mg.cityofcrime-第26节

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　Someone　was　pounding　at　the　front　door　of　the　garage。　For　beyond　that　heavy　barrier　came　the　shouted　order：
　〃Open！　In　the　name　of　the　law！〃
　
　
　THE　SHADOW　abandoned　his　plan　to　surprise　the　clustered；　crooks　who　stood　flat…footed　by　the　wall。　He　had　recognized　the　shouting　voice。　The　tone　was　that　of　Lieutenant　James　Maclare。　Half　to　his　feet；　The　Shadow　dropped　low　again；　he　edged　beneath　the　roadster　as　crooks　scurried　from　the　wall。
　He　saw　one　man　reach　the　door　and　yank　a　switch　that　controlled　the　far　pill…box。　It　descended；　the　thug　at　the　switchboard　pulled　a　lever　to　open　the　rear　door　of　the　garage。　Two　crooks　picked　up　the　unconscious　thug；　the　lights　went　out　to　cover　their　departure　by　the　opened　rear　door。　Only　two　remained；　to　pass　as　garage　attendants　when　they　admitted　Maclare　and　his　bluecoats　to　the　innocent…looking　garage。
　The　Shadow　had　new　opportunity　in　the　darkness。　He　took　it。　Rolling　from　beneath　the　roadster；　he　moved　swiftly　to　the　rear　door。　Crooks　were　away　before　he　reached　it；　The　Shadow　slid　through　just　as　the　door　was　closing。
　The　rear　alley　was　darkened；　groping；　The　Shadow　found　a　passage　that　led　through　to　the　front　street；　between　the　garage　and　an　empty　store。　He　took　this　route；　stopped　just　before　he　reached　the　front。　Peering　from　the　corner；　The　Shadow　was　witness　to　the　next　scene。
　Lights　were　on　again　in　the　garage；　the　front　door　had　been　opened　to　admit　Maclare。　The　lieutenant　had　made　a　brief　inspection；　he　had　called　the　thuggish　attendants　out　front；　to　give　them　a　brief　quiz。
　〃Nobody　came　in　here　tonight？〃　demanded　the　police　officer。　〃You're　sure　of　it？〃
　〃Nobody；　lieutenant；〃　replied　one　of　the　thugs。　〃This　garage　is　closed　for　repairs。　We're　storin'　no　cars；　here；　right　now。〃
　〃Humph！　Who　does　that　roadster　belong　to；　then？〃
　〃It's　my　own　car；　lieutenant。〃
　〃All　right；〃　decided　Maclare。　〃The　men　we're　after　were　reported　riding　in　a　coupe。　Last　place　we　spotted　them　was　near　here。　We　thought　maybe　they'd　made　into　your　garage。
　A　siren　sounded　as　Maclare　finished。　Two　motorcycles　chugged　up；　then　a　police　car。　Members　of　the　Flying　Squadron　stepped　to　the　street。　An　official　car　arrived。　Director　Kirk　Borman　alighted。　He　talked　with　Lieutenant　Maclare。
　〃I'll　take　charge　here；〃　decided　Borman。　〃Good　work；　lieutenant！　I　heard　about　your　surprise　raid。〃
　〃I　meant　to　notify　you；　director；〃　stated　Maclare；　〃only　we　weren't　sure　of　the　tip…off…〃
　〃I　understand；〃　put　in　Borman；　brusquely。　〃Results　are　what　count；　lieutenant。　You　gained　them。　That's　all　that　matters。　Better　get　back　to　your　precinct。　The　Flying　Squadron　will　find　Lance　Gillick。〃
　
　
　MACLARE　saluted；　he　departed　with　his　bluecoats。　The　honest　lieutenant　was　grim。　For　once；　he　had　kept　back　facts　that　he　might　have　given　to　the　police　director。　The　tip…off　that　Maclare　had　received　had　specified　that　no　one；　not　even　Director　Borman；　be　informed　beforehand。　Rather　than　miss　his　opportunity　to　catch　Lance　Gillick　red…handed；　Maclare　had　agreed　to　the　terms。　He　had　trusted　the　mysterious　voice　that　had　e　over　the　wire　to　his　precinct　office。
　Director　Borman　went　into　the　garage；　while　members　of　the　Flying　Squadron　spread　out　to　fake　a　search　of　the　area。　The　Shadow　saw　chance　of　new　encounter；　which　he　wanted　to　avoid。　In　darkness；　he　whipped　off　his　cloak　and　hat　and　folded　them　under　his　arm。　Choosing　a　moment　when　no　khaki…uniformed　men　were　near；　he　walked　out　from　his　hiding…place　and　approached　Director　Borman's　car。
　He　opened　the　door；　tossed　his　garments　into　a　corner　of　the　rear　seat。
　The　chauffeur　turned　about；　saw　only　the　features　of　Trig　Callister。　The　Shadow　whispered　gruffly；　stating　that　he　wanted　to　see　Director　Borman。　The　chauffeur　was　one　of　Borman's　trusted　aids。　He　knew　that　the　director　had　dealings　with　characters　of　Trig's　sort。　He　motioned　The　Shadow　into　the　car。
　Kirk　Borman　returned　soon　afterward；　a　pleased　smirk　on　his　sharp…featured　face。　As　he　entered　the　car；　The　Shadow　spoke　again。
　〃I'm　Trig　Callister；〃　he　gruffed。　〃Say…did　they　get　The　Shadow？〃
　〃He's　where　we　want　him；〃　chuckled　Borman。　〃Buried　alive！　We'll　leave　him　there　until　he　croaks！　That　won't　be　long；　he's　in　an　air…tight　spot。〃
　The　Shadow's　disguised　face　was　visible　by　the　glow　of　a　street　lamp。　To　Borman；　those　features　answered　Lance　Gillick's　description　of　Trig。
　Nevertheless；　Borman　questioned　suddenly：
　〃How　did　you　get　here？〃
　〃I　hopped　on　the　back　of　Lance's　coupe；〃　returned　The　Shadow　with　a　sight　guffaw。　〃I　was　in　a　bad　spot　when　that　raid　hit。　A　worse　one；　when　The　Shadow　tagged　Lance。　I　had　to　drop　off　to　keep　from　getting　hit　when　he　busted　loose　with　those　gats　of　his。　I　was　too　busy　to　yank　a　rod　of　my　own。　It's　tough　holding　on　to　the　back　of　a　coupe；　going　the　speed　Lance　was　driving　that　one。〃
　The　story　clicked。　Borman　told　the　chauffeur　to　drive　along。　He　was　not　suspicious　when　The　Shadow　questioned：
　〃How　about　Lance　and　Beezer？　Did　they　make　it　to　Ruthley's　O。K。？〃
　〃They　did；〃　acknowledged　the　police　director。　〃That's　where　we　are　going　at　present。〃
　〃You'll　have　to　drop　me　on　the　way；〃　objected　The　Shadow。　〃When　we　get　to　the　place　where　I　parked　my　sedan。　I've　got　to　get　out　in　the　country　and　keep　the　old　judge　bluffed。　Tell　Lance　I　made　my　get…away。　Everything　is　jake。〃
　
　
　BORMAN　nodded。　Events　had　worked　out　better　than　he　hoped。　With　Lance　and　Beezer　in　a　safe　hide…out　and　Trig　at　large；　all　was　well　with　men　of　crime。
　Maclare's　surprise　raid　had　made　trouble。　Borman　was　sure　that　it　had　been　instigated　by　The　Shadow。　The　Shadow's　return　had　brought　repense；　however；　it　had　spelled　the　finish　of　the　black…cloaked　warrior；　according　to　Borman's　positive　belief。
　The　Shadow　spoke　as　they　neared　his　parked　sedan。　Borman　ordered　the　chauffeur　to　stop；　he　chuckled　good…by　to　Trig　Callister。　He　saw　his　panion　alight；　but　he　did　not　notice　the　small　bundle　beneath　Trig's　arm。　The　Shadow　was　careful　to　keep　his　wadded　cloak　and　hat　away　from　the　police　director's　view。
　The　Shadow　whispered　a　prophetic　laugh　as　he　boarded　his　sedan。　His　plans　had　worked　tonight。　He　had　slipped　the　trap　without　losing　too　much　time；　and　with　that　exploit；　he　had　left　crooks　confident　that　they　had　bagged　their　greatest　foeman。
　That；　in　particular；　was　to　The　Shadow's　liking。　The　greater　the　confidence　among　men　of　crime；　the　greater　would　be　their　consternation　when　The　Shadow　delivered　the　final　stroke　of　his　campaign。
　
　
　CHAPTER　XXII　
　ESTELLE'S　DISCOVERY　
　DESPITE　his　quick　departure　from　the　toils　of　crooks；　The　Shadow　had　lost　many　valuable　minutes。　He　had　purposely　clipped　the　time　element　to　a　minimum；　that　he　might　plete　his　campaign　while　his　enemies　were　retarded。　The　episode　at　the　garage　trap　had　therefore　been　damaging　to　The　Shadow's　schedule。
　One　vital　phase　of　The　Shadow's　game　was　a　trip　to　the　country　mansion　…
　there　to　meet　Judge　Benbrook　and　bring　him　back　to　town。　That　would　be　easy；　as　Trig　Callister；　The　Shadow　could　pass　the　outer　cordon　of　thugs　without　question。　But　it　was　necessary　to　have　Judge　Benbrook　in　Westford　well　before　the　time　at　which　the　meeting　of　the　Civic　Club　was　scheduled。
　If　all　went　well；　The　Shadow　would　have　another　bombshell　waiting　for　Stephen　Ruthley　when　the　pretended　reformer　arrived　at　the　meeting。　All　could　still　go　well；　but　time　was　short。　A　speedy　ride　to　the　country　and　a　rapid　return　trip　had　bee　essential。
　Delay；　however；　had　already　caused　one　difficulty。　Just　when　The　Shadow　was　embarking　on　a　free；　swift　course；　trouble　began　without　his　knowledge。　The　place　where　it　occurred　was　the　one　spot　where　it　was　least　to　be　expected：　in　Judge　Benbrook's　own　home。　The　person　who　provided　the　chance　element　was　Estelle　Benbrook。
　The　Shadow　had　foreseen　that　Estelle　would　be　worried　over　her　father's　absence。　The　night　before；　he　had　mailed　her　a　letter；　written　by　the　judge　himself。　Estelle　had　received　the　letter　this　morning；　it　had　partly　ended　her　worriment。
　Later；　though；　Estelle　had　read　the　true　item　in　the　Daily　Banner；　stating　that　the　Civic　Club　would　meet　tonight。　She　had　prepared　dinner　for　herself　and　her　father；　thinking　surely　that　the　judge　would　return。
　Judge　Benbrook　had　not　returned。　Ending　a　lone　repast。　Estelle　experienced　a　great　increase　of　alarm。　There　was　only　one　person　in　whom　she　could　confide　her　fears。　That　person　was　The　Shadow。　On　the　faint　hope　that　The　Shadow　had　entered　the　house　while　she　was　eating　dinner；　Estelle　went　upstairs　to　rap　at　the　door　on　the　second　floor。
　There　was　no　response。　Estelle's　spirits　sank。　She　felt　hopeless　and　confused；　for　once；　her　usual　self…confidence　was　gone。　The　girl　pounded　wildly　upon　The　Shadow's　door。　At　last；　in　desperation；　she　opened　the　door。　She　entered　the　room　and　turned　on　the　light。
　Hopeful　that　she　might　find　some　message　from　The　Shadow；　Estelle　looked　about　the　room。　She　saw　a　bureau　drawer　that　was　slightly　open。　Peering　into　the　drawer；　Estelle　glimpsed　a　flat　box　that　she　mistook　for　a　writing　case。
　Thinking　that　it　might　contain　a　notebook　or　some　written　memoranda；　Estelle　nervously　drew　the　box　from　the　drawer。　She　opened　the　box；　stared　with　wi