mg.cyro-第5部分

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　　Swiftly；　silently；　The　Shadow　traveled　through　the　passage　to　the　street。
　　A　taxicab　was　standing　thirty　feet　from　the　opening。　For　a　moment；　a　darkened　shape　showed　as　it　passed　a　street　lamp。　Then　the　fleeting　form　reached　the　cab。　The　Shadow　stepped　aboard。
　　〃Cobalt　Club。〃
　　The　order　came　in　a　quiet　voice。　The　driver　nodded。　He　had　not　heard　the　passenger　enter；　but　he　had　expected　this　arrival。　Moe　Shrevnitz；　the　driver　of　that　cab；　was　in　agent　of　The　Shadow。　He　had　posted　himself　at　this　appointed　spot　in　response　to　an　order　previously　received。
　　
　　EIGHT　minutes　later；　the　cab　wheeled　up　in　front　of　the　exclusive　Cobalt　Club。　This　time　the　door　opened　visibly。　A　tall；　stoop…shouldered　man　alighted。
　　He　was　wearing　neither　hat　nor　coat；　his　gray　hair　formed　an　untidy　shock　beneath　the　light　of　the　marquee。
　　Moe　Shrevnitz　closed　the　door　and　drove　along　the　street。　He　had　a　delivery　to　make。　A　bag　was　to　go　to　the　Metrolite　Hotel；　to　be　left　there　for　Mr。　Lucaster。　Moe　had　brought　the　bag　in　his　cab；　empty。　Delivered；　it　would　contain　garments　of　black…hat；　cloak　and　gloves…which　the　owner　would　later　regain。
　　The　stooped　man　with　gray　hair　had　entered　the　Cobalt　Club。　An　attendant　stopped　him。　Excitedly；　the　man　spoke　in　a　crackly　voice：
　　〃The　police　missioner！　I　must　see　him！　Tell　him　so；　at　once。〃
　　The　attendant　paused；　doubtfully。
　　〃It　is　urgent；〃　came　the　plea。　〃Urgent！〃
　　〃Your　name；　sir？〃
　　〃Lucaster。　Mr。　Northrup　Lucaster。　From　Des　Moines。　I　must　see　missioner　Barth。　Tell　him　I　shall　explain。〃
　　The　attendant　went　to　a　card　room。　He　returned　and　nodded　to　the　gray…haired　man。　Lucaster　started　forward。　He　encountered　a　tall；　bald…headed　individual　who　was　ing　from　the　card　room。
　　〃Are　you　the　police　missioner；　sir？〃　questioned　Lucaster。
　　The　bald…headed　man　paused　to　study　the　questioner　through　a　pair　of　pince…nez　spectacles。　He　thrust　his　head　forward　with　the　manner　of　an　eagle。
　　In　a　pompous　tone；　he　declared：
　　〃I　am　Wainwright　Barth…the　police　missioner。　You　are　the　gentleman　who　asked　to　see　me？〃
　　〃Yes。〃　The　response　was　eager。　〃I　am　Northrup　Lucaster。　Here　is　my　card；　missioner。　I　am　from　Des　Moines；　Iowa。　A　recently　retired　manufacturer…〃
　　〃Ah；　yes。　And　your　purpose　here？〃
　　〃Look；　missioner。〃　Lucaster　drew　a　large　envelope　from　his　pocket。　〃I　have　twenty…five　thousand　dollars　here。　Fresh　from　the　bank　this　very　afternoon。　Men　are　seeking　it…〃
　　〃Then　why　do　you　carry　it　with　you？　Are　holdup　men　on　your　trail？〃
　　〃No；　no。　Swindlers！　They　want　me　to　bring　the　money　to　them。〃
　　〃Have　you　informed　detective　headquarters？〃
　　〃This　afternoon；　missioner。　Let　me　explain　what　has　happened。　I　had　an　appointment　this　evening　with　a　man　named　Roke　Rowden。　I　was　to　bring　this　money　to　his　apartment。　I　suspected　a　swindle。　I　called　headquarters　and　talked　to　an　inspector。　His　name　was　Cardona…〃
　　〃Yes。　Go　on。〃
　　〃He　said　that　he　would　go　in　my　place。　That　he　would　trap　the　swindler。　I　suppose　that　he　has　done　so　already。　But　I　have　not　heard　from　him。　I　think　that　I　should　go　there　at　once；　to　the　apartment　where　Rowden　lives。〃
　　〃Why　so？〃
　　〃To　identify　Rowden　after　he　is　arrested。　The　man　is　crafty；　missioner。
　　But　I　made　a　mistake。　I　drew　my　money　before　I　notified　headquarters。　I　do　not　like　to　go　to　Rowden's。　missioner；　the　man　is　a　most　persuasive　talker。　It　was　intuition　only　that　made　me　believe　him　a　swindler。　I　can　not　leave　this　money　at　my　hotel。　Yet　I　am　afraid　to　carry　it。　I　learned　that　you　might　be　here；　at　this　club…〃
　　〃One　moment；　Mr。　Lucaster；〃　interrupted　Barth。　The　missioner's　eyes　were　agleam　with　interest。　〃Where　does　this　man　Rowden　reside。〃
　　〃At　the　Mallison　Apartments。　Less　than　ten　blocks　from　here。〃
　　〃And　Cardona　is　already　there？〃
　　〃He　should　be。〃
　　〃Very　well；〃　decided　Barth。　〃I　shall　acpany　you　there；　Mr。　Lucaster。　My　car　is　outside。　Let　us　start　at　once。　Your　description　of　this　swindler　intrigues　me。〃
　　A　slight　smile　showed　on　the　cracked　lips　of　Northrup　Lucaster。　A　singular　shadow　swept　across　the　floor　as　the　gray…haired　stranger　stalked　by　the　missioner's　side。　The　Shadow　knew　Wainwright　Barth's　penchant　for　viewing　crime　in　person。　He　had　decided　to　bring　the　missioner　into　this　case。
　　
　　TWELVE　minutes　later；　Detective　Sergeant　Markham　burst　into　Rowden's　living　room；　where　Joe　Cardona　was　watching　a　police　surgeon　make　his　examination　of　the　body。　Markham　was　excited。
　　〃Lucaster's　here；〃　he　told　Joe；　〃and　the　missioner　is　with　him！　They're　ing　up。〃
　　〃Lucaster…with　the　missioner？〃　Joe　evidenced　surprise。
　　〃Both　of　them；〃　replied　Markham。　〃That's　why　we　couldn't　get　Lucaster　at　his　hotel。　He　got　all　excited　and　went　to　see　the　missioner。　They're　ing　now；　Joe。〃
　　Markham　stepped　away　from　the　door。　Ten　seconds　later；　Wainwright　Barth　stepped　into　view；　his　face　gleaming　with　interest。　Behind　him　was　the　gray…haired　figure　of　Northrup　Lucaster。
　　〃I　learn　that　it　is　a　case　of　homicide；〃　exclaimed　Barth　to　Cardona。　〃I　am　glad　that　Mr。　Lucaster　came　to　see　me。　Let　us　hope　that　he　can　identify　the　body。　Ah；　Mr。　Lucaster；　is　this　the　man？〃
　　Cardona　watched　Northrup　Lucaster　move　falteringly　toward　the　form。　He　appeared　greatly　distressed　at　the　sight　of　death。　His　head　nodded　slowly；　and　his　expression　showed　pity。
　　〃That　is　Roke　Rowden；〃　he　stated。　〃Poor　chap。　I　am　sorry　for　him。　I…I　hope　you　did　not　have　to　kill　him…on　my　account。〃
　　〃He　was　dead　when　we　crashed　the　door；〃　announced　Cardona。　〃It　looks　a　lot　like　suicide。　See　that　glass；　broken　on　the　floor；　missioner？〃
　　〃What　has　that　to　do　with　it；　Cardona？〃
　　〃I've　seen　other　cases　like　it；　missioner。　Fellow　deciding　to　take　poison。　Pills　in　this　case；　it　would　be。　They　get　so　shaky　they　drop　bottle；　glass；　or　whatever　they're　holding。〃
　　〃And　then？〃
　　〃They　figure　a　gun　the　best　way　out。〃
　　〃Did　you　know　this　fellow；　Cardona？〃
　　〃No。　But　I've　heard　of　him。　Mr。　Lucaster's　identification　settles　it。　Roke　Rowden　was　a　con　man；　missioner。　But　I'm　not　sure　he　mitted　suicide。〃
　　〃Ah！　You　have　a　clue？〃
　　〃Ask　Mr。　Lucaster。〃
　　〃Why　me？〃　questioned　the　Des　Moines　manufacturer；　in　a　quivering　tremor。
　　〃How　should　I　have　a　clue？〃
　　〃From　what　you　told　me　this　afternoon。〃
　　Eyes　glimmered　as　heavy　eyelids　blinked。　Joe　Cardona　did　not　catch　the　gleam。　The　Shadow；　in　his　pose　as　Northrup　Lucaster；　was　careful　to　keep　the　light　behind　him　when　he　faced　Cardona。
　　〃I　understand！〃　he　exclaimed；　in　the　crackly　tone　he　had　assumed。　〃There　was　a　man　to　be　here…with　twenty…five　thousand　dollars；　the　same　sum　that　I　was　to　bring。　And　yet〃…he　paused…〃yet　why　should　Rowden　have　been　murdered？
　　He　had　no　money。〃
　　〃No？〃　Cardona　laughed。　〃You　were　falling　for　a　con　game；　Mr。　Lucaster。　The　man　who　was　to　be　here　must　have　been　Rowden's　pal。　They　had　the　money；　probably；　and　maybe…in　fact；　very　likely…all　of　it　was　Rowden's。〃
　　〃I　see。〃　A　nod　from　the　pretended　Lucaster。　〃Perhaps　they　had　an　altercation。〃
　　〃That's　it；〃　declared　Joe。　〃The　blind…that's　the　other　fellow…may　have　figured　that　Rowden's　dough　was　a　better　bet　than　yours。〃
　　〃Excellent　deduction；　Cardona；〃　mended　Barth。　〃Have　you　any　other　clues？〃
　　〃This；〃　declared　Joe；　stepping　to　the　desk。　〃It　looks　as　though　Rowden　wrote　it。〃
　　〃C…Y…R…O〃…Barth　paused　in　his　spelling。　The　name　is　inplete；　Cardona。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　responded　the　sleuth。　〃About　a　year　ago；　missioner；　a　couple　of　Scotland　Yard　men　came　here　from　London。　They　told　me　about　a　swindler　who　was　burning　up　the　Continent。　A　fellow　who　had　gypped　members　of　the　nobility。　They　said　he　called　himself　Cyro。〃
　　〃An　odd　name。〃
　　〃The　one　by　which　he　was　known　to　his　confederates。　They　said　to　watch　out　for　him　in　New　York。　Well；　it　looks　like　he's　been　here。
　　〃Yes。　I　don't　think　a　swindler　of　his　class　would　have　played　for　so　small　a　stake　as　twenty…five　grand。　But　he　might　have　had　a　grudge　against　Roke　Rowden。　To　bump　Rowden　and　take　the　fellow's　money…well；　that　could　suit　Cyro's　style。　That's　only　my　theory；　missioner；　but…〃
　　〃It　is　a　good　one；　Cardona。　Proceed　with　your　inspection。　New　clues　may