mg.greeneyes-第19章
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！
〃It is safe at my apartment。〃
The doors began to tremble。 Quickly； Cleve slipped toward the hanging curtain。 He slid behind it and found himself backed against a depressed door。
For a few moments； nothing happened。 Then； the crouched form of Foy appeared from the inner room。
Peering from a corner of the curtain； Cleve saw the evil； stooping Chinaman wend his way toward the outer door that opened into the anteroom。
Ling Soo appeared； walking slowly with Joseph Darley。
Until now； Cleve had never seen the Chinaman standing。 On both previous occasions； Ling Soo had remained seated on his throne that betokened his high office in the Wu…Fan。 Tonight； he saw Ling Soo as a squat； chunky figure。
The Chinaman was short； but heavy。 He was attired in a black robe。
Emblazoned on the back was a large golden dragon； the sign of the Wu…Fan。 Words were being spoken by Ling Soo and Cleve heard them plainly。
〃You are sure that it is safe；〃 Ling Soo was saying。 〃It must not be seen。〃
〃It is buried in a bottom table drawer；〃 declared Darley； in return。
〃Nothing of value lies there。 No one would know its purpose。 Do not worry； Ling Soo。〃
〃You are going back to your apartment now？〃
〃No。 I shall not return until late。〃
〃Since no one will be there…〃 The rest of Ling Soo's statement was lost。
It died away as the men reached the entrance to the anteroom。
A buzz was all that Cleve could hear now。 Ling Soo was gesticulating。
Darley was shaking his head； then nodding as though in agreement。 Cleve ducked as Ling Soo turned and came waddling back toward his inner room。 He heard the door of the anteroom close。 Then came a cackling laugh…the harsh chuckle that Ling Soo used when he was pleased。
Hiding； Cleve relied only on his ears。 He heard talk close by； probably at the dragon doors。 The words were uttered in Chinese； by Ling Soo。 A short response in the same language came from the lips of Foy。 The brass doors clanged shut。
A slight； scarcely audible movement now told that Foy alone was in the hallway。 Cleve peered forth to see the Chinese servant headed toward the anteroom。 He went through the door。 It closed behind him。 Cleve was alone。
What should he do now？ Intuitively； Cleve waited； and； while he remained； he reflected。
Something important had taken place tonight。 Ling Soo had discussed unusual affairs with Joseph Darley。
Whatever the meaning might be； it was certain that the presence of an intruder was something that Ling Soo would doubtless resent。 For Cleve to burst in now as Hugo Barnes would be a grave mistake。 It would be preferable to reserve a visit with Ling Soo for a later occasion。
Joseph Darley was gone。 Foy was in the anteroom。 That indicated that the servant had also made his departure。
Foy had been present during the discussion between Ling Soo and Darley。
That meant nothing； for Foy could not talk English。
It was imperative that Cleve should learn the facts regarding this unexpected conference between Ling Soo and Joseph Darley； As Hugo Barnes； Cleve could meet Ling Soo； but it was certain that he could learn nothing from the impassive Chinaman。
To question Darley…say tomorrow…would mean a reversion to the character of Cleve Branch。 How could that be avoided？ A sudden thought came to Cleve。
A paper…an expected symbol…safely hidden…in the bottom drawer of a table…at Joseph Darley's apartment…where no one would be tonight …
THESE disjointed thoughts burst upon Cleve Branch。 They were the answer to his problem！
Darley had evidently received the paper from Ling Soo。 It probably referred to something that concerned the Wu…Fan。
Groping for an explanation； Cleve thought that perhaps peace was to be declared between the Wu…Fan and the Tiger Tong。
But what was the use of such wasted speculation？ The paper itself would tell the story。
There was one sure way to see it。 That was to go to Joseph Darley's。 Cleve was acquainted with the apartment and its location。 If he could find that paper； he might learn all。
What if Darley should return and discover him？ What of it？ In an emergency； Cleve could reveal his dual identity to Darley。
Yes； that was the solution！ He would go to Darley's and find the paper。 Go there now。 Acting responsively to his thought； Cleve moved sidewise from the curtain and strode cautiously to the door of the anteroom。 He found the catch of the door and opened it。
As he had felt certain； the anteroom was empty。 Foy had gone； as well as Joseph Darley。
Cleve descended in the elevator and breathed freely when he reached the street。 The pageant had gone by now； and Cleve quietly joined the passing throng of pedestrians。
He reflected now on the safety of his position。 As Hugo Barnes； he would not be suspected if any Wu…Fan men had seen him ing from the entrance to Ling Soo's。 For Cleve was a member of the Wu…Fan himself。
He could risk the visit to Darley's…and be sure that in a pinch he could explain all to satisfaction。
In the fashion of Hugo Barnes； Cleve shuffled along the street； and cast a wary eye toward the Mukden Theater as he passed by。 Only one factor had been omitted from his calculations until now。 That factor was The Shadow。
But tonight； Cleve saw nothing that indicated the presence of the man in black。 The Shadow could not be everywhere。 Furthermore； Cleve had never seen actual traces of his presence outside of Chinatown。 Traveling into the city proper； he felt sure that he would free himself from the realm of The Shadow's observance。
Past the outskirts of Chinatown； Cleve hailed a passing cab and gave an address near the apartment house where Joseph Darley lived。 Reaching his destination； he alighted； paid the driver； and waited until the tail light of the departing cab had faded in the distance。
Here； Cleve felt safe。 He smiled the peculiar smile of Hugo Barnes； as he stepped into the shuffling stride。
Hugo Barnes would enter Joseph Darley's home tonight。 There； Hugo Barnes would make a find that would be of interest to Cleve Branch。
And The Shadow would not know！
CHAPTER XII
A SHOT FROM THE DARK
TO enter the apartment house； Cleve Branch took the simplest and most effective method。 He walked in the front door。
He knew that an attendant was sometimes on duty。 If the man happened to be there； Cleve intended to make a false inquiry； using a fictitious name。 But the attendant was not on hand； and Cleve calmly sauntered up the flight of stairs at the side of the quiet lobby。
He used this course because he did not wish to wait for the automatic elevator； which might be on an upper story。 The apartment which Darley occupied was on the third floor。 Cleve arrived there a minute after he had left the lobby。
The question of forcible entrance was one that proved perplexing for a time。 The apartment house； like so many San Francisco buildings； was on a hill； and Darley's apartment faced the upper side。 Entrance by a window would have meant a climb of nearly twenty feet。 The door was the better plan…if Cleve could get in this way。 But the special lock offered a difficult barrier。
Recalling what he had seen of the apartment on his visits to Darley； Cleve remembered that the place had an unused kitchenette。 That would be at the back。
Cleve spied the entrance to a fire escape down the hall； and went in that direction。 He stepped out on a railed platform。
There he saw a window…the only window at the end of the apartment。 He could almost reach it from the fire escape。 Climbing over the rail； Cleve reached out and tried the window with one hand。 It appeared to be locked； but it rattled loosely。
There was no fear of detection； for this new apartment house was isolated from neighboring buildings。 No lights showed from the window above or from the window below。
Cleve jarred the window of the kitchenette。 He pushed inward and upward； with his right hand； while his left clung to the rail of the fire…escape platform。
The window yielded suddenly。 Only Cleve's firm grip upon the rail prevented him from falling。
He clambered through the open window
