mg.greeneyes-第15章
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th on the Mountain Limited。〃
〃You believe that he was murdered by Chinese opposed to the Wu…Fan？〃
〃Without a doubt。〃
Cleve reflected。 Joseph Darley's theory appeared correct。 Stephen Laird had died from a knife thrust。 The members of the Tiger Tong had been knife…wielders。 They had attacked Cleve…an American and a member of the Wu…Fan。
IT was logical that Stephen Laird…also an American affiliated with the Wu…Fan…had been a victim of the Tiger Tong。 If this were true； it meant that Cleve's investigation of this case was ended。
The Chinese tongs were already under surveillance。 The Bureau of Investigation was interested in the Wu…Fan only because it was a new organization。 Laird's death had appeared as a smirch upon its record。 With the Wu…Fan exonerated； Cleve could make his final report and leave San Francisco。
He put one question to Joseph Darley； because he knew that the answer would have an important bearing on the situation。
〃We must remember；〃 he said； 〃that Stephen Laird was not killed in San Francisco。 He was murdered while traveling。 Is that in accord； with tong practice？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Darley emphatically。 〃At least to the degree that it affects this case。 Had Laird been killed far away from San Francisco…or in some small city…we could hardly blame the tong。 This city and New York are the strongholds of the tongs。 But Laird was less than a night's journey on his trip eastward。
〃Some member of the Tiger Tong may have been appointed to kill Laird。
Failing； the assassin took the chance of following him on the train。 It goes badly with tong members； you know； if they fail in a definitely appointed task。〃
Cleve was thinking。 He was recalling the dying words of Stephen Laird； as they had been emblazoned in the newspaper reports。 〃Tag A…see in the box。〃
These statements and a vague reference to someone with green eyes were the only message that Laird had given。 After all； they sounded trivial。
Perhaps； somewhere； Laird had left a report。 A tag marked 〃A〃 might have been a bit of evidence that would lead to the man who had murdered him…a man with green eyes。
Green eyes！ Cleve had noticed none as yet。 Ling Soo's eyes were usually dull。 They flashed at times； but they were dark…not green。 So were the eyes of his crouching servant； Foy。 Dark eyes…all dark eyes。
Cleve smiled as he looked at Joseph Darley。 Thinking of eyes； he encountered those of the mitteeman。 Mild； kindly eyes； of a light grayish…blue。 Like Darley's countenance； and the man's gray hair； they expressed sympathy and understanding。
〃I think that you are right；〃 declared Cleve。 〃While I remain in San Francisco； it would probably be best for me to learn facts about the Tiger Tong instead of the Wu…Fan。 Can you aid me in that？〃
〃I shall do as much as possible；〃 said Darley。 〃The police can also give you information。 They know of men who are reputed to be killers。〃
〃Tomorrow； then；〃 said Cleve； 〃I shall prepare to finish my report。〃
The decision seemed a good one。 It obviated further necessity of being Hugo Barnes。 With plete data on the Tiger Tong…evidence； perhaps； of attempted killings or actual deaths of Wu…Fan members…Cleve could terminate this adventurous stay in San Francisco。
With thoughts along these lines； Cleve dined with Joseph Darley。 But as he ate； Cleve had new thoughts…impressions which meant that he must stay a while before his work was ended。
Cleve was thinking of The Shadow。
The invisible man who had chosen to appear on one occasion still remained a mystery！
Why was The Shadow here？ Why had he been at Ling Soo's？ Why had he followed Cleve？ Why had he made the rescue？
Important questions…all。 But there was another realization that brought a furrow to Cleve's brow as he considered it。
The Shadow had followed him while he was Cleve Branch； and also while he was Hugo Barnes。 Could it be possible that this man of the dark knew the existence of both identities？
Cleve recalled that he had been left close by Moy Chen's shop。 Evidently； The Shadow knew that Hugo Barnes had contact there。 Where was the explanation of the riddle？
Instinctively； Cleve glanced about him。 His eyes sought the floor。 They saw a shadow there！ But there was no mystery to this shadow。 It belonged to a gentleman who was dining alone at a table close by…scarcely within earshot of Cleve Branch and Joseph Darley。
Cleve watched as the gentleman arose and strolled from the dining room； his shadow moving with him。 A waiter was bowing as the man went by。
Evidently a guest at the hotel…not a person whom one could connect with darkened alleyways and sinister dives in Chinatown。
The departing guest was speaking to the head waiter at the door of the dining room。 That was a considerable distance away； and Cleve lost his passing interest。 He turned to dinner and continued with the course that he was eating。
Yet his thoughts were still of The Shadow。 That man of mystery was one whom Cleve could not forget。 Although he did not mention it to Darley； Cleve intended to remain in San Francisco。
He was determined to learn the secret of The Shadow！
CHAPTER IX
THE SHADOW LAUGHS
THE gentleman left the dining room and walked slowly across the spacious lobby of the St。 Thomas Hotel。 He stopped at the desk； and spoke to the clerk。
He received a key that bore the number 1216。
〃No messages； Mr。 Arnaud；〃 said the clerk。
Henry Arnaud nodded pleasantly and went to the elevator。 He rode upstairs in silence。 His face was inscrutable…as calm as it had been the night when its owner had first arrived in San Francisco。
Henry Arnaud's shadow moved along the twelfth floor beside the man who cast it。 Cleve Branch had noted that shadow in the dining room。 A difficult thing to recognize…a person's shadow。 No wonder that Cleve had failed to identify the shadow with the one that had flitted through Chinatown。
Calm； deliberate； Henry Arnaud was not the type of person whom one might expect to see garbed in a black cloak and slouch hat； with smoking automatics looming in his hands。 The Shadow； as Cleve had seen him； was a personage who had answered the last named description。
Yet Henry Arnaud was The Shadow！
The artifices of Moy Chen…the dabs whereby the Chinese merchant had transformed the visage of Cleve Branch into that of Hugo Barnes…these were childlike when pared to the craft of The Shadow。
As a master of disguise； The Shadow had no equal。 His personality of Henry Arnaud was assumed。 So were a hundred others…each as effective as this one。
The Shadow was a man of changing countenance； and he alone in all the world knew his true identity。
The only guise to which he constantly resorted was that of a figure clad in black…a sinister； menacing figure； that brooked no opposition。 Many had seen the man in black； but the countenance beneath the brimmed hat had remained unviewed by them。
The flash of piercing eyes…that was all that ever showed； between the turned…down brim and the upraised collar of the long black cloak。
One man had seen The Shadow's face…seen it against The Shadow's will。
That man had sought to thwart The Shadow； and for a time his schemes had availed。
But that man no longer lived！ Like other foemen of The Shadow； he had gone to deserved oblivion。
For The Shadow； whether in his customary black or in the guise of some adopted personality； was the sworn enemy of those who plotted crime。 With law and lawlessness swinging in the balance； The Shadow was the factor who turned the scales in favor of justice。
A master of detection； a man with vast resources； a swift…moving phantom of the dark； The Shadow sought the source of crime and obliterated it。
Of all his amazing abilities； his greatest was his power of action。 No odds were too great for The Shadow。 His rescue of Cleve Branch； at the Sun Kew； was proof positive of that fact。
AS Henry Arnaud； this man of the dark was now entering his room on the twelfth floor of the hotel。 The room contrasted greatly with that room in the Aldebaran Hotel； where Henry Arnaud had disappeared so strangely
