mg.dictatorofcrime-第24部分

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his　motions。
　　When　the　last　of　Murk's　guns　had　disappeared；　The　Shadow　placed　both　automatics　on　the　table　and　turned　to　the　council　members。
　　〃You　have　the　words　of　El　Piojo。〃　Speaking　in　fluent　Spanish；　The　Shadow　was　referring　to　Castenago　by　the　official　title　which　the　dictator　had　assumed　as　supreme　ruler　of　Centralba。　〃I　now　call　upon　you　to　bear　witness　that　I　have　accepted　his　terms。　Disarmed；　I　surrender　to　this　council；　not　to　El　Piojo。　I　am　ready　to　abide　by　your　decision　in　my　case。〃
　　A　strong　stroke　on　The　Shadow's　part。　He　had　definitely　curbed　the　menace　of　hidden　guns。　Castenago　couldn't　recall　Murk　and　the　other　crooks　if　he　wanted。　Even　in　Centralba　there　were　distinctions　between　law　and　murder。
　　It　was　through　the　nicety　of　those　distinctions　that　Castenago　held　the　support　of　this　council。　Though　he　could　have　eliminated　them　individually；　by　mere　snaps　of　his　fingers；　taken　altogether；　they　were　too　strong　a　bundle　to　break。
　　Professor　Peridor；　himself；　had　assured　The　Shadow　on　that　point；　therefore；　The　Shadow　was　acting　on　a　friend's　advice。　But　Peridor　had　added　a　strong　warning；　one　that　The　Shadow　had　evidently　forgotten；　much　to　the　old　professor's　horror。
　　Very　definitely；　Peridor　had　stated　that　Castenago；　so　long　as　he　operated　by　stated　regulations；　could　sway　the　council　to　any　decision　that　he　desired。
　　Thus；　The　Shadow；　in　removing　a　menace　that　Peridor　hadn't　seen；　had　placed　himself　in　the　pathway　of　another　that　Peridor　recognized　only　too　well。
　　Watching　Castenago；　Peridor　saw　the　big…jawed　dictator　take　The　Shadow's　guns　and　toss　them　carelessly　into　a　table　drawer；　as　a　symbol　of　good　faith　that　wasn't　in　Castenago's　mind。　The　broad　smile　on　Castenago's　lips　gave　real　evidence　as　to　his　sentiments。
　　It　was　no　longer　a　duel　between　Castenago　and　The　Shadow。　The　game　had　reached　another；　inner　stage。　This　game　was　fixed　the　way　Castenago　liked　it。
　　Stepping　from　behind　the　table；　Castenago　spoke　in　cunning　style；　first　gesturing　to　Peridor　and　Mariquita　as　he　addressed　the　council。
　　
　　
　　〃THESE　worthy　friends　of　ours；〃　he　said；　〃are　still　with　us　only　because　they　escaped　a　bomb　planted　in　the　patio　of　their　home。　That　bomb　caused　the　death　of　two　gatomontes。　I；　your　leader；　El　Piojo；　have　sworn　that　I　shall　find　the　man　responsible；　and　bring　him　to　trial　for　his　crime　before　this　council。〃
　　The　approval　of　the　council　was　unanimous。　They　rose　to　their　feet　to　express　it。　Peridor　and　Mariquita　knew　what　was　ing　next。　Their　words　drowned　out　by　the　council's　chorus；　they　sprang　to　The　Shadow's　side　to　clutch　his　folded　arms；　hoping　to　turn　him　toward　the　elevator。
　　It　was　then　too　late。　The　door　was　sliding　open。　Castenago　had　pressed　a　button　before　leaving　his　chair。　Four　palace　guards　strode　into　the　council　room；　at　Castenago's　mand；　two　of　them　drew　Peridor　and　his　daughter　away；　while　the　other　pair　gripped　The　Shadow。
　　〃I　have　kept　my　promise！〃　boomed　Castenago　to　the　councilors。　〃Every　witness　who　saw　the　bombing　at　Peridor's　has　borne　testimony　to　the　presence　of　a　single　stranger；　monly　regarded　as　the　culprit。　I　refer　to　this　prisoner；　who　calls　himself　'La　Sombra。'　It　is　right　that　he　should　be　the　first　man　to　e　to　trial！〃
　　Peridor　and　Mariquita　heard　the　final　words　as　two　guards　led　them　into　the　elevator。　As　the　silent　door　slid　shut；　they　heard　an　answer　to　Castenago's　accusation。
　　It　was　a　strangely　whispered　laugh；　that　mocked　the　pretense　that　was　known　as　justice　in　this　realm　where　Castenago　stood　supreme。　A　challenge　to　the　dictator　and　his　power；　that　mirth　that　was　The　Shadow's。
　　A　futile　laugh；　it　seemed；　ing　from　a　man　on　trial　for　his　life　before　a　tribunal　governed　by　a　human　fiend　who　could　force　his　dupes　to　echo　the　one　word：　〃Guilty！〃
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XVII　
　　　BEFORE　DAWN　
　　THE　Shadow's　trial　was　worse　than　a　travesty　on　justice。　It　was　so　filled　with　precedent　and　citations　of　existing　laws；　that　the　average　prisoner　would　have　believed　himself　guilty。
　　It　made　The　Shadow　understand　why　so　many　Centralbans　had　accepted　the　yoke　of　Castenago。　For　the　dictator；　in　every　word　and　deed；　declared　himself　an　upholder　of　right。
　　He　was　using　the　old；　time…honored　laws　of　his　country　in　this　trial；　not　recent　regulations　of　his　own　device。　Castenago　knew　those　laws　by　heart；　evidently　he'd　spent　months　going　through　the　statutes；　picking　out　every　legal　oddity　that　would　benefit　his　iron…handed　regime。
　　By　Centralban　law；　a　prisoner　was　considered　guilty　until　he　proved　himself　innocent。　This；　Castenago　argued；　was　much　preferable　to　the　reverse　system　established　by　English　law。　It　meant　that　the　judge；　himself；　became　an　advocate　in　behalf　of　the　prisoner；　which　Castenago　promptly　proceeded　to　do。
　　He　suggested　that　La　Sombra　might　have　an　alibi；　if　not；　that　he　might　be　able　to　accuse　some　other　person　of　the　bombing。　When　The　Shadow　offered　no　help　along　these　lines；　Castenago　obligingly　tried　other　ways　to　help　out　the　prisoner。
　　Always；　Castenago　used　the　title：　〃La　Sombra。〃　He　did　so　for　a　reason　that　he　tactfully　did　not　mention：　namely；　if　The　Shadow　proved　himself　other　than　a　citizen　of　Centralba；　he　could　demand　an　appeal　to　the　consul　of　his　own　country；　which　would　automatically　postpone　the　trial。
　　Castenago　didn't　want　that　to　happen。　Hence　he　talked　of　La　Sombra　as　an　established　fixture　in　Libertad。
　　Castenago　almost　struck　a　snag　when　one　of　the　councilors　suggested　that　La　Sombra　remove　his　hat　and　reveal　his　features；　on　the　chance　that　someone　would　recognize　them。　Castenago　rode　over　that　one　by　citing　a　law　which　stated　that　all　prisoners　must　be　tried　under　their　chosen　names。
　　The　thing　went　back　almost　to　the　time　of　the　Spanish　conquest；　when　the　Indians　had　objected　to　having　their　names　reduced　to　pronounceable　form。
　　Nevertheless　the　law　still　stood；　and　it　settled　the　entire　problem。
　　Should　The　Shadow　unmask；　he　would　no　longer　be　La　Sombra；　which　was　unquestionably　his　chosen　name。　Thus　did　Castenago　prevent　the　council　from　identifying　The　Shadow　as　Allard；　a　man　whom　most　of　them　had　met。　In　turn；　it　further　prevented　them　from　learning　that　he　was　an　American。
　　As　usual；　Castenago　was　working　subtly。
　　He　had　The　Shadow　in　a　dilemma。　To　reveal　himself　as　Allard；　in　defiance　of　Castenago's　legal　interpretation；　he　would　be　disclosing　the　true　identity　of　The　Shadow；　thereby　rendering　it　useless　in　the　future。　Contrarily；　by　keeping　his　identity　concealed；　The　Shadow　was　placing　himself　beyond　redress　from　local　law。
　　Either　way；　Castenago　would　win。
　　He　could　order　Allard's　deportation；　he　could　demand　the　execution　of　La　Sombra。　From　Castenago's　viewpoint；　it　was　unfortunate　that　two　paths　were　open　to　the　prisoner；　for　he　would　prefer　to　dispose　of　The　Shadow　for　all　time。
　　But　Castenago；　in　his　own　neat　way；　was　working　to　close　the　first　path；　that　of　banishment；　and　make　death　the　positive　verdict。
　　Since　The　Shadow　offered　no　defense；　Castenago　decided　to　call　in　the　witnesses。　In　accordance　with　a　law　dating　from　the　eighteenth　century；　this　was　never　done　in　the　presence　of　the　accused。　So　Castenago　summoned　more　guards　and　manded　them　to　take　La　Sombra　to　the　presidio。
　　〃You　will　be　detained　there；〃　Castenago　told　The　Shadow；　〃until　the　trial　is　ended。　I　shall　deem　it　my　especial　privilege　to　inform　you　of　the　verdict。〃
　　
　　
　　EVERY　member　of　the　palace　guard　was　along　The　Shadow's　route　to　the　presidio。　The　fancy　soldiers　totaled　more　than　fifty；　and　nearly　a　score　of　gatomontes　supplemented　them。　Castenago　was　taking　no　chances　on　The　Shadow　performing　another　whirlwind　escape。
　　Crossing　the　cement　courtyard；　The　Shadow　was　marched　into　a　cell　block　and　placed　in　immediate　confinement。
　　The　cell　chosen　for　him　was　the　strongest　in　the　block。　Its　barred　door　was　so　heavy　that　it　took　two　soldiers　to　swing　it　shut；　and　it　had　three　strong　locks。
　　Having　incarcerated　the　prisoner；　the　guard　captain　took　the　keys　personally。　He　put　four　men　on　duty　at　each　end　of　the　cell　block；　but　left　none　near　the　cell　itself。
　　Castenago　not　only　feared　the　guard