mg.cyro-第29章
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other barriers； listeners were on hand。
Luke Gaudrin； crouching in the passage from the parlor； did a sneak to the front after Babcock left。
Past the door to the enclosed porch； The Shadow was at work。 Silently； he was probing the lock with a strange key。 He drew this device from the door。
Moving to the window； he examined it by the fading light。
The key was made of a soft； puttylike metal。 Carefully； The Shadow scraped away portions of frayed chunks。 He drew a pouch from his pocket。 Opening it； he pressed the key against a saturated sponge。
The pouch went beneath The Shadow's cloak。 A cigar lighter came in view。
It ignited； and hissed faintly like a Bunsen burner as the flame issued forth。
The Shadow passed the key back and forth through the torchlike blaze。
Out went the light。 The fitted key had hardened。 Returning to the door； The Shadow inserted it。 Noiselessly； he unlocked the door； then relocked it。 He left the key in the door。
The Shadow had heard Danforth Gaudrin turn and remove the original key。
The Shadow had inserted a new key in its place； but from the porch side of the door。
Going to a window； The Shadow opened it softly and edged outward。 Clinging to a ledge； he closed the window behind him。 He dropped to the ground。 He was totally obscured by the darkness that clung to this wall of the mansion。
Moving； The Shadow became a ghostly shape as he followed the long stretch of blackness laid by a huge oak tree。 He departed past a line of palms。
DOWN in the French Quarter； Raoul Brilliard and Tracy Lence were chatting in the artist's studio。 Both were attired in evening clothes； preparing for their trip to the Gaudrin home。
〃I saw Larribez this afternoon；〃 remarked Brilliard； in a tone of finality。 〃He met his friends…the old pals of the Porto…and they performed missionary work along the water front。 The new crew is ready。〃
〃You can rely upon them？〃
〃Certainly。 Larribez prefers them to the old。 They are tough； they know nothing。 Tabac will be with them。 He knows but little。 Larribez will be in direct charge。 His crew will cover the left side of the grounds。〃
〃And Link Ruckert will be at the right； with the gorillas。 I contacted with him today。〃
〃Good！ Well； Lence； it is time for you to leave。 Start for Gaudrin's at once。 I shall follow shortly。 There we will meet and be introduced； presumably for the first time。〃
〃And Cyro？ Will he be there？〃
〃He should be。 But we will not know him。 You know his methods； Lence。 He will not appear as a member of the game。 Unless…〃
〃Unless an emergency arises。 Then we can count on him。〃
Tracy Lence strolled from the studio。 Raoul Brilliard started shortly afterward。 Men of crime had moved at the order of the relentless Cyro。
IN a room at the Hotel Douran； Joe Cardona was pacing restlessly while Lieutenant Wayson； calm…faced； watched him from a chair。 They were preparing for another trip to the Vieux Carre。
〃Your lead； Cardona；〃 remarked Wayson； bluntly。 〃Say the word and we start for another round。 I'll find the places where your man might be。〃
〃It seems hopeless； Wayson；〃 returned Cardona。 〃If it weren't for orders from the missioner； I'd call the game quits。 I told him I'd be after a needle in a haystack。〃
〃I'm on special duty；〃 reminded Wayson。 〃No reports necessary。 Orders straight from you。 That's the ticket the chief gave me。 If you want to try the water front； where they had that battle last night…〃
〃It doesn't sound like a Cyro proposition；〃' interposed Joe。 〃Still； those thugs at Debeq's didn't fit either…〃
He broke off as the telephone rang。 Joe picked up the instrument。 Wayson saw a strange fixed gaze e into Cardona's eyes。 The detective's voice became mechanical as he uttered short responses。
Joe Cardona was listening to a weird voice that he recognized。 It was the whisper of The Shadow！ Orders were ing over the wire； fierce…toned instructions that Cardona could not fathom； yet which he instinctively promised to obey。
〃Yes。。。 〃Cardona spoke mechanically。 〃Yes。。。 One moment。。。 Yes； I'll make sure。。。〃
The detective turned to Wayson and spoke in a steady tone。
〃You are game for anything？〃 questioned Joe。 〃You are with me； wherever I lead？〃
〃Absolutely！〃 responded the lieutenant； a bit puzzled。 〃Wherever you lead； Cardona。〃
Joe babbled the assurance into the telephone。 He heard a whispered laugh； then the click of the receiver at the other end。 For a moment； Cardona stared straight ahead； then he hung up and again turned to Wayson。
〃You remember？〃 questioned the detective； slowly。 〃You remember how we were helped at Debeq's？ By…by some rescuer？〃
Wayson nodded。
〃I thought I knew him；〃 continued Cardona。 〃Now I am sure of it。 I have heard from him。 He told me…gave me orders…about tonight。 We are starting； Wayson〃…Cardona paused for emphasis…〃and at the end of the trail； we shall find…〃
〃Cyro？〃 questioned Wayson。
〃Cyro！〃 replied Cardona。
There was positive assurance in Cardona's tone。 It came with a note of prophecy。 For that was the promise that the ace detective had received from The Shadow！
CHAPTER XX
STROKE AND COUNTERSTROKE
DINNER had ended at the Gaudrin mansion。 Alicia's party had been a great success。 Danforth Gaudrin arose from his chair at the head of the table and sighed reluctantly。
〃Captain Emory is waiting in the study；〃 he remarked。 〃We must talk with him； Marr…about the transfer of the Nautilus。〃
〃Very well；〃 responded Marr。 〃But the professor went in there； Danforth； just before those crew members left。 Perhaps we should not disturb Babcock while he is arranging his coral specimens。〃
〃We shall not disturb him。 e； Marr。 Captain Emory may be anxious to have us plete this matter。〃
The two men left。 Alicia suggested to the others that they go out to the veranda。 They left the dining room by a front door that led to the living room。
This was directly across the hall from the parlor that lay in front of the study。
Reaching the porch； Alicia and her brother Luke began to chat with their guests。 Reginald Exeter had little to say。 Lighting his pipe； the Australian stared off across the lawn while Raoul Brilliard and Tracy Lence kept up their conversation。
Brilliard was voluble in his French accent。 Lence； playing the part of a quiet gentleman； displayed a surprising knowledge of art。 He had rehearsed this with Brilliard in preparation for the visit here。 All their conversation was a buildup to what was ing later。
〃Luke；〃 remarked Lence； suddenly； 〃why don't you drive out ahead to the Club Caprice？ You can have my roadster。 I can e later； in a taxi； and drive back with you。 I'd like to chat a while more with Monsieur Brilliard。〃
〃All right；〃 agreed Luke。 〃But why don't you leave him to Exeter？ The way they were talking French at the table； you'd think they were old pals。〃
〃Eet ees not about ze art that I talk with Monsieur Exeter；〃 put in Brilliard。 〃Eet ees about Paree。 Ah； moi！ He has known ze Paree…〃
Exeter took his pipe from his lips and shot a remark in fluent French。
Brilliard replied； both men chuckled。 Luke shrugged his shoulders and started into the house。
〃I'll drive out to the Club Caprice…〃
Luke broke off as he encountered the butler whom the Gaudrins had hired for this occasion。 The servant spoke quietly； and Luke nodded。
〃All right；〃 he said； in a puzzled tone。 〃I'll talk to him in the parlor。〃
〃Who is it； Percival？〃 inquired Alicia； as the butler stepped out to pick up some glasses。 Luke had already gone on toward the parlor。
〃A gentleman to see Mr。 Luke；〃 responded Percival。 〃His name； miss； is Mr。
Medbrook…Mr。 Royal Medbrook。〃
〃The chap from the Club Caprice！〃 exclaimed Lence。 〃I remember； now。 He said he might drop in here some time when he was ing by。〃
BRILLIARD resumed a conversation with Exeter。 While they parried in French； Alicia sat in troubled silence。 She was worried about the advent of Royal Medbrook。 Lence； puffing a cigar； sat meditative。
Lence was conscious of two facts： One； that Percival； the butler； had left。 Like
