mg.cyro-第18部分

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nforth　Gaudrin　looked　on。　Luke　copied　Cranston's　binations。　All　play　was　conservative；　and　the　elder　Gaudrin　nodded　approvingly　as　he　watched　the　care　with　which　his　son　hazarded　his　chips。
　　Tony；　one　of　the　gaming…room　bodyguards；　was　standing　near　the　roulette　wheel。　Luke　had　a　chance　to　speak　to　him。　Only　The　Shadow　overheard　the　young　man's　words；　as　Luke　whispered：
　　〃Ask　Royal　to　drop　out；　will　you；　Tony？〃
　　Tony　nodded　and　disappeared。　Shortly　afterward；　Royal　Medbrook　strolled　from　the　office。　Luke；　watching；　saw　him。　Ending　the　play；　he　beckoned　to　the　others。　They　walked　over　toward　the　faro　table；　where　Luke　introduced　his　father　and　the　two　millionaires　to　Medbrook。
　　The　meeting　seemed　a　chance　one　to　Danforth　Gaudrin。　The　Shadow；　however；　knew　that　Luke's　purpose　was　to　impress　Royal　Medbrook；　to　make　the　gambler　believe　that　Luke　had　squared　matters　with　his　father。　Marr's　presence；　too；　was　a　guarantee　that　Luke　had　talked　straight　on　the　night　before。
　　Medbrook　strolled　a　way　past　the　faro　table。　As　he　did；　The　Shadow　left　the　group；　in　leisurely　fashion　he　neared　the　door　of　the　card　room　and　paused　there。　Rafferty　was　at　his　accustomed　spot；　watching　for　Royal；　he　did　not　see　The　Shadow　close　at　hand。
　　Nor　did　Medbrook；　as　Rafferty　approached　him。　Chameleonlike；　The　Shadow；　motionless　in　the　guise　of　Cranston；　was　half　obscured　beside　the　drapery　of　a　wall。　Listening；　he　caught　a　buzzed　conversation。
　　〃You　called　New　Orleans？〃
　　The　question　came　from　Medbrook。　Rafferty　nodded。
　　〃Told　them　there　was　no　sign　of　the　bird　that　the　New　York　dick　was　after；〃　informed　Rafferty。　〃Said　you'd　made　a　final　check…up　tonight。　The　chief　said　that　they're　going　to　take　a　stab　at　Frenchtown。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　they'll　find　the　fellow　there；　either；〃　mented　Medbrook。
　　〃They've　got　to　cooperate；　though。　That's　the　way　the　police　work。〃
　　Medbrook　strolled　to　the　office。　Stopping　part　way；　he　glanced　about。　He　saw　the　tall　figure　of　Lamont　Cranston　moving　toward　the　faro　table。　Medbrook's　eyes　narrowed　as　he　continued　to　the　office。
　　Ten　minutes　later；　Rafferty　came　in　to　speak　to　the　gambler。　Royal　was　sitting　at　the　desk；　his　hand　was　beside　the　telephone。　Royal　beckoned。
　　〃This　man　Cranston；〃　he　remarked。　〃Was　he　listening　to　us　when　we　talked？〃
　　〃Didn't　notice　him；〃　returned　Rafferty。　〃He's　still　outside；　Royal。　The　others　are　leaving；　but　he　isn't　going　in　with　them。　Want　me　to　keep　an　eye　on　him？〃
　　〃No；〃　returned　the　gambler；　with　a　slight　smile。　〃I　just　called　a　friend　of　mine。　He's　looking　up　the　hotel　where　Cranston's　stopping。　If　he　isn't　O。K。
　　…　well；　never　mind　Rafferty。　I'll　attend　to　it。〃
　　
　　ONE　hour　later；　The　Shadow　left　the　Club　Caprice。　He　entered　a　taxicab　and　the　driver　pulled　away　from　the　entrance。　As　the　cab　swung　toward　the　fronting　highway；　The　Shadow's　keen　eyes　spotted　a　figure　sliding　to　a　car　that　had　stopped　a　hundred　feet　beyond　the　entrance　to　the　Club　Caprice。　Its　lights　were　dim；　evidently　the　machine　had　just　arrived。
　　〃Where　to；　boss？〃　queried　the　taxi　driver；　shoving　his　face　to　the　open　window。　〃Whereabouts　in　the　city　are　you…〃
　　The　driver　gasped。　He　was　staring　into　the　muzzle　of　a　leveled　automatic。
　　The　Shadow　had　drawn　the　gun　just　after　the　swing　to　the　highway。　Above　the　barrel　of　the　。45　were　eyes　that　flashed　terror　to　the　taxi　driver's　thumping　heart。
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XIII　
　　　BALKED　KILLERS　
　　〃STEP　on　it！〃　came　The　Shadow's　firm　mand。　〃Speed　to　the　city　limits。
　　Then　pull　to　the　side　of　the　road。〃
　　The　frightened　taxi　driver　needed　no　further　urge。　Though　quivering；　he　obeyed　as　his　terror　magnified。　Tramping　accelerator　to　the　floor　he　shot　his　machine　forward　at　full　speed；　anxious　only　to　do　the　bidding　of　this　being　who　would　brook　no　dallying。
　　As　the　cab　whirled　forward；　the　car　near　the　Club　Caprice　shot　out　with　immediate　speed。　Hoarse　cries　came　from　its　occupants。　They　knew　that　their　quarry　had　spotted　their　presence。　Madly　they　took　up　the　chase　of　the　lurching　cab。　But　they　could　not　equal　the　pace　of　the　maddened　driver　up　ahead。
　　〃Over〃…The　Shadow's　mand　came　from　the　rear　of　the　cab　as　his　automatic　pressed　the　driver's　neck。　〃Pull　over　and　stop。　Stop　hard。〃
　　Cold　steel　of　the　gun's　muzzle　spurred　the　driver　to　prompt　response。　He　had　doubled　the　distance　between　his　cab　and　the　car　behind。　The　halt　that　he　made　was　terrific。　He　jammed　the　brake　and　banked　the　cab　upon　a　mound　of　dirt　at　the　side　of　the　road。
　　〃Out；〃　ordered　The　Shadow。　〃Run　for　cover！〃
　　The　driver　dived　from　the　wheel　and　scrambled　over　the　low　bank　at　the　side　of　the　road；　never　glancing　behind　him。　At　the　same　instant；　The　Shadow　yanked　open　the　door　and　leaped　against　the　bank。
　　His　left　hand　clutched　the　lapels　of　his　full…dress　coat；　pressing　them　so　they　hid　the　whiteness　of　collar；　shirt　and　tie。　As　his　right　shoulder　struck　the　bank；　The　Shadow　spun　about。　Half　rolling；　half　leaping；　he　whirled　back；　away　from　the　stalled　taxi。
　　He　was　a　mass　of　spinning　blackness　in　the　shroud　of　night。　The　Shadow　was　unseen　despite　the　glare　of　approaching　lights。　The　attire　of　Lamont　Cranston　was　serving　him　as　well　as　any　cloak。　In　four　swift　seconds；　he　had　hurled　himself　from　a　spot　of　pressing　danger。
　　
　　FROM　the　pursuing　automobile　came　flashes　of　flame；　acpanied　by　the　roar　of　revolvers。　Bullets　ripped　the　rear　of　the　halted　cab。　Slugs　crashed　windows　as　the　big　machine　approached。　An　open　touring　car；　its　sides　offered　opportunity　for　the　marksman　in　it。
　　Opportunity　lay　elsewhere；　also。　Ending　his　spin　against　the　banked　side　of　the　road；　The　Shadow　stopped　with　automatic　levelled。　He　pressed　the　trigger　as　the　touring　car　arrived。　Not　once；　but　often。
　　The　kicking　automatic　sent　fierce　jabs　of　flame。　With　every　spurt；　The　Shadow's　arm　was　swinging；　following　the　car　that　had　e　to　deluge　the　cab　with　leaden　hail。　Screamed　oaths　shrieked　through　the　air　as　the　driver　applied　the　brakes。　The　touring　car　spun　roundabout；　a　dozen　yards　beyond　the　cab。
　　Rising；　The　Shadow　swung　himself　up　the　embankment；　the　action　took　no　more　than　one　swift　leap。　Dropping　flat；　he　aimed　to　deal　with　desperadoes　should　they　require　more。　The　touring　car　was　straight　across　the　road。　Lights　from　an　approaching　automobile　showed　toppled　figures　dangling　above　its　doors。
　　One　unscathed　marksman　had　seen　The　Shadow's　shots。　Leaning　from　beside　the　driver's　seat；　he　loosed　a　volley　for　the　center　of　the　bank　where　The　Shadow　had　been。　Whirling　bullets　thudded　the　dirt；　the　air　crackling　as　it　closed　behind　them。
　　A　single　shot　answered　from　atop　the　embankment。　A　last　burst　from　the　automatic；　it　proved　a　perfect　stroke。　The　crook　beside　the　driver　jounced　upward；　then　slumped　down　in　the　car。　The　man　at　the　wheel　stepped　on　the　gas。
　　Jolting　from　the　road；　he　drove　hard　through　a　chance　opening　between　trees。　Cutting　wildly　across　a　field；　he　reached　a　dirt　road　that　led　to　another　highway。　The　touring　car　jounced　from　side　to　side；　then　sped　away　in　flight；　its　driver　carrying　a　cargo　of　dead　and　crippled　pals。
　　Cars　had　stopped　all　about。　Lights　were　glaring　on　the　road。　Those　headlamps；　however；　did　not　show　the　right　side　of　the　taxicab。　Nor　did　they　reveal　The　Shadow　as　he　crawled　quickly　along　the　embankment；　then　dropped　beside　the　taxi。
　　Leaping　to　the　wheel；　The　Shadow　started　the　bullet…riddled　cab。　Shots　had　been　for　the　body…not　for　tires；　tank　or　motor。　The　cab　responded。　The　Shadow　drove　it　roaring；　past　cars　that　had　halted　in　their　path　from　the　city。　Racing　the　motor　to　full　speed；　he　whizzed　into　the　city　limits　of　New　Orleans。
　　
　　NOT　long　afterward；　Lamont　Cranston　appeared　in　the　lobby　of　the　hotel　where　he　was　stopping。　His　usually　immaculate　attire　bore　slight　traces　of　grime；　that　fact；　however；　was　not　noticed　by　the　elevator　operator。
　　Reaching　his　room；　The　Shadow　changed　his　clothes。　He　packed　his　bags；　then　summoned　the　porter　and　arranged　for　his　luggage　to　be　expressed　to　New　York；　save　for　a　briefcase　that　he　intended　to　carry　with　him。
　　Going　down　to　the　lobby；　The　Shadow　checked　out；　still　in　the　quiet　manner　of　Lamo