mg.dictatorofcrime-第15部分

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for　The　Shadow's　eaglelike　scrutiny。
　　The　Shadow　recognized　those　faces。　He　had　seen　them　before。　Leader　of　the　murderous　roving　band　was　Murk　Wessel；　the　men　with　him　were　the　sharpshooting　lieutenants　who　had　aided　in　the　wiping　out　of　Jose　Durez　and　his　panions　from　Centralba！
　　There　was　a　whispered　laugh　when　the　cab　had　passed；　then　The　Shadow；　too；　was　gone；　sidling　uncannily　through　the　darkness。　The　tone　of　The　Shadow's　mirth　did　not　betoken　a　discovery。　It　merely　announced　the　proof　of　a　well…held　theory。
　　While　the　New　York　police　were　tracking　down　the　planted　rumors　that　Murk　Wessel　and　his　band　of　killers　were　somewhere　in　Manhattan；　The　Shadow　had　unearthed　that　notorious　crowd　in　the　one　refuge　where　no　one　else　had　thought　to　look　for　them。
　　Only　The　Shadow　could　have　analyzed　the　truth：　that　Murk　Wessel　had　not　operated　on　his　own；　but　was　secretly　in　the　employ　of　Luis　Castenago！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XI　
　　　FRIENDS　OF　THE　SHADOW　
　　NATIVES　were　dancing　in　the　esplanade　of　National　University　when　The　Shadow　arrived　there。　There　were　students　among　the　crowd；　and　they　were　amusing　themselves　in　various　ways。
　　Some　were　tossing　pennies　to　the　stolid　marimba　player；　who　still　kept　up　his　musical　beats　outside　the　patio　entrance　to　Professor　Peridor's　mansion。
　　Others　were　engaged　in　catching　fireflies；　of　the　amazing　red…and…green　variety　seen　in　the　tropics。　The　insects　looked　like　flying　traffic　lights；　and　they　stayed　at　an　appropriate　altitude；　which　made　them　difficult　to　trap。
　　Whenever　snared；　they　immediately　bee　adornments　for　high　bs　worn　by　the　promenading　senoritas；　wherein　they　shone　like　decorative　jewels。
　　The　briskness　of　the　firefly　hunt　forced　The　Shadow　to　travel　close　to　Peridor's　wall　in　order　to　avoid　the　roaming　students。　They　avoided　the　wall　as　if　it　were　charged　with　electricity；　because　they　knew　the　ways　of　the　patrolling　soldiers。　Castenago's　militia　was　trained　to　shoot　at　sight；　should　anyone　violate　a　taboo。
　　As　The　Shadow　kept　to　the　wall's　sheltering　gloom；　he　heard　rifles　crackle；　at　intervals；　followed　by　an　immediate　scattering　of　students　and　a　fluttery　flight　of　pigeons　from　the　esplanade。
　　Fortunately；　the　soldiers　were　indifferent　marksmen。　Students　and　pigeons　promptly　returned　to　their　respective　tasks…the　students　plucking　fireflies　for　the　senoritas　who；　meanwhile；　were　feeding　almonds　to　the　pigeons。
　　Around　the　corner　of　the　wall；　The　Shadow　saw　a　uniformed　man　approach　against　the　light　from　the　esplanade。　Blended　with　the　tan　stucco　background；　The　Shadow　awaited　the　soldier's　arrival。　Scouting　students　dashed　close；　saw　the　uniform；　and　scudded　away　as　the　soldier　raised　his　rifle。
　　With　a　long　stretch；　The　Shadow　reached　the　top　of　the　wall　and　lifted　himself　by　his　very　fingertips。　His　soft…toed　shoes　dug　into　the　stucco；　and　he　was　rolling　across　the　wall　top　when　the　soldier　resumed　patrol。
　　The　patio　resembled　a　sunken　garden；　being　several　feet　deeper　than　the　ground　outside。　Clumps　of　shrubbery　might　prove　the　lurking　spots　of　inside　guards　posted　by　Castenago；　so　The　Shadow　decided　to　choose　the　spot　where　he　dropped。
　　There　were　trees　inside　the　wall；　and　one；　a　coconut　palm；　sprouted　from　the　midst　of　flowery　tropical　bushes。　It　looked　like　a　good　landing　spot；　so　The　Shadow　flicked　the　pencil　beam　of　his　tiny　flashlight　toward　it。
　　Instantly；　crouched　figures　came　to　life。　They　could　only　be　gatomontes；　for　no　other　uniforms　would　have　blended　so　well　with　the　shrubbery。　Their　silence　told　that　they　were　ready　to　shoot；　once　sure　where　the　prowler　with　the　flashlight　was　located。
　　The　Shadow　was　quite　sure　that　the　gatomontes　were　excellent　marksmen　with　revolvers。　Shifting　along　the　wall；　he　reached　for　the　thick…sprayed　foliage　of　the　palm　tree。
　　Voices　hissed　below。　The　gatomontes　were　preparing　to　rake　the　wall　with　their　fire。　Even　if　The　Shadow　beat　them　to　the　shots；　it　wouldn't　help。　The　sound　of　any　gun　within　the　patio　would　bring　a　score　of　guards；　with　powerful　flashlights。　So　The　Shadow　flicked　his　own　flashlight；　instead。
　　However；　its　beam　was　no　longer　white。　This　was　the　special　flashlight　which　he　often　used　in　signaling　his　agents。　Its　glow　could　be　adjusted　to　red　or　green；　and　The　Shadow　used　both。
　　The　well…timed　flickers　were　a　perfect　representation　of　the　local　firefly。　Hovering　between　palms　and　wall；　the　blinks　provided　actual　illumination。　Like　tiny　beacons　from　the　blackness；　they　guided　the　lurkers；　giving　them　opportunity　to　work　along　the　wall　without　using　their　own　flashlights。
　　They　were　evidently　pleased　that　such　a　magnificent　firefly　should　have　drifted　by　at　such　a　moment。　But　the　〃firefly〃　was　skittish。　It　suddenly　floated　toward　the　wall；　gave　quick；　parting　flashes　and　disappeared。
　　It　was　gone　beneath　The　Shadow's　cloak；　and　the　men　below　were　suddenly　curious　regarding　the　firefly's　gyrations。
　　
　　
　　EASING　toward　the　branches　of　the　palm；　The　Shadow　tilted　his　head　at　an　angle　and　counted　coconuts　against　the　reflected　glare　from　the　esplanade。
　　The　palm　was　quivering；　not　from　The　Shadow's　well　placed　weight；　but　from　the　clutch　of　hands　that　were　using　the　branches　to　gain　the　summit　of　the　wall。
　　Five　coconuts；　bobbing　and　dipping　crazily　against　the　dim　light。　One　went　down　from　sight；　but　came　up　again；　bringing　another　with　it。　Then　one　more　extra　coconut　appeared　right　beside　the　first　newer。　Releasing　his　grip　on　the　palm　boughs；　The　Shadow　lurched　out　into　space；　his　hands　ahead　of　him。
　　Crazy　business；　grabbing　hanging　coconuts　to　prevent　a　fall。　Ordinarily；　they'd　be　slippery；　and　useless　as　support；　since　they　would　drag　down　the　boughs　if　grasped。
　　Not　these　coconuts。　They　weren't　the　sort　that　grew　on　palm　trees。　They　were　interlopers。
　　Catching　the　two　he　wanted；　with　an　insweep　of　his　hands；　The　Shadow's　lurch　was　halted　by　supporting　bulks　attached　beneath　the　coconuts。
　　Nothing；　however；　could　have　stayed　the　swift　motion　of　his　powerful　hands；　ing；　as　they　did；　like　unseen　creatures　of　the　night。　They　bounced　the　coconuts　together　as　a　musician　would　crash　a　pair　of　cymbals。
　　The　Shadow　had　chosen　the　right　coconuts。　The　rest　flipped　upward；　as　all　weight　was　released　from　the　palm　boughs。　Two　figures　thudded　the　ground；　and　in　sprawling；　they　broke　the　finish　of　The　Shadow's　dive。
　　Rising　among　the　shrubs；　the　coconut　basher　turned　his　flashlight　toward　the　ground；　using　its　white　beam。　A　low　laugh　sounded　from　the　darkness　above　that　penciled　glow。　The　Shadow　was　viewing　the　two　gatomontes；　both　limp　and　stunned。
　　Having　remembered　that　these　fellows　always　worked　in　pairs；　The　Shadow　had　simply　waited　for　them　to　introduce　a　pair　of　human　coconuts　among　the　fruit　variety。　They'd　done　it　in　their　customary　precision；　making　each　head　a　target　for　the　other；　under　The　Shadow's　swift　clutch。
　　The　gatomontes　wore　fancy　belts　with　their　otherwise　drab　uniforms。　The　Shadow　found　those　belts　quite　handy　in　trussing　the　unconscious　pair。　They　carried　gaudy　handkerchiefs；　too；　in　their　inside　pockets；　for；　like　most　Centralbans；　they　had　a　dash　of　the　Indian　in　them。
　　The　Shadow　used　the　handkerchiefs　as　gags。　Tossing　a　pair　of　revolvers　into　the　shrubbery；　he　started　a　foot　tour　of　the　patio。
　　There　were　other　guards　about；　police　and　soldiers　on　patrol。　They　were　easily　spotted　by　The　Shadow　and　were　paratively　harmless；　since　The　Shadow　had　eliminated　the　mainspring　of　the　works　in　the　persons　of　the　gatomontes。
　　One　soldier；　however；　was　a　real　obstacle。　He　stood　on　guard　at　a　flight　of　steps　leading　up　to　a　balcony　that　offered　the　only　access　to　Peridor's　mansion。
　　With　the　notes　of　the　marimba　flitting　in　from　the　great　gate；　The　Shadow　had　an　excellent　musical　score　acpanying　his　next　exploit。　He　skirted　the　tropical　plants；　and　suddenly　confronted　the　soldier　just　as　the　fellow　turned。
　　The　Shadow　sped　both　hands　toward　the　sentry's　rifle　and　seized　it　with　a　viselike　grip。
　　Naturally；　the　guard　doubled　his　own　grip　on　the　gun；　which　was　exactly　what　The　Shadow　wanted。　Dipping；　he　drove　his　knee　against　the　sentry's；　and　as　the　man