mg.dictatorofcrime-第14部分

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　　With　a　slight　nod　that　certified　Margo's　statements；　Allard　lifted　a　few　chips　and　placed　them　on　the　board。　Margo　did　the　same。　It　was　good　business；　showing　interest　in　roulette　to　hide　something　else。
　　When　Margo　looked　again；　a　few　minutes　later；　Allard　was　gone！
　　
　　
　　ACTUALLY；　Allard　hadn't　needed　Margo's　information；　though　it　was　helpful。
　　Copying　the　example　of　other　players；　he　strolled　from　the　side　door　of　the　casino　and　took　a　walk　in　the　garden。
　　It　was　evidently　their　way　of　changing　bad　luck　for　good；　but　Allard　was　using　it　as　a　preliminary　process。　What　he　saw…or；　rather；　did　not　see　…
　　fitted　with　well…formed　conclusions。
　　The　workers　who　had　been　so　busily　engaged　that　afternoon；　had　laid　off　during　the　evening。
　　Strolling　back　into　the　casino；　Allard　observed　its　many　surrounding　pillars　that　supported　a　balcony；　where　people　could　watch　the　play　on　the　gambling　floor。　A　good　spot　for　hidden　observers；　that　balcony。
　　The　pillars　made　good　shelter　too；　especially　because　of　darkened　doors　beyond　them。　The　casino　was　singularly　lacking　of　police　and　soldiers；　nor　were　any　gatomontes　in　sight。
　　All　of　which　assured　Kent　Allard　that　he　was　probably　being　watched。　What　Margo　Lane　had　said　merely　proved　the　point。　So　Allard　calmly　crossed　the　floor　and　went　out　by　the　main　door。
　　In　the　driveway；　he　beckoned　to　a　taxicab　which　was　at　the　head　of　a　short　line。　Taking　the　cab；　he　told　the　driver　to　take　him　to　the　Imperial　Hotel。
　　From　the　moment　that　the　cab　pulled　away；　Allard　knew　that　he　was　being　followed。　The　car　that　took　up　his　trail　came　sliding　from　darkness　on　the　far　side　of　the　casino　building。
　　Allard　began　making　suggestions　to　his　own　driver；　regarding　shorter　routes　to　the　hotel。　Sometimes；　he　told　the　driver　to　go　slower；　at　other　moments；　Allard　called　for　speed。
　　He　ordered　more　speed　as　they　swung　into　a　narrow　street；　then；　suddenly；　he　told　the　driver　to　take　the　next　turn　to　the　left。　The　order　came　so　unexpectedly；　that　the　driver　had　to　jam　the　brakes　as　he　rounded　the　corner。
　　The　ancient　cab　rattled　heavily；　and　with　the　clatter　came　the　closing　of　a　door；　something　that　the　driver　did　not　hear。
　　Very　neatly；　Kent　Allard　had　dropped　from　the　cab　just　as　it　passed　the　corner。　His　strides　across　the　sidewalk　were　very　rapid；　they　carried　him　to　a　narrow　alleyway；　which　he　reached　just　as　the　trailing　car　swung　into　sight。
　　Allard　didn't　have　time　to　observe　the　car's　occupants；　but　that　wasn't　important　at　the　moment。　In　their　turn；　they　didn't　see　him　at　all；　which　happened　to　be　very　important。
　　As　soon　as　the　car　had　passed；　Allard　strode　deeper　into　the　narrow　passage　between　buildings。　It　wasn't　an　alley　in　the　usual　sense；　but　merely　a　rift；　of　slightly　more　than　shoulder　width。　The　walls　flanking　the　space　were　white；　and　couldn't　have　offered　a　chance　at　concealment　in　the　glaring　daytime。　But　this　was　night；　and　the　shadows　of　the　buildings　rendered　the　narrow　way　obscure。
　　Where　the　passage　widened　into　a　tiny　court；　Allard　tried　a　door　in　the　wall　on　the　left。　The　door　opened　and　he　stepped　into　a　small　storeroom；　lined　with　shelves　of　merchandise。
　　Using　a　tiny　flashlight；　Allard　recognized　the　package　that　he　had　sent　from　the　hotel；　that　afternoon。　It　was　tied　just　as　he　had　sent　it。
　　Opening　the　package；　he　brought　out　a　slouch　hat；　a　black　cloak；　and　a　pair　of　thin　gloves。　There　were　no　automatics　in　the　package。　Allard　already　carried　them。　An　aviator　famed　for　landing　in　remote　portions　of　the　jungle　would　be　expected　to　go　about　armed。
　　It　took　but　a　few　moments　for　Allard　to　transform　himself　into　The　Shadow。
　　Instead　of　leaving　by　the　outside　passage；　he　went　through　the　shop　itself。
　　In　New　York；　and　other　American　cities；　The　Shadow　used　various　retreats　where　he　could　change　from　one　guise　to　another。　The　rule　still　applied　to　Libertad；　the　isolated　capital　of　the　remote　banana　republic　of　Centralba！
　　
　　
　　SO　silent　was　the　shop；　that　the　swish　of　The　Shadow's　cloak　was　audible　as　he　passed　through　to　the　front　door；　which　opened　on　another　street；　closer　to　the　Imperial　Hotel。
　　Closed　for　the　night；　the　shop　was　made　to　order　for　The　Shadow's　purposes；　for　its　interior　was　pitch…black；　but　with　no　obstructions　to　delay　a　person　passing　through　it。
　　Evidently　The　Shadow　knew　that　such　would　be　the　case；　for　he　did　not　use　his　flashlight。　Reaching　the　front　door；　he　found　it　as　expected。　It　wasn't　bolted；　it　simply　had　a　heavy　burglar…proof　latch；　which　enabled　The　Shadow　to　step　out　and　leave　the　door　as　he　had　found　it；　by　simply　closing　it　behind　him。
　　Even　outdoors；　The　Shadow　found　his　favorite　habitat：　darkness。　The　door　of　the　shop　was　under　a　projecting　balcony；　which　entirely　cut　off　the　glow　of　the　old…fashioned　street　lamps　so　prevalent　in　Libertad。
　　Keeping　to　the　shelter　of　balconies；　crossing　the　street　at　places　where　the　lights　were　feeble；　The　Shadow　glided　past　a　corner　and　came　upon　the　Plaza　del　Libertador；　opposite　the　Imperial　Hotel。　There　he　paused　within　the　last　fringe　of　darkness。
　　It　was　a　fiesta　night　in　Libertad　which　accounted　for　the　shops　being　closed。　The　populace　had　deserted　the　narrow　streets　for　open　spaces　such　as　the　great　plaza；　and　the　scene　was　one　of　life　and　gaiety。
　　But　The　Shadow　wasn't　interested　in　the　costumery　of　the　merrymakers；　who　were　enjoying　pleasures　that　would　cease　when　the　iron　hand　of　Castenago　tightened。　He　sympathized　with　them　profoundly；　and　wished　that　their　era　of　carefree　revelry　would　long　continue。
　　That；　in　itself；　was　reason　why　The　Shadow's　attention　should　be　centered　elsewhere。　Upon　what　he　learned　tonight；　would　hinge　his　whole　campaign　toward　ending　the　tyranny　of　Luis　Castenago。
　　The　Shadow　looked　across　the　street　to　the　front　of　the　hotel。　He　saw　the　ancient　taxicab　that　he　had　hired　as　Allard。　It　was　the　center　of　much　speculation；　voiced　in　voluble　Spanish；　by　hotel　employees；　police；　and　even　soldiers；　all　picturesque　in　their　assorted　uniforms。
　　Cabs　didn't　often　roll　up　to　the　Imperial　Hotel　without　passengers　inside　them；　unless　they　had　been　ordered。　This　cab　should　have　had　a　passenger；　the　driver　was　describing　him　and　swearing　by　the　sacred　volcano　of　Lotomoro　that　he　had　brought　the　man　in　question　from　the　Casino　Internacional。
　　A　serious　offense　on　the　part　of　the　missing　passenger；　could　the　cab　driver　prove　that　he　really　had　one；　for　the　Castenago　regime　was　very　strict　on　such　matters。
　　Nevertheless；　the　chance　arrival　of　an　empty　cab　did　not　account　for　all　the　police　and　soldiers。　The　Shadow　laughed　softly　as　he　looked　up　and　saw　the　real　reason。
　　A　light　blinked　off　from　an　upstairs　window；　the　very　room　which　The　Shadow　occupied　as　Kent　Allard。　The　police　and　military　had　been　finishing　the　search　ordered　by　Castenago；　when　the　cab　arrived。
　　The　last　of　the　searchers　came　downstairs。　They　were　a　pair　of　Castenago's　sinister　gatomontes。　The　men　in　fancier　uniforms　began　reporting　to　them。　The　case　had　reached　the　proper　hands　to　bring　official　results。　The　Shadow　let　his　gaze　range　his　own　side　of　the　street；　and　saw　what　he　expected。
　　A　car；　parked　in　the　darkness；　was　getting　into　motion；　its　lights　dimmed。
　　It　was　ing　right　past　The　Shadow；　the　very　car　that　had　followed　the　cab　from　the　casino。
　　
　　
　　IN　swinging　the　corner；　the　cab　had　to　pass　beneath　a　street　light；　so　The　Shadow　watched　it　closely。　He　knew　that　it　wouldn't　contain　gatomontes；　because　there　had　been　none　of　them　around　the　casino。　He　was　sure　that　this　car　was　manned　by　irregulars；　in　the　service　of　Castenago。　Having　lured　them　into　the　light；　The　Shadow　wanted　to　identify　them。
　　A　sharp　glitter　came　from　the　cab。　It　was　the　muzzle　of　a　machine　gun；　trained　directly　toward　The　Shadow；　but　it　didn't　begin　to　mouth　deadly　flame。
　　The　men　behind　the　rapid…fire　weapon　failed　to　see　The　Shadow　in　his　nest　of　gloom；　even　though　they　were　leaning　from　their　car；　intent　on　searching　every　inch　of　the　route　back　to　the　casino。　All　they　did　was　put　their　own　faces　on　display　for　The　Shadow's　eaglelike　scrutiny。
　　The　Shad