mg.dictatorofcrime-第17部分

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new　find　produced　a　new　excitement。
　　Barely　escaping　the　sweep　of　lights；　The　Shadow　was　weaving　out　through　the　patio。　He　was　near　the　gate　before　he　revealed　his　presence；　with　a　challenging　laugh　that　brought　a　quiver　even　from　the　crinkly　palm　branches　just　above　his　head。　Lights　swung　wildly；　when　one　beam　caught　The　Shadow；　the　others　copied　it。
　　
　　
　　IN　the　focused　glare；　a　score　of　men　saw　The　Shadow；　half　turned　toward　the　gate；　as　though　he　had　given　up　all　thought　of　entering　Peridor's　mansion。
　　He　turned　and　backed　his　challenge　by　prompt　stabs　from　a　pair　of　guns。
　　Those　shots　picked　flashlights　from　the　hands　that　held　them。　Other　lights　went　flying　through　the　air；　flung　by　their　owners。
　　There　wasn't　a　shot　in　return。　Police　and　soldiers　were　diving　for　shelter　before　taking　chances　with　The　Shadow。
　　The　echo　of　the　strident　laugh　was　fading　from　the　courtyard；　for　a　few　seconds；　the　only　sound　was　the　hollow；　plunking　tune　of　the　marimba　outside　the　gates。　Then　came　the　crack　of　many　guns　from　all　about　the　patio。
　　Castenago's　uniformed　men　were　gunning　for　The　Shadow；　only　to　be　taunted　by　the　laugh　that　they　couldn't　find。　He　was　cutting　through　the　patio　while　they　were　aiming　back　where　he　had　been。
　　As　he　sped；　The　Shadow　delivered　quick　spurts　from　his　guns；　clipping　foemen　who　huddled　in　the　shrubbery。　Their　return　shots　were　badly　wide；　for　The　Shadow's　mirth　persisted。
　　Officers　were　howling　orders；　and　by　luck；　someone　struck　upon　the　right　one。　Deep　in　the　patio；　The　Shadow's　only　outlet　was　the　balcony。　An　officer　yelled　to　seize　him　when　he　reached　the　steps；　and　men　were　on　hand　when　The　Shadow　arrived；　but　they　hadn't　bargained　for　the　fight　he　gave　them。
　　Changing　tactics；　The　Shadow　flung　himself　into　the　cluster　of　uniforms；　slugging　right　and　left。
　　Through　the　sprawling　group；　he　reached　the　steps。　Soldiers　found　their　feet　and　stumbled　after　him。　Along　the　balcony；　The　Shadow's　path　was　clear；　or　would　have　been　if　two　police　hadn't　popped　out　suddenly　from　within　the　house　itself。
　　Slugging　one；　The　Shadow　met　the　other　in　a　grapple　and　flung　him　toward　the　steps。　Spinning　like　a　toy　top；　the　man　in　uniform　lost　his　balance　and　floundered　downward；　spilling　the　stumblers　who　were　ing　up。
　　With　The　Shadow　on　the　run；　men　in　the　patio　took　new　chances　with　their　flashlights。　Spreading　beams　showed　The　Shadow　at　the　far　end　of　the　balcony。
　　He　was　on　the　rail；　reaching　for　the　roof　above。　The　flashlights　followed　him；　but　guns　were　late。　The　Shadow　had　reached　the　roof；　where　he　was　protected　from　those　who　aimed　from　below。
　　From　the　roof；　his　next　goal　was　to　be　the　wall。　Men　at　the　patio　gate　were　shooting　wildly；　while　others　yelled　The　Shadow's　destination。　Two　men　heard　it；　they　were　the　gatomontes；　ing　up　the　steps　to　the　balcony；　thrusting　the　bewildered　soldiers　aside。
　　Real　sharpshooters；　the　gatomontes　were　following　the　balcony；　sure　that　they　could　clip　The　Shadow　in　midair　when　he　sprang　from　roof　to　wall。
　　It　was　a　question　whether　he　could　plete　the　leap　before　the　gatomontes　could　reach　the　end　of　the　balcony　and　aim　past　the　inner　corner。　The　Shadow　was　depending　upon　that　corner　as　a　delaying　element。
　　If　anything；　he　had　the　advantage；　for　he　was　launching　from　the　roof　when　the　sharpshooters　reached　the　center　of　the　balcony。　It　might　depend　upon　his　landing　when　he　struck　the　wall。
　　The　question　was　never　quite　settled。
　　Timed　to　The　Shadow's　leap；　something　came　scaling　through　the　air　from　the　direction　of　the　gate。　Briefly；　the　flashlights　caught　an　elongated　object　that　couldn't　be　identified　before　it　landed　on　the　balcony。　It　struck　in　front　of　the　gatomontes；　who　were　well　ahead　of　the　soldiers。
　　The　thing　exploded　with　a　tremendous　burst。　It　settled　the　gatomontes　permanently；　for　they　disappeared　with　the　explosion；　along　with　a　great　chunk　of　the　balcony。　The　rest　of　the　balcony　caved　in；　sliding　a　flattened　row　of　soldiers　down　into　the　patio；　where　they　landed　in　a　heap；　to　be　showered　by　a　tumble　of　debris。
　　
　　
　　STRIKING　the　wall　just　as　the　explosion　ripped；　The　Shadow　never　paused。
　　As　if　the　outward　concussion　gave　him　impetus；　he　used　the　wall　as　a　mere　stepping…stone　for　a　further　leap　beyond　it。
　　So　quickly　did　he　travel；　that　the　men　in　the　patio；　momentarily　numbed　by　the　bomb　burst；　couldn't　believe　that　it　all　happened　in　so　short　an　interval。
　　To　their　eyes；　The　Shadow　simply　vanished。　The　explosion　couldn't　have　harmed　him；　for　the　wall　where　he　landed　was　intact。　But　it　was　quite　as　incredible　to　believe　that　he　still　existed。　They'd　seen　him　leaping；　they'd　been　dazzled　by　a　great　blaze　of　light；　and　The　Shadow　was　gone　with　the　blast！
　　A　result　quite　to　The　Shadow's　liking；　for　it　would　back　the　story　that　Francisco　Peridor　would　tell。　Dramatic　in　itself；　The　Shadow's　departure　had　been　intensified　by　the　timely　bombshell　that　might　have　e　from　nowhere。
　　Around　the　corner　from　the　esplanade；　The　Shadow　paused　and　peered　along　the　sidewalk。　He　could　hear　a　babble　from　the　patio；　and　its　excitement　carried　out　beyond　the　gates。　The　fiesta　was　over　and　the　few　remaining　students　were　scurrying　away；　as　frightened　as　the　pigeons。　The　marimba　player　was　packing　up　his　gourds；　anxious　to　get　away　from　this　dangerous　vicinity。　Very　rapidly；　the　scene　was　being　deserted。
　　Turning；　The　Shadow　glided　away　from　the　wall　and　blended　into　darkness。
　　As　he　went；　he　gave　a　strident　laugh　that　he　knew　would　carry　to　the　patio　and　increase　the　bewilderment　there。　Such　mirth；　carried　on　the　still　night　air；　would　add　to　the　elusive　reputation　of　La　Sombra。
　　Tomorrow；　all　that　had　happened；　and　more；　would　be　credited　to　a　creature　of　blackness；　with　superhuman　prowess。　A　being　who　could　clear　a　high　wall　at　a　single　bound；　blasting　balconies　behind　him　as　he　vanished　in　midair；　with　a　laugh　so　distant　that　it　could　have　e　from　the　crater　of　a　smoking　volcano　miles　beyond　the　city　of　Libertad。
　　They　believed　such　things　in　Centralba；　if　given　enough　evidence　to　stir　the　native　imagination。　The　Shadow's　own　efforts；　coupled　with　the　arrival　of　the　mysterious　bomb；　had　supplied　evidence　in　plenty。
　　Such　talk　would　spread；　and　grow。　Nothing　could　stop　it；　not　even　if　Castenago　issued　a　manifesto　saying　that　such　rumors　must　cease。
　　The　Shadow　knew！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XIV　
　　　CASTENAGO'S　COURTESY　
　　CASTENAGO　didn't　issue　any　manifesto　the　next　day；　nor　did　Peridor　decide　to　make　his　speech。　Each　was　wise　in　his　way。　Though　Castenago's　iron　make…up　was　immune　to　superstition；　he　had　enough　of　the　Indian　in　him　to　know　the　native　mind。　He　was　willing　to　hear　the　name　〃La　Sombra〃　whispered　by　awed　voices；　even　among　the　palace　servants。
　　Out　of　the　maudlin　reports　that　police　and　soldiers　gave　him；　Castenago　heard　enough　to　assure　himself　that　The　Shadow　was　no　myth；　which　was　all　he　wanted　to　know。
　　As　for　Peridor；　he　saw　that　his　inflammatory　speech　could　be　reserved　for　a　later　occasion。　The　bomb　blast　had　acplished　enough　for　the　present。　In　Centralba；　bombs；　no　matter　who　cast　them；　meant　one　thing　definitely：　that　the　recipient　was　unpopular。
　　Since　the　bomb　had　gone　off　in　Peridor's　patio；　it　was　plain　that　he　had　enemies。　No　one　ever　threw　bombs　at　soldiers。　It　wasn't　customary。　Sniping　at　them　with　rifles　was　a　popular　pastime　during　a　revolution；　and　might　be　applied　in　peaceful　times。　But；　bombs…never！
　　As　for　the　gatomontes；　no　one　ever　did　anything　about　them。　They　were　a　parative　novelty；　and　no　technique　toward　their　disposal　had　yet　been　invented。　Nor　was　anyone　likely　to　brood　over　that　particular　problem；　since　the　gatomontes　were　the　especial　pets　of　Luis　Castenago。　They　were　good　to　leave　alone；　hence　it　was　regarded　as　quite　accidental　that　two　of　them　should　have　been　at　the　exact　place　where　a　bomb　exploded。　Too　bad　for　the　gatomontes；　and　even　worse　for　the　bomber；　if　Castenago　ever　found　out　who　he　was。
　　The　guests　at　the　Imperial　Hotel　heard　some　of　the　queer　rumors；　but　only　Margo　Lane　took　them　seriously。　She　knew　that　〃La　Sombra〃　meant　The　Shadow；　and　she　asked　Kent　Allard　what　he　thought　about　it。
　　His　attitude　was　one　of　plete　indifference。　He　had　other　matters　to　worry　about；　so　he　said；　though　he　didn't　specify　what　they　were。
　　Margo　dropped　the　hint　that　Lamont　Cranston　might　be　in　Centralba；　but　Allard　only　shook　his　head。　He　was　quite　sure　that　Cranston　would　have　joined　the　party；　had　he　arrived　in　Libertad。　There；　the　subject　rested。
　　Early　in　the　afternoon；　Margo　had　an　inkling　of　what　troubled　Allard。　An　imposing　car　stopped　in　front　of　the　hotel　and　two　palace　guards　came　inside。
　　When　they　went　out；　Allard　was　with　them。　Obviously；　be　had　been　summoned　by　Castenago。
　　Margo　decided　that　it　must　have　something　to　do　with　the　continuation　of　the　air　cruise。　Perhaps　Castenago　didn't　like　strangers　dropping　in　from　the　sky；　unannounced。
　　
　　
　　WHEN　The　Shadow　reached　the　presidential　palace；　he　was　conducted　farther　than　the　reception　room；　which　pleased　him；　because　it　offered　him　a　chance　to　check；　firsthand；　on　information　supplied　by　Pe