mg.cityofcrime-第11节

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！


　Springing　to　the　hall；　Beezer　arrived　to　see　The　Shadow　wheeling　away　from　four　foemen。　Beezer　dived　for　a　stairway；　The　Shadow　paused　to　deliver　halting　shots。　A　khaki…clad　foeman　pounced　upon　him；　knocked　down　his　gun　arm。　The　Shadow　whirled　away　to　avoid　a　clinch。　Shaking　off　another　attacker；　he　reached　the　door　of　a　fire　tower。
　All　along　the　hall　were　members　of　the　Flying　Squadron；　ing　to　hands　and　knees；　groggy　from　strokes　that　they　had　received。　There　were　others　who　had　dodged　The　Shadow's　attack。　They　opened　fire　from　corners　of　corridors。　The　Shadow　saw　the　fire　tower　as　a　vantage　point。　He　took　it；　slamming　the　door　behind　him。　Hardly　was　he　on　the　tower　before　he　realized　the　value　of　his　move。
　Sirens　were　screeching　from　below。　The　entire　squadron　was　out；　surrounding　the　hotel。　The　Shadow　knew　what　prolonged　battle　with　these　disguised　thugs　would　produce。　It　would　bring　out　the　full　police　force；　Lieutenant　Maclare　first；　with　the　men　who　patrolled　this　precinct。　They　would　side　with　the　Flying　Squadron。　The　Shadow　wanted　no　battle　with　such　loyal　men。
　To　avoid　that　inevitable　result；　The　Shadow　hurried　down　the　fire　tower。
　He　reached　the　bottom　just　in　time　to　see　Beezer　Dorsch　dash　from　a　side　door　of　the　hotel。　The　Shadow　had　no　time　to　aim　for　the　murderer；　Beezer　was　ducking　behind　an　automobile；　pointing　to　the　fire　tower　as　he　dived　for　cover。
　Two　squadron　men　saw　him；　they　let　Beezer　go　and　headed　for　the　tower。
　The　Shadow　swung　out　upon　them。　As　their　guns　came　up；　his　came　down　in　two　long　swings。　One　man　took　a　blow　upon　the　head；　the　other　dodged；　but　received　a　glancing　stroke　that　made　him　stumble。　Hearing　shouts　from　men　who　had　rounded　the　front　corner　of　the　hotel；　The　Shadow　sprang　off　between　parked　cars。　Dodging　back　and　forth；　he　reached　a　coupe　and　boarded　it。
　Another　car　had　pulled　away　from　the　other　side　of　the　parking　lot。　The　Shadow　heard　the　whine　of　its　gear　and　knew　that　Beezer　had　made　his　getaway。
　That　flight　was　by　arrangement　with　the　law。　The　Shadow　had　no　such　pleasant　prospect。　Trouble　began　anew；　as　he　sped　his　car　toward　the　street。
　
　
　A　SQUADRON　car　shot　in　to　block　The　Shadow's　coupe。　The　Shadow　tongued　a　quick　blast　from　his　automatic；　to　avoid　the　fire；　the　driver　of　the　squadron　car　veered。　The　Shadow　wheeled　away　from　bright　lights；　as　his　coupe　roared　past　Judge　Benbrook's　house；　three　khaki…clad　men　on　motorcycles　took　up　the　chase。
　The　Shadow　veered　left　at　the　trolley　tracks；　rounded　the　block；　sped　his　car　through　an　alleyway。　A　patrol　car　sighted　him；　it　followed。　Another　block；　two　policemen　in　blue　uniform　saw　the　chase　and　mandeered　a　sedan　to　join　the　pursuit。
　Again；　The　Shadow　turned　his　course；　headed　back　toward　the　city's　center。
　Finding　a　side　street；　he　took　it；　to　avoid　another　squadron　car　that　was　ing　straight　toward　him。
　As　The　Shadow　whizzed　past　a　corner；　he　went　by　an　automobile　that　had　pulled　up　to　the　curb。　The　man　behind　the　wheel　of　that　car　sat　watching；　as　police　cars　and　motorcycles　sped　by。　When　the　wild　parade　had　faded　in　the　distance；　that　watcher　slid　from　his　car　and　shuffled　toward　an　alleyway　that　offered　direct　access　to　the　rear　door　of　Lance　Gillick's　Club　Adair。
　A　street　lamp　gave　a　momentary　glimpse　of　the　shuffler's　ugly　face。　The　man　was　Beezer　Dorsch；　grinning　from　ear　to　ear。　He　had　expected　a　pursuit　before　he　could　head　back　to　Lance's　perfect　hide…out。　With　so　many　dumb　cops　in　Westford；　there　was　always　a　chance　of　trouble；　as　Beezer　viewed　it。
　Circumstances　had　turned　out　well　for　Beezer　Dorsch。　He　could　forget　the　fact　that　he　had　failed　to　murder　Shaw。　After　all；　Shaw　was　The　Shadow；　and　others　could　take　the　job　of　bagging　him。　As　Beezer　recalled　it；　Mayor　Marclot　and　Police　Director　Borman　had　agreed　to　handle　that　particular　task。
　They　had　made　a　good　beginning。　The　pursuit　that　Beezer　had　witnessed　was　a　real　one。　The　Shadow　had　put　himself　in　wrong　with　the　law。　He　had　made　Beezer's　fake　flight　an　easy　one；　and　had　given　the　Flying　Squadron　a　real　trail；　for　a　change。
　Beezer　Dorsch　was　hopeful　that　the　Flying　Squadron　would　show　its　real　ability　tonight。
　
　
　CHAPTER　X　
　THE　LOST　TRAIL　
　THE　chase　that　Beezer　had　witnessed　was　actually　a　hot　one。　The　Shadow　realized　it　as　he　sped　toward　the　city　limits；　picking　a　course　through　the　winding　streets　of　one　of　Westford's　suburbs。　Pursuers　had　spread　out；　picking　parallel　streets。　At　every　corner；　The　Shadow　heard　sirens　that　told　of　foemen　on　both　sides。
　Horns　were　honking　from　a　hundred　yards　behind。　They　represented　mandeered　cars。　More　of　the　regular　police　had　joined　in　the　hunt。　Like　the　members　of　the　Flying　Squadron；　they　would　give　The　Shadow　plenty；　if　they　gained　the　opportunity。　Questions　and　explanations　would　e　afterward。
　The　Shadow's　coupe　was　no　speedier　than　the　cars　of　the　pursuers；　but　he　knew　this　section　of　Westford。　He　had　chosen　it　on　that　account。　At　intervals；　The　Shadow　chose　short…cuts；　where　angled　streets　afforded　quick　routes　to　other　thoroughfares。　These　shifts　put　him　farther　ahead　of　the　cars　upon　his　trail。
　Making　a　quick　turn　at　a　corner；　The　Shadow　threaded　through　a　maze　of　streets　and　gained　a　highway　that　led　from　the　town。　Speeding　toward　the　open　road；　he　saw　the　glare　of　two　sets　of　headlights；　ing　straight　toward　him；　side　by　side。　Instantly；　The　Shadow　knew　that　a　radio　call　had　been　given。
　Patrol　cars　on　the　city's　outskirts　were　heading　in　to　block　him。
　Quickly；　The　Shadow　chose　the　first　side　road　that　offered　itself。　The　coupe　jolted　over　bumpy　paving；　then　came　a　muddy　lane　where　a　pair　of　ruts　offered　the　only　progress。　Taking　it　at　rapid　speed；　The　Shadow　saw　the　end　of　the　road。　He　stopped　the　coupe　on　the　very　fringe　of　a　small　pond。　Dropping　to　the　ground；　he　looked　back　along　the　lane。　He　saw　headlights　bouncing　as　cars　took　the　ruts。　Half　a　dozen　automobiles　had　neared　this　finish　of　the　chase。
　One　minute　more　would　bring　them　to　the　spot　where　The　Shadow　stood。
　High　above；　off　to　the　right；　The　Shadow　saw　a　glow　of　light。　It　came　from　the　top　of　a　huge　water　tower；　its　rounded　bottom　forming　a　bowl　upon　long；　spindly　struts。　With　long　strides　across　scraggly　ground；　The　Shadow　covered　the　distance。　He　reached　the　bottom　of　the　tower　just　as　the　police　cars　pulled　up　beside　his　abandoned　coupe。
　The　glow　from　the　tower　came　from　lights　beneath　a　projecting　flange　around　the　top。　There；　lights　were　concentrated　to　display　a　sign　painted　on　the　tower；　stating　that　it　belonged　to　the　Westford　Electric　Co。　A　platform　at　the　base　of　the　tank　itself　cut　off　the　light；　so　that　all　beneath　was　darkened。
　Stopping　by　the　first　steel　leg；　The　Shadow　found　that　the　support　was　equipped　with　a　ladder。　Without　a　moment's　hesitation；　he　began　an　upward　climb。
　
　
　FORTY　feet　up；　the　ladder　ended。　In　its　place；　The　Shadow　discovered　a　catwalk　that　led　to　the　center　of　the　tank；　ending　directly　underneath　it。
　Probing　farther　in　the　darkness；　he　discovered　a　side　ladder　that　went　to　the　top　of　the　tank；　but　he　chose　the　catwalk　instead。　His　choice　was　a　good　one。
　Some　of　the　pursuers　had　e　over　toward　the　tower　and　were　flashing　electric　torches　from　the　ground。
　Reaching　the　end　of　the　catwalk；　The　Shadow　felt　the　bottom　of　the　tank。
　He　discovered　supporting　girders；　shaped　to　the　tank　itself。　Gripping　the　edges　of　a　girder　with　his　hands；　The　Shadow　swung　his　feet　upward　and　gained　a　toe…hold。　Crawling　face　upward；　he　followed　the　outside　of　the　huge　bowl；　until　he　was　halfway　to　the　platform　that　girded　it。　There；　The　Shadow　paused；　bracing　his　arms；　he　clung　motionless。
　Pursuers　were　ing　up　the　ladder。　Some　reached　the　catwalk；　followed　its　downward　curve　to　the　center　of　the　tank。　Others　went　around　the　platform。　A　few　ascended　the　second　ladder　and　flashed　lights　on　the　smooth　surface　of　the　conical　top。　The　search　took　several　minutes；　it　covered　everywhere；　except　the　under　curve　of　the　water　tank；　on　The　Shadow's　side。　No　one　suspected　that　a　person　could　hide　on　that　precarious　portion　of　the　tank。
　Clangs　from　the　ladder　told　that　the　police　were　making　their　descent。
　Slowly；　The　Shadow　reversed　his　course　along　the　girder。　His　arms　and　legs　were　tired；　but　the　course　was　downward　and　required　less　effort　than　his　climb。　He　reached　the　catwalk　and　settled　to　its　surface。
　From　his　high　lookout；　The　Shadow　watched　the　search　along　the　ground。　At　least　twenty　men　were　beating　the　brush；　as　they　circled　the　shores　of　the　pond。　Flashlights　bobbed　in　the　direction　of　a　house；　two　hundred　yards　away。
　Lights　appeared　in　the　house　itself。　The　Shadow　knew　that　the　police　had　roused　the　occupants；　to　make　a　search　inside。
　It　was　nearly　an　hour　before　the　hunt　ended。　Even　then；　the　terrain　did　not　clear　entirely；　a　few　watchers　were　posted　along　the　ground。　None　was　near　the　tower；　The　Shadow　moved　along　the　catwalk　and　descended　silently　by　the　ladder。　There；　he　waited　in　darkness；　watching　the　blink　of　flashlights。　Soon　a　pair　came　in　his　direction。
　Sidling　away　from　the　tower；　The　Shadow　listened　while　two　men　went　up　the　ladder。　They　were　choosing　the　very　lookout　that　The　Shadow　had　occupied；　so　that　th