mg.dictatorofcrime-第3部分

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　　It　didn't　fit　with　Margo's　plans　at　all。　She　hadn't　intended　to　change　to　bathing　attire；　let　alone　be　under　surveillance。　Her　chances　of　learning　anything　more　about　the　Durez　crowd　had　gone　absolutely　nil；　and　any　opportunity　to　meet　up　with　Cranston　would　be　very　slight；　since　he　probably　wouldn't　e　anywhere　near　the　swimming　pool。
　　She　was　balking　at　the　whole　idea　when　she　reached　the　cabana；　until　she　convinced　herself　that　a　half　hour　in　a　swimming　pool　would　be　better　than　a　night　in　jail。　Stalling　a　cop　whose　mind　was　made　up　could　prove　bad　policy。
　　So　Margo　decided　to　hurry　through　with　the　swim。　She　got　out　of　her　clothes　and　into　the　bathing　suit　as　fast　as　she　could。　She　put　on　a　pair　of　bathing　slippers；　threw　a　light　robe　across　her　arm；　and　came　from　the　cabana　carrying　a　bathing　cap。　She　strolled　past　the　hedge；　to　make　sure　that　the　cop　was　still　there。　He　was；　lounging　by　the　largest　space　that　he　could　find。
　　Reaching　the　deep　end　of　the　pool；　Margo　sat　down　on　a　marble　bench；　laid　the　robe　aside；　and　nonchalantly　began　to　adjust　her　bathing　cap。　As　she　did；　she　looked　up　and　saw　above　the　hedge。　Her　gaze　was　riveted　by　third…floor　windows　at　the　rear　of　the　hotel；　above　an　extension　which　formed　a　garage。
　　Those　windows　were　lighted；　and　through　one　of　them　Margo　saw　Colonel　Jose　Durez　in　ardent　conversation　with　a　portly　American　who　looked　like　a　banker。
　　Other　faces　passed　the　next　window　and　Margo　recognized　members　of　the　Durez　party。　She'd　located　the　suite　where　they　were　staying；　and　had　also　learned　that　their　business；　as　mentioned　by　Durez；　had　begun！
　　
　　
　　MARGO　found　a　pack　of　cigarettes　in　the　pocket　of　her　robe　and　lighted　one　since　she　could　no　longer　stall　with　the　bathing　cap。　Her　idea；　now；　was　to　linger；　not　to　hurry；　and　she　found　plenty　of　chances　to　glance　up　toward　those　windows。　She　calculated　that　the　suite　went　the　whole　width　of　the　hotel；　because　the　rear　wing　was　paratively　narrow。
　　She　saw　the　edge　of　a　balcony；　jutting　at　the　rear；　and　remembered　that　it　went　the　whole　width；　which　supported　her　conclusion。　Moreover；　she　was　wondering　why　she　didn't　see　Colin　Nayre。　He　wasn't　among　those　who　moved　about；　so　she　surmised　that　he　was　in　another　room。
　　Durez　and　his　friends　were　drinking　Cuba　Libres　as　a　preliminary　to　business。　From　their　slow　sips　at　the　long　glasses；　they　weren't　in　any　hurry。
　　Margo　was　just　about　deciding　on　a　swim；　when　the　glare　of　headlights　cut　through　the　hedge；　illuminating　the　green　brush　and　the　officer　beyond　it。
　　Margo　saw　other　police　e　dashing　up；　as　the　lone　cop　called　to　them。　She　hurried　over　to　the　hedge。
　　The　lights　were　from　a　taxicab；　and　police　were　arguing　with　the　driver。
　　They　wanted　to　know　why　he'd　e　here；　and　what　his　hurry　was。　He　was　stuttering　something　about　a　passenger　for　the　Equator；　when　one　of　the　officers　yanked　open　the　door　and　said：
　　〃Oh；　yeah？〃
　　The　others　looked　in　the　back。　The　cab　was　empty。　They　didn't　appear　surprised；　but　the　driver　was。　He　couldn't　remember　where　his　passenger　had　dropped　off；　and　he　argued　that　he　hadn't　been　paid。
　　That　point　struck　home　to　Margo。　She　knew　The　Shadow's　way　of　dropping　out　of　cabs；　but　usually　he　fluttered　a　bill　into　the　front　seat；　to　cover　his　fare；　with　a　healthy　tip　besides。
　　This　new　wrinkle　would　only　mean　that　The　Shadow　hoped　to　hold　the　cab　for　later　use！
　　The　plan；　at　least；　was　working；　for　police　had　ordered　the　cabby　to　park　over　near　the　back　of　the　garage。　The　cop　who　guarded　the　hedge　was　returning；　so　Margo　had　to　scamper　back　to　her　bench。　As　she　reached　it；　she　took　a　quick　look　over　her　shoulder　and　caught　a　chance　glimpse　of　something　that　stirred　her　even　more。
　　A　figure　was　scaling　the　wall　of　the　garage。　It　had　just　rolled　to　the　roof；　away　from　view　of　the　police。　The　shape　appeared　again；　below　the　third…floor　balcony；　and　prepared　for　a　farther　climb。
　　A　faint　breeze　stirred　past　the　white　coquina　wall；　and　Margo　saw　a　slight　flutter　of　blackness　that　represented　the　folds　of　a　cloak。
　　The　climber　was　The　Shadow！
　　Boldly；　almost　openly；　he　was　trying　to　reach　the　darkness　of　the　balcony　above；　but　to　manage　it；　he　would　have　to　swing　outward；　into　plain　sight；　should　anyone　else　stare　upward。　The　police　by　the　cab　might　miss　sight　of　him；　they　were　close　to　the　wall　and　still　talking　to　the　driver。　But　Margo's　friend　by　the　hedge　had　a　perfect　angle　from　which　he　could　spot　The　Shadow。　Margo's　own　stare　up　to　the　balcony　certainly　wasn't　helping　matters。　If　she　kept　it　up　a　few　moments　longer；　the　cop　would　probably　wonder　what　she　was　looking　at。
　　The　one　thing　to　do　was　get　her　mind　off　The　Shadow；　and　carry　the　officer's　attention；　too。　So　Margo　tossed　away　the　cigarette；　kicked　off　her　slippers；　and　tightened　the　bathing　cap。
　　She　walked　to　the　springboard；　stepped　to　the　far　end　of　it　and　poised；　preparing　for　a　swan　dive。　Her　eyes　raised　and　automatically　she　saw　the　lighted　windows；　where　Durez　and　his　friends　were　entertaining　their　guests。
　　She　even　caught　the　sound　of　their　rising　voices。
　　Then！
　　Margo　never　took　the　swan　dive。　She　was　frozen　where　she　was　by　the　sudden　thing　that　occurred　in　the　rooms　above。　Light　and　gaiety　ended　together。　With　a　single　blink；　the　windows　were　blotted　with　an　absolute　darkness　that　seemed；　by　its　very　pall；　to　smother　the　babble　which　ceased　as　the　blackness　came！
　　With　that　blot　that　foretold　immediate　crime；　Margo　lost　her　last　chance　to　spot　The　Shadow；　as　he　swung　out　to　pull　himself　up　over　the　balcony　rail！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　III　
　　　DEATH　GOES　RAMPANT　
　　THE　last　moment　of　light　in　the　third…floor　suite　showed　a　scene　that　could　not　be　viewed　from　below…one　which　presaged　the　horror　that　was　to　be　when　the　illumination　ended。
　　On　tables　and　chairs　in　the　center　of　the　room　were　the　coffers　that　had　e　from　the　armored　truck；　open　for　inspection　by　the　bankers。　The　smaller　coffers　were　by　far　the　heavier；　for　they　contained　gold；　in　coin。　Gold　from　the　treasury　of　Centralba；　stored　up　through　years：　governmental　proceeds　from　such　modities　as　oil；　bananas；　and　mahogany。
　　The　former　president；　Francisco　Peridor；　who　still　called　Centralba　by　its　old　name；　had　done　well　for　his　people。　All　the　results　of　his　economics　had　reached　the　hands　of　Luis　Castenago；　the　present　dictator。
　　These　funds　in　gold；　plus　the　American　currency　that　swelled　from　the　larger　chests；　were　payment　from　Castenago　to　Durez；　and　others；　who　had　fattened　on　private　concessions；　now　the　dictator's　property。
　　But　Durez　and　the　rest　were　more　than　satisfied；　as　their　laughter　told。
　　Their　mirth　had　simply　increased　when　they　saw　the　two　American　bankers　stare　in　awe　at　so　much　wealth；　particularly　the　gold。
　　Then　the　scene　of　pelf　was　vanished　in　a　trice！　Not　even　the　gold　could　glitter　in　the　blackness　that　came　when　the　lights　went　off。　The　blackout　could　mean　but　one　thing：　a　threat　that　produced　absolute　silence。　Someone　was　after　the　spoils　that　Castenago　had　yielded！
　　In　the　pitch…darkness；　men　trembled。　Durez　and　his　associates；　fresh　from　a　land　where　death　could　occur　at　the　mere　snap　of　a　dictator's　fingers；　had　thought　themselves　safe　in　this　healthier　clime　where　law　had　prevailed。
　　True；　they　had　heard　that　criminals　could　strike　in　such　cities　as　Miami；　or　the　Beach；　but　they　had　been　jesting　on　that　very　point　when　they　mentioned　the　terrorism　that　prevailed　in　Centralba。
　　Jests　were　over。　The　menace　was　here。
　　A　voice　spoke　from　the　doorway。　Its　rasp　was　crimeland's　edition　of　a　dictator's　harsh　demands。　The　tone　belonged　to　Murk　Wessel；　big　con　man；　who　had　switched　from　his　more　subtle　specialty　to　outright　banditry　because　of　the　profits　involved。
　　〃Anybody　that　moves　gets　croaked！〃　assured　Murk。　〃That　dough　is　going　out　of　here；　and　nobody　stops　it！　Savvy？〃
　　This　wasn't　like　Centralba；　where　the　military　police　stepped　up　in　daylight　and　marched　their　victims　off　to　prison；　with　the　promise　of　a　mock　trial　that　would　mean　a　firing　squad　at　dawn。
　　Here；　things　happened　in　the　darkness；　where　accusers　didn't　even　show　their　faces。　Men　of　cr