the　man　ahead　of　Cleve　dropped　the　hanging；　and　Cleve　stood　alone　in　the　darkness。
　　Something　prompted　him　to　look　in　the　nearest　box。　It　was　Box　C；　although　Cleve　did　not　know　it；　and　would　have　thought　nothing　of　the　fact。　He　stepped　past　the　curtain　of　the　box。　He　saw　the　outlines　of　seats；　by　the　high；　built…up　rail。
　　A　board　creaked　under　Cleve's　foot　as　he　approached　a　chair　and　stood　there；　watching　the　stage。
　　The　Chinese　play　was　drawing　to　its　close。　Cleve　Branch　viewed　it　mechanically。　He　had　a　vague　impression　that　someone　was　here；　close　beside　him；　in　this　box。　He　turned　instinctively　and　stared　at　the　shadowy　corner。
　　It　was　nothing　but　a　mass　of　blackness。　The　impression　still　persisted。
　　Cleve　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　left　the　box。　He　felt　that　his　imagination　was　getting　the　better　of　him。　Chinatown　was　strange　enough；　without　giving　way　to　fancies　and　odd　qualms。
　　Yet　as　Cleve　walked　up　the　side　aisle；　beside　the　wall；　he　could　not　help　but　glance　back　at　times。　He　seemed　to　sense　someone　gliding　behind　him。　Yet　each　quick　inspection　revealed　no　one。
　　
　　
　　DARLEY　and　the　others　were　waiting　at　the　entrance　of　the　theater。　They　walked　slowly　through　the　lobby；　one　man　stopping　to　point　to　a　picture　of　Foo　Chow；　whom　they　had　just　met。　It　was　a　full…length　likeness　of　the　Chinese　actor。
　　Cleve's　eyes；　moving　to　the　right；　stopped　suddenly。　There；　on　the　marble　panel　of　the　lobby；　was　a　long；　mysterious　shadow。　It　bore　a　striking　resemblance　to　a　man…to　the　man　whom　Cleve　had　seen　that　night　at　the　Sun　Kew！
　　It　was　the　shadow　of　The　Shadow！
　　A　grotesque；　silhouetted　face…a　black　portion　that　was　shaped　like　a　large　slouch　hat…in　every　detail；　Cleve　saw　the　replica　of　the　man　whom　he　was　seeking。
　　As　though　it　possessed　eyes　that　sensed　Cleve's　gaze；　the　substanceless　shape　melted　away。　Cleve　whirled；　and　was　in　time　to　glimpse　a　tall　figure　moving　into　the　dark。　The　cloak…the　hat…both　betokened　the　departure　of　The　Shadow！
　　For　an　instant；　Cleve　was　about　to　spring　in　wild　pursuit。　Long　had　he　sought　The　Shadow。　This　time；　he　must　trail　the　strange　man　of　the　dark。
　　But　Darley's　hand　was　upon　his　arm；　and　realizing　that　the　mitteeman　was　watching　him；　Cleve　abandoned　his　desire。　The　matter　of　The　Shadow　was　one　that　he　chose　to　discuss　with　no　one…not　even　Joseph　Darley。
　　〃e；〃　suggested　Darley。　〃My　limousine　is　waiting。　We　can　go　up　to　my　apartment　and　enjoy　ourselves　for　a　while。　These　Chinese　theatricals　are　all　right…for　the　Chinese。　But　they　leave　the　evening　rather　tasteless　for　me。〃
　　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　accept　the　invitation。　Cleve　went　along　with　Darley　and　his　friends。　He　was　silent　as　they　rode　away　from　Chinatown。
　　Why　was　The　Shadow　at　the　Mukden　Theater　tonight？　Cleve　wondered　over　the　perplexing　question。　Then　he　remembered　the　thoughts　that　he　had　experienced　while　he　had　been　standing　in　the　box。　He　had　felt　sure　that　someone　was　there；　that　someone　had　followed　him　up　the　aisle。
　　That　someone　could　only　be…The　Shadow！
　　The　more　Cleve　Branch　pondered；　the　less　he　knew。　He　sought　for　a　hidden　connection；　but　could　not　find　one。　Joseph　Darley…Foo　Chow…the　two　Americans　he　had　met　tonight…these　could　hardly　interest　The　Shadow。
　　In　the　past；　The　Shadow　had　shown　an　interest　in　Cleve's　affairs。　Tonight；　there　could　be　no　reason　for　such　interest。
　　Amid　these　scattered　thoughts；　Cleve　realized　one　important　fact。　He　must　remain　in　San　Francisco。　He　must　spend　his　future　time　in　Chinatown。　Somehow；　he　felt　that　the　interests　of　The　Shadow　were　identical　with　his　own。
　　Behind　the　Wu…Fan…in　spite　of　Darley's　opinion　to　the　contrary…there　might　lay　the　key　to　a　mighty　scheme　that　carried　a　threat　of　danger。　Cleve's　duty　was　to　uncover　such　a　plot。
　　This　mysterious　man　he　had　termed　The　Shadow　must　know　facts　that　were　important。　It　would　be　imperative　to　meet　him　and　find　out　what　he　knew。
　　Tomorrow　would　be　soon　enough。　Tonight；　the　best　plan　would　be　to　assert　that　his　work　in　San　Francisco　was　ended。　The　identity　of　Cleve　Branch　must　go；　once　again；　Hugo　Barnes　must　rove　the　streets　of　Chinatown。
　　That　box　in　the　Mukden　Theater！　Was　it　The　Shadow's　hiding　place？　That　was　a　thought；　but　like　all　others；　it　led　to　no　conclusion。
　　While　Cleve　was　cogitating　thus；　a　simple　event　was　taking　place　at　the　St。　Thomas　Hotel。　Gentlemanly　Henry　Arnaud　was　asking　the　clerk　for　the　key　to　1216。
　　Arriving　in　his　room；　Arnaud　looked　about　and　smiled。　He　extinguished　the　light　and　walked　softly　toward　the　window。　He　stood　there；　staring　out　across　the　city。
　　Once　again；　the　eyes　of　The　Shadow　were　upon　the　glittering　lights　that　topped　the　Mukden　Theater。　Crawling　lines；　varicolored　flickerings；　and　the　ring　of　stationary　lights　were　glowing　as　before。
　　But　no　longer　did　two　lurid　spots　of　green　stare　forth　into　the　darkness；　like　glowing；　Promethean　eyes。　The　mysterious　lights　had　vanished。
　　Green　Eyes　had　sent　his　message。　The　call　had　been　answered。
　　Strange　events　had　happened　tonight。　Cleve　Branch　had　been　where　he　could　have　learned　them；　had　he　known。　But　only　The　Shadow　knew！
　　The　Shadow　laughed；　as　he　had　laughed　before。　His　laugh　was　one　of　hidden　understanding。
　　For　The　Shadow　had　learned　what　he　wanted　to　know！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XI　
　　　CLEVE　PLAYS　THE　SPY　
　　CLEVE　BRANCH　had　left　San　Francisco。　He　had　departed　on　the　morning　after　his　visit　to　the　Mukden　Theater。　He　had　gone　with　a　report　received　from　Joseph　Darley；　the　final　report　that　concerned　the　Wu…Fan　and　its　persecution　by　the　Tiger　Tong。
　　But　Cleve　had　left　the　city　only　as　a　personality。　In　his　place；　another　man　remained。
　　Once　again；　Hugo　Barnes　was　on　the　watch　in　Chinatown。　Moy　Chen　had　replaced　his　former　workmanship。　The　identity　of　Cleve　Branch　was　obscured　by　the　features　of　Hugo　Barnes。
　　There　were　two　spots　in　Chinatown　that　Cleve　decided　were　worth　watching。
　　One　was　the　Mukden　Theater；　for　there；　he　had　encountered　the　presence　of　The　Shadow。　The　other　was　the　abode　of　Ling　Soo。　It　was　possible　that　The　Shadow　might　appear　there。
　　The　place　was　also　the　headquarters　of　the　Wu…Fan。　And；　it　could　be　watched　simultaneously　with　the　Mukden　Theater。
　　Fifty　feet　away　from　the　entrance　to　the　theater；　Cleve　lounged　idly　at　the　doorway　of　a　Chinese　auction　house。　The　place　was　busy　tonight；　and　the　figure　of　Hugo　Barnes　was　inconspicuous。
　　Cleve　rubbed　his　hand　across　his　face。　He　could　almost　feel　the　swarthiness　of　his　plexion。　He　touched　his　overhanging　eyebrows。　They；　more　than　any　other　feature；　had　changed　his　countenance。
　　Cleve　had　no　fear　of　recognition；　but　he　was　wary　in　his　actions。　For　although　the　personality　of　Cleve　Branch　was　safe　from　detection；　he　remembered　well　that　Hugo　Barnes　was　now　a　budding　member　of　the　Wu…Fan。
　　The　badge　of　membership　was　fastened　to　Cleve's　vest；　and；　recollecting　his　experience　at　the　Sun　Kew；　he　wisely　kept　it　hidden。
　　Bright　lights　began　to　flash。　Long　rows　of　bulbs　showed　on　the　sides　of　buildings。　Strange　music　blared　from　up　the　street。
　　Small　crowds　were　forming　along　the　sidewalks…solemn；　aged　Chinamen；　dainty　Chinese　flappers；　old　and　young　were　gathering　to　witness　another　of　the　many　parades　that　cleaved　their　way　along　this　teeming　thoroughfare。
　　The　crowd　was　not　as　large　as　it　had　been　on　the　last　pageant　night。
　　Nevertheless；　it　obscured　the　view　of　Ling　Soo's　entrance。　The　lobby　of　the　Mukden　Theater　was　on　a　higher　level；　for　the　street　sloped　upward　in　that　direction。
　　Cleve　pushed　his　way　to　the　curb；　and　moved　across　the　street　ahead　of　the　approaching　procession。　He　stationed　himself　at　a　new　spot；　and　was　pleased　to　note　that　here　he　could　observe　both　Ling　Soo's　door　and　the　front　of　the　theater。
　　Someone　jostled　against　Cleve。　He　turned　and　stared　squarely　into　the　face　of　Joseph　Darley！
　　An　exclamation　stopped　on　Cleve's　lips。　His　features　formed　a　pleased　grin。　As　Hugo　Barnes；　Cleve　had　escaped　recognition。　Darley　had　viewed　him　as　a　total　stranger！