mg.cyro-第5节

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　　A　slight　smile　showed　on　the　cracked　lips　of　Northrup　Lucaster。　A　singular　shadow　swept　across　the　floor　as　the　gray…haired　stranger　stalked　by　the　missioner's　side。　The　Shadow　knew　Wainwright　Barth's　penchant　for　viewing　crime　in　person。　He　had　decided　to　bring　the　missioner　into　this　case。
　　
　　TWELVE　minutes　later；　Detective　Sergeant　Markham　burst　into　Rowden's　living　room；　where　Joe　Cardona　was　watching　a　police　surgeon　make　his　examination　of　the　body。　Markham　was　excited。
　　〃Lucaster's　here；〃　he　told　Joe；　〃and　the　missioner　is　with　him！　They're　ing　up。〃
　　〃Lucaster…with　the　missioner？〃　Joe　evidenced　surprise。
　　〃Both　of　them；〃　replied　Markham。　〃That's　why　we　couldn't　get　Lucaster　at　his　hotel。　He　got　all　excited　and　went　to　see　the　missioner。　They're　ing　now；　Joe。〃
　　Markham　stepped　away　from　the　door。　Ten　seconds　later；　Wainwright　Barth　stepped　into　view；　his　face　gleaming　with　interest。　Behind　him　was　the　gray…haired　figure　of　Northrup　Lucaster。
　　〃I　learn　that　it　is　a　case　of　homicide；〃　exclaimed　Barth　to　Cardona。　〃I　am　glad　that　Mr。　Lucaster　came　to　see　me。　Let　us　hope　that　he　can　identify　the　body。　Ah；　Mr。　Lucaster；　is　this　the　man？〃
　　Cardona　watched　Northrup　Lucaster　move　falteringly　toward　the　form。　He　appeared　greatly　distressed　at　the　sight　of　death。　His　head　nodded　slowly；　and　his　expression　showed　pity。
　　〃That　is　Roke　Rowden；〃　he　stated。　〃Poor　chap。　I　am　sorry　for　him。　I…I　hope　you　did　not　have　to　kill　him…on　my　account。〃
　　〃He　was　dead　when　we　crashed　the　door；〃　announced　Cardona。　〃It　looks　a　lot　like　suicide。　See　that　glass；　broken　on　the　floor；　missioner？〃
　　〃What　has　that　to　do　with　it；　Cardona？〃
　　〃I've　seen　other　cases　like　it；　missioner。　Fellow　deciding　to　take　poison。　Pills　in　this　case；　it　would　be。　They　get　so　shaky　they　drop　bottle；　glass；　or　whatever　they're　holding。〃
　　〃And　then？〃
　　〃They　figure　a　gun　the　best　way　out。〃
　　〃Did　you　know　this　fellow；　Cardona？〃
　　〃No。　But　I've　heard　of　him。　Mr。　Lucaster's　identification　settles　it。　Roke　Rowden　was　a　con　man；　missioner。　But　I'm　not　sure　he　mitted　suicide。〃
　　〃Ah！　You　have　a　clue？〃
　　〃Ask　Mr。　Lucaster。〃
　　〃Why　me？〃　questioned　the　Des　Moines　manufacturer；　in　a　quivering　tremor。
　　〃How　should　I　have　a　clue？〃
　　〃From　what　you　told　me　this　afternoon。〃
　　Eyes　glimmered　as　heavy　eyelids　blinked。　Joe　Cardona　did　not　catch　the　gleam。　The　Shadow；　in　his　pose　as　Northrup　Lucaster；　was　careful　to　keep　the　light　behind　him　when　he　faced　Cardona。
　　〃I　understand！〃　he　exclaimed；　in　the　crackly　tone　he　had　assumed。　〃There　was　a　man　to　be　here…with　twenty…five　thousand　dollars；　the　same　sum　that　I　was　to　bring。　And　yet〃…he　paused…〃yet　why　should　Rowden　have　been　murdered？
　　He　had　no　money。〃
　　〃No？〃　Cardona　laughed。　〃You　were　falling　for　a　con　game；　Mr。　Lucaster。　The　man　who　was　to　be　here　must　have　been　Rowden's　pal。　They　had　the　money；　probably；　and　maybe…in　fact；　very　likely…all　of　it　was　Rowden's。〃
　　〃I　see。〃　A　nod　from　the　pretended　Lucaster。　〃Perhaps　they　had　an　altercation。〃
　　〃That's　it；〃　declared　Joe。　〃The　blind…that's　the　other　fellow…may　have　figured　that　Rowden's　dough　was　a　better　bet　than　yours。〃
　　〃Excellent　deduction；　Cardona；〃　mended　Barth。　〃Have　you　any　other　clues？〃
　　〃This；〃　declared　Joe；　stepping　to　the　desk。　〃It　looks　as　though　Rowden　wrote　it。〃
　　〃C…Y…R…O〃…Barth　paused　in　his　spelling。　The　name　is　inplete；　Cardona。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　responded　the　sleuth。　〃About　a　year　ago；　missioner；　a　couple　of　Scotland　Yard　men　came　here　from　London。　They　told　me　about　a　swindler　who　was　burning　up　the　Continent。　A　fellow　who　had　gypped　members　of　the　nobility。　They　said　he　called　himself　Cyro。〃
　　〃An　odd　name。〃
　　〃The　one　by　which　he　was　known　to　his　confederates。　They　said　to　watch　out　for　him　in　New　York。　Well；　it　looks　like　he's　been　here。
　　〃Yes。　I　don't　think　a　swindler　of　his　class　would　have　played　for　so　small　a　stake　as　twenty…five　grand。　But　he　might　have　had　a　grudge　against　Roke　Rowden。　To　bump　Rowden　and　take　the　fellow's　money…well；　that　could　suit　Cyro's　style。　That's　only　my　theory；　missioner；　but…〃
　　〃It　is　a　good　one；　Cardona。　Proceed　with　your　inspection。　New　clues　may　develop。〃
　　
　　FORTY　minutes　later。　Joe　Cardona　was　summarizing　his　findings。　He　was　standing　by　Rowden's　desk；　where　he　had　placed　torn　letters　and　envelopes　taken　from　the　wastebasket。　missioner　Barth　and　Northrup　Lucaster　were　listening　to　the　acting　inspector's　summary。
　　〃Roke　Rowden　was　murdered；〃　declared　Cardona。　〃He　was　slain　by　the　man　who　had　e　here　to　aid　him　in　his　swindle　scheme。　We　have　checked　with　the　bank；　regarding　the　key　that　was　in　Rowden's　possession。　We　know　that　he　went　to　his　safe…deposit　vault　and　removed　valuables　just　prior　to　his　return　here。
　　〃The　switchboard　operator　and　the　elevator　man　both　testify　that　Rowden　returned　about　twenty　minutes　before　I　came　to　arrest　him。　But　they　can　furnish　no　clue　to　any　visitor。　Rowden's　pal　must　have　e　here　earlier。
　　〃We　have　the　name　'Cyro；'　which　Rowden　managed　to　write　before　he　died。
　　The　job　is　to　find　Cyro。　The　chances　are　that　the　killer　left　town。　The　question　is：　Where　did　he　go？　These　letters　on　the　desk　were　picked　up　by　Rowden　a　couple　of　hours　ago。　There　are　ten　of　them；　all　from　different　cities；　and　none　of　them　look　important。
　　〃We've　got　about　as　much　chance　of　tracing　the　killer　through　one　of　these　letters　as　we　have　of　locating　him　by　one　of　those　time…tables　over　there　in　the　alcove。　The　man　may　have　gone　to　any　one　of　these　ten　cities。　Or　he　may　have　cut　for　anywhere　on　the　map。〃
　　Wainwright　Barth　approached　to　examine　the　spread…out　letters。　The　missioner　shook　his　head。　He　walked　around　to　the　alcove　and　looked　at　the　table　drawer。　A　mass　of　time…tables；　spread　in　disarray。　Barth　looked　about　to　find　Lucaster　standing　near。
　　〃Your　false　friend　Rowden　was　ready　for　prompt　departure；〃　announced　Barth。　〃The　way　he　mixed　these　timetables　indicates　that　he　was　choosing　some　destination。〃
　　〃That　surprises　me；〃　replied　The　Shadow；　retaining　his　crackly　tone。　〃I　should　think　that　Rowden　had　already　made　his　plans。　But　this　other　man…the　one　who　killed　him…〃
　　〃That's　a　point；〃　put　in　Cardona。　〃Maybe　Cyro　dug　into　this　table　drawer。
　　He　must　have　been　waiting　here　for　Rowden。〃
　　〃May　I　look　at　these　time…tables？〃　came　Lucaster's　inquiry。
　　〃Sure；〃　agreed　Cardona。
　　He　watched　indulgently　while　the　gray…haired　manufacturer　made　an　inspection。　Carefully；　Lucaster　was　sorting　out　the　schedules。　At　last；　Cardona　heard　him　speak。
　　〃Quite　odd；〃　was　The　Shadow's　crackled　remark。　〃You　would　think　that　Rowden　had　gathered　time…tables　for　almost　every　point　that　can　be　reached　from　New　York。　But　he　has　not。〃
　　〃Some　are　missing？〃　inquired　Joe。
　　〃Yes；〃　came　the　reply。　〃Certain　Southern　schedules；　all　of　a　definite　sort。　Florida　time…tables　are　here；　but　those　to　Atlanta；　Montgomery；　Mobile　and　New　Orleans　are　missing。〃
　　〃You　are　sure？〃
　　〃Yes。　I　had　intended　to　take　a　trip　to　the　Gulf　Coast　before　returning　to　Des　Moines。　I　am　familiar　with　those　particular　time…tables。〃
　　
　　〃E　back　to　the　desk；〃　suggested　Cardona。　〃Let's　take　a　look　at　Rowden's　mail。　Maybe　he　had　a　tip…off　to　something　and　the　fellow　who　killed　him　decided　to　grab　it　for　himself。〃
　　They　reached　the　desk。　Cardona　pointed　out　the　various　letters。　Lucaster's　gray　head　nodded　four　times　during　the　detective's　count。
　　〃A　letter　from　Atlanta；〃　began　Joe。　〃One　from　New　Orleans；　another　from　Birmingham。　The　fourth　is　from　Mobile。　Those　cities　are　all　listed　on　the　missing　time…tables？〃
　　A　nod　from　Lucaster。
　　〃Four　chances；　missioner；〃　said　Cardona　to　Barth。　〃But　they're　all　slim　ones。　After　all；　these　letters　don't　mean　a　thing。　They　came　to　Rowden；　not　to　the　killer。　There's　nothing　about　any　one　of　them　to　indicate　a　con　game。〃
　　〃There　is　a　peculiarity　here；〃　remarked　The　Shadow；　in　Lucaster's　tone。
　　His　eyes　were　gleaming　as　he　stared　toward　the　desk。　〃See　this　New　Orleans　letter；　Mr。　Cardona。〃
　　〃It's　from　a　shipping　pany；〃　observed　Joe。　〃Gives　information　on　cotton　shipments。　I　don't　see　anything　special　about　it。〃
　　〃But　the　envelope…〃
　　〃Is　addressed　to　Rowden。〃
　　〃Yes。　But　I　should　say　that　it　was　done　on　a　different　typewriter。〃
　　〃That's　a　point；　Mr。　Lucaster；〃　agreed　Joe。　〃But　the　envelope　might　have　been　typed　by　another　stenographer。〃
　　〃It　has　no　return　address。　Of　course；　Mr。　Cardona；　that　is　not　entirely　unusual。　But…〃
　　As　the　speaker　paused；　Cardona　saw　him　carefully　fold　the　torn　letter　along　its　creases。　Then　Lucaster's　fumbling　hands　tried　to　fit　the　folded　letter　into　the　rearranged　envelope。　They　failed。
　　Cardona；　without　inquiring　the　purpose；　tried　to　help。　It　was　then　that　he　realized　what　Lucaster　was　attempting　to　do。
　　〃The　letter　won't　go　in　the　envelope！〃　exclaimed　Joe。　〃A　long　letter　and　a　short　envelope。　They　don't　fit。〃
　　〃That　has　significance；〃　put　in　missioner　Barth。　〃Let　us　see。　What　could　that　signify…〃
　　A　crackly　chuckle　from　Lucaster。　Barth　faced　the　gray…haired　visitor　from　Des　Moines。
　　〃I　am　a　business　man；〃　stated　The　Shadow；　with　a　beaming　smile　that　fitted　Lu