mg.cyro-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


t　within。
　　Directly　above　Debeq's　inner　door　was　a　balcony；　above　it　was　the　first　tier　of　a　flat　French　roof。　It　was　from　the　roof　that　a　blackened　shape　dropped　squarely　upon　the　balcony。　Extended　arms　swung　over　the　rail。　Two　automatics　roared　as　the　Apaches　surged　upon　Wayson　and　Cardona。
　　
　　THE　Shadow　had　arrived　across　the　roof　of　Debeq's　house。　His　automatics　awakened　thunder　as　they　echoed　among　the　stone　walls　of　the　court。　His　fierce　fire　sprayed　its　messages　of　lead　along　a　sweeping　arc　as　he　mowed　down　the　men　with　knives。
　　The　Shadow　had　found　a　perfect　spot　from　which　to　deliver　this　counterthrust。　But　as　he　loosed　his　fire；　the　flames　that　tongued　from　his　guns　were　a　warning　to　the　reserves。　Up　came　the　gun　hands　of　the　Apaches　who　guarded　the　outer　arch。
　　The　Shadow　was　swaying　on　the　balcony。　His　moves　were　timed　almost　to　his　enemy's　action。　Vicious　killers　fired。　Their　bullets　flattened　against　the　brick　wall。　While　those　slugs　were　thudding；　The　Shadow　found　a　centered　aim。
　　Straight　into　the　blocking　trio　came　The　Shadow's　answer。　Bulleted　Apaches　sprawled。　Snarling　as　they　fell；　these　products　of　the　Parisian　slums　still　tried　to　get　their　foe。
　　One　dying　Apache　managed　a　shot　that　whistled　through　The　Shadow's　hat　brim。　But　the　would…be　killer　had　found　his　aim　too　late。　A　burst　from　an　automatic　ended　his　next　vicious　effort。
　　Wayson　and　Cardona　were　caught　flat…footed；　as　their　rescuer　began　his　timely　aid。　Knife…thrusting　Apaches　fell　as　they　surged　upon　them。　Amazed；　the　two　men　found　themselves　firing　at　sprawling　foemen。　As　they　came　up　to　aim　for　their　further　marks；　the　others；　too；　were　dropping。
　　Two　flanking　Apaches　had　been　clear　of　The　Shadow's　range。　They；　too；　were　concerned　with　the　attack　from　the　balcony；　swinging　over　to　take　aim　at　the　foe　above。　Suddenly；　they　recalled　their　first　objective。　They　whirled　upon　Wayson　and　Cardona。
　　Cardona　nipped　one　with　a　shot　from　his　snub…nosed　revolver。　Wayson　dropped　the　second　Apache　with　a　perfect　shot。　As　Cardona's　gun　clicked　empty；　Wayson　fired　again；　sprawling　the　man　whom　Joe　had　wounded。
　　〃Look　out！　The　door！〃
　　Wayson　wheeled　at　Cardona's　cry。　The　three　Apaches　who　had　remained　in　Debeq's　hall　were　surging　forth　as　a　reserve　band。　These　ruffians　had　remained　inside；　to　block　off　a　retreat。　ing　out　after　hearing　gunfire；　they　had　expected　to　find　Wayson　and　Cardona　dead　upon　the　flagstones　of　the　court。
　　Intent　upon　butchery；　the　first　two　Apaches　were　wielding　the　knives　that　they　had　previously　thrown。　Cardona；　his　revolver　empty；　sprang　to　meet　the　first　attacker。　He　grappled　with　the　Apache。
　　Wayson　turned　to　fire　upon　the　second　killer。　The　Apache　caught　the　lieutenant's　arm。　Wayson　stopped　the　knife　thrust　with　a　warding　blow　of　his　free　hand。　Like　Cardona；　he　went　staggering　backward；　wrestling　with　his　foeman。
　　The　third　Apache　came　lurching　out　from　beneath　the　balcony；　seeking　a　chance　to　aim。　A　leer　showed　on　his　squinty　countenance　as　he　raised　his　gun。
　　He　did　not　know　that　a　menace　lay　above。
　　The　Shadow　had　swung　clear　of　the　balcony。　He　had　aimed　for　the　Apaches　whom　Wayson　and　Cardona　had　dropped。　But　he　had　not　fired　when　he　saw　those　killers　fall。　Swinging　as　he　heard　Cardona's　cry；　The　Shadow　saw　the　two　Apaches　leap　forward；　then　he　spied　the　third　scoundrel　in　their　wake。
　　With　a　springing　motion；　The　Shadow　released　his　hold　upon　the　balcony　rail。　A　silent　avalanche　of　blackness；　he　plunged　through　the　air。
　　The　aiming　Apache　heard　the　slight　swish。　The　fellow　uttered　a　cry　as　he　looked　upward。
　　
　　THEN　The　Shadow　struck。　He　hit　squarely　upon　the　Apache's　shoulders；　flattening　the　fellow　upon　the　flagstones。　The　Apache's　gun　went　scudding　a　dozen　feet　across　the　court。　The　Shadow；　rolling　free　from　his　stunned　prey；　came　to　his　feet　in　acrobatic　fashion。
　　A　knife…wielding　Apache　had　made　a　wide　stroke　at　Joe　Cardona。　The　blade　had　ripped　the　detective's　sleeve。　The　Apache　was　poising　for　a　fatal　thrust；　when　The　Shadow　sprang　upon　him。　Swinging　an　emptied　automatic；　the　black…clad　fighter　dropped　the　Apache　with　a　blow　upon　the　skull。　The　knife　blade；　already　swinging　downward；　went　wide　of　Cardona's　struggling　form。
　　Wayson；　holding　his　own　foe　at　bay；　managed　a　shot　straight　for　Cardona's　toppling　foeman。　The　Shadow　had　stunned　the　Apache。　Wayson's　quick　shot　reached　the　ruffian's　heart。　But　with　that　gesture；　Wayson　lost　control　upon　the　man　with　whom　he　wrestled。　The　lieutenant　sprawled。
　　The　Apache；　sensing　a　new　attacker；　hurled　himself　upon　The　Shadow。
　　The　Shadow　had　dropped　his　empty　automatic。　His　gloved　hand　was　beneath　his　cloak。　Whisking　forth；　it　produced　a　fresh　。45；　just　as　the　Apache　arrived。
　　The　weapon　boomed。
　　The　Apache　screamed　and　gave　a　high　leap　in　the　air。　His　knife　sailed　from　his　upswinging　hand。　It　whirred；　flashing；　above　the　level　of　the　balcony；　then　came　clattering　in　the　court。　But　before　the　knife　landed；　its　owner　had　sprawled　dead　upon　the　flagstones。
　　A　shout　from　Cardona。　The　Apache　whom　The　Shadow　had　flattened　by　his　spring　was　rising　and　making　headway　toward　the　outer　arch。
　　Wayson　heard　Joe's　cry。　Rising　to　one　knee；　the　police　lieutenant　took　aim。　A　perfect　marksman；　he　had　the　bead　upon　his　one　survivor　of　the　Apache　crew。
　　But　before　Wayson　could　press　the　trigger；　a　powerful　arm　came　sweeping　about　his　body；　The　lieutenant　went　sprawling　sidewise。　He　caught　the　flash　of　burning　eyes。　He　saw　a　black　figure　sweep　to　its　feet　and　spin　away。
　　The　Shadow　had　stopped　Wayson's　shot！　The　amazing　rescuer　had　suddenly　sprung　to　attack　one　of　those　whom　he　had　saved。　Cardona　stood　open…mouthed；　as　he　witnessed　The　Shadow's　action。　The　last　Apache　was　running　free；　his　life　saved　by　The　Shadow！
　　
　　THE　Apache　had　passed　the　archway。　The　Shadow　was　whirling　in　that　direction。　His　laugh　rang；　outlandish；　through　the　court；　as　Wayson；　foiled　in　his　shot；　came　angrily　to　his　feet。　Maddened　by　The　Shadow's　thrust；　not　realizing　the　full　part　that　the　cloaked　fighter　had　played；　Wayson　aimed　at　the　elusive　shape。
　　Cardona　flung　himself　to　stop　the　police　lieutenant's　aim。　Joe's　action　was　unnecessary。　Wayson　fired　a　split…second　too　late。　His　bullet　cracked　the　stone　side　of　the　arch　as　The　Shadow；　spinning　with　a　final　turn；　went　through　to　outer　safety。
　　The　courtyard　was　shivering　with　the　echoes　of　a　parting　laugh。　Cardona　caught　Wayson's　arm　and　stopped　the　marksman　from　attempting　another　shot。
　　Persuasively；　Joe　argued。
　　〃He　rescued　us；〃　stated　the　detective。　〃Let　him　go；　Wayson！　He　dropped　those　killers　when　he　was　on　the　balcony。〃
　　〃But　he　stopped　me　from　picking　off　the　last　of　the　crew…〃
　　〃He　wanted　to　make　a　get…away　himself。　That's　why。〃
　　Joe　put　the　argument　on　the　basis　of　a　hunch。　He　knew　the　identity　of　that　sharp…shooting　rescuer。　He　realized　that　The　Shadow　must　have　had　some　purpose　in　permitting　the　flight　of　the　last　Apache。　His　mention　of　a　getaway　seemed　to　convince　Wayson。　The　police　lieutenant　nodded。
　　〃Let's　see　to　Debeq；〃　he　suggested。
　　
　　THEY　went　into　the　house；　to　find　the　old　Frenchman　cowering；　uninjured；　in　the　corner。　Debeq　stammered　his　story。　The　rogues　had　entered；　apparently　intent　upon　robbery。　They　had　bound　and　gagged　him；　a　full　hour　ago。　Debeq　had　sent　no　message　to　Wayson。
　　〃It　must　have　been　a　pal　who　tipped　me　to　e　here；〃　observed　Wayson　to　Cardona。　〃Some　friend　that　knew　Debeq　was　in　trouble　and　was　afraid　he'd　be　killed　if　the　cops　came　banging　in　here。〃
　　Cardona　nodded　his　agreement。　The　suggestion　seemed　sound。　Yet；　somehow；　Joe　could　not　discard　the　hunch　that　this　trap　had　been　planned　to　thwart　his　search　for　Cyro。　Nevertheless；　Joe　Cardona　felt　nearer　to　his　goal。
　　He　knew　that　The　Shadow　was　in　New　Orleans。　Once　again　that　cloaked　rescuer　had　intervened　in　Joe's　behalf。　In　New　York；　Cardona's　life　had　been　saved　by　The　Shadow。　That　master　fighter　knew　well　how　to　foil　men　of　crime。
　　Rogues　of　the　Latin　Quarter　had　been　eliminated。　Lieutenant　Wayson　was　examining　dead　faces。　Police　were　arriving　from　the　street；　to　back　his　belief　that　these　were　merely　riff