mg.greeneyes-第28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！



　　With　that；　Ling　Soo　was　gone。　Leaving　the　lantern　so　its　glow　would　remind　Foy　of　his　hopeless　position；　Ling　Soo　closed　the　door。
　　As　an　instrument　of　agony；　the　Chinese　torture　rack　was　one　of　the　strangest　and　most　formidable　devices　in　all　the　world。　It　brought　slower　pain　than　did　the　infernal　creations　of　the　Middle　Ages；　but　its　work　was　sure。
　　Ling　Soo　had　spoken　the　truth　when　he　had　praised　this　Oriental　contrivance；　but　he　had　been　in　error　when　he　had　said　that　escape　was　impossible。　Some　years　before；　one　man　had　managed　to　extricate　himself　from　its　toils。　The　American；　Houdini；　had　allowed　himself　to　be　fastened　in　a　Chinese　torture　rack　and　had　worked　his　way　free　after　long　and　strenuous　efforts。
　　There　had　been　only　one　Houdini…a　master　of　his　art。　Strong　and　powerful；　he　had　used　his　amazing　ingenuity　to　its　utmost　in　that　escape。　Now　The　Shadow；　weakened　from　his　terrible　fall　into　the　hold　of　the　ship；　was　confronted　by　the　same　problem　that　had　taxed　the　skill　of　Houdini。
　　With　The　Shadow；　it　meant　life　or　death。　Unless　his　mighty　mind　could　divine　the　only　possible　way　of　overing　the　hold　of　this　machine；　unless　his　weary　muscles　could　respond　to　the　efforts　that　were　demanded；　The　Shadow　would　perish！
　　Time；　too；　was　short。　The　Shadow；　with　wired　ropes　about　his　wrists；　had　been　restrained　while　unconscious。　He　had　gained　no　opportunity　to　fight　against　the　bonds　when　they　had　been　placed　upon　him。
　　His　arms　were　already　wearied　from　the　strain　which　they　had　undergone。
　　For　he　had　dangled　long　before　his　consciousness　had　returned　to　him！
　　There　he　hung。　His　fingers　could　not　reach　the　knots　upon　his　wrists。　They　were　more　than　a　foot　below　the　cross　beam　of　the　rack。　It　was　humanly　impossible　to　move　upward。　Nor　could　his　feet　avail　him；　for　they　barely　touched　the　floor！
　　Buried　alive　in　the　hollow　of　the　deep…set　Chinese　junk；　The　Shadow　faced　the　most　terrible　situation　in　his　long　career。
　　Free；　he　could　struggle　against　odds　that　were　seemingly　unconquerable。
　　Bound　with　ordinary　restraints；　he　could　fight　his　way　free。　But　he　was　now　in　the　grasp　of　the　powerful　device　that　was　the　greatest　machination　ever　designed　by　a　subtle；　Oriental　mind！
　　Could；　The　Shadow　meet　this　formidable　test…the　one　that　Houdini　alone　had　undergone　successfully？
　　His　motionless；　hanging　body；　with　its　still　shadow　stretched　across　the　floor；　betokened　plete　helplessness。　The　longer　that　it　remained　in　that　position；　the　more　The　Shadow's　strength　would　dwindle。　That　was　the　most　sinister　factor　of　this　horrible　Chinese　torture　rack。
　　At　last；　The　Shadow　moved。　In　the　silence　of　that　room；　broken　only　by　a　soft　lapping　of　tiny　waves　against　the　wooden　sides　of　the　Pung…Shoon；　the　hands　of　The　Shadow　clutched　above　his　head。　Futilely　at　first；　they　finally　succeeded　in　gripping　the　rope　that　led　to　the　beam　above。
　　
　　
　　BUT　the　fingers；　alone；　could　afford　no　aid。　Although　they　worked　with　supernormal　strength；　they　did　not　raise　the　body　a　fraction　of　an　inch。
　　The　fingers　did　not　seek　that　impossible　task。　They　were　twisting　at　the　rope。　The　dangling　form　began　to　sway。　The　toes　added　to　the　sidewise　motion。
　　Grazing　the　floor；　they　added　to　the　swing。
　　The　action　was　prolonged　and　tedious。　The　fingers；　gripping；　worked　from　above。　The　feet　raised　slightly　from　the　floor　each　time　the　body　moved　gently　to　one　side。　As　it　went　in　the　opposite　direction；　the　feet；　stretched　toes　downward；　added　an　impetus。
　　Inch　by　inch；　the　motion　increased。　Each　swing　was　longer；　now。　Fingers　and　toes；　working　together　and　using　every　possible　effort；　were　increasing　the　momentum。
　　Tedious　though　it　seemed；　The　Shadow　was　gaining　what　he　desired。
　　His　body　was　swinging　like　a　living　pendulum！
　　What　was　the　purpose　of　this　amazing　action？
　　It　could　not　strain　the　stout　rope。　That　was　too　firmly　fastened。　Ling　Soo　had　left　naught　to　chance。　Seemingly；　The　Shadow　was　expending　tremendous　effort…all　in　vain！
　　Yet　the　pendulum　swing　kept　on；　while　the　grotesque　shadow　on　the　floor　followed　back　and　forth　beneath　the　glow　of　the　single　lantern。
　　Wider…longer　were　the　swings。　Off　to　the　right；　The　Shadow's　foot　almost　touched　the　upright　post　on　that　side。　Back　went　the　swing；　the　left　foot　just　touched　the　other　post。
　　The　wild　swings　still　increased。　Then　came　the　final　one；　that　served　The　Shadow's　purpose。
　　The　right　foot；　stretching　to　its　utmost；　went　barely　past　the　upright　post。　The　extended　toes　were　just　beyond　that　spot。　With　uncanny　skill；　the　tip　of　the　foot　caught　the　post　and　stopped　the　swing。
　　The　body　did　not　return　across　the　floor　between　the　posts。　Instead；　the　foot　made　the　utmost　of　its　momentary　hold。　It　squirmed　and　worked　until　the　ankle　was　beyond　the　post。　Then；　with　the　body　moving　upward；　the　knee　made　its　grip。　The　left　leg　had　joined　in　the　work　now。
　　Inch　by　inch；　The　Shadow's　lower　limbs　were　climbing　to　the　top　of　the　upright　post！
　　The　objective　was　reached。　The　Shadow　rested。　His　body；　doubled；　was　beneath　the　crossbeam。　His　knees　gripping　near　the　joint　of　the　upright　post；　were　taking　the　strain　from　those　tired　wrists　and　arms。
　　Now　The　Shadow　writhed　in　superhuman　effort。　Difficult　though　his　first　action　had　been；　the　present　task　was　stupendous。
　　Twice　he　failed；　but　on　the　third　time；　with　a　mighty　lunge；　he　urged　his　body　to　the　top　of　the　crossbeam。　Poised　there；　balanced　on　the　beam；　his　body　was　relieved　of　all　burden。　His　hands；　ing　up　with　him；　were　pressed　against　his　tired　form。
　　One　obstacle　yet　remained…those　tightly　knotted　ropes；　with　wire　bindings。
　　How　could　The　Shadow　work　against　them？　His　hands　were　helpless。　His　muscles　were　tired　to　the　utmost。　The　straining　wrists　seemed　scarcely　capable　of　further　action。　Their　strength　was　gone。
　　With　elbows　gripping　the　sides　of　the　upright　beam；　The　Shadow　steadied　his　body。　His　head　bent　forward。　His　lips　were　against　those　binding　ropes。
　　With　his　teeth；　The　Shadow　attacked　the　knots！
　　
　　
　　HE　did　not　strive　to　undo　the　twisted　bits　of　wire。　The　cord；　with　its　knots；　was　the　real　force　that　held　the　wrists　so　tightly　clamped　together。
　　Each　tug　that　The　Shadow　made…each　grip　that　his　teeth　supplied…served　to　weaken　the　strong　knots。
　　They　loosened　gradually。　The　wires　kept　them　from　ing　further　undone。
　　But　now　the　wrists　were　aiding。　The　rest　that　they　had　received　had　afforded　them　new　strength。
　　They　spread　and　pressed；　forcing　the　wires　to　the　sides　of　the　knots。　The　knots　tightened；　but　the　wrists　had　gained　a　slack！
　　Again；　the　teeth　worked　while　the　wrists　rested。　Once　more　the　knots　were　slowly　loosened。　Then　came　the　sharp　tug　of　the　straining　wrists。　The　slack　increased；　but　the　binding　wires　now　held　with　a　tighter　grip。
　　The　wrists　moved　backward　and　forward。　The　ropes　chafed　them　raw。　They　twisted　and　turned　until　finally　they　rested　side　by　side；　with　a　hand　upon　each　forearm。
　　The　Shadow's　legs　were　holding　him　now。　Each　time　he　tugged　with　his　arms；　his　form　nearly　toppled　from　its　perch。　At　last；　when　strength　seemed　gone；　the　amazing　man　rested　for　a　moment；　then　gave　a　final；　mighty　pull；　his　bound　arms　traveling　in　opposite　directions。
　　The　right　arm　came　free！　Its　wrist　was　out　of　the　bond！
　　But　the　sudden　release　had　thrown　The　Shadow's　body　to　one　side…toward　the　front　of　the　torture　rack。　His　knees　lost　their　hold。　The　right　hand　clutched　for　the　crossbeam　too　late。　With　his　left　wrist　still　tangled　in　the　loop；　The　Shadow　plunged　toward　the　floor。
　　It　was　the　left　hand；　seizing　the　crossbeam　as　it　passed；　that　broke　the　fall。　Momentarily；　The　Shadow　hung　poised；　then　his　fingers　slipped　away。
　　The　cord　came　taut　as　the　left　arm　fell；　the　wrist；　now　held　only　by　a　large；　loose　loop；　wrenched　free。　The　Shadow　caught　himself　as　he　landed　on　his　right　side。
　　He　lay　there；　a　strange　figure　in　the　guise　of　Foy。　His　face　was　streaked　with　blood。　His　wrists　were　raw。　His　lips　were　bleeding　from　contact　with　the　binding　wires。　His　strength　seemed　gone；　as　he　breathed　heavily　and　did　not　seek　to　move。
　　The　Shadow　had　acplished　the　seemingly　impossible！　He　had　escaped　from　the　Chinese　torture　rack！　He　had　duplicated　the　feat　of　the　great　Houdini；　under　the　most　difficult　of　all　conditions！
　　But　what　was　the　result？
　　His　form　was　motionless。　Was　he　lapsing　back　into　unconsciousness？　Had　all　his　strength　been　spent？
　　Time　was　short。　The　Shadow　was　in　the　hold　of　a　strange　ship；　manned　by　a　hostile　crew！　What　hope　could　the　future　hold　for　him　if　he　did　not　act　now？
　　Minutes　ticked　by。　Long；　silent　minutes；　as　hopeless　as　those　that　The　Shadow　had　spent　on　the　torture　rack。　For　then；　The　Shadow　had　been　active。
　　Now；　he　was　motionless。
　　The　limit　of　his　time　had　e。　Footsteps　sounded　without　the　closed　door。
　　Hands　rattled　at　the　barrier。
　　The　Shadow　stirred。
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XXI　
　　　THE　BATTLE　ON　THE　JUNK　
　　LING　SOO　paced　the　broad　deck　of　the　Pung…Shoon。　He　looked　upward　at　the　towering　turrets　of　the　old…fashioned　Chinese　ship。　There；　in　the　gloom；　he　could　distinguish　the　form