mg.cityofcrime-第22部分

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　〃No　father！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃We　cannot　trust　Doctor　Lunden　to　preserve　silence。　I　have　often　asked　you　to　choose　another　physician。　Your　own　condition　has　not　improved　under　Doctor　Lunden's　treatments。〃
　Judge　Benbrook　motioned　for　silence。　The　Shadow's　lips　had　moved。　In　low；　but　steady　tone　the　wounded　fighter　spoke：
　〃Telegraph　to　New　York。　Summon　Doctor　Rupert　Sayre…〃
　The　Shadow　paused；　closing　his　eyes；　but　both　Estelle　and　her　father　nodded。　They　understood　that　Sayre　must　be　The　Shadow's　own　physician。
　The　Shadow's　eyes　opened；　they　met　Judge　Benbrook's　gaze。　At　close　range；　The　Shadow　noted　a　largeness　of　the　judge's　pupils；　a　certain　fixation　in　his　stare。
　Estelle　was　tipping　three　capsules　from　the　medicine　bottle。　The　Shadow　reached　forward　with　his　right　hand。
　〃Give　me　two；〃　he　requested。　〃One　only　for　Judge　Benbrook。〃
　Estelle　looked　puzzled；　but　she　followed　the　request。　The　Shadow　swallowed　each　pill　in　turn；　following　with　gulps　of　water　from　the　glass　which　Estelle　handed　him。　His　head　performed　a　slight　nod；　to　indicate　that　he　had　made　a　correct　supposition。
　〃These　pills　contain　an　opiate；〃　declared　The　Shadow；　looking　toward　Judge　Benbrook。　〃As　such；　they　will　relieve　my　pain。　They　explain　why　your　strength　has　failed　you。〃
　〃You　mean　that　I　have　been　doped？〃　claimed　Judge　Benbrook。　〃That　the　increased　dosages；　given　to　me　by　Doctor　Lunden　have　been　keeping　me　an　invalid？〃
　The　Shadow　nodded。
　〃Take　only　one；〃　he　repeated。　〃Ask　Sayre　about　them　when　he　es　tomorrow。　He　will　reduce　the　dosage。　Say　nothing　to　your　own　physician。〃
　
　
　JUDGE　BENBROOK　took　a　single　pill　and　swallowed　it。　Watching　The　Shadow；　he　saw　proof　of　the　latter's　statement。　The　Shadow's　eyes　had　dulled；　his　eyelids　closed。　A　relieved　smile　showed　upon　the　thin　lips。　Judge　Benbrook　arose　from　his　chair；　faced　his　daughter　with　a　triumphant　gaze。
　〃He　will　sleep！〃　exclaimed　the　judge。　〃Soon；　he　will　be　well。　Meanwhile；　my　malady　will　end；　for　this　true　friend　has　discovered　its　real　cause。　We　shall　handle　Lunden　wisely；　Estelle。　We　shall　keep　him　ignorant　of　the　fact　that　we　have　learned　his　treachery。〃
　Proudly；　the　old　judge　walked　to　the　door　of　the　room；　turned　to　survey　The　Shadow；　who　was　deep　in　a　drowse。　In　imposing　tone；　Judge　Benbrook　spoke　for　himself　and　The　Shadow。
　〃Together；〃　he　predicted；　〃we　shall　win　this　struggle！　Truth　shall　prevail　in　Westford！　When　it　does；　crime　will　end！〃
　Those　prophetic　words　must　have　reached　The　Shadow；　just　as　he　was　sinking　into　a　fortable　lethargy。　Estelle　Benbrook；　watching　beside　the　couch；　saw　thin　lips　form　another　smile。
　
　
　CHAPTER　XVII　
　THE　BOMBSHELL　
　FIVE　days　had　passed　since　the　tempestuous　night　when　The　Shadow　had　found　refuge　in　Judge　Martin　Benbrook's　home。　All　had　been　quiet　during　those　days。
　Doctor　Rupert　Sayre　had　e　from　New　York。　During　a　brief　visit；　he　had　put　two　patients　on　the　road　to　recovery。　He　had　attended　The　Shadow's　wound。
　He　had　reduced　the　opiate　dosage　that　Judge　Benbrook　had　unwittingly　been　taking。　This；　Sayre　acplished　through　a　prescription　of　his　own。
　Outside　of　the　judge's　house；　other　matters　had　reached　a　settlement。　The　coroner　had　declared　the　death　of　Adam　Woodstock　to　be　suicide。　His　verdict　had　been　based　on　definite　evidence；　the　papers　found　in　Woodstock's　strong…box　stood　as　clear　proof　that　Woodstock　had　been　the　man　〃higher　up〃　who　hired　Beezer　Dorsch　to　slay　Prescott　Dunson。
　The　coroner　was　an　honest　official；　though　an　unimportant　one。　He　did　not　belong　to　Stephen　Ruthley's　ring；　but　he　had　been　bluffed　by　the　master　crook's　game。
　Prescott　Dunson　had　promised　to　reveal　truth　concerning　corruption　linked　with　crime。　Apparently；　all　could　be　laid　upon　Woodstock。　The　dead　contractor's　own　statement　proved　that　he　had　swindled　the　city　of　Westford。　All　this　evidence　had　been　placed　in　the　hands　of　Louis　Wilderton。
　The　young　district　attorney　had　stated　that　he　would　force　Woodstock's　pany　to　disgorge　its　half　million　of　excess　profit。　The　corporation　was　wealthy；　it　had　promptly　paid　up　without　argument。　Thus　Mayor　Elvin　Marclot　had　received　the　fund　in　question；　it　was　back　in　the　city　treasury。　Money　that　did　not　belong　there；　but　which　would　not　stay　long。　Marclot　was　already　looking　for　another　fat　corporation；　headed　by　another　of　Woodstock's　ilk；　a　man　who　would　〃play　ball〃　and　kick　back　the　required　graft　in　return　for　the　contract。
　One　thing　had　caused　trouble。　The　Shadow's　presence　at　Woodstock's　had　made　the　coroner　hesitate　in　his　verdict　of　suicide。　Director　Borman　had　handled　that；　he　had　talked　headquarters　detectives　into　swearing　that　The　Shadow　had　been　entering　the　house　when　they　trapped　him。　Hence；　he　could　not　be　blamed　for　Woodstock's　death。　The　crooks　would　have　relished　a　decision　that　classed　The　Shadow　as　a　murderer；　but　they　preferred　to　have　Woodstock's　death　pass　as　suicide。
　None　of　the　headquarters　men　had　gained　a　good　look　at　The　Shadow；　nor　had　Lieutenant　Maclare　or　his　bluecoats。　Only　the　fake　cops　who　formed　the　Flying　Squadron　knew　who　it　was　that　they　had　fought。　They　testified　that　the　intruder　had　been　the　mysterious　man　called　Shaw。　Thus　it　was　decided　that　Shaw　had　served　as　go…between　for　Adam　Woodstock　and　Beezer　Dorsch。
　Like　Beezer；　Shaw　was　wanted；　and　neither　had　reappeared。　Ruthley　and　his　fellow　crooks　decided　that　The　Shadow　had　gained　his　fill　of　Westford。
　Nevertheless；　Lance　Gillick　expressed　the　view　that　The　Shadow　might　some　day　return。　Ruthley　decided　to　take　no　chances。　Through　Borman；　the　master　crook　had　arranged　for　members　of　the　Flying　Squadron　to　keep　guard　about　his　apartment　house。
　Ruthley　did　not　know　that　The　Shadow　had　found　the　secret　entrance　through　the　adjacent　house；　nevertheless；　he　wanted　absolute　security。　The　Shadow's　path　to　Ruthley's　was　blocked；　even　if　he　should　choose　to　use　it。
　Beezer　Dorsch　was　hiding　out　in　fortable　fashion　at　Lance　Gillick's　apartment。　Popular　belief　had　it　that　Beezer　had　fled　Westford；　the　night　of　Dunson's　death。
　
　
　WHAT　most　concerned　the　quieted　city　on　this　particular　day　was　a　meeting　of　the　Civic　Club；　the　chief　reform　organization　in　Westford。　That　meeting　was　scheduled　for　late　afternoon；　in　the　club's　own　headquarters。　When　the　hour　arrived；　the　place　was　thronged。　The　chairman　was　Stephen　Ruthley　himself。
　Standing　on　the　rostrum；　Ruthley　beamed　at　the　audience。　In　dulcet　tones；　he　mended　the　city　officials　for　their　successful　war　against　crime　and　graft。　There　were　plaudits　from　the　crowd；　bows　from　Mayor　Marclot　and　Director　Borman；　who　were　seated　on　the　platform　behind　Ruthley。　Finally；　Ruthley's　tone　became　sorrowful；　he　began　an　eulogy　for　Prescott　Dunson。
　〃We　must　not　forget　one　man　who　stood　for　a　cause；〃　droned　Ruthley。　〃That　man　was　Prescott　Dunson！　Though　he　had　not　fully　gained　our　support；　we　were　prepared　to　give　it；　in　return　for　his　promise　to　end　corruption。　I　believe　that　our　present　district　attorney〃…Ruthley　turned　to　Wilderton；　who　was　seated　near　by…〃would　have　stepped　aside　for　Prescott　Dunson。　As　it　is；　Dunson's　work　has　been　pleted。　He　was　a　martyr　to　the　cause　of　reform！
　〃Fearing　Dunson；　the　man　who　was　behind　corruption　overstepped　his　bounds。
　I　refer　to　Adam　Woodstock；　who　hired　murderers　to　do　his　evil　bidding。　Woodstock　himself　weakened　under　the　strain。　His　suicide　was　the　result。　It　has　cleared　the　atmosphere。　All　is　well　in　Westford。
　〃We　can　carry　on　as　we　have　in　the　past；　our　courage　strengthened　by　the　noble　example　that　Prescott　Dunson　set　for　us。　Someone　must　hold　the　office　that　Dunson　sought。　I　can　think　of　no　one　better　than　Louis　Wilderton；　the　present　incumbent。　I　call　upon　you　for　unanimous　support…〃
　Stephen　Ruthley　halted；　disturbed　by　a　motion　at　the　rear　of　the　auditorium。　His　words　were　drowned。　Men　were　rising　to　cheer　an　unexpected　arrival；　a　man　whose　entry　came　as　a　bombshell　to　Stephen　Ruthley。
　Striding　down　the　center　aisle；　step　firm　and　carriage　erect；　came　a　man　with　keen　face　and　flowing　hair。　Like　a　crusader　from　the　past；　his　very　appearance　awoke　thunderous　applause。　Wildly；　the　reformers　were　cheering　Judge　Martin　Benbrook。
　As　the　judge　reached　the　platform；