mg.cityofcrime-第16节

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　one　that　afforded　two　exits。　In　addition　to　the　drive　that　came　up　from　the　avenue；　there　was　another　that　led　to　a　rear　street。　It　was　in　that　direction　that　the　car　had　gone。
　Noting　a　side　door；　The　Shadow　entered　the　house。　There　were　no　lights　on　the　ground　floor；　but　faint　rays　from　a　stairway　indicated　illumination　on　the　second　story。　The　Shadow　ascended；　arrived　at　the　half…closed　door　of　Woodstock's　study。　Peering　inward；　he　saw　the　dead　contractor　slumped　across　the　desk。
　The　Shadow　entered；　to　examine　the　grim　result　of　Ruthley's　conference　with　Woodstock。　Even　to　The　Shadow；　this　oute　was　something　of　a　surprise；　but　its　purpose　dawned　upon　him　the　moment　that　he　saw　the　scene　of　crime。　The　Shadow　had　foreseen　that　Stephen　Ruthley　would　take　measures　to　cover　his　own　misdeeds；　but　he　had　not　expected　the　master　crook　to　deal　in　actual　murder。
　In　fact；　The　Shadow　had　supposed　that　Ruthley　had　e　here　to　ask　Woodstock's　aid　in　the　important　matter　of　quelling　public　sentiment　regarding　the　death　of　Prescott　Dunson。　In　a　sense；　Ruthley　had　done　just　that；　but　he　had　made　Woodstock　give　aid　without　request。　It　did　not　take　The　Shadow　long　to　recognize　that　Woodstock　had　bee　the　scapegoat；　upon　whom　would　be　placed　the　blame　for　Dunson's　death。
　
　
　CLOSE　beside　the　desk；　The　Shadow　studied　the　set…up　of　Ruthley's　perfect　crime。　It　looked　like　suicide；　it　would　pass　as　such。　The　opened　desk　drawer　was　an　excellent　touch。　Any　ordinary　investigator　would　have　decided　that　Adam　Woodstock　had　reached　into　it　to　bring　out　his　own　revolver。
　Keys　shone　from　within　the　drawer。　The　Shadow　plucked　them　up；　examined　them。　He　saw　the　strong…box；　went　to　it　and　unlocked　it。　Stooped　before　the　metal　container；　he　began　a　search　for　planted　evidence。　He　found　it。　The　very　items　upon　which　Ruthley　banked　so　heavily　were　the　ones　that　won　The　Shadow's　immediate　suspicion。
　The　letters　from　Beezer　Dorsch　were　pointed。　They　referred；　in　crudely　veiled　words；　to　a　〃job〃　that　would　be　done　as　ordered。　That　meant　the　death　of　Dunson。　One　note　spoke　of　〃D；〃　declaring　that　he　would　be　no　trouble。　The　Shadow　left　these　letters　where　he　found　them。
　Woodstock's　signed　statement　explained　still　more。　It　gave　The　Shadow　immediate　knowledge　of　Ruthley's　double…edged　plan。　The　public　would　fall　for　the　idea　that　the　half　million　〃excess　profit〃　represented　Woodstock's　own　harvest；　but　The　Shadow　knew　its　exact　significance。　That　money　was　graft；　paid　back　to　Stephen　Ruthley　and　the　fake　reformers　who　ran　the　present　city　administration。
　Woodstock's　corporation　would　have　to　disgorge　the　sum　from　its　own　funds。
　There　would　be　a　new　contract；　new　graft；　managed　by　Mayor　Elvin　Marclot　who　would　raise　his　hands　in　amazed　horror　when　he　learned　how　Woodstock　had　tried　to　〃swindle〃　the　city　of　Westford。
　One　detail　of　the　statement　caught　The　Shadow's　eye。　The　paper　was　slightly　shorter　than　a　usual　typewriter　page。　Holding　the　paper　to　the　light；　The　Shadow　examined　its　texture；　he　saw　its　odd；　wavy…lined　watermark：　the　letter　〃W。〃　It　was　a　special　bond　paper；　that　Woodstock　had　evidently　ordered　direct　from　the　manufacturers。
　Approaching　the　desk；　The　Shadow　found　other　paper　in　the　drawer。　It　was　of　the　same　bond；　but　the　sheets　were　of　normal　length。　Placing　one　blank　sheet　in　Woodstock's　typewriter；　The　Shadow　tapped　a　few　keys　to　observe　the　peculiarities　of　type　and　ribbon　color。　He　saw　at　once　that　Woodstock's　statement　had　been　typed　upon　this　machine。
　paring　the　big　shears　with　the　statement；　The　Shadow　saw　how　its　lower　edge　had　been　clipped。　He　noted　that　the　space　was　very　slight　below　the　line　that　bore　Woodstock's　signature。　The　Shadow　laughed　softly；　he　had　gained　an　inkling　of　how　Ruthley　had　induced　Woodstock　to　sign　the　statement。
　
　
　THE　SHADOW　replaced　the　statement　in　the　strong…box；　he　locked　the　heavy　door。　He　kept　the　sheet　of　paper　that　he　had　typed；　placed　it　beneath　his　cloak。　He　dropped　the　paper　shears　into　the　desk　drawer；　along　with　the　keys。
　Looking　over　the　flattened　shoulders　of　Woodstock's　huddled　body；　The　Shadow　saw　the　much…used　blotter　that　projected　from　beneath　the　dead　man's　arm。
　Inch　by　inch；　The　Shadow　worked　the　blotter　free。　He　saw　at　once　why　Ruthley　had　left　it　on　the　desk。　The　blobby　surface　of　the　blotter　could　afford　no　clue。　When　The　Shadow　turned　the　blotter　over；　however；　he　made　a　simple　discovery　that　had　totally　escaped　Ruthley's　notice。
　The　blotter　was　double　surfaced。　Woodstock；　until　tonight；　had　used　the　upper　side。　Tonight；　he　had　begun　with　the　blank　side　of　the　blotter。　Its　fresh　surface　showed　only　two　marks。　One　was　Woodstock's　own　signature；　reversed；　quite　plain；　for　the　contractor　had　pressed　heavily　with　his　pen。　The　other　was　lighter；　but　The　Shadow　recognized　it。　The　second　mark　bore　a　distinct　resemblance　to　Stephen　Ruthley's　signature。
　The　master　crook　had　overlooked　one　small　item　in　his　arrangement　of　the　suicide　scene。　Just　as　he　had　left　evidence　at　his　own　apartment；　indicating　that　he　had　gone　to　visit　Woodstock；　so　had　he　left　a　clue　which　proved　that　he　had　actually　e　to　the　contractor's　home。　This　blotter　could　nullify　the　evidence　that　Ruthley　had　planted　in　Woodstock's　safe。
　Ordinarily；　The　Shadow　would　have　left　the　blotter　on　the　desk。
　Circumstances　caused　him　to　do　otherwise　tonight。　The　Shadow　had　gauged　Stephen　Ruthley　too　well；　to　believe　that　the　murderer　would　leave　anything　to　chance。
　Though　Ruthley　thought　his　crime　was　perfect；　he　would　certainly　count　upon　the　opinion　of　a　man　well　qualified　to　judge。
　This　crime　would　be　discovered。　Police　would　arrive；　with　them；　Police　Director　Borman。　Knowing　Ruthley　to　be　the　perpetrator　of　crime。　Kirk　Borman　would　be　on　the　lookout　for　every　minor　detail。　If　Borman　found　the　blotter；　he　would　promptly　dispose　of　it。　As　evidence；　the　blotter　would　never　serve；　if　left　upon　the　scene　of　crime。　Therefore；　The　Shadow　kept　the　blotter；　he　placed　it　beneath　his　cloak；　along　with　other　items　that　he　had　acquired　upon　this　night　of　investigation。
　The　Shadow　was　ready　for　a　return　visit　to　Stephen　Ruthley's　apartment。　He　knew　that　he　could　enter　there；　through　the　secret　passage；　to　surprise　Ruthley　in　the　latter's　own　den。　Almost　ready　for　departure；　The　Shadow　paused　on　the　far　side　of　the　desk；　to　lean　across　and　make　a　last　inspection　of　Woodstock's　body。　It　was　while　The　Shadow　stood　in　this　position　that　he　heard　a　sound　from　somewhere　in　the　house。
　
　
　BOARDS　were　creaking；　as　though　invaders　were　creeping　up　the　front　stairs。　Wheeling　from　the　desk；　The　Shadow　crossed　the　room。　He　gained　the　hall　and　reached　the　top　of　the　back　stairs；　to　listen　for　sounds　from　the　front。
　Audible　whispers　reached　The　Shadow。
　〃Maybe　it　was　a　crank　call；〃　came　one　ment。　〃The　guy　that　phoned　headquarters　may　have　just　thought　he　heard　a　shot。〃
　〃We　can't　take　any　chances；　though；〃　was　the　response。　〃Director　Borman　said　to　move　in；　softlike；　and　investigate。〃
　〃Yeah。　He's　outside；　too；　waiting　for　us　to　report。〃
　〃That's　why　we'd　better　take　a　gander　into　that　lighted　room。〃
　The　approaching　men　were　detectives　from　headquarters。　A　call　had　been　made　there；　reporting　a　gun…shot　heard　within　Woodstock's　house。　Probably；　Ruthley　had　made　that　call；　soon　after　his　departure。　Kirk　Borman　had　been　at　his　office；　expecting　it。　Since　Borman　was　outside；　it　was　likely　that　members　of　the　Flying　Squadron　were　with　him。
　The　Shadow　decided　upon　stealthy　departure；　in　order　to　head　for　Ruthley's　without　trouble　on　the　way。
　The　two　detectives　went　past。　As　they　neared　the　door　of　Woodstock's　study；　The　Shadow　began　his　descent　of　the　back　stairs。　He　was　only　half…way　down　when　a　shout　came　from　above。　The　dicks　had　discovered　Woodstock's　body。
　They　were　pounding　out　into　the　hall；　to　raise　a　loud　alarm。
　Instantly；　there　was　a　response　from　below。　Footsteps　clattered　near　the　bottom　of　the　back　stairs。　There　was　a　click；　a　flashlight　gleamed　upward；　the　light　was　furnished　by　another　detective；　who　happened　to　be　near　the　back　stairs　when　he　heard　the　shout。　He；　too；　raised　a　cry。
　The　dick　below　had　made　a　discovery　of　his　own。　Straight　in　the　path　of　his　upward　glare；　he　saw　The　Shadow。　The　detective's　shout　was　spontaneous。　He　told　all；　as　he　cried：
　〃There's　a　guy　on　the　back　stairs！　Get　him！〃
　More　footsteps　below；　as　new　arrivals　hurried　to　join　the　detective　who　held　the　light。　Shouts　from　above；　as　the　two　who　had　found　Woodstock's　body　reached　the　back　stairs　to　see　The　Shadow　against　the　brilliant　glare。
　The　Shadow's　chance　of　stealthy　departure　was　ended。　Trapped　between　two　forces；　he　was　faced　by　a　situation　more　pressing　than　the　one　he　had　encountered　the　night　before。
　
　
　CHAPTER　XV　
　FOILED　HOUNDS　
　ONE　factor　favored　The　Shadow。　Though　trapped；　he　had　been　found　by　men　who　were　not　of　a　criminal　sort。　Director　Borman；　knowing　that　Adam　Woodstock's　body　was　to　be　discovered；　had　used　smart　policy。　He　had　sent　ordinary　detectives　into　the　contractor's　house；　men　who　had　long　been　on　the　Westford　force。　He　had　decided　that　their　preliminary　reports　would　be　better　than　those　of　the　outsiders　who　formed　the　Flying　Squadron。
　As　ye