mg.dictatorofcrime-第16部分

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　　〃They　are　not　beyond　his　reach；〃　explained　The　Shadow。　〃Castenago　sent　Durez　away　to　find　false　security。　He　had　the　murderers　e　here　to　gain　real　protection。〃
　　One　person　would　have　accepted　that　statement　without　question：　namely；　Margo　Lane。　It　explained　the　matter　of　the　missing　mosquito　boat。　The　speedy　craft　in　which　Murk　Wessel　and　his　lieutenants　had　fled　Miami　was　identical　with　units　of　the　mosquito　fleet；　and　had　been　mistaken　for　such　a　boat。
　　It　couldn't　have　been　otherwise；　as　The　Shadow　reasoned　it。　With　ten　million　dollars　to　lose；　Murk　and　his　pals　wouldn't　have　trusted　a　boat　that　could　be　outraced　by　anything　else　on　Biscayne　Bay。
　　Twelve　mosquito　boats　had　gone　out　by　moonlight；　only　eleven　had　returned　by　day；　a　discrepancy　forgotten　by　everyone　save　The　Shadow。　Margo's　count　stood　justified；　though　she　didn't　know　it。
　　Not　having　heard　about　the　mosquito　fleet；　Francisco　Peridor　still　had　a　question　for　The　Shadow。　He　put　one；　right　to　the　point：
　　〃You　have　seen　these　men…Murk　Wessel　and　the　other　assassins…here　in　Libertad？〃
　　〃Yes。　By　day；　they　are　workers　on　the　grounds　of　the　Casino　Internacional；　where　they　pass　unrecognized。　At　night；　they　are　at　Castenago's　service。　Their　duty；　this　evening；　was　to　assassinate　me；　as　they　did　Durez。　They　failed。〃
　　The　Shadow's　statement　ended　with　a　whispered　laugh　induced　by　the　gazes　with　which　Peridor　and　Mariquita　acknowledged　his　words。　He　had　convinced　these　friends　that　his　theory　was　correct。　The　course　ahead　was　plain。
　　The　very　stratagem　whereby　Castenago　had　disposed　of　Durez　was　the　weak　link　in　the　dictator's　armor。　If　revealed　as　the　dabbler　in　international　crime；　the　dictator　would　find　himself　an　outcast。　The　unmasking　of　Luis　Castenago　was　the　deed　The　Shadow　sought　to　acplish。
　　Upon　it　depended　the　freedom　of　a　nation！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XIII　
　　　GONE　WITH　THE　BLAST　
　　ONLY　The　Shadow　could　have　found　the　weak　link　in　the　chain　with　which　Castenago　fettered　Centralba。　Visualizing　the　case　from　every　angle；　Francisco　Peridor　was　fixed　in　that　conclusion。　Strange　how　the　trail　had　reversed　itself　under　The　Shadow's　logic！
　　Leading　directly　away　from　Castenago；　it　had　e　right　back　to　the　man　itself；　but　what　to　do　about　it　was　a　very　moot　problem。
　　Peridor；　himself；　was　powerless　and　the　same　applied　to　Mariquita。　What　they　had　learned　aroused　their　hopes；　but　equally　increased　their　danger。
　　Should　Castenago　even　suspect　what　they　had　learned；　their　lives　would　be　snuffed　on　the　instant。　Both　felt　that　whatever　aid　they　might　supply；　would　be　too　feeble　to　assist　The　Shadow's　cause。
　　To　their　surprise；　The　Shadow　deemed　otherwise。　First；　he　was　counting　upon　Peridor　to　supply　him　with　needed　information　regarding　Castenago。　Details　of　the　presidential　palace　could　help；　so　Peridor　supplied　them。　Names　of　persons　who　might　oppose　Castenago　could　also　be　of　use；　but　Peridor　shook　his　head　at　the　mere　mention。
　　No　one　dared　oppose　Castenago；　he　said；　though　many　would　relish　the　chance。　That；　in　itself；　bore　one　promise。　Should　Castenago　be　exposed　as　an　international　plotter；　any　witness　to　the　fact　would　so　testify；　if　assured　of　safety。
　　In　brief；　Castenago　was　not　surrounded　by　a　council　of　plotters；　for　he　trusted　no　one　whose　craft　might　even　approach　his　own。　Instead；　he　depended　upon　human　tools　who　were　subject　to　intimidation。　It　would　be　a　case　of　turning　a　lot　of　worms　against　the　early　bird。
　　During　that　discussion；　The　Shadow　dropped　the　detailed　information　that　Mariquita　wanted。　He　mentioned　Colin　Nayre　and　the　fact　that　he　had　escaped　by　plane　to　somewhere　in　the　Caribbean。
　　Though　The　Shadow　did　not　definitely　state　that　Nayre　planned　an　immediate　return　to　Centralba；　Mariquita's　eyes　glistened　with　eager　hope。　It　was　after　she　had　gone　that　The　Shadow　told　her　father　that　Nayre　might　even　now　be　around。
　　〃Nayre's　safety；　of　course；　depends　on　secrecy；〃　declared　The　Shadow。
　　〃Should　his　path　cross　mine；　I　shall　acquaint　him　with　the　facts；　though　he　is　one　person　who　might　learn　them　independently。　Our　main　issue；　however；　is　Castenago。〃
　　There　was　a　solemn　nod　from　Peridor。　He　was　racking　his　brain　for　a　way　to　trap　the　dictator。
　　〃If　I　could　only　gain　more　time…〃
　　〃That　is　easy　enough；〃　interrupted　The　Shadow。　〃Play　into　Castenago's　hands　through　unwise　statements。　Offer　to　eulogize　Durez；　as　though　you　took　Castenago's　amnesty　at　face　value。　It　will　give　Castenago　opportunity　to　instigate　a　new　demonstration　among　the　students。〃
　　Wearily；　Peridor　smiled。　He　was　tired　of　intrigue；　but　the　suggestion　pleased　him。　It　would　be　a　duel　of　wits　between　La　Sombra　and　Luis　Castenago。
　　Peridor　was　glad　that　he　had　found　a　friend　who　could　supply　the　strategy　at　which　the　professor　himself　had　failed。　This　particular　stroke　was　so　in　keeping　with　Peridor's　natural　style；　that　Castenago　would　never　suspect　its　subtlety。
　　〃It　will　help；〃　Peridor　agreed。　〃But　to　what　end？　Granted　that　Castenago　has　afforded　refuge　to　assassins；　why　need　he　ever　admit　it？　If　Wessel　and　his　friends　are　discovered　at　the　casino；　Castenago　can　blame　their　presence　on　Pierre　Treban；　the　manager；　who　is　a　man　of　very　questionable　repute。〃
　　〃The　blame　will　fall　on　Castenago　personally；〃　assured　The　Shadow；　〃If　he　is　found　in　pany　with　the　assassins　themselves。〃
　　〃But　Castenago　never　visits　the　casino。〃
　　〃I　know。　That　is　why　I　was　more　interested　in　the　presidential　palace。　We　shall　wait　until　the　assassins　visit　Castenago　there。〃
　　〃Impossible！　Why　should　Castenago　ever　invite　them　to　the　palace？〃
　　〃To　settle　certain　unfinished　business；〃　explained　The　Shadow。　〃So　large　a　matter；　that　Castenago　cannot　ignore　it。　Ten　million　dollars　is　a　large　sum；　professor；　even　to　Castenago。〃
　　
　　
　　THE　point　struck　home。　Until　this　moment；　Peridor　had　almost　forgotten　the　Durez　money。　Now；　he　realized　why　Castenago　had　been　so　generous　toward　the　Durez　faction。　The　dictator　had　merely　entrusted　them　with　funds　that　he　had　already　arranged　to　reclaim　through　Murk　Wessel。
　　It　fitted　perfectly　with　the　schemes　of　Castenago。　Well　did　he；　the　master　plotter；　understand　the　workings　of　the　criminal　mind。
　　Castenago　had　chosen　Wessel　as　a　man　who　would　be　satisfied　with　a　fraction　of　the　ten　millions　involved。　To　a　certain　point；　Murk　would　want　all　he　could　get；　beyond　that　he　would　sacrifice　the　rest　for　protection；　the　sort　that　only　Castenago　could　supply。
　　It　was　a　certainty　that　the　stolen　wealth　now　lay　in　the　security　of　Castenago's　secret　vaults；　which　were　so　deeply　hidden　that　even　Peridor　did　not　know　their　location　in　the　palace。
　　Whatever　percentage　he　had　promised　the　assassins；　Castenago　would　offer　less；　now　that　the　work　had　been　acplished。　In　his　turn；　Wessel　would　want　more。
　　Such　was　the　significance　of　the　laugh　that　Peridor　heard；　softly　uttered　by　The　Shadow's　hidden　lips。　Nor　did　The　Shadow　need　to　mention　the　logic　that　lay　behind　it。　In　fact；　The　Shadow　himself　was　responsible　for　the　situation；　because　he　had　thinned　the　ranks　of　Wessel's　crew　in　the　battle　at　Miami　Beach。
　　It　would　be　the　invariable　story。　Castenago；　as　the　brain；　would　argue　that　since　there　were　less　crooks　to　share　the　profits；　they　could　afford　to　take　a　smaller　percentage。
　　Contrarily；　Wessel　would　claim　that　crime's　hazard　had　proven　greater　than　anticipated；　therefore　warranting　a　bonus。　The　settlement　would　require　a　meeting；　and　a　long　one。
　　〃I　shall　watch　Wessel；〃　The　Shadow　told　Peridor。　〃When　the　right　time　es…〃
　　This　wasn't　the　right　time；　it　was　the　wrong　time。　The　door　of　the　room　was　thrust　open　by　one　of　Peridor's　servants；　who　exploded　a　streak　of　Spanish；　including　the　name　〃La　Sombra；〃　which　he　emphasized　by　gesticulating　toward　The　Shadow。
　　It　wasn't　necessary　for　Peridor　to　interpret。　The　Shadow　understood；　even　though　the　servant's　outpour　was　thick　with　Centralban　dialect。
　　Patrolling　soldiers　had　found　the　gatomontes　lying　in　the　shrubbery。　They　were　ing　in　to　search　the　mansion；　to　learn　if　it　contained　a　lurker。　As　he　finished；　the　servant　drew　his　machete；　brandishing　it　bravely；　to　indicate　that　this　time　he　would　use　it　in　The　Shadow's　service。　Peridor　was　opening　a　table　drawer　to　bring　out　an　old…fashioned　pistol。
　　The　Shadow　stopped　them　both。
　　〃My　visit　must　not　be　known；〃　he　told　them。　〃Show　me　a　quick　way　out。
　　Afterward；　claim　that　you　did　not　see　me。　You　can　do　it　best　by　doubting　that　I　even　exist。〃
　　Peridor　nodded。　Though　honest　to　a　fault；　he　could　carry　through　that　bluff。　It　was　possible　in　the　case　of　La　Sombra；　who　came　and　vanished　like　the　night　itself。　He　told　the　servant　to　show　The　Shadow　the　short　route　to　the　patio。
　　Lights　were　bobbing　all　about　when　The　Shadow　crept　out　through　a　forgotten　door　beneath　the　balcony　of　Peridor's　mansion。　The　patio　was　alive　with　police　and　soldiers；　some　on　the　balcony　itself。
　　The　other　servant　had　opened　the　main　door；　but　the　search　of　the　house　had　not　begun　because　someone　had　stumbled　upon　the　sentry；　who　lay　near　the　end　of　the　balcony。　Excitement　over　the　new　find　produced　a　new　excitement。
　　Barely　escap