mg.greeneyes-第23节

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　　Cleve　knew　the　secret　of　that　door；　now…a　certain　lightly　tapped　signal；　a　moment　of　waiting；　and　the　way　would　be　clear。
　　Eagerly　waiting　by　the　door；　he　listened　for　all　sounds。　He　fancied　that　someone　might　be　creeping　up　the　stairs　by　which　he　had　e。　Cleve　was　about　to　return　and　look。　Then　the　door　slid　open；　and　he　stepped　to　the　passage。　A　few　moments　later　he　had　reached　the　security　of　Moy　Chen's　windowless　sanctum。
　　It　was　nearly　nine　o'clock　now。　An　hour　before　the　meeting　time！
　　To　Moy　Chen；　seated　at　his　desk；　Cleve　signified　that　he　intended　to　assume　his　disguise。　The　two　men　went　into　the　other　room。
　　As　Moy　Chen　applied　the　make…up　to　Cleve's　face；　he　remarked　upon　the　tiny　spot　he　saw　on　the　agent's　forehead。　Cleve　surveyed　it　in　a　mirror。
　　〃Wonder　where　I　got　that？〃　he　said。　〃Blot　it　out；　Moy　Chen；　when　you　put　on　the　eyebrows。〃
　　But；　somehow；　the　mark　would　not　blot。　All　applications　that　Moy　Chen　made　failed　to　cover　it　effectually。　Moy　Chen　arranged　the　heavy　eyebrows；　and　found　that　he　could　diminish　the　mark；　even　though　he　could　not　obliterate　it。
　　Cleve；　looking　in　the　mirror；　decided　that　the　makeshift　would　do。　It　was　better　than　too　much　disguise。
　　〃Tonight；　Moy　Chen；〃　explained　Cleve；　〃I　attend　a　meeting　of　the　inner　group　of　the　Wu…Fan。　I　may　encounter　danger；　although　I　now　believe　that　such　is　unlikely。〃
　　Moy　Chen　nodded。
　　〃I　am　to　be　taken　to　the　meeting　place。　I　will　not　find　the　man　who　is　to　lead　me　until　ten　o'clock。　You　have　been　nearly　fifteen　minutes　with　my　make…up。　I　will　be　out　of　here　before　half　past　nine。〃
　　〃That　will　leave　one　half　hour；〃　said　Moy　Chen　solemnly。
　　〃A　half　an　hour　for　you；　Moy　Chen；〃　declared　Cleve。　〃I　know　your　connection　here。　I　was　told　that　if　I　needed　immediate　assistance；　you　could　arrange　for　it。〃
　　〃I　can。〃
　　〃Very　well；〃　said　Cleve。　〃Have　two　men　at　the　Mukden　Theater　by　ten　o'clock。　Two　men　who　can　trail　me　to　the　meeting　place。〃
　　〃I　shall　arrange　that；〃　said　Moy　Chen。
　　〃I　have　been　working　alone；〃　said　Cleve；　〃with　this　very　purpose　in　mind。
　　The　other　men　will　not　be　linked　with　Hugo　Barnes。　They　will　have　no　difficulty　in　trailing　me。〃
　　Cleve　slipped　into　the　suit　he　wore　when　acting　the　part　of　Barnes。　He　drew　his　stub…nosed　revolver　from　his　pocket　and　examined　the　loaded　chambers。
　　〃If　I　encounter　trouble；〃　he　said　grimly；　〃I'll　give　those　fellows　something　to　think　about。　A　shot　will　be　the　signal　for　the　men　who　are　trailing　me。　That's　understood？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Moy　Chen。
　　Cleve　had　spoken　in　his　own　voice。　Now　he　dropped　into　the　character　of　Hugo　Barnes。
　　Acpanied　by　Moy　Chen；　he　made　his　way　to　the　shop。　He　talked　with　the　merchant；　as　they　stood　by　the　door。　Then　Cleve　was　on　his　way；　confident　that　no　one　could　penetrate　his　disguise。
　　
　　
　　MOY　CHEN　watched　him　from　the　door。　Keen　though　the　Chinaman's　vision　was；　he　did　not　see　the　lurking　form　that　spotted　Hugo　Barnes　as　the　departing　man　went　by　an　alley。
　　Had　Moy　Chen　continued　to　watch；　he　might　have　seen　a　sneaking　Celestial　pick　up　the　trail。　For　the　mark　on　the　forehead　of　Cleve　Branch　was　now　visible　on　Hugo　Barnes；　whenever　he　walked　by　a　lighted　spot　along　the　street。
　　Moy　Chen；　however；　did　not　wait。　He　had　remembered　Cleve's　last　admonition。　In　approximately　a　half　hour；　Hugo　Barnes　would　be　at　the　entrance　to　the　Mukden　Theater。　Others　must　be　there；　too。
　　Upstairs　ambled　Moy　Chen。　His　thoughts；　somehow；　reverted　to　that　blood…red　spot　on　the　forehead　of　Cleve　Branch。
　　As　he　considered　it　now；　Moy　Chen　felt　sure　that　spot　meant　danger。　For　though；　because　of　his　undercover　work；　Moy　Chen　had　avoided　close　contact　with　the　Wu…Fan；　the　pretended　merchant　at　least　knew　the　sinister　ways　of　Chinatown。
　　People　did　not　appear　adorned　with　crimson　spots　unless　there　was　a　reason。　That　was　Moy　Chen's　sound　conclusion。
　　Reaching　his　windowless　room；　Moy　Chen　went　to　the　desk　and　unlocked　a　drawer。　From　it；　he　produced　a　small　telephone。　It　was　connected　with　a　special；　outside　wire。
　　By　this　phone；　Moy　Chen　municated　with　Bureau　of　Investigation　agents。
　　One　or　more　could　always　be　reached；　at　a　special　address　in　San　Francisco。
　　Time　and　again；　the　undercover　man　had　brought　government　agents；　seemingly　from　nowhere；　to　spoil　the　well…laid　plans　of　the　Chinese　tongs。
　　For　the　first　time；　now；　Moy　Chen　was　using　his　informative　weapon　against　the　Wu…Fan。　Tong　leaders　had　never　learned　this　secret。　Ling　Soo；　whom　Moy　Chen　had　never　thwarted；　could　not　possibly　know　it。
　　So　thought　Moy　Chen。　But　Moy　Chen　did　not　know　the　meaning　of　that　mark　on　the　forehead　of　Cleve　Branch！
　　Moy　Chen　clicked　the　receiver。　He　leaned　close　to　the　telephone　in　order　to　speak　clearly　when　the　operator　responded。
　　This　message　was　important。　There　would　be　just　time　for　men　to　reach　the　Mukden　Theater。　The　headquarters　which　Moy　Chen　was　calling　was　less　than　ten　minutes　from　the　border　of　Chinatown；　where　the　Mukden　Theater　was　situated。
　　The　operator's　voice　sounded。　Moy　Chen　was　about　to　speak。　But　the　number　never　left　his　lips。
　　A　yellow…faced　man　had　sprung　across　the　room。　His　bands　were　at　Moy　Chen's　throat。　Another　man　was　with　him。　This　Mongol　caught　the　telephone　as　it　fell　from　Moy　Chen's　grasp。
　　While　one　was　choking　Moy　Chen；　the　other　was　calmly　placing　the　receiver　on　the　hook　and　putting　the　telephone　back　into　the　desk　drawer。
　　The　hands　on　Moy　Chen's　neck　were　merciless。　They　were　hands　that　worked　for　Ling　Soo。
　　A　quick　report；　flashed　to　the　leader　of　the　Wu…Fan；　had　told　that　Cleve　Branch…the　man　who　bore　the　mark　of　death…had　entered　through　a　secret　door　at　the　Hoang…Ho　Cafe。
　　The　minions　of　Ling　Soo　were　killers　all…when　the　occasion　demanded　it。
　　Whoever　lived　in　that　secret　room　must　be　watched。　That　was　the　word　from　Ling　Soo。　The　choking　fingers　that　gripped　Moy　Chen　maintained　their　relentless　hold。
　　The　Chinese　merchant　struggled；　but　in　vain。　His　throat　was　rattling。　His　eyes　were　staring。　His　vain　resistance　became　weaker。　His　struggles　ceased。
　　Then；　only；　did　the　fingers　loose　their　hold。
　　Padded　footsteps　sounded　softly　as　two　men　traced　their　way　toward　the　passage　that　led　back　to　the　Hoang…Ho。　An　inert　form　remained　in　the　windowless　room。
　　Cleve　Branch；　unknowing；　was　on　his　own　tonight。　There　would　be　no　sleuths　on　hand　to　witness　the　meeting　between　Hugo　Barnes　and　Ling　Soo's　agent　in　the　Mukden　Theater！
　　No　word　would　reach　the　ears　of　the　Bureau　of　Investigation　field　office　in　San　Francisco。　No　longer　did　the　government　possess　an　undercover　man　in　Chinatown。
　　For　the　sprawled；　pitiful　form　upon　the　floor　of　the　windowless　room　would　never　move　again。
　　Moy　Chen　was　dead！
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XVII　
　　　THE　FATE　OF　A　TRAITOR　
　　CLEVE　BRANCH　was　cautious　as　he　approached　the　entrance　of　the　Mukden　Theater。　He　passed　the　lobby；　walking　on　the　other　side　of　the　street；　and　stared　at　the　display　boards；　which　were　the　only　objects　in　view。
　　The　lobby　was　deserted；　for　the　performance　was　now　going　on　in　the　theater。
　　The　fact　that　no　one　was　waiting　there　was　not　surprising；　for　it　was　not　quite　ten　o'clock；　Cleve　did　not　expect　the　messenger　from　Ling　Soo　until　that　time。　He　crossed　the　street　and　shambled　by　the　lobby；　in　plain　view。
　　By　this　time；　the　men　summoned　by　Moy　Chen　should　be　in　the　vicinity。　Moy　Chen；　always　exact；　would　have　given　them　a　close　description　of　Hugo　Barnes。
　　Cleve　knew　he　could　rely　on　that；　for　the　features　of　Hugo　Barnes　were　themselves　a　creation　of　Moy　Chen's　artful　hands。
　　Cleve　stopped　suddenly　when　he　had　passed　the　lobby。　He　fancied　that　he　had　heard　a　hissing　whistle　in　the　dark；　close　by。　He　listened　intently；　but　the　sound　was　not　repeated。
　　Its　significance　puzzled　Cleve。　He　did　not　know　that　it　was　a　signal　used　by　the　secret　minions　of　the　Wu…Fan…that　it　meant　that　no　one　should　now　molest　the　man　who　bore　the　mark　of　death。
　　Passing　the　lobby　once　again；　Cleve　made　a　close　inspection　from　this　close　range。　Seeing　no　person；　he　looked　along　the　floor　and　up　the　walls。
　　Perhaps　that　phantom　shade　that　indicated　The　Shadow　would　be　here　tonight。　No；　it　was　absent。　Cleve　wondered。　Had　something　happened　to　that　mysterious　man；　whose　vigilance　had　twice　saved　Cleve　from　death？
　　Cleve　pulled　a　watch　from　his　pocket。　The　timepiece　registered　exactly　ten　o'clock。
　　The　appointed　hour　was　here。　He　must　enter　the　lobby。
　　Cleve　shuffled　past　the　deserted　box　office；　closed　now　that　the　evening's　business　was　done。　He　stood　alone　in　the　light；　where　he　could　easily　be　seen　by　the　men　whom　Moy　Chen　had　summoned。
　　They　were　keeping　under　cover　well；　Cleve　decided。　That　was　their　job。
　　Cleve　gave　no　sign　that　might　betray　his　interest　in　their　presence。　He　had　often　worked　this　way　before。　It　was　his　task　to　play　his　affected　part。
　　With　all　the　characteristics　of　Hugo　Barnes；　he　went　farther　into　the　lobby；。　There；　a　man　stepped　into　view　from　the　innermost　corner。
　　This　individual　was　a　placid…faced　Chinaman　dressed　in　American　clothes。
　　He　did　not　look　at　Cleve；　in　fact；　he　seemed