mg.cyro-第17节

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ry　with　him。
　　Going　down　to　the　lobby；　The　Shadow　checked　out；　still　in　the　quiet　manner　of　Lamont　Cranston。　He　left　the　key；　but　he　did　not　go　from　the　hotel。　Instead；　he　returned　to　his　floor。　The　door　was　unlocked　as　he　had　left　it。
　　Opening　the　briefcase；　he　produced　a　make…up　box。　Surveying　his　countenance　in　a　mirror；　he　laughed　softly　and　began　to　remold　his　masklike　features。　His　visage　changed　beneath　the　pressure　of　his　finger　tips。　When　The　Shadow's　work　was　pleted；　his　face　was　fuller　and　heavier　than　that　of　Lamont　Cranston。　It　still　carried　its　hawklike　semblance；　that　was　all。
　　The　Shadow　strolled　from　the　hotel　room。　He　descended　to　the　lobby；　walked　out　and　strode　briskly　toward　bright　lights　that　glittered　along　Canal　Street。
　　His　gait；　his　manner…both　had　undergone　a　change　as　marked　as　that　of　his　countenance。
　　
　　TWO　hours　after　the　episode　on　the　highway；　two　men　arrived　at　the　Club　Caprice　and　asked　for　Rafferty。　One　was　Joe　Cardona；　the　other；　a　tall；　square…shouldered　man。　Although　clad　in　civilian　attire；　this　individual　had　the　military　bearing　of　an　army　officer。　His　face　was　as　square…set　as　his　frame。
　　Rafferty　conducted　the　two　to　Medbrook's　office。　The　gambler　arose　and　extended　his　hand；　first　to　Cardona；　then　to　the　detective's　panion。
　　〃Well；　well；〃　chuckled　Royal。　〃Lieutenant　Wayson。　You're　in　good　pany；　Cardona。　Wayson　is　the　best　police　instructor　in　the　country。　An　expert　on　small　arms…〃
　　〃Cardona　knows　all　that；　Medbrook；〃　interposed　Wayson；　in　a　deep　tone。
　　〃The　chief　gave　him　the　details　when　he　introduced　us　this　afternoon。　You　know　my　duties。　I　confine　myself　entirely　to　revolver　practice。〃
　　〃During　the　day；〃　laughed　Medbrook。　〃And　in　the　evenings；　you　see　the　town。　What　are　you　going　to　do…take　Cardona　around　the　French　Quarter？
　　Looking　for　a　con　man　who　might　be　picking　off　the　saps　who　e　to　town？〃
　　〃That's　just　what　we　intend　to　do；〃　informed　Wayson。　〃But　that　es　later；　Medbrook…beginning　with　tomorrow　night。　The　reason　I'm　out　here　now　is　to　find　out　what　I　can　about　that　trouble　on　the　highway。〃
　　〃You　mean　that　battle　between　a　touring　car　and　a　taxi？　We　heard　about　it　here…that's　all。　Anyway；　it　was　outside　the　city　limits；　wasn't　it？〃
　　Royal　eyed　Wayson　sharply。　The　police　officer　nodded　his　acknowledgment。
　　〃It　doesn't　e　under　our　jurisdiction；〃　he　admitted。　〃But　that　doesn't　prevent　our　finding　out　what　you　know　about　it。　I'm　here　ex…officio。〃
　　〃I　understand；〃　stated　Royal。　〃Well；　lieutenant；　I'd　like　to　help　you　out；　but　frankly；　I　don't　know　a　thing　about　it。　The　whole　affair　was　off　the　premises　of　the　Club　Caprice。　We　only　received　a　second…hand　rumor　that　there'd　been　a　fight。〃
　　〃The　cab　showed　up　in　New　Orleans；〃　remarked　Wayson。　〃It　was　found　in　a　parking　lot。　The　driver　arrived　later；　he　said　he'd　picked　up　a　passenger　from　here。〃
　　〃Any　description　of　the　rider？〃
　　〃None。　The　fellow　poked　a　gun　muzzle　up　against　the　driver's　neck　and　made　him　pull　over。　He　let　the　driver　run　for　it。〃
　　〃And　then　the　fight　began？〃
　　〃That's　it。　He　heard　the　shots；　then　he　saw　his　cab　roll　away。　That's　all　he　told　us。〃
　　The　telephone　bell　rang。　Medbrook　answered　it。　He　spoke　briefly。
　　〃Came　in；　you　say？〃　inquired　Medbrook。　〃I　see。。。　Checked　out　right　afterward。。。　Gone　to　New　York。。。　All　right。。。　No；　never　mind。。。　That's　all　I　need　to　know。。。〃
　　The　gambler　smiled　as　he　hung　up　the　receiver。
　　〃Just　checking　on　a　customer；〃　he　remarked。　〃A　stranger　we　didn't　know　enough　about。　He　looks　all　right；　though。　No；　he　wasn't　one　that　we　thought　might　be　Cyro〃…Medbrook　shook　his　head　as　he　saw　Cardona　about　to　interrupt；　〃we　were　afraid　this　fellow　was　a　professional　gambler；　getting　a　line　on　the　way　we　run　things。〃
　　This　statement　ended；　Royal　Medbrook　tapped　the　desk　in　meditation；　then　looked　at　Wayson。
　　〃There've　been　tough　birds　around　lately；〃　he　declared。　〃But　I　don't　think　they　amount　to　much。　They've　kept　their　noses　out　of　our　business；　and　I　guess　they're　wise　enough　to　stay　outside　the　city　limits；　too。　They　were　probably　after　some　fellow　in　the　cab；　but　I　can't　figure　who　he　was。　A　lot　of　customers　went　out　of　here　tonight。〃
　　Wayson　seemed　satisfied　with　the　explanation。　He　arose；　motioned　to　Cardona　and　the　two　departed。
　　
　　OUTSIDE　the　Club　Caprice　they　entered　a　coupe　that　belonged　to　Wayson　and　headed　cityward。
　　〃We'll　take　a　stroll　down　toward　Frenchtown；〃　decided　Wayson。　〃Just　to　look　around　tonight；　but　tomorrow　we　can　make　some　inquiries　about　this　chap　Cyro。　Seems　to　me　I　heard　some　talk　about　him　when　I　was　in　Jamaica；　a　few　years　ago。〃
　　〃You　were　on　service　there？〃　asked　Cardona。
　　〃Yes；〃　laughed　Wayson。　〃Jamaica；　the　Philippines；　Hawaii；　Algeria；　China　…
　　I've　been　everywhere。　Old　pals　of　mine　are　always　dropping　in　to　see　me。　I　show　them　the　high　spots　of　New　Orleans。　Unofficially。〃
　　〃You　think　Cyro　might　be　in　the　Latin　Quarter？〃
　　〃Possibly。　Let　me　explain　how　things　are　down　there；　Cardona。　To　begin　with；　there　are　a　lot　of　places　that　look　tough　to　people　who　don't　know　them。
　　Up　North；　they　would　be　mobster　hangouts。　But　they　aren't　down　here。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃Gangs　find　the　New　Orleans　climate　unhealthy。　Medbrook　brought　out　that　fact　when　we　talked　to　him。　Gangsters　keep　quiet　inside　our　city　limits。　Mobs　follow　rackets…and　a　racketeer　can't　get　to　first　base　in　New　Orleans。　The　town　has　its　riffraff；　but　they　move　openly。　We　watch　the　places　where　they　go；　and　we　keep　an　eye　on　them。
　　〃If　a　local　rowdy　decided　he'd　bee　a　big　shot；　we'd　step　on　him　as　soon　as　he　began　to　organize。　If　a　big　shot　blows　in　from　another　city；　he　finds　himself　up　against　it　when　he　tries　to　organize　a　crew。　If　he　tries　to　import　his　own　gorillas；　we　can　spot　them　like　daisies　in　a　wheat　field。〃
　　〃Then　gangsters　stay　clear　of　New　Orleans？〃
　　〃No。　A　lot　of　them　visit　here。　But　they　mind　their　business。　The　layout　doesn't　look　right。　That's　all。　There　are　too　many　people　belonging　here　who　can't　see　the　idea　of　outsiders　starting　trouble　with　the　cops。〃
　　〃Then　the　French　Quarter　stays　quiet？〃
　　〃Not　all　the　time。　In　a　sense；　it's　never　quiet。　Anything　may　happen　there。　Same　way　along　the　water　front。　Look　at　it　this　way；　Cardona。　The　Hudson　River　is　pretty　big　at　New　York；　isn't　it？〃
　　〃More　than　a　mile　wide。〃
　　〃Well；　suppose　it　began　to　rise…twenty　or　thirty　feet。　It　would　be　tough　for　Manhattan；　wouldn't　it？〃
　　Cardona　nodded。
　　〃Well；　out　there〃…Wayson　pointed　toward　the　foot　of　Canal　Street；　along　which　they　were　riding…〃we've　got　the　Mississippi　and　it　rises。　But　it　doesn't　wash　us　out　because　we　have　the　levees。　Higher　than　the　level　of　the　streets。
　　〃We　handle　crime　something　like　the　river。　We　know　it's　due　for　rises。　And　when　it's　low；　there's　liable　to　be　an　influx　from　outside。　That's　when　the　levees　show　how　useful　they　can　be。　We　have　them　built。　They　are　ready　when　we　need　them。〃
　　Cardona　made　no　ment。　He　caught　the　angle　of　Wayson's　rough　simile。
　　Where　New　York　had　seething　crime　that　kept　a　constant　level；　smaller　cities　frequently　encountered　an　intide　of　crooks　who　saw　a　happy　hunting　ground　awaiting　them。　New　Orleans　had　met　this　difficulty；　according　to　Wayson。
　　Before　Cardona　could　ask　for　further　details；　the　lieutenant　returned　to　his　original　statement。
　　〃I　said　we　would　inquire　about　con　men；〃　remarked　Wayson。　〃We　will。　I'll
　　talk　to　people　that　I　know。　They　don't　want　customers　who　may　make　trouble　for　them。　They'll　pass　the　word　along。　The　rats　won't　know　anything　about　it。
　　〃But　if　you　came　down　here　with　a　detective；　making　his　rounds；　some　of　the　small　fry　might　wonder　who　you　were。　They'd　figure　you　for　an　out…of…town　detective。　They'd　pass　the　word；　not　to　help　you；　but　to　help　any　of　their　kind　that　might　be　in　bad。　Your　man　might　wise　to　it。〃
　　
　　THE　coupe　had　reached　the　center　of　the　city。　Wayson　parked；　he　and　Cardona　alighted。　A　traffic　cop　delivered　a　friendly　salute　as　they　crossed　the　broad　avenue　with　its　four　rows　of　streetcar　tracks　in　the　center。
　　〃Same　as　Market　Street　in　Frisco；〃　remarked　Wayson；　pointing　to　the　tracks。　〃Four　abreast。〃　Then；　to　a　cop　who　was　taking　the　number　of　a　parked　car：　〃Give　him　a　break；　Stevie。　You　won't　get　the　towing　car　for　half　an　hour。
　　It　was　heading　up　Claiborne　when　we　passed　it。〃
　　The　policeman　grinned　and　waved。　Wayson　nudged　his　thumb　to　indicate　the　other　side　of　Canal　Street；　the　one　from　which　they　had　e。
　　〃That's　uptown；〃　he　explained　to　Joe。　〃On　that　side　of　Canal　Street。　On　this　side　is　downtown。　That's　the　way　we　distinguish　them。　Different　from　most　cities。　First　thing　we　strike　in　the　downtown　side　is　the　French　Quarter。
　　〃We　turn　through　here　to　begin　with〃…they　were　walking　along　Canal　Street　as　he　spoke…〃and　we're　going　along　the　wettest　alley　in　the　world　…
　　Exchange　Street。　Grog　shops。　Keep　your　eye　peeled。〃
　　Night　had　brought　illumination　to　Canal　Street。　Both　sides　of　the　broad　thoroughfare　were　resplendent　with　circular　globes　above　their　stout　metal　lamp…posts。　Exchange　Street；　however；　presented　a　more　garish　spectacle。
　　Bars　with　open　fronts；　indoor　c