mg.greeneyes-第19部分

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　　〃It　is　safe　at　my　apartment。〃
　　The　doors　began　to　tremble。　Quickly；　Cleve　slipped　toward　the　hanging　curtain。　He　slid　behind　it　and　found　himself　backed　against　a　depressed　door。
　　For　a　few　moments；　nothing　happened。　Then；　the　crouched　form　of　Foy　appeared　from　the　inner　room。
　　Peering　from　a　corner　of　the　curtain；　Cleve　saw　the　evil；　stooping　Chinaman　wend　his　way　toward　the　outer　door　that　opened　into　the　anteroom。
　　Ling　Soo　appeared；　walking　slowly　with　Joseph　Darley。
　　Until　now；　Cleve　had　never　seen　the　Chinaman　standing。　On　both　previous　occasions；　Ling　Soo　had　remained　seated　on　his　throne　that　betokened　his　high　office　in　the　Wu…Fan。　Tonight；　he　saw　Ling　Soo　as　a　squat；　chunky　figure。
　　The　Chinaman　was　short；　but　heavy。　He　was　attired　in　a　black　robe。
　　Emblazoned　on　the　back　was　a　large　golden　dragon；　the　sign　of　the　Wu…Fan。　Words　were　being　spoken　by　Ling　Soo　and　Cleve　heard　them　plainly。
　　〃You　are　sure　that　it　is　safe；〃　Ling　Soo　was　saying。　〃It　must　not　be　seen。〃
　　〃It　is　buried　in　a　bottom　table　drawer；〃　declared　Darley；　in　return。
　　〃Nothing　of　value　lies　there。　No　one　would　know　its　purpose。　Do　not　worry；　Ling　Soo。〃
　　〃You　are　going　back　to　your　apartment　now？〃
　　〃No。　I　shall　not　return　until　late。〃
　　〃Since　no　one　will　be　there…〃　The　rest　of　Ling　Soo's　statement　was　lost。
　　It　died　away　as　the　men　reached　the　entrance　to　the　anteroom。
　　A　buzz　was　all　that　Cleve　could　hear　now。　Ling　Soo　was　gesticulating。
　　Darley　was　shaking　his　head；　then　nodding　as　though　in　agreement。　Cleve　ducked　as　Ling　Soo　turned　and　came　waddling　back　toward　his　inner　room。　He　heard　the　door　of　the　anteroom　close。　Then　came　a　cackling　laugh…the　harsh　chuckle　that　Ling　Soo　used　when　he　was　pleased。
　　Hiding；　Cleve　relied　only　on　his　ears。　He　heard　talk　close　by；　probably　at　the　dragon　doors。　The　words　were　uttered　in　Chinese；　by　Ling　Soo。　A　short　response　in　the　same　language　came　from　the　lips　of　Foy。　The　brass　doors　clanged　shut。
　　A　slight；　scarcely　audible　movement　now　told　that　Foy　alone　was　in　the　hallway。　Cleve　peered　forth　to　see　the　Chinese　servant　headed　toward　the　anteroom。　He　went　through　the　door。　It　closed　behind　him。　Cleve　was　alone。
　　What　should　he　do　now？　Intuitively；　Cleve　waited；　and；　while　he　remained；　he　reflected。
　　Something　important　had　taken　place　tonight。　Ling　Soo　had　discussed　unusual　affairs　with　Joseph　Darley。
　　Whatever　the　meaning　might　be；　it　was　certain　that　the　presence　of　an　intruder　was　something　that　Ling　Soo　would　doubtless　resent。　For　Cleve　to　burst　in　now　as　Hugo　Barnes　would　be　a　grave　mistake。　It　would　be　preferable　to　reserve　a　visit　with　Ling　Soo　for　a　later　occasion。
　　Joseph　Darley　was　gone。　Foy　was　in　the　anteroom。　That　indicated　that　the　servant　had　also　made　his　departure。
　　Foy　had　been　present　during　the　discussion　between　Ling　Soo　and　Darley。
　　That　meant　nothing；　for　Foy　could　not　talk　English。
　　It　was　imperative　that　Cleve　should　learn　the　facts　regarding　this　unexpected　conference　between　Ling　Soo　and　Joseph　Darley；　As　Hugo　Barnes；　Cleve　could　meet　Ling　Soo；　but　it　was　certain　that　he　could　learn　nothing　from　the　impassive　Chinaman。
　　To　question　Darley…say　tomorrow…would　mean　a　reversion　to　the　character　of　Cleve　Branch。　How　could　that　be　avoided？　A　sudden　thought　came　to　Cleve。
　　A　paper…an　expected　symbol…safely　hidden…in　the　bottom　drawer　of　a　table…at　Joseph　Darley's　apartment…where　no　one　would　be　tonight　…
　　
　　
　　THESE　disjointed　thoughts　burst　upon　Cleve　Branch。　They　were　the　answer　to　his　problem！
　　Darley　had　evidently　received　the　paper　from　Ling　Soo。　It　probably　referred　to　something　that　concerned　the　Wu…Fan。
　　Groping　for　an　explanation；　Cleve　thought　that　perhaps　peace　was　to　be　declared　between　the　Wu…Fan　and　the　Tiger　Tong。
　　But　what　was　the　use　of　such　wasted　speculation？　The　paper　itself　would　tell　the　story。
　　There　was　one　sure　way　to　see　it。　That　was　to　go　to　Joseph　Darley's。　Cleve　was　acquainted　with　the　apartment　and　its　location。　If　he　could　find　that　paper；　he　might　learn　all。
　　What　if　Darley　should　return　and　discover　him？　What　of　it？　In　an　emergency；　Cleve　could　reveal　his　dual　identity　to　Darley。
　　Yes；　that　was　the　solution！　He　would　go　to　Darley's　and　find　the　paper。　Go　there　now。　Acting　responsively　to　his　thought；　Cleve　moved　sidewise　from　the　curtain　and　strode　cautiously　to　the　door　of　the　anteroom。　He　found　the　catch　of　the　door　and　opened　it。
　　As　he　had　felt　certain；　the　anteroom　was　empty。　Foy　had　gone；　as　well　as　Joseph　Darley。
　　Cleve　descended　in　the　elevator　and　breathed　freely　when　he　reached　the　street。　The　pageant　had　gone　by　now；　and　Cleve　quietly　joined　the　passing　throng　of　pedestrians。
　　He　reflected　now　on　the　safety　of　his　position。　As　Hugo　Barnes；　he　would　not　be　suspected　if　any　Wu…Fan　men　had　seen　him　ing　from　the　entrance　to　Ling　Soo's。　For　Cleve　was　a　member　of　the　Wu…Fan　himself。
　　He　could　risk　the　visit　to　Darley's…and　be　sure　that　in　a　pinch　he　could　explain　all　to　satisfaction。
　　In　the　fashion　of　Hugo　Barnes；　Cleve　shuffled　along　the　street；　and　cast　a　wary　eye　toward　the　Mukden　Theater　as　he　passed　by。　Only　one　factor　had　been　omitted　from　his　calculations　until　now。　That　factor　was　The　Shadow。
　　But　tonight；　Cleve　saw　nothing　that　indicated　the　presence　of　the　man　in　black。　The　Shadow　could　not　be　everywhere。　Furthermore；　Cleve　had　never　seen　actual　traces　of　his　presence　outside　of　Chinatown。　Traveling　into　the　city　proper；　he　felt　sure　that　he　would　free　himself　from　the　realm　of　The　Shadow's　observance。
　　Past　the　outskirts　of　Chinatown；　Cleve　hailed　a　passing　cab　and　gave　an　address　near　the　apartment　house　where　Joseph　Darley　lived。　Reaching　his　destination；　he　alighted；　paid　the　driver；　and　waited　until　the　tail　light　of　the　departing　cab　had　faded　in　the　distance。
　　Here；　Cleve　felt　safe。　He　smiled　the　peculiar　smile　of　Hugo　Barnes；　as　he　stepped　into　the　shuffling　stride。
　　Hugo　Barnes　would　enter　Joseph　Darley's　home　tonight。　There；　Hugo　Barnes　would　make　a　find　that　would　be　of　interest　to　Cleve　Branch。
　　And　The　Shadow　would　not　know！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XII　
　　　A　SHOT　FROM　THE　DARK　
　　TO　enter　the　apartment　house；　Cleve　Branch　took　the　simplest　and　most　effective　method。　He　walked　in　the　front　door。
　　He　knew　that　an　attendant　was　sometimes　on　duty。　If　the　man　happened　to　be　there；　Cleve　intended　to　make　a　false　inquiry；　using　a　fictitious　name。　But　the　attendant　was　not　on　hand；　and　Cleve　calmly　sauntered　up　the　flight　of　stairs　at　the　side　of　the　quiet　lobby。
　　He　used　this　course　because　he　did　not　wish　to　wait　for　the　automatic　elevator；　which　might　be　on　an　upper　story。　The　apartment　which　Darley　occupied　was　on　the　third　floor。　Cleve　arrived　there　a　minute　after　he　had　left　the　lobby。
　　The　question　of　forcible　entrance　was　one　that　proved　perplexing　for　a　time。　The　apartment　house；　like　so　many　San　Francisco　buildings；　was　on　a　hill；　and　Darley's　apartment　faced　the　upper　side。　Entrance　by　a　window　would　have　meant　a　climb　of　nearly　twenty　feet。　The　door　was　the　better　plan…if　Cleve　could　get　in　this　way。　But　the　special　lock　offered　a　difficult　barrier。
　　Recalling　what　he　had　seen　of　the　apartment　on　his　visits　to　Darley；　Cleve　remembered　that　the　place　had　an　unused　kitchenette。　That　would　be　at　the　back。
　　Cleve　spied　the　entrance　to　a　fire　escape　down　the　hall；　and　went　in　that　direction。　He　stepped　out　on　a　railed　platform。
　　There　he　saw　a　window…the　only　window　at　the　end　of　the　apartment。　He　could　almost　reach　it　from　the　fire　escape。　Climbing　over　the　rail；　Cleve　reached　out　and　tried　the　window　with　one　hand。　It　appeared　to　be　locked；　but　it　rattled　loosely。
　　There　was　no　fear　of　detection；　for　this　new　apartment　house　was　isolated　from　neighboring　buildings。　No　lights　showed　from　the　window　above　or　from　the　window　below。
　　Cleve　jarred　the　window　of　the　kitchenette。　He　pushed　inward　and　upward；　with　his　right　hand；　while　his　left　clung　to　the　rail　of　the　fire…escape　platform。
　　The　window　yielded　suddenly。　Only　Cleve's　firm　grip　upon　the　rail　prevented　him　from　falling。
　　He　clambered　through　the　open　window