mg.cityofcrime-第23部分

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in　Benbrook。
　As　the　judge　reached　the　platform；　Ruthley　stepped　aside；　bowing　and　smiling；　for　he　knew　that　he　must　side　with　enthusiasm。　As　the　judge　stepped　forward；　a　hush　fell　upon　the　audience。　In　brief　words；　the　elderly　jurist　announced　his　purpose。
　〃I　have　e；〃　he　declared　firmly；　〃to　announce　my　return　to　public　life。
　I　intend　to　be　a　candidate　for　the　office　of　district　attorney！〃
　The　crowd　went　wild　again。　Judge　Benbrook　waited　for　the　enthusiasm　to　end。　Stephen　Ruthley　retained　his　forced　smile。　Mayor　Marclot　and　Director　Borman　restrained　their　nervousness。　As　the　hubbub　ended；　the　judge　added：
　〃I　hold　high　regard　for　the　present　district　attorney。〃　He　turned　toward　Wilderton　as　he　spoke。　〃Yet　I　feel　that　he　has　been　handicapped　through　adverse　conditions。　My　experience　on　the　bench　will　enable　me　to　carry　through　thoroughly　the　functions　of　the　office。　As　my　foremost　assistant；　I　shall　need　Louis　Wilderton。〃
　Roars　of　approval。　Wilderton　was　on　his　feet；　shaking　away　from　Ruthley；　the　young　county　prosecutor　sprang　forward　and　clutched　Judge　Benbrook's　hand。
　The　pact　was　sealed；　Ruthley's　hopes　were　spiked。　As　champion　of　reform；　his　part　was　to　uphold　such　accord。
　When　new　silence　came；　Judge　Benbrook　began　a　speech。　His　statements　were　mild　at　first；　gradually；　they　carried　veiled　accusation。
　〃The　death　of　Prescott　Dunson　was　the　cause　of　my　decision；〃　the　judge　told　the　reformers。　〃He　promised　to　reveal　the　truth　of　crime　and　corruption。
　He　promised　to　drive　them　forever　from　Westford。　Have　we　proof　that　Dunson's　hopes　have　been　fully　acplished？　No！　You　would　like　to　hear　the　reason；　therefore；　I　shall　give　it。
　〃There　is　laxity　in　our　city　government。〃　The　judge　paused　to　let　his　words　carry　home。　〃If　it　had　functioned　to　its　full；　crime　and　corruption　would　never　have　gained　a　foothold。　Where　were　our　police；　when　they　allowed　murderers　to　infest　this　city？　What　happened　with　our　higher　officials；　when　they　permitted　such　contracts　as　Adam　Woodstock's　to　be　signed？〃
　The　words　were　indictments　of　Mayor　Marclot　and　Director　Borman。　The　two　officials　winced；　looked　uneasy　as　they　shifted　in　their　chairs。　Judge　Benbrook　drove　home　a　final　statement。
　〃As　district　attorney；〃　he　announced；　〃I　shall　make　a　full　inquiry　into　every　department　of　our　administration！　I　know　that　our　honest　officials　will　wele　such　investigation。　They　were　elected　on　a　reform　ticket。　I　trust　that　they　have　stood　by　their　pledges　and　done　their　utmost　to　further　good　government。〃
　Cleverly；　the　old　judge　had　softened　his　impeachment。　His　words　gave　Marclot　and　Borman　a　chance　to　regain　their　tottering　favor。　Both　were　too　jittery　to　see　the　opportunity；　but　Ruthley　was　quick　to　grasp　it。
　Smiling　in　his　best　fashion；　the　master　crook　started　a　new　round　of　applause；　lifting　his　hands　to　bring　the　audience　to　its　feet。　He　managed　a　nod　to　Borman；　who　nudged　Mayor　Marclot。　The　two　came　up；　joined　enthusiastically　in　the　tribute　to　Judge　Benbrook。
　
　
　OFF　in　the　judge's　own　home；　The　Shadow　was　seated　in　the　parlor；　listening　to　a　radio　hook…up　that　brought　Judge　Benbrook's　voice　to　his　ears。
　The　meeting　of　the　Civic　Club　was　being　broadcast　throughout　Westford。　The　tumults　of　applause　told　their　own　story　of　the　reception　that　the　judge　had　gained。
　The　Shadow　turned　off　the　radio；　ascended　the　stairs　to　the　second　floor。
　Judge　Benbrook　had　followed　a　course　as　outlined　by　The　Shadow。　It　had　brought　results。　Through　the　judge's　cooperation；　The　Shadow　had　thrown　confusion　into　the　ranks　of　crime。
　
　
　THE　meeting　had　ended　at　the　Civic　Club。　Mayor　Marclot　and　Director　Borman　were　the　first　to　shake　Judge　Benbrook's　hand；　hoping　thereby　to　prove　that　they　were　foremost　of　the　honest　officials　whom　he　had　mentioned。　Stephen　Ruthley　pressed　forward；　mended　the　speech　in　flowery　tones。　As　members　of　the　audience　thronged　the　platform；　Marclot　and　Borman　made　an　inconspicuous　departure。
　They　headed　for　Ruthley's　apartment。　They　were　there　when　the　boss　arrived；　to　announce　that　he　had　left　Judge　Benbrook　still　surrounded　by　enthusiastic　admirers。　Ruthley　stopped　their　questions　with　impatient　gestures。
　〃I　called　Lance　on　the　way　back；〃　he　told　them。　〃I　asked　him　where　the　slip…up　was。　Doc　Lunden　was　supposed　to　keep　the　old　judge　on　the　shelf。〃
　Marclot　and　Borman　nodded；　worried。　〃Something　went　sour；〃　purred　Ruthley；　maintaining　the　pose　that　he　could　keep　best　when　angered。　〃We'll　have　to　find　a　way　to　amend　the　new　situation。〃
　〃Before　the　old　judge　talks　too　much；〃　put　in　Borman。　〃He　nearly　spilled　the　beans　today；　Steve。〃
　〃He　knows　more　than　he　told；〃　asserted　Marclot；　fearfully。　〃He　is　holding　back　real　information；　though　how　he　gained　it；　I　cannot　guess。〃
　〃We　can　handle　this；〃　announced　Ruthley；　〃through　Lance　Gillick。　He　provided　the　way　by　which　we　reached　Doctor　Lunden。　That　kept　Judge　Benbrook　on　the　shelf　for　a　long　while。　Lunden　has　failed　us；　but　that　was　his　fault；　not　Lance's。
　〃Remember；　we　have　kept　Lance　in　the　clear。　He　had　a　clean　bill　of　health；　we　have　strengthened　him　by　our　policy　of　pinning　crime　on　Beezer　Dorsch。　Lance　will　be　here　within　an　hour。　I　shall　confer　with　him；　alone。　Meanwhile；　keep　up　the　front　that　you　have　used　so　well　in　the　past。〃
　Stephen　Ruthley　waved　his　hand　in　dismissal。　Marclot　and　Borman　steadied　themselves；　made　their　departure　with　new　confidence。　Ruthley　had　reassured　them；　they　were　positive　that　the　big…shot　had　picked　the　right　way　to　stave　off　threatening　disaster。
　Ruthley　watched　his　lieutenants　depart。　His　smile　was　one　of　actual　confidence。
　Possibly；　the　master　crook's　smile　would　have　vanished　had　he　known　that　The　Shadow　was　the　motivating　force　behind　Judge　Benbrook's　appearance　from　retirement。　Ruthley　would　have　been　troubled　further　had　he　guessed　that　The　Shadow　had　also　foreseen　that　Lance　Gillick　was　the　one　man　upon　whom　the　big…shot　could　at　present　depend。
　
　
　CHAPTER　XVIII　
　LANCE　FINDS　THE　ANSWER　
　SOON　after　Stephen　Ruthley　had　broken　the　bad　news　to　Mayor　Marclot　and　Director　Borman；　a　package　was　delivered　at　the　home　of　Judge　Martin　Benbrook。
　Estelle　received　it；　she　knew　that　it　was　intended　for　The　Shadow。　The　girl　carried　the　package　upstairs；　she　knocked　at　the　door　of　a　front　room。　A　quiet　voice　told　her　to　enter。
　Dusk　had　fallen；　the　room　was　almost　dark；　but　against　the　window；　Estelle　saw　a　cloaked　figure。　As　the　girl　entered；　The　Shadow　turned；　he　stepped　toward　Estelle　and　took　the　package。　He　laid　it　upon　a　chair　and　beckoned　the　girl　to　the　window。
　The　Shadow　drew　two　envelopes　from　his　cloak。　He　gave　them　to　Estelle；　then　told　the　girl；　in　whispered　tone：
　〃These　are　for　your　father。　He　is　to　open　the　smaller　envelope　and　read　its　contents。　It　will　explain　the　nature　of　the　evidence　which　I　have　placed　in　the　large　envelope。〃
　Estelle　nodded；　took　the　envelopes　and　hurried　downstairs　to　meet　her　father。　The　judge　was　shaking　hands　on　the　front　steps；　he　waved　good…by　to　the　reformers　and　entered　the　house　with　Estelle。　The　girl　gave　him　the　envelopes；　entering　the　parlor；　the　judge　opened　the　smaller　one　and　read　its　contents。
　His　eyes　lighted。　He　crumpled　The　Shadow's　note　and　tossed　it　into　a　fire　that　was　burning　in　the　fireplace。　Looking　about；　he　chose　a　music　cabinet　as　a　place　to　keep　the　larger　envelope。　He　unlocked　the　cabinet；　put　the　envelope　in　the　lower　drawer。
　〃It　will　be　safe　there；〃　the　judge　told　his　daughter。　〃Later；　I　shall　turn　it　over　to　Louis　Wilderton　and　explain　its　contents。　Perhaps〃…the　judge　looked　toward　the　stairway…〃yes；　I　believe　that　I　should　confer　with　our　friend　upstairs；　even　though　he　explained　matters　quite　pletely　in　his　message。〃
　Before　the　judge　could　follow　his　plan　to　visit　The　Shadow；　there　was　a　ring　at　the　front　door。　Thinking　that　members　of　the　reform　club　had　returned；　the　judge　waited　while　Estelle　answered　the　door。　A　moon…faced　man　entered；　removing　his　hat　to　display　a　baldish　head。　He　saw　the　judge　and　bobbed　forward　with　an　exclamation。
　〃Ah；　Judge　Benbrook！〃　ejaculated　the　arrival。　〃You　have　again　gone　contrary　to　my　advice。　I　must　insist　that；　as　my　patient；　you　refrain　from　new　exerti