mg.dictatorofcrime-第14部分

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he　reflected　glare　from　the　esplanade。
　　The　palm　was　quivering；　not　from　The　Shadow's　well　placed　weight；　but　from　the　clutch　of　hands　that　were　using　the　branches　to　gain　the　summit　of　the　wall。
　　Five　coconuts；　bobbing　and　dipping　crazily　against　the　dim　light。　One　went　down　from　sight；　but　came　up　again；　bringing　another　with　it。　Then　one　more　extra　coconut　appeared　right　beside　the　first　newer。　Releasing　his　grip　on　the　palm　boughs；　The　Shadow　lurched　out　into　space；　his　hands　ahead　of　him。
　　Crazy　business；　grabbing　hanging　coconuts　to　prevent　a　fall。　Ordinarily；　they'd　be　slippery；　and　useless　as　support；　since　they　would　drag　down　the　boughs　if　grasped。
　　Not　these　coconuts。　They　weren't　the　sort　that　grew　on　palm　trees。　They　were　interlopers。
　　Catching　the　two　he　wanted；　with　an　insweep　of　his　hands；　The　Shadow's　lurch　was　halted　by　supporting　bulks　attached　beneath　the　coconuts。
　　Nothing；　however；　could　have　stayed　the　swift　motion　of　his　powerful　hands；　ing；　as　they　did；　like　unseen　creatures　of　the　night。　They　bounced　the　coconuts　together　as　a　musician　would　crash　a　pair　of　cymbals。
　　The　Shadow　had　chosen　the　right　coconuts。　The　rest　flipped　upward；　as　all　weight　was　released　from　the　palm　boughs。　Two　figures　thudded　the　ground；　and　in　sprawling；　they　broke　the　finish　of　The　Shadow's　dive。
　　Rising　among　the　shrubs；　the　coconut　basher　turned　his　flashlight　toward　the　ground；　using　its　white　beam。　A　low　laugh　sounded　from　the　darkness　above　that　penciled　glow。　The　Shadow　was　viewing　the　two　gatomontes；　both　limp　and　stunned。
　　Having　remembered　that　these　fellows　always　worked　in　pairs；　The　Shadow　had　simply　waited　for　them　to　introduce　a　pair　of　human　coconuts　among　the　fruit　variety。　They'd　done　it　in　their　customary　precision；　making　each　head　a　target　for　the　other；　under　The　Shadow's　swift　clutch。
　　The　gatomontes　wore　fancy　belts　with　their　otherwise　drab　uniforms。　The　Shadow　found　those　belts　quite　handy　in　trussing　the　unconscious　pair。　They　carried　gaudy　handkerchiefs；　too；　in　their　inside　pockets；　for；　like　most　Centralbans；　they　had　a　dash　of　the　Indian　in　them。
　　The　Shadow　used　the　handkerchiefs　as　gags。　Tossing　a　pair　of　revolvers　into　the　shrubbery；　he　started　a　foot　tour　of　the　patio。
　　There　were　other　guards　about；　police　and　soldiers　on　patrol。　They　were　easily　spotted　by　The　Shadow　and　were　paratively　harmless；　since　The　Shadow　had　eliminated　the　mainspring　of　the　works　in　the　persons　of　the　gatomontes。
　　One　soldier；　however；　was　a　real　obstacle。　He　stood　on　guard　at　a　flight　of　steps　leading　up　to　a　balcony　that　offered　the　only　access　to　Peridor's　mansion。
　　With　the　notes　of　the　marimba　flitting　in　from　the　great　gate；　The　Shadow　had　an　excellent　musical　score　acpanying　his　next　exploit。　He　skirted　the　tropical　plants；　and　suddenly　confronted　the　soldier　just　as　the　fellow　turned。
　　The　Shadow　sped　both　hands　toward　the　sentry's　rifle　and　seized　it　with　a　viselike　grip。
　　Naturally；　the　guard　doubled　his　own　grip　on　the　gun；　which　was　exactly　what　The　Shadow　wanted。　Dipping；　he　drove　his　knee　against　the　sentry's；　and　as　the　man　caved；　The　Shadow　used　the　gun　for　leverage；　rolling　the　surprised　soldier　right　across　his　shoulders　to　a　headlong　landing　on　the　tiled　paving　of　the　patio。
　　There　was　a　thud；　but　no　clatter；　for　The　Shadow　was　the　one　who　retained　the　rifle；　the　sentry　losing　his　own　hold　under　the　twist　that　acpanied　the　rapid…rolling　somersault。
　　Another　guard　was　ing　through　the　patio；　blinking　a　flashlight　toward　the　shrubs　along　the　walk。　So　The　Shadow　hoisted　his　stunned　prisoner　and　carried　him　away；　rifle　and　all；　under　the　fringe　of　the　balcony。
　　Reaching　an　isolated　marble　bench；　The　Shadow　mounted　it　and　shouldered　his　human　burden　over　the　balcony　rail。　Poking　the　rifle　through　the　uprights；　The　Shadow　finished　by　climbing　over　the　rail　itself。
　　
　　
　　MEANWHILE；　the　glow　from　the　flashlight　had　stopped　back　at　the　steps。　The　Shadow　heard　orders　in　Spanish；　slurred　with　the　local　dialect。　The　inspector　was　evidently　an　officer　e　to　organize　the　new　guards。　Finding　the　steps　unwatched；　he　simply　supposed　that　they　had　been　overlooked；　so　he　was　summoning　another　soldier　to　patrol　the　weak　spot。
　　Binding　and　gagging　the　man　who　had　forcibly　gone　off　duty；　The　Shadow　tried　a　door　leading　in　from　the　balcony。　It　was　locked　and　bolted　on　the　other　side；　so　he　tackled　a　window；　instead。　The　window　had　a　heavy　grating；　clamped　on　the　inside；　but　The　Shadow's　fingers；　probing　through；　worked　delicate　wonders　with　those　clamps。　The　grating　came　loose。
　　All　was　silent　in　the　mansion。　Occasional　lamps；　soft　in　their　glow；　revealed　deserted　rooms　furnished　in　exquisite　Spanish　style。　There　were　short　hallways；　abbreviated　flights　of　steps；　that　gave　the　house　the　semblance　of　catabs；　though　the　atmosphere　itself　was　pleasant。
　　Below　a　curving　flight　of　stairs　The　Shadow　saw　a　stronger　light；　that　indicated　a　habitable　portion　of　the　ancient　domicile。　He　glided　down　the　curving　stairs　and　came　to　a　square　hall；　not　more　than　ten　feet　on　a　side。
　　The　light　was　from　the　ceiling；　and　the　hallway；　with　tiled　floor　and　walls；　was　something　of　a　patio　in　miniature。　Opposite　the　stairway　was　a　curtained　doorway；　through　which　more　light　came。　On　either　side　were　similar　curtains；　denoting　darkened　rooms。
　　Considering　the　solitude　upstairs；　those　side　rooms　would　also　seem　deserted。　The　Shadow's　logical　course　was　across　the　hallway；　to　the　door　at　the　other　end。　He　started　there。
　　It　was　then　that　the　lulling　atmosphere　produced　a　warning。　The　place　was　too　quiet；　too　unguarded；　to　be　safe。　The　thought　flashed　to　The　Shadow's　brain　a　split…second　before　the　trouble　came。　Before　he　could　get　his　hand　to　a　gun；　the　curtains　at　each　side　of　the　hallway　parted　simultaneously。
　　From　each　direction　sprang　an　attacker。　Wearing　no　uniforms；　their　drab　attire　gave　them　the　look　of　spies；　or　servants；　both　dark…faced；　and　so　alike　that　they　might　have　been　twins。　But　The　Shadow　had　no　time　for　such　parisons；　except　in　relation　to　the　weapons　that　the　pair　carried。　Each　dark　attacker　was　brandishing　a　machete。
　　Both　deadly　blades　were　slashing　for　The　Shadow。　Had　he　remained　rooted；　his　doom　would　have　been　sure。　At　best；　he　was　only　able　to　wheel　toward　the　man　on　the　right；　meeting　him　a　moment　earlier　than　the　other；　but　the　quick　twist　was　a　lifesaver。
　　The　first　machete　sliced　above　The　Shadow；　carving　nothing　more　than　a　portion　of　his　cloak　sleeve。　Before　the　second　man　could　lengthen　his　lunge　to　bury　the　knife　blade　in　The　Shadow's　back；　the　cloaked　fighter　had　gripped　the　first　attacker　and　was　wheeling　him　about。
　　With　a　side　step　toward　the　stairs；　the　second　man　tried　to　make　a　cross…stab　at　The　Shadow；　but　the　spin　was　too　swift。　Using　the　first　attacker　as　a　human　bludgeon；　The　Shadow　flung　him　upon　his　panion。
　　As　both　reeled　toward　the　stairs；　The　Shadow　followed　up　his　brief　advantage　with　whippet　speed。　He　grabbed　the　first　knife　hand　that　came　his　way　and　sprawled　its　owner　to　the　stairs；　where　a　jutting　step　met　the　back　of　the　man's　head。　Then；　lunging　from　the　steps　themselves；　The　Shadow　gained　an　added　impetus　that　flattened　the　other　who　was　swinging　in　to　meet　him。
　　They　landed　heavily；　the　machete　specialist　beneath。　As　the　machete　clattered　the　tiles；　The　Shadow　sprang　from　atop　his　half…stunned　foe　and　moved　toward　the　curtains　at　the　far　end　of　the　hall。
　　He　needed　a　vantage　point　from　which　to　hold　off　his　recuperating　enemies；　who　were　jolted；　but　not　out　of　the　fight。　His　spring；　however；　stopped　before　he　reached　the　curtains。
　　They　had　parted；　and　The　Shadow　was　confronted　with　a　leveled　revolver；　held　in　the　slender　but　determined　hand　of　a　dark…eyed　Spanish　girl；　whose　blazing　gaze　told　him　that　another　step　would　bring　action　from　her　trigger　finger。
　　
　　
　　HALTED；　his　gloved　hands　lifting　slowly；　The　Shadow　laughed　softly　but　grimly。　That　touch　of　strange　mirth　was　induced　by　the　sounds　behind　him；　for　he　knew　that　within　a　dozen　seconds　the　machete　experts　would　be　on　their　feet　again；　the　knives　in　their　hands。
　　They'd　follow　the　usual　rule；　those　fellows；　of　striking　first　and　inquiring　afterward。
　　The　girl's　eyes　told　that　she　felt　no　mercy　toward　an　unannounced　intruder。　Small　wonder；　therefore；　that　The　Shadow　laughed。　Unless　his　wits　could　prove　quicker　than　a　gun　trigger；　or　the　strokes　of　deadly　knives；　this　would　be　the　last　time　he　would　ever　phrase　his　famous　mirth。
　　Often；　The　Shadow's　tone　had　sounded　as　a　knell　to　dying　men　of　crime。
　　This　time；　seemingly；　it　was　the　preface　to　his　own　death。
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XII　
　　　THE　COURSE　AHEAD　
　　FRIENDS　of　The　Shadow！
　　Such；　by　rights；　should　be　the　dwellers　in　this　mansion；　instead；　they　were　proving　the　deadliest　of　foes。　Only　a　Spanish　girl's　rigid　adherence　to　custom　was　prolonging　The　Shadow's　slim　opportunity　to　live。
　　The　senorita　preferred　that　the　servants　should　give　death　to　the　cloaked　intruder；　since　it　was　their　appointed　task。　Her　stern　gaze　assured　The　Shadow　that　no　ten…second　argument　could　save　him。
　　Perhaps　the　girl　expecte