mg.greeneyes-第4部分

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　　the　only　spot　in　the　lighted　room　that　afforded　a　hiding　place。
　　The　big　door　of　the　upright　chest　was　latched…a　sign　that　no　one　could　be　within。　But　the　Chinaman　intended　to　make　sure。　He　was　willing　to　rely　upon　his　blade；　even　though　his　intended　victim　might　be　on　the　alert。
　　His　clawlike　hand　clutched　the　little　knob　of　the　wardrobe。　It　drew　the　door　open；　and　the　Chinaman　leaped　into　the　space　behind　it；　his　knife　blade　launching　for　a　thrust。
　　That　deadly　arm　stopped　midway。　The　wardrobe；　like　the　bed；　was　empty！
　　Revolting　though　the　yellow　face　had　bee；　the　look　of　perplexity　now　upon　it　was　ludicrous。　The　man　stood　momentarily　thwarted；　but　his　bewilderment　did　not　last。　He　sprang　back　across　the　room　and　extinguished　the　table　lamp。
　　The　sinister　face　from　the　dark　had　returned　to　the　dark。　But　those　insidious　eyes　were　still　searching。　They　peered　from　the　front　window　of　the　room。
　　The　head　extended　through　the　opening；　and　turned　downward　toward　the　street　below；　a　drop　of　sixty　feet。　It　appeared　again　at　the　side　window。　Here；　too；　it　inspected　a　sheer　drop　of　more　than　sixty　feet。
　　The　wicked　face　turned　its　gaze　toward　the　distant　glow　of　Chinatown。
　　There；　the　sign　of　the　Mukden　Theater　still　displayed　its　roving　change　of　lights。　But　the　luminous　circle　at　the　top　now　presented　a　blank　center。　The　two　glaring　spots　of　green　had　disappeared。
　　The　Chinaman　turned　his　eyes　back　into　the　room。　His　hands　were　buried　against　his　body。　The　knife　was　there；　waiting。
　　Ten　minutes　went　by；　then　the　crouching　figure　went　back　across　the　room　and　tiptoed　to　the　other　side　of　the　hall。　The　door　of　806　was　closed　and　locked。　But　the　tricked　assassin　waited；　wondering。
　　Within　the　room；　the　dim　glare　of　the　distant　lights　was　totally　obscured　by　a　black　shadow　in　the　window。　Henry　Arnaud　had　returned。　He　went　noiselessly　to　his　suitcase　and　took　it　with　him　to　the　window。　He　affixed　the　handle　of　the　bag　to　a　thin；　suspended　rope。
　　His　body…virtually　invisible…swung　from　the　window。　Long　arms；　reaching　upward　gripped　a　protruding　row　of　bricks　below　the　roof。　With　amazing　agility；　the　man　ascended　and　drew　himself　to　safety。　His　bag　came；　up　as　he　pulled　the　slender　rope。
　　Across　the　roof　he　strode；　toward　the　rear　of　the　hotel。　He　slid　down　a　wall　to　a　lower　building。　His　form　seemed　to　dwindle　away　and　disappear。　His　further　descent　was　an　action　unseen。
　　Henry　Arnaud　had　gone。　He　did　not　reappear。　But　in　his　stead；　a　tall；　black…clad　man　arrived　at　the　end　of　a　narrow　street；　a　block　from　the　Aldebaran　Hotel。
　　Stooping　in　the　gloom；　he　pressed　his　suitcase　into　a　small；　pact　bundle　that　disappeared　beneath　the　flowing　cloak　that　he　wore。　From　beneath　his　slouch　hat；　this　man　peered　forward　with　shrewd；　gleaming　eyes。
　　There；　in　the　silence；　hidden　lips　laughed；　and　their　low；　throbbing　mockery　made　an　eerie　sound　on　the　night　air。
　　In　the　guise　of　Henry　Arnaud；　The　Shadow　had　e　to　San　Francisco！　The　Shadow…dread　avenger；　who　menaced　evildoers　of　the　East…had　e　to　the　Pacific　coast！
　　What　was　his　purpose　here？　Did　it　concern　the　strange　death　of　Stephen　Laird？　Had　that　event　declared　the　existence　of　criminal　hands　whose　actions　could　be　ended　only　by　the　power　of　this　one　man　who　waged　relentless　war　on　evil？
　　Only　The　Shadow　knew！　Tonight　he　had　thwarted　the　first　of　his　hidden　enemies。　He　had　walked　into　a　trap。　He　had　tricked　the　assassin；　the　man　whose　hideous　face　had　e　from　the　dark。
　　Back　in　the　hotel；　that　evil　face　was　still　on　watch…its　wicked　eyes　staring　across　the　hall　toward　a　room　that　was　deserted。
　　The　Shadow；　strange　wizard　of　the　night；　had　learned　why　Stephen　Laird　had　occupied　that　room。　With　that　knowledge　gained；　The　Shadow　was　gone。　Only　the　echo　of　a　weird；　mocking　laugh　remained。
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　III　
　　　A　MIDNIGHT　CONFERENCE　
　　TWO　men　were　seated　in　the　living　room　of　an　elegantly　furnished　apartment。　One；　the　host；　was　attired　in　evening　clothes。　He　was　a　man　about　fifty　years　of　age。
　　His　gray　hair　gave　him　a　firm　dignity。　His　eyes；　mild　and　kindly；　showed　passivity；　but　with　it；　human　understanding。
　　The　visitor；　plainly　dressed；　was　about　fifteen　years　younger。　He　had　an　air　of　assurance；　and　his　chin　portrayed　the　man　of　action。　But　now　he　possessed　a　patient　attitude　that　seemed　at　odds　with　his　natural　inclinations。
　　It　was　he　who　was　speaking；　and　he　was　choosing　his　words　as　he　uttered　them。
　　〃I　have　e　to　you；　Mr。　Darley；〃　he　said；　〃because　you　are　a　man　who　keeps　confidence。　You　may　be　surprised　by　my　visit。　You　may　wonder　what　it　is　about。　But　you　will　quickly　understand。
　　〃I　told　you　that　my　work　concerned　the　Civilian　mittee　of　San　Francisco；　of　which　you　are　the　head；　but　I　must　explain　that　it　is　also　of　a　nature　that　will　make　it　a　private　matter　between　you　and　myself。〃
　　Joseph　Darley　nodded　slowly。　He　knew　that　this　was　an　important　meeting。
　　He　had　received　a　telephone　call　that　afternoon；　from　this　man；　who　called　himself　Cleve　Branch。　Darley　had　arranged　the　appointment　for　midnight。
　　As　chairman　of　the　Civilian　mittee；　Darley　held　a　most　important　executive　position；　and　special　meetings　of　this　type　were　not　foreign　to　his　work。　Therefore；　he　was　definite　in　his　reply。
　　〃Whatever　your　purpose；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　rely　fully　upon　my　keeping　it　confidential；　Mr。　Branch。　I　understand　that　you　seek　my　cooperation　in　a　certain　enterprise。　Whether　or　not　I　can　give　that　cooperation；　you　have　my　absolute　promise　that　whatever　you　may　tell　me　shall　reach　no　other　person。〃
　　〃Very　well；〃　said　Branch。　〃My　work；　Mr。　Darley；　is　in　behalf　of　the　Bureau　of　Investigation；　Department　of　Justice　of　the　United　States　government。
　　Darley　leaned　forward　in　his　chair。　He　realized　now　the　prime　importance　of　this　visit。　On　former　occasions；　Darley　had　supplied　valuable　data　to　the　government。　Now；　he　understood；　his　services　were　to　be　sought。
　　〃I　have　e　to　San　Francisco；〃　continued　Branch；　〃to　make　a　thorough　investigation　of　the　activities　of　the　Wu…Fan…and　to　learn　more　about　its　organizer；　the　Chinaman；　Ling　Soo。〃
　　
　　
　　DARLEY　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　He　considered　the　ceiling　thoughtfully。
　　When　he　spoke；　it　was　plain　that　his　mind　was　reverting　to　facts　which　he　knew　well；　and　was　seeking　to　give　in　detail。
　　〃Do　you　know　Ling　Soo？〃　inquired　Branch。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Darley。　〃I　do。　More　than　that；　I　know　him　well。　He　is　a　man　with　a　plex　brain。　A　Chinese　idealist；　and　being　such；　he　is　difficult　for　us　to　understand。〃
　　〃What　of　the　Wu…Fan？〃　asked　Branch。
　　〃Before　I　answer　that　question；〃　replied　Darley；　with　a　thoughtful　smile；　〃I　should　like　to　know　what　impression　you　have　already　formed　of　the　Wu…Fan。　I　ask　that；　because　you　are　probably　acquainted　with　its　activities　outside　of　San　Francisco。
　　〃In　other　words；　you　may　have　seen　something　of　the　effects；　while　I　believe　myself　to　be　acquainted　with　the　cause。　Shall　we　work　back　from　effect　to　cause？　Or　from　cause　to　effect？〃
　　〃I　can　tell　you　what　I　know；〃　said　Branch。　〃That　is　not　difficult。　When　we　first　encountered　the　organization；　we　supposed　it　to　be　an　offshoot　of　some　Chinese　tong。　But　we　soon　discovered　that　it　was　a　different　proposition。
　　〃Our　agents　began　to　report　that　in　virtually　every　city　where　Chinese　lived；　there　were　men　of　that　race　who　appeared　to　be　identified　with　the　order。　They　are　chiefly　Chinese　of　the　more　enterprising　class…restaurant　owners　rather　than　laundrymen。
　　〃All　wear　an　emblem　like　this〃…from　his　pocket；　Branch　drew　a　white　button　that　bore　a　golden　dragon　head…〃and　these　are　of　different　colors。　We　have　seen　many　variations；　and　we　have　learned　that　there　are　certain　rovers　in　the　outfit…Chinese　who　move　from　one　city　to　another。
　　〃We　have　observed；　also；　that　payments　have　been　made　by　stationary　members　to　the　travelers。　Questioning　of　members　has　produced　only　vague　answers。　There's　no　one　in　the　world　who　can　tell　you　less　than　a　Chinaman　when　he　doesn't　feel　like　being　questioned。
　　〃But　we　have　learned；　from　isolated　cases；　that　some　of　these　Chinamen　have　a　pretty　big　idea　of　their　importance。　But　more　t