mg.cityofcrime-第32部分

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lot　and　Borman。
　〃No　need　for　Marclot　to　go　also；〃　declared　Ruthley。　〃He　should　stay　with　us；　to　discuss　matters。　I　shall　call　him　back。〃
　Leaving　Wilderton；　Ruthley　overtook　Marclot　and　Borman　at　the　door　of　the　apartment。　The　three　went　into　a　quick　huddle。　Ruthley；　as　usual；　was　the　brains。
　〃Get　over　to　the　garage；〃　he　told　Borman；　tersely。　〃If　that　pill…box　is　empty；　we'll　know　that　Wilderton　is　right。　If　he　is；　head　for　Judge　Benbrook's；　to　make　sure　they　haven't　rolled　in　there。　The　Shadow　will　be　bringing　the　judge　with　him。〃
　〃Where　next？〃　queried　Borman。　〃Out　to　the　house　where　we're　keeping　the　judge？〃
　〃Yes。　Lance　has　already　ducked　out　to　call　the　cottage。　He　heard　Wilderton's　blab　from　behind　the　picture。　Leave　some　of　the　squadron　at　the　judge's　house。　Take　the　rest　with　you。〃
　Borman　hurried　from　the　apartment。　Ruthley　purred　calming　words　to　Marclot。　The　mayor　steadied。
　〃Keep　Wilderton　bluffed；〃　reminded　Ruthley。　〃He　will　prove　useful　to　us。
　Remember；　we　have　Lance　and　Beezer　covering　up。　Borman　will　be　back　before　it's　time　to　go　to　the　meeting　at　the　Civic　Club。〃
　Marclot　nodded；　as　they　walked　back　through　the　hall。　He　made　whispered　ment：
　〃You've　got　the　swag；　Steve？　In　case…〃
　〃It's　all　in　the　file　cabinet；　with　the　papers。　Forget　it；　Elvin。　We've　had　the　best　break　in　the　world！　The　Shadow　slipped　us；　he　thinks　he　got　away　with　it。　That　puts　him　right　into　our　hands…this　time　to　stay！〃
　Mayor　Marclot　managed　to　smile　in　pompous　style；　as　he　came　back　into　Ruthley's　den　to　resume　the　talk　with　Louis　Wilderton。　That　smile　was　forced；　but　the　one　that　wreathed　Stephen　Ruthley's　lips　was　not。　The　master　crook　smiled　with　real　relish。
　Often　before；　Stephen　Ruthley　had　seen　his　hunches　e　through。　He　was　confident　that　another　such　result　was　due　tonight。　To　Stephen　Ruthley；　The　Shadow's　finish　was　a　settled　matter。
　
　
　CHAPTER　XXIV　
　DOUBLE　BATTLE　
　CREEPING　men　were　closing　inward　through　the　darkness。　They　were　the　thugs　whom　Lance　Gillick　had　sent　from　Westford；　to　keep　a　circled　watch　about　the　old　mansion　that　had　been　Judge　Benbrook's　lodging　overnight。　Audible　ments　passed　among　these　armed　hoodlums。
　Word　passed　along　concerning　Lance's　call　to　the　cottage。　The　cordon　was　to　tighten；　then　drive　in　hard　upon　the　smaller　crew　within　the　house。　Crooks　knew　the　identity　of　the　men　whom　they　were　to　attack。　They　were　ready　with　a　vengeance；　these　thugs；　to　deal　with　agents　of　The　Shadow。
　Some　were　keeping　lookout　for　The　Shadow　himself。　He　had　e　and　gone　as　Trig　Callister；　they　had　let　the　sedan　ride　through。　None　knew　if　Judge　Benbrook　had　gone　out　on　that　last　trip；　there　was　a　chance　that　he　was　still　within　the　house。　If　so；　The　Shadow　would　be　back。　He　would　fare　badly　when　he　came。
　First　the　agents；　then　The　Shadow。　As　for　Judge　Benbrook；　the　finger　had　pointed　toward　him　also。　This　was　to　be　a　massacre；　beginning　with　a　surprise　attack　upon　the　mansion　that　stood　so　silent　within　the　very　center　of　the　creeping　horde。　The　house；　itself；　was　open　to　attack。　Every　window　would　offer　entry　for　invading　thugs。
　The　tightening　process　ceased。　Evil　fighters　were　ready　for　mand。　They　were　under　the　leadership　of　two　whom　Lance　had　deputed　to　such　duty。　Those　two　manded　more　than　a　score　of　gorillas；　the　dregs　of　the　scum　who　had　so　long　been　rampant　in　Westford。　Some　of　the　crew；　in　fact；　had　been　members　of　the　horde　that　had　gunned　for　Lieutenant　James　Maclare。　Brave　through　power　of　numbers；　they　had　boasted　their　wish　for　another　contact　with　The　Shadow。
　It　was　the　moment　when　a　mand　seemed　imminent。　Thugs　waited　for　rasped　orders。　Suddenly；　the　stillness　broke；　but　not　with　the　expected　mands。　From　somewhere；　like　a　ghostly　taunt；　came　a　strident；　mocking　laugh　through　the　darkness。
　The　laugh　of　The　Shadow！
　
　
　THE　cloaked　fighter　had　arrived。　He　had　left　his　car　a　safe　distance　away；　he　had　slipped　through　a　net　of　enemies　set　to　watch　for　him。　He　was　in　the　circle　itself；　and　hard　upon　his　mockery　came　the　proofs　of　his　actual　position。
　Automatics　tongued　from　blackness；　stabbed　flame　picked　out　crouching　hoodlums。　As　snarling　fighters　spun　about；　they　heard　yells　from　their　crippled　panions。　The　Shadow　had　first　located　thugs　amid　the　darkness。　His　first　shots　counted。
　〃The　Shadow！　Get　him！〃
　As　a　mobleader　roared　the　mand；　thugs　sought　to　obey。　Twenty　against　one；　they　had　their　opportunity；　they　would　spot　The　Shadow　if　he　fired　again。
　They　did　not　realize　the　purpose　of　The　Shadow's　opening　shots；　they　did　not　guess　that　he　had　withdrawn　for　the　moment。　Those　shots　had　been　a　signal。
　An　instant　later；　floodlights　glared　from　the　beleaguered　mansion。　Crooks　were　bathed　in　the　brilliance　that　came　from　upper　windows。　The　Shadow　had　applied　the　very　method　that　crooks　had　found　so　useful　in　the　past。　His　agents　had　set　up　searchlights；　ready　to　use　them　when　the　signal　came。
　Crooks　were　as　bewildered　as　Maclare's　bluecoats　had　been；　that　night　at　the　Mississippi　Hotel。　Wildly；　they　turned　toward　the　house。　Remembering　The　Shadow's　marksmanship；　they　fired　for　the　floodlights。　The　brilliant　orbs　remained　unshattered。　These　searchlights　were　equipped　with　bulletproof　glass。
　Rifles　crackled　from　below　the　brilliance。　The　Shadow's　agents　were　at　the　ground　floor　windows；　clipping　the　savage　hoodlums　who　fired　back　in　vain。　Like　wild　tribesmen；　thugs　started　for　the　house；　thinking　to　dislodge　The　Shadow's　agents　with　wide…aimed　bullets　and　curdling　yells。　The　rifles　crackled　on；　at　close　range。
　Crooks　sprawled；　as　they　kicked　up　the　earth；　others　broke。　They　dashed　for　the　limits　of　the　lighted　ground；　followed　by　steady　shots。　Reserves；　the　ones　posted　to　watch　for　The　Shadow；　came　up　with　encouraging　shouts；　for　they　were　blanketed　by　night。　They　were　met　by　another　fire：　The　Shadow's　own。
　The　attack　was　ended。　Those　thugs　who　could；　went　scattering　into　the　night。　The　Shadow's　strident　laugh　resounded；　it　added　impetus　to　the　speed　of　the　survivors。　It　was　a　signal　also；　at　the　sound　of　the　weird　call；　the　searchlights　were　suddenly　extinguished。
　
　
　TO　fleeing　crooks；　the　darkness　brought　new　dread。
　Pursuers　might　be　anywhere；　everywhere。　Each　thug　who　fled　fancied　himself　the　only　one　who　had　escaped；　for　more　than　half　the　horde　had　sprawled　upon　the　turf。　The　same　had　happened　with　the　cluster　of　reserves；　The　Shadow　had　driven　bullets　into　their　very　midst。　Some　thugs　found　cars；　they　sped　away　from　beyond　the　cottages；　heading　away　from　the　direction　of　Westford。　The　others　took　to　the　brush；　making　the　best　time　that　they　could　on　foot。
　The　Shadow　had　classed　these　toughs　as　mass　fighters　only。　They　had　behaved　in　typical　fashion；　once　their　attack　had　bee　a　rout。　New　silence　dominated　the　mansion；　then；　from　a　space　in　front；　came　a　hoarse　whisper。　It　was　〃Hawkeye〃；　he　had　e　out　to　join　The　Shadow。
　The　cloaked　chief　answered。　He　gave　Hawkeye　new　instructions。　Hawkeye　slid　back　to　the　house。　Soon　men　came　stealing　outward　through　the　darkness。　They　were　The　Shadow's　agents；　ready　for　new　battle。　The　first　had　taken　less　time　than　the　limit　The　Shadow　had　set。
　Choosing　the　banks　along　the　dirt　road；　The　Shadow's　agents　waited。　Their　chief　had　gone　somewhere　ahead；　again　they　listened　for　his　signal。　Lights　appeared；　police　cars　and　motorcycles　came　in　caravans　all　manned　by　the　khaki…clad　thugs　who　called　themselves　the　Flying　Squadron。
　The　Shadow　waited　until　the　last　car　was　abreast　of　his　position。　Again；　his　strident　laugh　rang　forth。
　Cars　halted　at　the　startling　cry。　Automatics　tongued　an　opening　message。
　Fake　cops　wheeled　about；　aimed　for　the　spot　whence　the　shots　had　issued。　Again；　The　Shadow　was　gone；　but　his　agents　took　their　cue。　From　the　sheltering　embankment；　they　ripped　away　with　automatics；　raking　the　whole　line　of　the　halted　squadron。
　Bullets　winged　tires；　windshields。　They　found　the　occupants　of　cars。
　Khaki…clad　men　dived　from　their　machines；　left　their　motorcycles　and　scattered　on　foot。　This　time；　floodlights　were　unneeded。　The　cars　and　motorcycles　of　the　unsuspecting　squadron　were　targets　enough。
　From　the　rear；　The　Shadow　pummeled　shots　along　the　road。　Uniform