mg.cityofcrime-第27节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


x　from　the　drawer。　She　opened　the　box；　stared　with　wide…opened　eyes。
　
　
　THE　box　was　a　make…up　kit…one　that　showed　signs　of　recent　use。　It　explained　to　Estelle　why　The　Shadow's　face　had　seemed　so　masklike。　The　girl　remembered　that　The　Shadow　could　not　have　carried　this　make…up　kit　when　he　first　came　to　the　house。　She　realized　that　it　must　have　e　in　the　package　that　had　been　delivered　long　after　his　arrival。
　Hastily；　Estelle　looked　in　the　closet；　there　she　saw　a　dark　suit；　with　torn　coat　sleeve。
　It　struck　Estelle　that　The　Shadow　must　have　received　new　clothes；　certainly　the　package　had　been　large　enough　and　sufficiently　heavy　to　contain　a　suit。　But　why　had　The　Shadow　needed　the　make…up　outfit？
　Estelle　was　intuitive；　moreover；　her　mind　was　concerned　with　her　father's　disappearance。　For　the　first　time；　she　felt　a　sudden　doubt　of　The　Shadow；　for　she　remembered　that；　last　night；　he　had　expressed　but　little　concern　over　her　father's　disappearance。　Her　mind　was　strained　to　the　point　where　she　could　connect　only　a　few　definite　thoughts；　in　that　state；　Estelle　pictured　two　persons：　The　Shadow　and　the　man　named　Callister；　who　had　induced　her　father　to　leave　the　house　last　night。
　A　horrified　gasp　came　from　Estelle's　lips。　Through　a　chance　thought；　inspired　by　her　discovery　of　the　make…up　kit；　the　girl　guessed　the　truth。　The　Shadow　and　Trig　Callister　were　one！
　Reasoning　from　a　false　assumption；　Estelle　concocted　a　theory　that　she　promptly　accepted　as　fact。　She　thought　of　The　Shadow　as　a　man　of　crime；　one　with　a　lone　game；　who　had　run　into　trouble　the　night　that　Prescott　Dunson　was　slain。　True；　The　Shadow　had　saved　the　girl's　own　life；　but　there　were　many　crooks　who　might　have　been　as　gallant；　under　similar　circumstances。
　Perhaps　The　Shadow　had　foreseen　how　useful　that　rescue　would　prove。　It　had　enabled　him　to　avoid　the　law；　by　entering　the　house　with　Estelle。　It　had　won　Estelle's　confidence；　later；　The　Shadow　had　found　sanctuary　in　this　house。　As　Estelle　saw　it；　he　had　pretended　friendliness　in　order　to　gain　her　father's　confidence；　as　well　as　his　own。
　Ready　for　some　crooked　game；　The　Shadow　had　e　here　as　Callister。　He　had　taken　her　father　as　a　hostage。　He　had　some　reason　to　keep　Judge　Benbrook　from　Westford。　It　all　seemed　a　scheme　of　double　dealing；　even　though　Estelle　could　not　fathom　its　full　purpose。
　Firmly；　Estelle　resolved　upon　some　move。　While　she　tried　to　find　some　possible　way　of　counteracting　purposes　which　she　thought　were　evil；　the　girl　heard　the　doorbell　ring。　For　a　moment；　her　worries　vanished；　she　almost　dropped　the　theory　that　she　had　built　up　against　The　Shadow。　Estelle　was　hopeful　that　her　father　was　back；　hurriedly；　she　dashed　downstairs　and　opened　the　front　door。
　On　the　threshold　stood　Louis　Wilderton。
　
　
　THE　district　attorney　was　anxious…faced。
　〃Where　is　Judge　Benbrook？〃　he　inquired。　〃I　must　see　him　at　once；　Estelle。〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　gasped　the　girl。　〃What　has　happened；　Louis？〃
　〃Lieutenant　Maclare　has　raided　the　Club　Adair。　This　time；　he　found　a　gambling　room　in　operation。　He　has　pinned　crime　on　Lance　Gillick…〃
　〃But　father？　Where　is　my　father？〃
　Estelle　fairly　shrieked　the　questions。　Wilderton's　eves　popped。　He　stammered：　〃Your…your　father　isn't　here？〃
　〃No；〃　replied　Estelle。　〃Something　has　happened　to　him；　Louis！〃
　〃Just　before　this　important　meeting？〃
　〃No！　It　was　last　night！　But　it　began　before　that。　I　have　to　tell　you　the　whole　story；　Louis。　There　was　a　man　who　came　here…a　man　cloaked　in　black…he　was　wounded…〃
　〃When　was　this？〃
　〃The　night　that　Adam　Woodstock　mitted　suicide。　That　was　the　second　time　I　saw　him。　That　was　the　night　that　he　was　wounded…〃
　〃You　mean　Shaw！〃
　Estelle　nodded。
　〃You　took　him　in　here？〃　demanded　Wilderton。　〃The　man　who　was　wanted　as　an　acplice　of　the　murderer；　Dorsch？〃
　〃This　man　talked　to　father；〃　explained。　〃He　convinced　father　that　he　was　not　engaged　in　crime。　He　persuaded　father　to　e　from　retirement。　He　acted　as　a　friend…until　last　night。〃
　〃And　then？〃
　〃He　dropped　his　masquerade。　He　came　here　as　another　person；　a　man　named　Callister。　He　persuaded　father　to　leave　with　him　for　Washington。　He　wanted　to　keep　father　away　from　here　tonight。〃
　Wilderton　raised　his　hand　to　halt　Estelle's　excited　utterances。
　〃You　have　told　me　enough；〃　he　said。　〃The　man　has　two　aliases。　He　calls　himself　Shaw；　also　Callister。　He　has　abducted　your　father。　This　is　a　matter　for　the　law；　Estelle。〃
　〃You　will　notify　Washington？〃
　〃After　I　have　talked　with　Director　Borman。　The　local　police　should　act　first。　Borman　will　send　out　the　Flying　Squadron；　to　see　if　your　father　is　still　somewhere　in　Westford。〃
　Estelle　started　an　objection。　Again；　Wilderton　halted　her。　The　girl　tried　to　blurt　out　a　fact　that　she　had　just　remembered：　the　envelope　that　The　Shadow　had　given　her　father。　Her　words　were　confused。
　〃This　man　left　an　envelope　with　father；〃　exclaimed　Estelle。　〃One　that　contained　some　sort　of　evidence…〃
　〃Evidence　of　what？〃　demanded　Wilderton；　hoarsely。　〃No　crook　would　leave　a　trail　behind　him。　We　can　e　to　that　later；　Estelle。　The　pressing　matter　is　to　see　Director　Borman。〃
　〃You　can　call　him　from　here。〃
　〃No。　I　shall　see　him　personally；　and　e　back　here　later。　I　know　where　he　is　at　present；　both　Director　Borman　and　Mayor　Marclot　are　at　Stephen　Ruthley's　apartment。〃
　
　
　DASHING　down　the　steps；　Wilderton　jumped　aboard　his　car　and　drove　away。
　Estelle　stood　wearily　at　the　door；　then　went　back　into　the　house。　She　decided　to　find　the　envelope　herself。　To　obtain　it；　she　needed　a　key　to　the　music　cabinet。
　There　were　keys　in　a　table　drawer　near　the　music　cabinet。　As　she　rummaged　among　them；　finding　none　that　she　wanted；　Estelle　discovered　a　。32　revolver。　It　was　a　loaded　weapon　that　her　father　had　long　ago　put　away　and　forgotten。
　Nervously；　Estelle　gripped　the　gun；　she　glanced　toward　the　hallway。
　The　tension　had　given　her　unusual　alertness。　A　sound　reached　Estelle's　ears；　it　was　a　key；　turning　in　the　lock　of　the　side　door。　Acting　upon　sudden　inspiration；　the　girl　hurried　upstairs；　there；　she　stepped　into　a　side　room　and　waited。　Soon；　her　ears　again　caught　a　slight　sound。　It　was　the　opening　of　the　door　to　the　upstairs　front　room…the　chamber　The　Shadow　had　occupied…where　Estelle　had　forgotten　to　turn　out　the　lights。
　The　girl　sprang　from　her　hiding…place；　she　saw　the　door　wide　open　and　reached　the　threshold。　She　saw　a　black…clad　figure　in　the　room。　The　Shadow　had　returned。
　He　was　turned　away　from　Estelle；　he　was　removing　his　slouch　hat　and　dropping　the　folds　of　his　cloak。　He　spun　about　as　Estelle　delivered　a　sharp　cry。　Face　revealed；　The　Shadow　stared　into　the　muzzle　of　the　revolver　that　the　judge's　daughter　held。
　Estelle's　cry　ended；　her　grip　on　the　。32　became　firm。　She　was　ready　to　pull　the　trigger　if　The　Shadow　made　a　move。　Estelle　Benbrook　had　gained　proof　of　the　treachery　that　she　believed　had　been　The　Shadow's。
　The　face　of　The　Shadow　was　that　of　Trig　Callister。
　
　
　CHAPTER　XXIII　
　AMENDED　STRATEGY　
　THE　instant　that　he　saw　the　leveled　revolver；　The　Shadow　recognized　a　situation　as　crucial　as　any　that　he　had　met　in　Westford。　He　had　encountered　dangers　that　seemed　far　greater；　but　this　one　carried　the　worst　possible　hazards。
　Estelle　showed　by　action　that　she　knew　how　to　manage　a　revolver；　she　had　aimed　the　weapon　straight　for　The　Shadow's　heart。　The　girl's　frenzied　expression　showed　that　she　had　lost　control　of　her　wits。　She　was　prepared　to　fire　a　steady　series　of　bullets　on　any　provocation；　real　or　imaginary。
　The　Shadow　realized　the　futility　of　explanations。　With　her　acceptance　of　fallacies；　instead　of　facts；　Estelle　might　interpret　any　statement　incorrectly。
　Mere　mention　of　her　father's　name　might　drive　her　to　the　wild　belief　that　The　Shadow　had　killed　the　judge。　One　chance　thought　would　be　enough。　Estelle　would　fire　to　kill。
　For　one　full　second；　The　Shadow　met　the　girl's　vengeful　gaze。　He　realized　that　each　succeeding　second　would　increase　the　risk；　that　any　moment　might　be　his　last。　It　was　a　time　for　astounding　action；　some　deed　as　outlandish　as　Estelle's　imaginary　beliefs。　Knowing　it；　The　Shadow　acted　in　accord。
　His　cloak　was　half　from　his　shoulders；　retained　by　his　left　hand。　He　was　holding　the　slouch　hat　with　his　right。　For　a　moment；　The　Shadow　seemed　to　cower；　as　he　shrank　away；　his　body　huddled　lower。
　The　move　lessened　Estelle's　vigilance　for　an　instant；　then；　suspecting　trickery；　the　girl　became　more　frenzied。　She　stepped　forward；　thrusting　the　revolver　ahead。　Her　finger　tightened　on　the　trigger。
　Huddled；　The　Shadow　spun　about；　he　started　a　sidelong　lunge　for　a　corner　of　the　room。　Estelle　sped　the　gun　muzzle　in　the　same　direction；　as　the　cloaked　form　faded　floorward；　she　pressed　the　trigger　and　stabbed　quick　shots。
　The　cloak　crumpled；　the　slouch　hat　bounced　on　the　floor。　As　Estelle　fired　again；　a　lithe　shape　seemed　to　weave　up　toward　her；　as　if　conjured　from　space　itself。
　The　Shadow　had　caught　cloak　collar　and　hat　brim　with　both　hands；　he　had　shoved　them　away　toward　the　corner；　releasing　them　as　Estelle　fired。　Reversing　his　spin；　he　was　swinging　back；　free　from　the　cloak　before　the　fatal　moment。
　It　was　the　skillful　move　of　the　matador；　who　whisks　free　from　his　cloak