mg.cityofcrime-第18节

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sought　to　head　him　off；　relying　each　time　on　quick　stabs　from　his　own　guns　to　make　the　opposing　marksmen　falter。
　Each　time　it　worked；　for　the　thugs　who　served　as　members　of　the　Flying　Squadron　knew　the　identity　of　their　dread　foe。　Drivers　instinctively　changed　course　when　The　Shadow's　big　guns　tongued。　Crooks　could　not　fire　accurately　from　their　veering　cars。
　At　last；　a　double　circuit　brought　The　Shadow　to　the　railroad　tracks。　He　sped　the　roadster　across；　planning　a　last　dash　in　the　direction　of　Ruthley's　apartment　house。
　Then　came　the　trouble　that　The　Shadow　had　hoped　to　avoid。　Shots　flashed　from　a　side　street；　to　elude　them；　The　Shadow　drove　into　an　alleyway。　New　guns　barked　from　straight　ahead。　All　came　from　men　on　foot。　The　Shadow　had　entered　Maclare's　precinct。　The　lieutenant　and　his　bluecoats　were　answering　the　alarm　that　they　had　received　just　prior　to　The　Shadow's　arrival。
　
　
　THE　SHADOW　jammed　the　roadster　against　the　curb。　He　dropped　from　it；　darted　back　into　the　street　that　he　had　just　left。　He　saw　an　alleyway　opposite；　he　took　to　it　just　as　a　burly　man　in　uniform　opened　fire　from　beneath　a　street　light。　It　was　Lieutenant　Maclare；　The　Shadow　could　easily　have　dropped　him　where　he　stood。　But　The　Shadow's　quarrel　was　not　with　loyal　men。
　Maclare　bawled　an　order　to　his　men。　Though　he　did　not　realize　it；　the　lieutenant　was　shouting　for　the　death　of　the　very　fighter　who　had　saved　his　own　life　two　nights　ago。
　Bluecoats　responded；　they　chased　along　the　alley　that　The　Shadow　had　taken。　The　Shadow　had　outrun　them；　but　two　police　cars　spotted　him　in　the　next　street。　Recognizing　these　as　belonging　to　the　Flying　Squadron；　The　Shadow　stopped　to　deal　with　them。
　He　halted　the　first　car　with　well…directed　bullets；　but　he　could　not　stop　the　second。　Bullets　hailed　from　its　windows；　The　Shadow　gave　a　last　volley；　put　away　his　emptied　guns　and　dived　for　a　space　between　two　buildings。　A　bullet　clipped　him　as　he　sprang。　The　thugs　in　the　police　car　saw　him　falter。　They　leaped　to　the　ground；　chased　into　the　alley　where　The　Shadow　had　gone。
　More　of　the　Flying　Squadron　arrived；　so　did　the　regular　police。　Khaki　uniforms　mingled　with　blue；　flashlights　lighted　space　to　show　a　blind　alley　that　terminated　in　a　high　board　fence；　topped　with　barbed　wire。　There　were　boxes　and　packing　cases　stacked　all　about；　any　of　them　might　conceal　The　Shadow。
　Lieutenant　Maclare　arrived　to　shout　an　order　for　men　to　advance　and　rout　out　the　fugitive。　Before　the　order　was　obeyed；　it　was　countermanded　by　a　higher　authority。　Director　Borman　had　arrived；　in　harsh　tones；　he　ordered　the　police　to　riddle　the　boxes　at　the　end　of　the　blind　alley。
　While　bluecoats　hesitated　at　the　murderous　order；　Borman's　khaki…clad　henchmen　opened　fire。　Guns　echoed　between　walls；　bullets　sprayed　through　boxes　toppled　stacks　of　them　from　in　front　of　the　fence。
　With　Maclare　following；　Borman　strode　forward。　He　knew　that　The　Shadow　had　been　wounded；　he　expected　to　find　the　cloaked　fugitive　dead。　Nearing　the　fence；　the　director　grabbed　up　the　lowermost　boxes　and　hurled　them　aside。　He　stared；　as　Maclare's　flashlight　showed　a　jagged　hole　in　the　corner　of　the　fence。
　The　Shadow　had　dived　beyond　those　boxes；　with　one　good　arm；　he　had　bashed　the　decayed　boards　at　the　lower　left　corner　of　the　fence。　He　had　sledged　those　blows　with　an　automatic；　a　few　powerful　strokes　had　done　the　necessary　work。
　The　Shadow　had　shouldered　through；　while　his　pursuers　had　massed　at　the　entrance　of　the　alley。
　Blobs　of　blood　stained　the　cement　at　the　bottom　of　the　fence。　Those　marks　were　new　proof　that　The　Shadow　had　been　crippled。　Kirk　Borman　restrained　a　snarl　as　he　turned　to　his　men；　in　booming　tones；　he　gave　an　order　for　a　prompt　search　throughout　the　district。
　Eyeing　the　bloodstains　once　again；　Kirk　Borman　indulged　in　a　sharp　smile　of　triumph。　He　was　certain　that　The　Shadow　could　not　have　traveled　far；　he　knew　also　that　the　crippled　fighter　would　not　be　able　to　put　up　a　fight；　when　discovered。
　Kirk　Borman　was　sure　that　he　would　have　good　news　for　Stephen　Ruthley　tonight。　News　that　the　menace　of　The　Shadow　existed　no　longer。
　
　
　CHAPTER　XVI　
　NEW　REFUGE　
　MORE　than　an　hour　after　The　Shadow's　disappearance；　the　first　show　ended　at　the　Criterion　Theater；　one　of　Westford's　most　elaborate　motion　picture　houses。　Among　the　throng　that　filed　from　the　theater　were　Louis　Wilderton　and　Estelle　Benbrook。　The　district　attorney　was　speaking　apologetically；　when　they　reached　the　sidewalk　in　front　of　the　theater。
　〃I'm　so　sorry　that　we　couldn't　stay　to　the　beginning　of　the　feature　picture；〃　stated　Wilderton；　〃but　I　am　terribly　rushed　with　work　at　the　office；　really；　I　shouldn't　have　e　to　the　theater　at　all　tonight。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　said　Estelle。　〃I　do　not　mind；　Louis。　e；　let　us　walk　over　to　the　house。　You　can　leave　me　there　and　pick　up　your　car。〃
　As　they　walked　along；　Estelle　added　an　afterthought：
　〃Your　work　is　your　most　important　duty；　Louis。　It　will　continue　to　be；　until　you　have　brought　the　murderer　of　Prescott　Dunson　to　justice。〃
　Wilderton　blinked　in　owlish　fashion；　then　formed　a　slight　smile。
　〃You　spoke　like　your　father；　Estelle；〃　be　remarked。　〃Do　you　know；　people　often　speak　of　the　fact　that　you　so　resemble　him。　They　hold　a　high　opinion　of　Judge　Benbrook　in　this　city。〃
　The　statement　pleased　Estelle；　Wilderton　saw　it；　he　questioned　suddenly：
　〃What　is　your　father's　real　opinion　of　me？　Does　he　favor　my　re…election？
　Or　was　he　partial　to　Dunson's　candidacy？〃
　〃Father　expressed　no　preference；〃　replied　Estelle；　soberly。　〃He　said；　however；　that　Westford　needs　a　man　of　courage　in　the　office。　A　man　who　can　do　more　than　wish　for　results；　one　who　can　gain　them。〃
　Wilderton　winced。　The　words　were　a　criticism　of　his　own　ability；　or　lack　of　it；　but　he　was　aware　that　the　statement　was　justified。　When　he　spoke　again　Wilderton's　tone　was　sincere。
　〃I　could　step　aside　for　the　right　man；〃　he　declared。　〃I　could　not　have　dropped　from　the　contest　on　Dunson's　account；　but　if　a　man　of　greater　prestige　should　run　for　the　office…〃
　〃Such　as　my　father？〃
　〃Yes；　Estelle；　a　candidate　of　your　father's　caliber　would　help　Westford。　I　would　not　run　for　re…election；　if　he　sought　to　bee　district　attorney。〃
　〃Unfortunately；　father　cannot　return　to　public　life；〃　remarked　Estelle；　ruefully。　〃He　seems　wearied；　it　takes　a　physician's　care　to　preserve　what　strength　he　still　has。　I　appreciate　what　you　have　said；　Louis；　so　will　father；　when　I　tell　him。〃
　〃Your　father　was　always　a　champion　of　reform；〃　reminded　Wilderton。　〃The　name　of　Judge　Martin　Benbrook　would　sway　the　public。　Such　ardent　reformers　as　Stephen　Ruthley；　such　men　as　Mayor　Marclot；　Director　Borman；　and　others　of　this　fine　administration…all　would　support　Judge　Benbrook's　candidacy。　I　repeat　again；　Estelle；　your　father　is　one　man　for　whom　I　would　gladly　postpone　my　ambition　to　remain　as　district　attorney。　If…〃
　
　
　WILDERTON　paused。　They　were　at　the　corner　opposite　the　Majestic　Hotel。
　People　were　halting　at　the　sounds　of　sirens。　A　police　car　whizzed　by；　two　motorcycles　whirred　and　chugged　as　they　swung　the　corner。　Everywhere　were　the　khaki　uniforms　that　denoted　Westford's　Flying　Squadron。
　〃It　looks　like　a　man　hunt！〃　exclaimed　Wilderton。　〃Possibly　they　have　caught　the　trail　of　that　murderer；　Dorsch。　Wait　here；　Estelle；　while　I　inquire。〃
　Two　bluecoated　policemen　were　searching　doorways。　Wilderton　approached　them；　they　recognized　the　district　attorney　and　saluted。　After　a　brief　parley；　Wilderton　returned　to　where　Estelle　stood。　He　explained　the　situation　while　they　continued　toward　the　girl's　home。
　〃Trouble　at　the　home　of　Adam　Woodstock；〃　said　Wilderton。　〃He　was　found　dead；　Woodstock　was；　apparently　a　suicide。　The　coroner　is　out　there。　When　the　police　arrived　however；　they　found　someone　in　the　house。　They　think　that　it　was　Shaw；　the　acplice　of　Dorsch。〃
　〃Did　they　capture　him？〃　inquired　Estelle。
　〃No；〃　returned　Wilderton。　〃They　say　the　fellow　was　rigged　up　in　some　kind　of　attire　that　helped　him　hide。　He　dashed　away　from　Woodstock's。　They　pursued　him　into　town；　trapped　him　in　a　blind　alley。〃
　〃He　was　cloaked　in　black？〃
　Wilderton　looked　puzzled　as　he　heard　Estelle's　strained　tone。　Nodding；　he　replied：
　〃Yes；　of　course；　he　was　in　black。　That　was　why　he　managed　to　escape。　They　riddled　the　blind　alley　with　bullets…〃
　〃To　shoot　him　in　cold　blood？〃
　〃Why　not；　Estelle？　That　was　the　way　Dunson　was　slain。　He　never　had　a　chance　for　life；　poor　chap。〃
　Estelle　tightened　her　lips；　resolved　to　say　no　more。　Wilderton　concluded　with　the　final　information　that　he　had　gained　from　the　policemen。
　〃Somehow；　the　fugitive　managed　to　slip　from　the　trap；〃　declared　Wilderton。
　〃He　was　wounded；　though；　here　and　there；　they　found　bloodstains　on　the　sidewalk。
　The　fellow　must　have　been　shrewd　enough　to　stanch　his　wounds；　at　least　temporarily。　The　trail　of　blood　was　lost。　So　they　are　making　a　general　search。〃
　Wilderton　and　Estelle　had　reached　the　girl's　house。　The　young　prosecutor　started　to　acpany　the　judge's　daughter　through　the　side　gate。　Estelle　stopped　him；　pointed　to　Wilderton's　car；　parked　in　front　of　the　house。
　〃You　have　work　to　do；　Louis；〃　she　reminded。　〃These　new　events　may　push　you　even　more。　You