mg.greeneyes-第27节

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　　〃Foy　must　tell；〃　declared　Ling　Soo　solemnly。
　　Joseph　Darley　nodded。
　　Ling　Soo　took　a　piece　of　stout　rope。　He　crossed　the　wrists　of　the　man　who　passed　for　Foy。　He　tied　them　tightly。　He　twisted　a　piece　of　wire　to　hold　the　knots　firm。　Pushing　the　end　of　the　rope　through　a　hole　in　the　top　of　the　rack；　he　drew　it　downward。
　　Darley；　assisting；　raised　Foy's　body　upright。　He　held　it　in　that　position；　while　Ling　Soo　pulled　the　rope　taut。
　　Foy's　form；　grotesquely　lengthened；　was　hanging　by　its　wrists；　the　toes　just　tipping　the　floor。
　　〃Here；〃　said　Ling　Soo；　〃he　shall　tell！〃
　　〃He　shall　tell；〃　agreed　Darley。　〃Then　he　shall　die！〃
　　〃If　he　does　not　tell？〃
　　〃He　shall　die　without　telling！〃
　　
　　
　　LING　SOO　bowed　in　acknowledgment。　He　seemed　to　accept　the　statement　as　an　order。　He　listened　placidly　while　Darley　spoke；　in　a　brutal　tone。
　　〃Keep　him　here；〃　he　told　Ling　Soo。　〃Let　him　hang　until　he　gains　his　senses…if　he　does。〃
　　Darley's　last　phrase　was　a　sound　one；　for　the　hanging　form　seemed　devoid　of　life。　It　had　dropped　a　distance　of　more　than　twenty…five　feet　when　Ling　Soo　had　drawn　the　trap　in　the　cabin；　high　above！
　　〃Should　Foy　seem　able　to　speak；〃　continued　Darley；　〃threaten　him　with　the　full　torture　unless　he　tells。　He　will　know　its　meaning。　Each　hour　on　that　rack　grows　longer。　No　man　can　withstand　its　pain。〃
　　Ling　Soo　beamed　pleasantly。　This　cruelty　was　something　he　seemed　to　relish。　His　own　eyes　blinked　as　they　surveyed　the　form　of　Foy；　with　its　head　bent　forward；　hanging　askew。
　　〃If　he　does　not　speak；〃　declared　Darley；　〃you　must　wait　until　the　others　are　here。　e　again；　to　this　spot；　and　offer　him　one　more　opportunity。
　　〃Whether　he　speaks　or　does　not　speak；　he　must　die　then　by　your　hand。　Your　killing　shot　will　be　the　first　signal。　When　it　is　heard　from　above；　the　firing　will　begin。
　　〃Then　for　the　shore…you　with　the　ones　who　have　fired。　Let　the　sailors　light　the　flares。　Meanwhile　the　others　will…〃
　　Darley　said　no　more。　Ling　Soo　understood。　He　asked　a　single　question；　although　it　was　unnecessary。
　　〃You　have　the　paper？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Darley。　〃I　shall　show　it　to　each　one。　To　each　shall　go　his　own　allotment。　You　need　not　worry；　Ling　Soo。　Your　work　is　here。　Instead　of　being　in　your　secluded　apartment；　you　can　perform　the　task　assigned　to　Foy。〃
　　With　that；　Darley　was　gone。　Ling　Soo　was　alone；　blinking　stolidly　at　the　form　of　the　man　who　looked　like　Foy。　A　hateful　look　came　into　Ling　Soo's　eyes。
　　He　approached　the　hanging　form；　and　from　a　hidden　pocket　in　the　front　of　the　prisoner's　black　robe；　Ling　Soo　whisked　forth　a　gleaming　knife。
　　Cackling；　Ling　Soo　placed　the　blade　beneath　his　own　robe。　The　knife　of　Foy…The　Slayer's　only　weapon！　The　knife　that　had　failed　again　tonight！
　　Foy　was　a　traitor。　That　was　why　he　had　failed。　Tonight；　he　was　to　die！
　　Explanations　had　been　unnecessary。　Darley　had　accepted　Ling　Soo's　word　of　Foy's　perfidy。　From　the　moment　that　Ling　Soo　had　glimpsed　the　fleeing　form　of　Cleve　Branch；　the　sinister　Chinaman　had　known　that　Foy　was　a　traitor。
　　He　had　noted　Cleve's　attire。　He　had　known　that　only　Foy　could　have　pointed　the　way　to　escape。　Sneaking　through　the　underground　passageway；　Ling　Soo　had　reached　the　meeting　room；　where　he　had　found　the　still　body　of　Foo　Chow；　the　witness。
　　Ling　Soo　had　played　his　cards　craftily。　Knowing　that　Foy　would　be　at　the　Chinese　ship；　he　had　hurried　to　the　junk　and　had　done　his　part　there。　That　secret　trap…an　artful　device　that　Ling　Soo　had　seen　used　before。
　　Yet；　despite　the　fact　that　Ling　Soo　was　a　master　of　craftiness；　despite　the　fact　that　he　knew　Foy　was　a　traitor；　he　did　not　understand　that　this　hanging　prisoner　was　not　the　real　Foy！
　　The　disguise　of　The　Shadow　was　too　perfect　even　for　the　shrewd　eyes　of　Ling　Soo！
　　
　　
　　BUT　that　could　not　save　The　Shadow；　now。　Ling　Soo；　cold　and　deliberate；　was　at　work；　cackling　as　he　used　his　efforts。
　　He　had　attached　the　end　of　the　rope　to　a　stout　hook　on　the　wall。　It　went　there　at　an　angle　from　the　top　of　the　frame。　The　Shadow…false　Foy…was　bound　in　the　Chinese　torture　rack！
　　This；　the　most　formidable　of　all　contrivances　for　slow　death；　was　a　device　that　utterly　defied　escape。　Those　hands…bound　and　wired…could　do　nothing　more　than　claw　the　empty　air。　Well　did　Ling　Soo　know　the　prisoner's　helplessness；　for　he　had　seen　others　in　this　rack　before。
　　The　toes　of　the　prisoner；　barely　touching　the　floor；　could　not　support　a　fraction　of　his　weight。　All　strain　was　on　the　wrists。　Arms　and　shoulders　must　take　the　burden　that　would　increase　with　each　succeeding　minute。
　　Foy；　the　traitor；　was　doomed。　His　fate　would　be　a　bullet　through　his　heart。　Just　how　soon　his　life　would　pass　away　depended　upon　how　soon　Ling　Soo　would　be　ready　to　kill。
　　Tomorrow；　thought　the　cackling　Ling　Soo；　this　body　would　be　found；　before　the　ship　cleared　the　harbor。　Those　who　discovered　it　would　see　the　evidence　of　a　fiendish　Chinese　plot。　That　plot　would　be　attributed　to　the　Tiger　Tong。
　　Let　the　American　authorities　learn　the　identity　of　Foy！　It　would　be　to　Ling　Soo's　liking。
　　For　it　would　prove　beyond　a　doubt　that　the　Wu…Fan　had　been　attacked　by　enemies。　Foy…servant　of　Ling　Soo；　the　leader…found　tortured　and　slain！
　　Nothing　could　be　better。
　　It　added　the　perfect　touch　that　Ling　Soo　desired。　Members　of　the　Wu…Fan　were　ing　peacefully　to　his　ship。　Here；　a　short　outburst　would　take　place。
　　The　members　of　the　Wu…Fan　would　flee；　Ling　Soo　among　them。
　　That　brief　attack　would　be　attributed　to　the　Tiger　Tong。　It　was　to　serve　another　purpose。　For　while　all　attention　of　harbor　patrols　would　be　centered　on　the　Chinese　junk；　other　members　of　the　Wu…Fan　would　be　craftily　at　work　elsewhere！
　　Shots…lights…flares…all　were　ready　for　a　short；　quickly　finished　outburst。　It　would　all　be　over　before　investigators　arrived。　But　with　this；　there　would　be　a　finishing　touch　later…the　finding　of　Foy；　no　longer　living。
　　Ling　Soo　cackled　in　exuberance。　He　took　the　lantern　in　his　hand。　He　reached　up　and　tipped　back　the　head　of　Foy。　The　face；　streaked　with　blood　from　a　gash　above　the　forehead；　was　grotesque　and　brutal。　It　shone　with　yellow　pallor。
　　Foy　was　still　living；　Ling　Soo　could　see。
　　The　squat　Chinaman　waited。　He　thought　that　Foy　was　regaining　consciousness。　The　slitlike　eyelids　were　moving。　Ling　Soo　cackled　again；　and　his　insidious　chuckle　was　loud　in　that　hollowed　space　in　the　heart　of　the　wooden　ship。
　　Foy　would　have　his　chance　to　speak。　If　he　would　not　speak；　Ling　Soo　would　wait　and　give　him　an　opportunity。　Then…whether　or　not　he　spoke…Foy　would　die！　That　was　the　verdict。
　　Ling　Soo；　as　though　in　ceremony；　uttered　words　aloud…designing；　perhaps；　that　they　would　reach　the　ears　of　the　man　who　was　recovering　his　senses。
　　〃It　is　death！　Green　Eyes　has　spoken！〃
　　These　were　the　words　which　Ling　Soo　uttered；　in　the　language　of　his　native　land。
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　XX　
　　　ON　THE　TORTURE　RACK　
　　THE　eyes　of　Foy　opened。　They　were　wide；　and　they　gleamed　in　the　light　of　the　lantern…gleamed　as　Ling　Soo　had　never　seen　them　gleam　before。
　　An　instant　later；　that　flash　was　gone。　The　yellow　lids　were　half　closed；　in　the　manner　of　Foy。
　　Before　him；　The　Shadow　saw　the　merciless　form　of　Ling　Soo。　Then　The　Shadow　looked　upward；　and　his　half…closed　eyes　took　in　the　strange　surroundings。　His　keen　brain；　usually　alert；　was　working　slowly　for　the　moment。
　　The　strain　upon　the　wrists　was　great。　The　Shadow；　brought　to　full　wakefulness　by　pain；　began　to　sense　the　hopelessness　of　his　predicament。　In　this　terrible　position；　escape　belonged　to　the　realm　of　impossibility。
　　Ling　Soo's　cackling　laugh　echoed　in　the　gloomy　partment。　The　master　of　the　Wu…Fan　was　gloating。　He　spoke　to　his　false　henchman；　Foy；　and　his　words　were　filled　with　sinister　significance。
　　〃Why　did　you　betray？〃　This　question　was　in　Chinese。　〃Tell　me　why…or　you　shall　know　the　torture。〃
　　The　hanging　man　did　not　reply。
　　〃Your　misery　will　be　long；〃　declared　Ling　Soo　solemnly。　〃Speak！　Tell　the　truth　of　your　perfidy。　Then　only　shall　the　torture　end。〃
　　The　sullen　lips　of　Foy　did　not　move。
　　〃You　let　our　enemy　escape；〃　gloated　Ling　Soo；　〃but　that　shall　not　save　you。　He　was　overpowered…perhaps　he　is　dead　at　this　moment。　I　am　to　perform　the　duty　that　was　to　be　yours。　Our　plans　shall　prevail…in　spite　of　your　treachery；　Foy。〃
　　The　words　had　no　effect　upon　the　prisoner。
　　〃You　will　not　speak？〃　Ling　Soo's　question　was　malicious。　〃Then　know　the　torture！　Your　senses　have　been　gone。　You　have　not　felt　the　great　pain　yet。
　　Unless　you　speak　now；　I　shall　depart。　You　shall　suffer　while　I　am　away。〃
　　The　eyelids　of　Foy　were　narrow　and　defiant。
　　〃You　have　had　your　choice；〃　said　Ling　Soo　calmly。　〃I　go。　If　you　cry　out　…
　　it　can　do　you　no　good。　Our　friends；　only；　are　here。〃
　　He　hung　the　lantern　on　the　wall。　He　stood；　squat　and　glaring；　by　the　open　door　to　the　next　partment。　The　shadow　of　Foy；　long　and　fantastic；　spread　across　the　floor。　Ling　Soo　had　no　time　for　shadows。
　　〃Remember；〃　came　his　cackling；　singsong　tones；　〃you　are　in　the　rack　of　torture。　The　rack　from　which　no　man　can　save　himself！〃
　　With　that；　Ling　Soo　was　gone。　Leaving　the　la