mg.dictatorofcrime-第16部分

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　　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　caved；　The　Shadow　used　the　gun　for　leverage；　rolling　the　surprised　soldier　right　across　his　shoulders　to　a　headlong　landing　on　the　tiled　paving　of　the　patio。
　　There　was　a　thud；　but　no　clatter；　for　The　Shadow　was　the　one　who　retained　the　rifle；　the　sentry　losing　his　own　hold　under　the　twist　that　acpanied　the　rapid…rolling　somersault。
　　Another　guard　was　ing　through　the　patio；　blinking　a　flashlight　toward　the　shrubs　along　the　walk。　So　The　Shadow　hoisted　his　stunned　prisoner　and　carried　him　away；　rifle　and　all；　under　the　fringe　of　the　balcony。
　　Reaching　an　isolated　marble　bench；　The　Shadow　mounted　it　and　shouldered　his　human　burden　over　the　balcony　rail。　Poking　the　rifle　through　the　uprights；　The　Shadow　finished　by　climbing　over　the　rail　itself。
　　
　　
　　MEANWHILE；　the　glow　from　the　flashlight　had　stopped　back　at　the　steps。　The　Shadow　heard　orders　in　Spanish；　slurred　with　the　local　dialect。　The　inspector　was　evidently　an　officer　e　to　organize　the　new　guards。　Finding　the　steps　unwatched；　he　simply　supposed　that　they　had　been　overlooked；　so　he　was　summoning　another　soldier　to　patrol　the　weak　spot。
　　Binding　and　gagging　the　man　who　had　forcibly　gone　off　duty；　The　Shadow　tried　a　door　leading　in　from　the　balcony。　It　was　locked　and　bolted　on　the　other　side；　so　he　tackled　a　window；　instead。　The　window　had　a　heavy　grating；　clamped　on　the　inside；　but　The　Shadow's　fingers；　probing　through；　worked　delicate　wonders　with　those　clamps。　The　grating　came　loose。
　　All　was　silent　in　the　mansion。　Occasional　lamps；　soft　in　their　glow；　revealed　deserted　rooms　furnished　in　exquisite　Spanish　style。　There　were　short　hallways；　abbreviated　flights　of　steps；　that　gave　the　house　the　semblance　of　catabs；　though　the　atmosphere　itself　was　pleasant。
　　Below　a　curving　flight　of　stairs　The　Shadow　saw　a　stronger　light；　that　indicated　a　habitable　portion　of　the　ancient　domicile。　He　glided　down　the　curving　stairs　and　came　to　a　square　hall；　not　more　than　ten　feet　on　a　side。
　　The　light　was　from　the　ceiling；　and　the　hallway；　with　tiled　floor　and　walls；　was　something　of　a　patio　in　miniature。　Opposite　the　stairway　was　a　curtained　doorway；　through　which　more　light　came。　On　either　side　were　similar　curtains；　denoting　darkened　rooms。
　　Considering　the　solitude　upstairs；　those　side　rooms　would　also　seem　deserted。　The　Shadow's　logical　course　was　across　the　hallway；　to　the　door　at　the　other　end。　He　started　there。
　　It　was　then　that　the　lulling　atmosphere　produced　a　warning。　The　place　was　too　quiet；　too　unguarded；　to　be　safe。　The　thought　flashed　to　The　Shadow's　brain　a　split…second　before　the　trouble　came。　Before　he　could　get　his　hand　to　a　gun；　the　curtains　at　each　side　of　the　hallway　parted　simultaneously。
　　From　each　direction　sprang　an　attacker。　Wearing　no　uniforms；　their　drab　attire　gave　them　the　look　of　spies；　or　servants；　both　dark…faced；　and　so　alike　that　they　might　have　been　twins。　But　The　Shadow　had　no　time　for　such　parisons；　except　in　relation　to　the　weapons　that　the　pair　carried。　Each　dark　attacker　was　brandishing　a　machete。
　　Both　deadly　blades　were　slashing　for　The　Shadow。　Had　he　remained　rooted；　his　doom　would　have　been　sure。　At　best；　he　was　only　able　to　wheel　toward　the　man　on　the　right；　meeting　him　a　moment　earlier　than　the　other；　but　the　quick　twist　was　a　lifesaver。
　　The　first　machete　sliced　above　The　Shadow；　carving　nothing　more　than　a　portion　of　his　cloak　sleeve。　Before　the　second　man　could　lengthen　his　lunge　to　bury　the　knife　blade　in　The　Shadow's　back；　the　cloaked　fighter　had　gripped　the　first　attacker　and　was　wheeling　him　about。
　　With　a　side　step　toward　the　stairs；　the　second　man　tried　to　make　a　cross…stab　at　The　Shadow；　but　the　spin　was　too　swift。　Using　the　first　attacker　as　a　human　bludgeon；　The　Shadow　flung　him　upon　his　panion。
　　As　both　reeled　toward　the　stairs；　The　Shadow　followed　up　his　brief　advantage　with　whippet　speed。　He　grabbed　the　first　knife　hand　that　came　his　way　and　sprawled　its　owner　to　the　stairs；　where　a　jutting　step　met　the　back　of　the　man's　head。　Then；　lunging　from　the　steps　themselves；　The　Shadow　gained　an　added　impetus　that　flattened　the　other　who　was　swinging　in　to　meet　him。
　　They　landed　heavily；　the　machete　specialist　beneath。　As　the　machete　clattered　the　tiles；　The　Shadow　sprang　from　atop　his　half…stunned　foe　and　moved　toward　the　curtains　at　the　far　end　of　the　hall。
　　He　needed　a　vantage　point　from　which　to　hold　off　his　recuperating　enemies；　who　were　jolted；　but　not　out　of　the　fight。　His　spring；　however；　stopped　before　he　reached　the　curtains。
　　They　had　parted；　and　The　Shadow　was　confronted　with　a　leveled　revolver；　held　in　the　slender　but　determined　hand　of　a　dark…eyed　Spanish　girl；　whose　blazing　gaze　told　him　that　another　step　would　bring　action　from　her　trigger　finger。
　　
　　
　　HALTED；　his　gloved　hands　lifting　slowly；　The　Shadow　laughed　softly　but　grimly。　That　touch　of　strange　mirth　was　induced　by　the　sounds　behind　him；　for　he　knew　that　within　a　dozen　seconds　the　machete　experts　would　be　on　their　feet　again；　the　knives　in　their　hands。
　　They'd　follow　the　usual　rule；　those　fellows；　of　striking　first　and　inquiring　afterward。
　　The　girl's　eyes　told　that　she　felt　no　mercy　toward　an　unannounced　intruder。　Small　wonder；　therefore；　that　The　Shadow　laughed。　Unless　his　wits　could　prove　quicker　than　a　gun　trigger；　or　the　strokes　of　deadly　knives；　this　would　be　the　last　time　he　would　ever　phrase　his　famous　mirth。
　　Often；　The　Shadow's　tone　had　sounded　as　a　knell　to　dying　men　of　crime。
　　This　time；　seemingly；　it　was　the　preface　to　his　own　death。
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XII　
　　　THE　COURSE　AHEAD　
　　FRIENDS　of　The　Shadow！
　　Such；　by　rights；　should　be　the　dwellers　in　this　mansion；　instead；　they　were　proving　the　deadliest　of　foes。　Only　a　Spanish　girl's　rigid　adherence　to　custom　was　prolonging　The　Shadow's　slim　opportunity　to　live。
　　The　senorita　preferred　that　the　servants　should　give　death　to　the　cloaked　intruder；　since　it　was　their　appointed　task。　Her　stern　gaze　assured　The　Shadow　that　no　ten…second　argument　could　save　him。
　　Perhaps　the　girl　expected　a　voluble　plea　in　Spanish；　she　was　certainly　steeled　to　ignore　it。　Nevertheless；　The　Shadow　spoke。
　　His　words　were　in　English。　That　made　no　difference。　A　plea　in　any　language　would　be　useless。　However；　The　Shadow　did　not　plead。
　　〃Good　evening；　Senorita　Peridor；〃　he　said。　〃I　mistook　your　servants　for　Castenago's　men。　I　bring　a　message　from　a　certain　friend。〃
　　The　Shadow　took　just　ten　seconds　for　that　speech；　and　his　emphasis　upon　the　word　〃friend〃　carried　just　the　needed　touch。　The　widening　of　the　girl's　eyes；　the　slight　parting　of　her　lips；　told　that　her　gun　hand　had　relaxed。
　　Already；　the　servants　were　beginning　a　new　lunge；　there　wasn't　time　for　time　girl　to　call　to　them；　even　had　she　chosen。　It　was　The　Shadow　who　supplied　the　needed　action。
　　He　jabbed　his　left　hand　for　the　girl's　gun；　caught　it；　hand　and　all；　finishing　with　a　twist　as　he　lurched　her　through　the　curtains。　The　revolver　clattered　away　and　The　Shadow's　speeding　grip　slid　to　the　senorita's　wrist；　whirling　her　full　about。
　　The　Shadow　had　her　safety　in　mind；　along　with　his　own；　for　in　turning　her　as　a　human　shield；　he　carried　her　beyond　the　reach　of　the　driving　machetes。
　　The　servants　tried　to　flank　The　Shadow…too　late；　for　he　was　through　the　doorway；　where　they　couldn't　reach　him　except　by　tearing　the　girl　from　his　grasp。　They　never　went　through　with　such　a　plan；　for　by　then；　their　attack　was　fully　balked。　The　Shadow's　right　hand　had　pulled　a　gun　from　beneath　his　cloak。
　　He　hadn't　actually　drawn　the　automatic；　he'd　done　something　even　swifter。
　　The　holstered　gun　was　pointed　toward　the　hallway　at　the　time　of　his　grab；　and　he　wheeled　his　body　away　from　it。
　　Practically　where　it　was；　the　。45　was　pointing　across　the　shoulder　of　the　dark…eyed　senorita；　whose　efforts　to　break　from　The　Shadow's　grasp　were　nudging　the　weapon　from　left　to　right；　so　that　it　confronted　each　of　the　servants　in　successive　turn！
　　〃From　a　certain　friend；〃　repeated　The　Shad