mg.cityofcrime-第22节

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e　had　intended　to　bring　him　into　town　again；　but　had　postponed　that　plan　because　it　had　seemed　unnecessary。
　Right　now；　Trig　would　prove　most　useful；　chiefly　because　he　had　been　absent　from　Westford　during　the　recent　episodes。　That　meant　that　Trig　would　have　a　clean　slate　when　he　returned。
　Just　as　he　was　finding　the　right　words　for　the　telegram；　Lance　heard　a　knock　at　the　door。　He　thrust　the　telegram　into　a　drawer；　called　for　the　person　to　e　in。　The　door　opened　and　closed；　Lance　turned　about　in　his　swivel　chair。
　His　sallow　lips　emitted　a　pleased　ejaculation。　The　man　who　had　entered　was　Trig　Callister　himself。
　Trig　was　long…faced　and　blunt…nosed。　His　eyes　had　an　habitual　glower；　yet　his　manner　had　a　certain　smoothness　that　offset　those　characteristics。　Though　he　bore　a　reputation　as　a　killer；　Trig　was　recognized　chiefly　as　a　smooth　swindler…a　confidence　man　who　could　handle　the　most　wary　dupes。
　Apparently；　Trig　had　just　arrived　in　Westford。　He　was　carrying　a　hand　bag　that　he　planked　on　the　desk。　Lance　pulled　out　the　telegram；　passed　it　to　his　visitor。
　〃How　did　you　guess　I　wanted　you　here；　Trig？〃　queried　Lance。　〃I　thought　you　were　going　to　wait　until　you　heard　from　me？〃
　〃I　didn't　have　to　be　a　mind　reader；〃　returned　Trig；　in　an　even…toned　voice。　〃I　read　the　newspapers；　Lance。　I　saw　that　things　were　hot　in　Westford。
　Later　on；　I　learned　that　they　had　cooled。〃
　〃That's　sensible；〃　agreed　Lance。　〃Still；　what　made　you　think　I'd　need　you？〃
　〃When　I　heard　that　Beezer　Dorsch　was　on　the　lam；〃　explained　Trig。　〃He　was　your　best　torpedo；　Lance。　I　knew　that　you　would　need　somebody　to　pinch…hit　for　him。〃
　〃Beezer's　still　good；〃　chuckled　Lance；　〃but　he　has　to　lay　low。　I'm　hiding　him　out；　here　in　my　apartment。　Listen；　though；　Trig。　Here's　the　lay。〃
　
　
　〃WE　have　to　handle　an　old　judge　named　Benbrook；〃　explained　Lance。　〃We　thought　he　was　a　has…been；　but　he　has　started　to　kick　up　some　trouble。　We　can't　croak　him；　we　can't　snatch　him。　We　have　to　coax　him　away　for　a　while；　long　enough　to　make　people　lose　confidence　in　him。〃
　〃Won't　he　make　trouble　when　he　es　back　again？〃
　〃We'll　fix　him；　if　he　does。　Once　he's　lost　his　strangle　hold　on　these　club　reformers；　they　won't　care　so　much　about　what　happens　to　him。　Here's　the　idea；　Trig：　You're　to　go　and　see　Judge　Benbrook；　to　talk　him　into　going　somewhere　with　you。〃
　〃Easy　enough；〃　decided　Trig；　promptly。　〃I　know　one　dodge　that　will　work。
　These　old　gazebos　always　fall　for　a　request　to　e　to　Washington　and　give　expert　testimony　before　a　congressional　mittee。〃
　A　pleased　gleam　reflected　itself　from　Lance's　eyes。
　〃Try　it　with　Benbrook；〃　decided　Lance。　〃Only　you　won't　have　to　take　him　to　Washington。　We'll　have　a　place　all　set　near　here；　where　you　can　sidetrack　him。〃
　Trig　considered；　then　shook　his　head。　〃That　won't　work；　Lance；〃　he　objected。　〃That　is；　not　unless　you　let　me　handle　it　my　own　way。〃
　〃How　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Keep　your　bunch　out　of　the　picture。　Let　me　bring　in　some　workers　of　my　own。　They're　smooth；　they　look　like　dudes。　Only　they　can　be　plenty　tough；　in　a　pinch。〃
　〃All　the　better；〃　chortled　Lance。　〃This　will　be　a　perfect　set…up！　We　can　stage　the　stunt　tomorrow。　Duck　out　of　town　tonight；　Trig；　stay　somewhere　under　a　phony　name。　Call　in　your　outfit；　stop　back　to　see　me　tomorrow。　We'll　frame　the　deal　just　the　way　you　want　it。〃
　Soon　afterward；　Trig　Callister　made　his　exit；　carrying　his　hand　bag。　Lance　Gillick　did　not　remain　long　in　his　office。　He　left　the　Club　Adair；　to　pay　another　visit　to　Stephen　Ruthley；　to　tell　the　boss　of　Trig　Callister's　timely　arrival。
　Lance　regarded　Trig　as　a　〃con　man〃　deluxe。　A　good　estimate；　since　Trig　had　duped　Lance　himself。　Not　for　an　instant　did　Lance　even　begin　to　suspect　the　true　identity　of　Trig　Callister。
　Lance　would　have　been　astounded　had　he　known　that　Trig　was　The　Shadow。
　Actually；　there　was　no　such　person　as　Trig　Callister。　The　Shadow　had　assumed　that　character　some　time　ago；　in　order　to　contact　Lance　Gillick　and　gain　preliminary　facts　concerning　crookedness　in　Westford。　Knowing　that　Lance　might　consider　Trig　useful　at　present；　The　Shadow　had　wisely　assumed　the　role　again。
　Lance　Gillick　thought　that　he　had　gained　an　answer　to　a　pressing　problem。
　He　was　sure　that　his　plan　of　handling　Judge　Benbrook；　through　Trig　Callister；　would　appeal　to　Stephen　Ruthley。　The　real　answer　behind　Trig　Callister's　visit　had　eluded　Lance；　therefore；　it　would　escape　Ruthley　also。
　Tonight；　Ruthley　and　Lance　would　discuss　the　final　details　of　the　game　which　they　intended；　making　due　allowance　for　Trig　Callister's　suggestions。
　Crooks　were　playing　squarely　into　the　hands　of　The　Shadow。
　
　
　CHAPTER　XIX　
　THE　NEW　GAME　
　EARLY　the　next　evening；　Lance　Gillick　again　received　Trig　Callister　in　his　office。　Still　oblivious　to　The　Shadow's　disguise；　Lance　came　immediately　to　business。　He　spread　a　road　map　on　the　desk；　pointed　out　a　route　leading　to　a　spot　some　ten　miles　from　Westford。
　〃The　house　lies　right　here；〃　stated　Lance。　〃It's　an　old　mansion；　but　a　swell　one；　that's　just　been　fixed　up　great。　It　was　for　rent；　furnished。　We　took　it。〃
　The　Shadow　nodded；　in　Trig's　style。
　〃You've　got　to　bluff　the　judge　into　thinking　it's　your　place；〃　remarked　Lance。　〃How　will　you　pull　that；　Trig？〃
　〃Easy；〃　returned　The　Shadow；　in　a　boastful　tone　that　suited　the　part　of　Trig。　〃I'm　a　special　government　representative；　at　least；　that's　what　I'll　tell　the　judge。　I've　e　from　Washington　to　investigate　conditions　in　Westford。　I　want　the　judge　to　go　down　there　with　me；　to　make　a　preliminary　report。〃
　〃All　right　so　far。　Go　on。〃
　〃We　start　out　in　my　car；　the　judge　and　I。　Then　I　suggest　stopping　at　the　house　that　I've　rented　near　Westford。　When　we　get　there；　I　decide　that　we　ought　to　prepare　a　long　report。　One　of　my　outfit　is　a　secretary；　who　can　take　down　everything　that　the　judge　dictates。〃
　〃How　long　will　that　last？〃
　〃A　couple　of　days；　at　least。　I'll　be　making　fake　long…distance　calls　to　Washington；　getting　requests　for　more　and　more　details　in　the　reports。　I　can　follow　that　by　getting　phony　word　that　the　mittee　meeting　has　been　postponed。〃
　〃Good　enough。　How　long　will　it　take　to　move　your　outfit　into　the　house？
　The　place　is　empty；　waiting　for　them。〃
　The　Shadow　picked　up　Lance's　telephone。　He　put　in　a　call　to　a　neighboring　town。　When　he　gained　the　connection；　he　gave　terse　instructions　in　Trig's　style；　naming　the　location　of　the　house　where　he　intended　to　take　Judge　Benbrook。　Finished　with　the　call；　The　Shadow　reported　tersely　to　Lance。
　〃They'll　be　there　inside　a　half　hour；〃　stated　The　Shadow。　〃It　will　only　take　them　a　little　while　to　get　settled。〃
　〃Fine；〃　declared　Lance。　〃I'll　order　all　the　gorillas　in　town　to　get　out　there　an　hour　later。〃
　The　Shadow's　eyes　glinted。　In　a　gruff　tone　that　suited　Trig；　he　objected：
　〃You'll　queer　the　dodge；　Lance；　if　you　shove　in　a　crowd　of　tough…looking　eggs。　They　won't　fit　with　my　high…class　outfit。〃
　〃They　won't　go　to　the　house；〃　explained　Lance。　〃They'll　stay　in　a　couple　of　cottages　near　there。　They　ought　to　be　out　of　Westford　anyway；　and　they'll
　keep　a　circle　around　the　house；　to　look　out　for　your　bunch。　You　know　how　it　is；　Trig。　We　can't　tell　when　some　G…men　are　likely　to　barge　into　town。〃
　
　
　THE　SHADOW　knew　what　was　behind　Lance's　suave　explanation。　The　gambler　was　acting　under　instructions　from　Stephen　Ruthley。　Though　the　boss　had　liked　the　idea　of　using　Trig　Callister；　he　was　taking　no　chances。　He　wanted　Lance；　as　his　own　ace；　to　control　the　situation。
　The　Shadow　was　not　surprised　by　this　turn　of　events；　in　fact；　he　had　expected　something　of　the　sort。
　〃They'll　pass　you　through；　Trig；〃　argued　Lance。　〃What's　more；　they　won't　bother　your　inside　crew。　It's　for　your　own　good；　and　it　leaves　us　ready　to　grab　the　judge；　if　we　have　to　get　him　later　on。　Just　give　me　the　license　number　of　your　car；　it　won't　even　be　stopped　when　it　es　along　the　road。〃
　The　Shadow　nodded　his　approval。
　He　wrote　the　license　number　on　a　sheet　of　paper；　and　handed　it　to　Lance。
　The　gambler　picked　up　a　copy　of　the　Westford　Daily　Banner。
　〃See　this？〃　he　queried；　pointing　to　a　headline。　〃It　says　that　the　Civic　Club　will　hold　another　meeting…a　special　one。　The　date　hasn't　been　mentioned　yet。　The　fellow　who　is　going　to　set　it　is　Steve　Ruthley；　the　biggest　reformer　in　Westford。
　〃I　guess　I　told　you　before　that　Ruthley　is　playing　a　dodge　with　that　reform　racket。　He's　the　big…shot　in　this　whole　game。　You'll　probably　meet　him　later；　Trig。　Anyway；　as　soon　as　you　have　stowed　away　Judge　Benbrook；　Ruthley　is　going　to　call　the　meeting　for　the　next　night。〃
　〃So　the　judge　won't　be　there；〃　remarked　The　Shadow；　with　a　smile。　〃Good　stuff；　Lance！　Only　one　trouble；　though。　Suppose　the　judge　wants　to　see　a　copy　of　the　day's　newspaper；　to　know　when　the　meeting　is　ing　off？〃
　〃That　will　be　handled；〃　returned　Lance。　〃Ruthley　can　fix　it　to　get　hold　of　a　fake　copy　of　the　newspaper；　just　like　the　regular　edition；　except　that　it　will　carry　a　phony　story　about　the　Civic　Club　meeting。〃
　〃Saying　that　the　meeting　won't　be　held　for　a　while？〃
　〃That's　it。　We'll　deliver　a　fake　copy　of　the　paper；　out　at　the　house　where　you're　staying　with　the　judge。〃
　〃Better　let　me　e　in　and　get　one。〃
　〃All　right。　An