mg.greeneyes-第21部分

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　　〃I　shall　arrange　that；〃　said　Moy　Chen。
　　〃I　have　been　working　alone；〃　said　Cleve；　〃with　this　very　purpose　in　mind。
　　The　other　men　will　not　be　linked　with　Hugo　Barnes。　They　will　have　no　difficulty　in　trailing　me。〃
　　Cleve　slipped　into　the　suit　he　wore　when　acting　the　part　of　Barnes。　He　drew　his　stub…nosed　revolver　from　his　pocket　and　examined　the　loaded　chambers。
　　〃If　I　encounter　trouble；〃　he　said　grimly；　〃I'll　give　those　fellows　something　to　think　about。　A　shot　will　be　the　signal　for　the　men　who　are　trailing　me。　That's　understood？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Moy　Chen。
　　Cleve　had　spoken　in　his　own　voice。　Now　he　dropped　into　the　character　of　Hugo　Barnes。
　　Acpanied　by　Moy　Chen；　he　made　his　way　to　the　shop。　He　talked　with　the　merchant；　as　they　stood　by　the　door。　Then　Cleve　was　on　his　way；　confident　that　no　one　could　penetrate　his　disguise。
　　
　　
　　MOY　CHEN　watched　him　from　the　door。　Keen　though　the　Chinaman's　vision　was；　he　did　not　see　the　lurking　form　that　spotted　Hugo　Barnes　as　the　departing　man　went　by　an　alley。
　　Had　Moy　Chen　continued　to　watch；　he　might　have　seen　a　sneaking　Celestial　pick　up　the　trail。　For　the　mark　on　the　forehead　of　Cleve　Branch　was　now　visible　on　Hugo　Barnes；　whenever　he　walked　by　a　lighted　spot　along　the　street。
　　Moy　Chen；　however；　did　not　wait。　He　had　remembered　Cleve's　last　admonition。　In　approximately　a　half　hour；　Hugo　Barnes　would　be　at　the　entrance　to　the　Mukden　Theater。　Others　must　be　there；　too。
　　Upstairs　ambled　Moy　Chen。　His　thoughts；　somehow；　reverted　to　that　blood…red　spot　on　the　forehead　of　Cleve　Branch。
　　As　he　considered　it　now；　Moy　Chen　felt　sure　that　spot　meant　danger。　For　though；　because　of　his　undercover　work；　Moy　Chen　had　avoided　close　contact　with　the　Wu…Fan；　the　pretended　merchant　at　least　knew　the　sinister　ways　of　Chinatown。
　　People　did　not　appear　adorned　with　crimson　spots　unless　there　was　a　reason。　That　was　Moy　Chen's　sound　conclusion。
　　Reaching　his　windowless　room；　Moy　Chen　went　to　the　desk　and　unlocked　a　drawer。　From　it；　he　produced　a　small　telephone。　It　was　connected　with　a　special；　outside　wire。
　　By　this　phone；　Moy　Chen　municated　with　Bureau　of　Investigation　agents。
　　One　or　more　could　always　be　reached；　at　a　special　address　in　San　Francisco。
　　Time　and　again；　the　undercover　man　had　brought　government　agents；　seemingly　from　nowhere；　to　spoil　the　well…laid　plans　of　the　Chinese　tongs。
　　For　the　first　time；　now；　Moy　Chen　was　using　his　informative　weapon　against　the　Wu…Fan。　Tong　leaders　had　never　learned　this　secret。　Ling　Soo；　whom　Moy　Chen　had　never　thwarted；　could　not　possibly　know　it。
　　So　thought　Moy　Chen。　But　Moy　Chen　did　not　know　the　meaning　of　that　mark　on　the　forehead　of　Cleve　Branch！
　　Moy　Chen　clicked　the　receiver。　He　leaned　close　to　the　telephone　in　order　to　speak　clearly　when　the　operator　responded。
　　This　message　was　important。　There　would　be　just　time　for　men　to　reach　the　Mukden　Theater。　The　headquarters　which　Moy　Chen　was　calling　was　less　than　ten　minutes　from　the　border　of　Chinatown；　where　the　Mukden　Theater　was　situated。
　　The　operator's　voice　sounded。　Moy　Chen　was　about　to　speak。　But　the　number　never　left　his　lips。
　　A　yellow…faced　man　had　sprung　across　the　room。　His　bands　were　at　Moy　Chen's　throat。　Another　man　was　with　him。　This　Mongol　caught　the　telephone　as　it　fell　from　Moy　Chen's　grasp。
　　While　one　was　choking　Moy　Chen；　the　other　was　calmly　placing　the　receiver　on　the　hook　and　putting　the　telephone　back　into　the　desk　drawer。
　　The　hands　on　Moy　Chen's　neck　were　merciless。　They　were　hands　that　worked　for　Ling　Soo。
　　A　quick　report；　flashed　to　the　leader　of　the　Wu…Fan；　had　told　that　Cleve　Branch…the　man　who　bore　the　mark　of　death…had　entered　through　a　secret　door　at　the　Hoang…Ho　Cafe。
　　The　minions　of　Ling　Soo　were　killers　all…when　the　occasion　demanded　it。
　　Whoever　lived　in　that　secret　room　must　be　watched。　That　was　the　word　from　Ling　Soo。　The　choking　fingers　that　gripped　Moy　Chen　maintained　their　relentless　hold。
　　The　Chinese　merchant　struggled；　but　in　vain。　His　throat　was　rattling。　His　eyes　were　staring。　His　vain　resistance　became　weaker。　His　struggles　ceased。
　　Then；　only；　did　the　fingers　loose　their　hold。
　　Padded　footsteps　sounded　softly　as　two　men　traced　their　way　toward　the　passage　that　led　back　to　the　Hoang…Ho。　An　inert　form　remained　in　the　windowless　room。
　　Cleve　Branch；　unknowing；　was　on　his　own　tonight。　There　would　be　no　sleuths　on　hand　to　witness　the　meeting　between　Hugo　Barnes　and　Ling　Soo's　agent　in　the　Mukden　Theater！
　　No　word　would　reach　the　ears　of　the　Bureau　of　Investigation　field　office　in　San　Francisco。　No　longer　did　the　government　possess　an　undercover　man　in　Chinatown。
　　For　the　sprawled；　pitiful　form　upon　the　floor　of　the　windowless　room　would　never　move　again。
　　Moy　Chen　was　dead！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XVII　
　　　THE　FATE　OF　A　TRAITOR　
　　CLEVE　BRANCH　was　cautious　as　he　approached　the　entrance　of　the　Mukden　Theater。　He　passed　the　lobby；　walking　on　the　other　side　of　the　street；　and　stared　at　the　display　boards；　which　were　the　only　objects　in　view。
　　The　lobby　was　deserted；　for　the　performance　was　now　going　on　in　the　theater。
　　The　fact　that　no　one　was　waiting　there　was　not　surprising；　for　it　was　not　quite　ten　o'clock；　Cleve　did　not　expect　the　messenger　from　Ling　Soo　until　that　time。　He　crossed　the　street　and　shambled　by　the　lobby；　in　plain　view。
　　By　this　time；　the　men　summoned　by　Moy　Chen　should　be　in　the　vicinity。　Moy　Chen；　always　exact；　would　have　given　them　a　close　description　of　Hugo　Barnes。
　　Cleve　knew　he　could　rely　on　that；　for　the　features　of　Hugo　Barnes　were　themselves　a　creation　of　Moy　Chen's　artful　hands。
　　Cleve　stopped　suddenly　when　he　had　passed　the　lobby。　He　fancied　that　he　had　heard　a　hissing　whistle　in　the　dark；　close　by。　He　listened　intently；　but　the　sound　was　not　repeated。
　　Its　significance　puzzled　Cleve。　He　did　not　know　that　it　was　a　signal　used　by　the　secret　minions　of　the　Wu…Fan…that　it　meant　that　no　one　should　now　molest　the　man　who　bore　the　mark　of　death。
　　Passing　the　lobby　once　again；　Cleve　made　a　close　inspection　from　this　close　range。　Seeing　no　person；　he　looked　along　the　floor　and　up　the　walls。
　　Perhaps　that　phantom　shade　that　indicated　The　Shadow　would　be　here　tonight。　No；　it　was　absent。　Cleve　wondered。　Had　something　happened　to　that　mysterious　man；　whose　vigilance　had　twice　saved　Cleve　from　death？
　　Cleve　pulled　a　watch　from　his　pocket。　The　timepiece　registered　exactly　ten　o'clock。
　　The　appointed　hour　was　here。　He　must　enter　the　lobby。
　　Cleve　shuffled　past　the　deserted　box　office；　closed　now　that　the　evening's　business　was　done。　He　stood　alone　in　the　light；　where　he　could　easily　be　seen　by　the　men　whom　Moy　Chen　had　summoned。
　　They　were　keeping　under　cover　well；　Cleve　decided。　That　was　their　job。
　　Cleve　gave　no　sign　that　might　betray　his　interest　in　their　presence。　He　had　often　worked　this　way　before。　It　was　his　task　to　play　his　affected　part。
　　With　all　the　characteristics　of　Hugo　Barnes；　he　went　farther　into　the　lobby；。　There；　a　man　stepped　into　view　from　the　innermost　corner。
　　This　individual　was　a　placid…faced　Chinaman　dressed　in　American　clothes。
　　He　did　not　look　at　Cleve；　in　fact；　he　seemed　totally　disinterested　in　Cleve's　presence。　But　the　man's　arms　were　folded；　and　upon　his　finger　was　a　ring　that　bore　a　dragon's　head！
　　Even　at　this　distance；　Cleve　could　catch　the　sparkle　of　the　tiny　emerald　eyes　set　in　the　gold　design。　Approaching　the　man；　Cleve　bent　his　head　a　trifle　and　made　the　sign　of　the　Wu…Fan。　The　Chinaman　responded　with　the　same　salute。
　　While　Cleve　stood　waiting；　the　Chinaman　turned　slowly。　With　arms　still　folded；　he　walked　into　the　theater。
　　The　action　meant　that　Cleve　was　to　follow。　He　did　so；　but　controlled　his　shuffling　gait　to　allow　time　for　any　concealed　agents　to　take　up　the　trail。
　　The　man　looked　back　impatiently。　Cleve　sensed　that　it　would　be　unwise　to　delay　too　long。　He　slipped　his　hands　in　his　coat　pockets…a　pose　that　went　with　the　character　of　Hugo　Barnes…and　sauntered　leisurely　after　his　guide。
　　
　　
　　THE　Chinaman　turned　to　the　left；　and　silently　strode　down　the　blackened　aisle。　Cleve　was　close　behind　him。
　　He　suspected　that　the　Chinaman　was　going　back　stage；　and　thence　out　into　the　night；　for　this　was　the　pathway　which　Cleve　had　taken　the　night　he　had　met　Foo　Chow；　with　Joseph　Darley。
　　They　reached　the　curtain　at　the　entrance　to　the　boxes。　There；　the　Chinaman　stopped。　He　motioned　for　Cleve　to　step　through　the　curtain。
　　Cleve　did　so；　boldly。　He　knew　well　that　a　false　step　now　might　loose　unexpected　dangers。　He　must　play　his　part…that　of　a　neophyte　in　the　order　of　the　Wu…Fan；　seeking　admission　to　a　higher　order。
　　He　might　be　watched　every　step　of　the　way；　and　this　part　of　the　journey　might　be　only　a　blind　to　test　him　out。
　　Cleve　was　experienced　in　his　work。　He　knew　how　to　play　his　part。　He　obeyed　the　Chinaman's　gesture；　but　his　hand　closed　within　his　pocket　as　he　gripped　the　butt　of　his　short　revolver。
　　Through　the　curtain；　Cleve　was　shuffling　toward　the　door　to　the　stage　when　he　felt　the　Chinaman's　hand　pluck　his　sleeve。
　　〃Sh…h！〃　warned　the　guide。
　　The　man　opened　the　curtain　of　the　nearest　box。　He　gripped　Cleve's　arm　firmly　and　guided　him　forward。
　　Cleve　was　momentarily　astonished　to　find　his　foot　poised　over　empty　space；　where　there　should　have　been　a　solid　floor。　He　was　advancing　toward　the　seats　by　the　rail　of　the　box；　but　he　was　moving　downward；　and　his　guide　was　following　him！
　　Staring　upward；　Cleve　caught　a　last　vague　glimpse　of　the　dome　of　the　theater。　Then；　almost　before　he　realized　it；　his　head　was　below　the　level　of　the　floor！
　　There　was　a　slight　noise　above。　Cleve　kept　boldly　on；　and　his　foot　struck　the　level。　The　passage　was　broad　here。　The　Chinaman　was　beside　him。　The　guide　pressed　against　a　barrier　ahead；　a　door　opened　into　a　dim　passageway。
　　They　were　nearing　the　meeting　place…and　it　was　here；　beneath　the　pit　of　the　theater！
　　A　recollection　came　to　Cleve。　He　recalled　that　night　when　he　had　stood　in　the　box　above；　how　he　had　sensed　a　hidden　presence。
　　He　had　been　at　the　entrance　to　the　inner　shrine　of　the　Wu…Fan…almost　at　the　top　s