mg.cyro-第24节
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Ruffians turned as Jericho emitted a huge laugh。 They saw him holding the table in his right hand as he pointed to the window with his left。 There； in from the roof； stood The Shadow； ready with his automatics。
THE SHADOW knew with whom he had to deal。 These false seamen were murderers。 Jose Larribez had chosen cutthroats for his merciless mob。 Every one of the evil crew had mitted crimes which merited the death penalty。 All had eluded the toils of the law。
Yet The Shadow lent them opportunity。 Had they submitted to the menace of his looming guns； he would have ceased this raid。 Had mobsters been his foemen； they might have cowered in face of The Shadow's might。
But to Larribez's thugs； the arrival of this enemy was signal for concerted murder。 Forgetting all other foes； they swung to kill。 New knives sped toward the weaving form while revolvers aimed in ready hands。
Whirling as he dropped to the floor； The Shadow escaped the whistling dirks。 He had foreseen that move； as had Jericho。 But as The Shadow dropped； his automatics thundered。 A split…second ahead of his desperate attackers； The Shadow's sweeping fire found living targets。
Straight up into the brawling crew that surged upon him。 Such was The Shadow's move。 With it； Jericho hurled his table at an enemy。 Leaping forward； he grabbed milling bodies and hurled them to the floor。
The Shadow did not need this aid。 Rising upward； he came clear of sprawling ruffians who had slumped upon him as human shields。 But Jericho's response was timely； and hard upon it came a surge of the agents from the door。
Staggering murderers were scattering about the room。
Pounding up the stairs were new fighters from below。 The roustabouts who patronized this dive were ing to join the fray。 The Shadow aimed an automatic straight for the big bulb that illuminated this upstairs den。 He fired。 The room was blackened。
A hiss。 Jericho went through the window； head…foremost to the roof beyond。
The other agents followed the course of his bulky figure。 As a shouting mob surged into the room； The Shadow wheeled and stepped across the sill。
Agents had dropped to safety from the low wall beyond the adjacent building。 The Shadow swung to the rear of the roof。 His automatics blazed shots in the air。 A police whistle sounded。 Arriving officers headed toward the back of the Cafe Internationale。 The Shadow was gone when they arrived。
The remnants of Larribez's crew had started a wild battle in the dark； plunging toward the surging horde from below。 Wounded and half…staggered； these hopeless fighters had gone down beneath an overwhelming rush。 When the police invasion came； the strife was finished。
FAR from the scene of this terrific tumult； Raoul Brilliard was sketching in his studio。 Watching him was Tracy Lence。 The New Yorker did not share the Parisian's ease。 Lence was restless。
Tabac； the lone Apache； was huddled in a corner。
〃Make yourself fortable； Lence；〃 suggested Brilliard； blandly。 〃It is too early to expect Larribez。 His ship did not dock until tonight。〃
〃He should have e here as soon as he arrived；〃 Lence suggested。
〃Hardly。 He had arrangements to make。 That is why I brought Tabac here。
Ah； Tabac…〃
Turning to the Apache； Brilliard began a jargon of Parisian slang。 Tabac grinned and replied in kind。 To Lence； their rapid conversation was unintelligible。 It continued； though； with laughs and gestures； for a full ten minutes。
Then Tabac subsided。 Brilliard went back to his sketch。 Lence arose and paced back and forth across the studio。 He was puffing nervously at a third cigarette when a soft knock came from the door。
〃Answer it；〃 whispered Brilliard。
Lence opened the door。 A dark…faced man in tuxedo attire entered the studio。 Lence noted the thin； pointed mustache that adorned the arrival's upper lip。 He saw a twisted smile beneath it。
〃Pardon。〃 The newer looked at Lence； then at the Apache； finally at Brilliard。 〃I have e to find Monsieur Raoul Brilliard； of Paris。 Perhaps〃 …
he paused in his polite foreign accent…〃I have not found the right place？〃
〃What is your name？〃 questioned Brilliard； turning from his sketching。 〃I believe that Monsieur Brilliard expects someone…〃
〃I am Jose Larribez。〃
The bearded artist smiled and advanced with outstretched hand。 Larribez stared in surprise while Lence closed the door。 Brilliard introduced himself； then Lence。 Larribez gave a wry smile。
〃An artist！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You deceived me； Brilliard。 I might have known Senor Lence； but I did not expect to meet him so soon。 I would say you were clever； but perhaps…〃
〃Perhaps it is Cyro who is the clever one；〃 chuckled Brilliard。 〃But let us e directly to the point。 What about the men you have brought？〃
〃They are at the Cafe Internationale；〃 replied Larribez。 〃Near the water front。 A man called Dombar…he is having charge。〃
〃They have a password？〃
〃Si。 It is Cajobabo。 The name of a town in Cuba。〃
〃Do any speak French？〃
〃I suppose so。〃
Brilliard gestured toward Tabac。
〃The last of my Apaches；〃 he explained。 〃Suppose I have him join them？〃
〃Buenos；〃 agreed Larribez。 〃The room that is upstairs。 At the Cafe Internationale。〃
Brilliard explained to Tabac in French。 The Apache replied； then departed at Brilliard's order。
〃He is the last？〃 inquired Larribez。 Brilliard nodded。 He began an explanation of what had occurred； Lence chimed in with his account。
At times； Larribez looked troubled。 But his dark countenance lighted at the conclusion of the narrative； when he learned that the police had not learned the truth of the affray at Debeq's。
DISCUSSION of the eliminated Apaches occupied a full twenty minutes。 Then Brilliard came to the matter of future plans。 He spoke of the mob that awaited Lence's call。 Then he referred to Larribez's water…front crew：
〃Link Ruckert and his gorillas will be instructed beforehand；〃 explained Brilliard。 〃You； Larribez； will take direct charge of your own henchmen。 We shall discuss final plans here； tomorrow afternoon。
〃Lence and I have been invited to the Gaudrin mansion。 We shall be inside…I； as the guest of Mademoiselle Alicia； Lence as a friend of young Luke Gaudrin。 You will be necessary outside。 You must not be observed between now and then。〃
〃It is plain；〃 nodded Larribez。 〃Tomorrow； I shall…〃
The door swung open。 It was Tabac。 Closing the barrier； the Apache broke loose with a flood of jargon that only Brilliard understood。 The artist's face clouded。
〃There has been a brawl at the Cafe Internationale；〃 he declared； 〃centering in the upstairs room。 Some have been killed。 Others have gone to hospitals； wounded and unconscious。 Your men； Larribez！〃
The mustached swindler burst loose with a string of Spanish expletives。
Amid his oaths were references to Dombar。 Tabac heard the name and made a gesture to indicate that the former mutineer was dead。
〃Buenos！〃 exclaimed Larribez。 〃It is good。 Very good！ He alone could have said that I； Jose Larribez； was the one who had those men。〃
〃But we need your henchmen！〃 cried Brilliard。
〃You shall have them；〃 returned Larribez。 〃Bah！ Do you think I am helpless？ Who do you think is here in New Orleans？〃
Brilliard shook his head。
〃Juan Quita； of the Porra；〃 declared Larribez。 〃And Sancho Trupion； another Porrista。 Since the revolution； los porristas…ah； they are everywhere。 It is easy that I should find one； here in this Latin Quarter。〃
〃You need more than one…〃
〃One or two。 They have the ways to find the men that I have had。 Along the front here； by the water。 They will bring those that I need。 e； senores。 Let us find a place to eat。 Bah！ That food on the ship； el Tarrano！〃
Brilliard dismissed Tabac。 While he doffed his smock； he heard Larribez explain to Lence that he would call on Quita and Trupion after dining。
Brilliard joined the pair； the trio descended from the studio。
The courtyard lay quiet after their departure。 Not a whisper stirred its stillness。 There was no sign of the mysterious presence that had visited here before。
Since the arrival of Jose Larribez； The Shadow had found other tasks than those of keeping shrouded vigil upon the lieutenants of Cyro。 His role of stealth had ended with his departure from the suite in the Hotel Bontezan。
CHAPTER XIX
MEN MAKE MOVES
〃CORAL specimens； Marr。〃
〃Worth their weight in gold； Danforth。〃
Danforth Gaudrin chuckled at Marr's reply。 The two were in Gaudrin's study。 On the floor in the center of the room were nine square boxes that had been brought here from the Nautilus。
It was late the next afternoon。 Already lights glowed in this study while the two men surveyed the heavy…crated treasure。 Two others were with them。 One was a pinch…faced； white…haired old man： Professor Pearson Babcock。 The other was a squatty； rock…faced fellow in blue uniform： Captain Peters Emory。
〃You mentioned weight； Marr；〃 observed Gaudrin。 〃Judging from what Captain Emory has told us； I should place the value of the treasure well in excess of one million。〃
〃But less than two million？〃
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