mg.greeneyes-第20部分

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　　He　clambered　through　the　open　window　and　made　his　way　through　to　the　front　of　the　apartment。　There；　he　reached　the　living　room。　He　turned　on　a　lamp　and　looked　about　him。
　　Cleve　had　noticed　several　tables　in　this　room；　and　now　the　question　arose　as　to　which　would　be　the　proper　one　to　search　first。
　　The　drawers　of　one　table　were　unlocked。　He　rummaged　there；　but　found　that　they　contained　few　articles　and　no　papers。　The　second　table　had　locked　drawers；　this；　Cleve　decided；　must　be　the　one。
　　He　could　handle　locks　after　a　fashion；　but　something　prompted　him　to　try　the　third　table　before　he　proceeded　with　the　picking。
　　Here　were　unlocked　drawers；　and　the　first　bottom　drawer　that　Cleve　opened　brought　him　his　reward。　The　drawer　contained　two　stacks　of　papers。　Lifting　them；　Cleve　discovered　others　strewn　beneath。
　　
　　
　　DARLEY　had　been　wise；　he　realized。　An　unlocked　drawer；　filled　with　useless　papers；　would　not　mand　a　thorough　search　by　a　burglar。
　　Cleve　withheld　his　haste；　for　he　realized　that　it　would　be　wise　to　replace　these　papers　as　he　found　them。　So　he　laid　the　stacks　upon　the　table；　exactly　as　they　had　been　in　the　drawer。　One　by　one；　he　began　to　examine　each　of　the　odd　papers。
　　He　stopped　at　odd　moments　to　listen。　There　was　a　tenseness　to　this　work；　and　Cleve　realized　that　he　must　proceed　with　caution　for　the　task　might　prove　to　be　most　important。
　　Once；　fancying　that　hidden　eyes　might　be　watching　him；　Cleve　stared　toward　the　window；　but　saw　nothing　except　the　jet…black　pane；　because　of　the　reflected　light　of　the　lamp。
　　Again；　he　listened；　wondering　if　he　had　heard　the　door　of　the　apartment　open。　He　laid　these　qualms　to　his　fancy。
　　Ordinarily；　Cleve　was　cool　and　indifferent　to　danger；　but　the　sinister　atmosphere　of　Chinatown　had　made　him　susceptible　to　sudden　suspicions。
　　He　reflected　that　the　job　of　burglary　which　he　was　now　performing　was　by　far　the　simplest　and　least　dangerous　task　that　he　had　undertaken　since　his　advent　in　San　Francisco。　Here；　at　least；　he　was　safe　from　the　unseen　menaces　that　hovered　over　Chinatown。
　　Cleve　reached　the　last　paper　in　the　drawer。　He　unfolded　it　in　expectation。
　　It　must　be　the　one　he　sought。　He　could　see　markings　through　the　sheet　as　he　unfolded　it。　Then；　with　the　paper　spread　before　him；　he　stared　perplexed。
　　It　was；　without　doubt；　the　paper　that　Ling　Soo　had　mentioned。　But　it　did　not　contain　a　word　of　English。　It　was　inscribed　with　a　series　of　Chinese　characters！
　　What　could　this　message　mean？
　　Darley；　Cleve　felt　sure；　had　no　extensive　knowledge　of　the　Chinese　language。　The　only　solution　was　that　Ling　Soo　had　given　certain　information　to　Darley；　and　had　included　this　paper　as　evidence。　But　to　Cleve；　the　paper　was　no　more　enlightening　than　a　laundry　ticket！
　　Cleve　hesitated；　wondering　what　to　do。　He　could　take　the　paper　with　him；　but　he　felt　that　such　a　course　would　be　an　error。　The　only　man　whom　he　could　trust　to　translate　it　was　the　undercover　agent；　Moy　Chen。
　　That　would　mean　a　trip　to　Chinatown；　time　lost　there；　and　a　return　journey；　to　get　the　paper　back　into　the　drawer。　In　the　meantime；　Darley　might　return。
　　If　possible；　Cleve　did　not　want　Darley　to　find　the　paper　missing。　That　might　lead　to　difficulties　and　plications。　A　safe　course　would　be　to　copy　the　Chinese　characters　on　another　sheet　of　paper。
　　But　they　were　numerous　and　intricate。　Cleve　knew　well　that　any　inaccuracies　in　the　transcription　might　ruin　the　import　of　the　message。
　　Seeking　an　answer　to　this　dilemma；　Cleve　stood　staring　at　the　paper；　forgetful　of　all　about　him。　The　light　was　dim；　for　the　floor　light　which　he　had　turned　on　was　in　a　corner　at　the　opposite　side　of　the　room。
　　Then　came　a　sudden　end　to　his　reflections。
　　Cleve；　fancying　he　heard　a　footfall；　turned。　His　mind；　working　with　lightning　speed；　flashed　the　thought　that　it　must　be　Joseph　Darley；　and　that　explanations　would　be　in　order。　At　that　instant；　a　man　leaped　upon　him。　Cleve　had　not　seen　the　face　of　the　attacker；　nor　could　the　man　have　seen　his；　for　an　arm　swung　fiercely　as　it　wrapped　itself　about　Cleve's　head。
　　Backward　went　Cleve；　wrested　by　a　powerful　opponent。　His　hands　clutched　wildly　in　thin　air。　Twisted　sidewise　by　the　arm　that　lay　across　his　face；　Cleve's　eyes　had　just　enough　space　to　peer　upward　and　catch　the　gleam　of　a　shining；　pointed　knife！
　　His　legs　gave　way　beneath　him。　Cleve　landed　flat　on　his　back；　half　beneath　the　table；　his　face　staring　upward　as　the　knife　descended。
　　Half　stunned　by　the　blow　against　the　back　of　his　head；　Cleve　saw　and　heard　everything　in　disjointed　fashion。
　　Like　a　portrait　in　a　frame；　he　recognized　the　evil　face　of　Foy；　the　servant　of　Ling　Soo。　Descending　with　arrowlike　aim　came　the　flash　of　the　falling　dagger　as　the　yellow　hand　aimed　it　for　the　victim's　heart。
　　Then；　from　the　direction　of　the　window　came　a　sharp　report　acpanied　by　a　flash　of　flame。　Like　a　dummy　figure；　Foy's　form　sprawled　sidewise　and　rolled　upon　the　floor；　the　knife　still　extending　from　the　tight…clenched　fist。
　　The　lamp　went　out。　Lying　in　darkness；　his　head　throbbing；　Cleve　wondered　what　would　happen　next。　Silence　followed。　Then　came　the　sparkle　of　a　tiny　flashlight。
　　It　moved　about　the　room；　while　Cleve；　prone　and　helpless；　felt　himself　incapable　of　motion。　The　light　flickered　on　his　face。
　　Almost　wearily；　Cleve　closed　his　eyes。　He　opened　them　again　to　see　the　paper　with　the　Chinese　characters；　held　suspended　in　air　by　an　invisible　hand。
　　Eyes　in　the　dark　were　reading　that　message！　They　were　the　eyes　of　The　Shadow！
　　The　light　was　turned　upon　the　drawer。　The　paper　seemed　to　fold　itself　and　drop　back　in　its　hiding　place。
　　Other　papers　rustled。　The　light　moved　away；　then　went　out。
　　Cleve's　senses　were　returning；　still　he　lay　motionless。　He　knew　that　The　Shadow　was　in　action。　Once　again；　the　man　of　the　dark　had　saved　his　life。　The　best　course　now　was　to　wait　until　he　could　divine　The　Shadow's　purpose。
　　All　noise　had　ceased；　and　Cleve　wondered　what　was　happening。　The　events　that　had　just　taken　place　began　to　seem　like　an　incredible　dream。
　　Gripping　the　leg　of　the　table；　Cleve　drew　himself　to　his　feet。　He　stood　swaying　in　the　darkness。　His　ears　detected　no　sound。　Cleve　groped　his　way　toward　the　lamp　in　the　corner。　He　found　it。　He　drew　the　cord。
　　Amazement　followed。　He　was　alone　in　the　room！
　　The　table　drawer；　its　papers　replaced；　was　closed。　The　Shadow　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　But；　most　astonishing　of　all；　Foy　had　disappeared！
　　Cleve　rubbed　the　back　of　his　head。　This　was　incredible！
　　Foy　had　sought　to　kill。　The　Shadow　had　shot　Foy。　They　must　be　enemies；　yet　both　had　left。　It　was　possible　that　one　had　been　instrumental　in　the　departure　of　the　other；　still　Cleve　wondered　that　he　had　not　heard　them　going。
　　Then　he　realized　that　his　own　deadened　senses　must　have　betrayed　him。　He　had　lost　all　knowledge　of　the　passing　of　time。　Even　now；　he　was　unsteady　on　his　feet。
　　He　pieced　it　all　together。　The　Shadow　had　shot　Foy　from　the　window。　The　wounded　assassin　must　have　fled　by　the　door。　The　Shadow；　making　no　effort　to　follow；　had　remained　a　short　while；　then　had　departed　by　the　window。
　　Cleve　went　to　the　window；　and　found　it　closed；　but　unlocked。　He　opened　the　window　and　inhaled　fresh　air。　He　closed　the　window　and　stole　across　the　room　to　the　hallway；　there；　he　found　the　door　of　the　apartment。　It　was　closed；　and　the　latch　was　turned。
　　What　next？
　　The　paper！　He　must　go　back　to　it；　take　it　away　if　necessary。
　　Cleve　was　turning　toward　the　living　room　when　he　heard　a　sound　outside　the　door。　He　slipped　along　the　hall　toward　the　kitchenette。　He　heard　the　clicking　of　a　key　in　the　lock；　and　gained　his　refuge　just　as　a　flood　of　light　appeared　in　the　hallway。
　　Peering　from　darkness；　Cleve　saw　Joseph　Darley　enter　and　turn　toward　the　living　room。　The　light　there　must　have　attracted　his　attention；　for　Cleve　had　left　the　lamp　burning。
　　Darley's　momentary　departure　served　Cleve　well。　He　slipped　through　the　window　of　the　kitchenette；　and　gained　the　fire　escape；　making　very　little　noise　as　he　went。
　　He　traveled　softly　down　the　iron　steps　and　reached　the　darkness　at　the　bottom　of　the　building。