mg.cityofcrime-第6部分

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　〃Guess　it　is；〃　rejoined　the　conductor；　peering　through　the　door。　〃Looks　like　the　pictures　I've　seen　of　him。〃
　The　cop　whistled。
　〃We　got　orders　tonight　to　watch　for　him；〃　he　informed。　〃On　account　of　that　battle　last　night；　the　police　director's　taking　no　chances。　Guess　he　figures　there'll　be　crooks　looking　for　Dunson。　Ring　for　a　stop　at　the　next　corner。　I'd　better　put　in　a　call　to　the　precinct。〃
　〃Want　me　to　hold　the　car　for　you？〃
　〃Naw！　I'll　take　the　next　one。　I　wasn't　told　to　go　along　with　Dunson。
　Orders　were　to　report　if　I　saw　him。〃
　The　conductor　signaled　the　motor…man。　The　trolley　stopped　long　enough　for　the　policeman　to　drop　off；　then　resumed　its　jerky　course。　ing　into　the　heart　of　the　city；　it　was　halted　frequently　by　traffic　lights；　but　took　on　few　passengers。
　After　ten　minutes；　the　trolley　neared　the　corner　where　Dunson　intended　to　get　off。　The　conductor；　staring　toward　the　street；　noted　that　a　touring　car　was　loitering　along　beside　the　trolley；　but　he　quickly　forgot　the　fact。　The　trolley　swung　into　a　one…way　street；　Dunson　arose　and　pressed　a　button。　When　the　car　stopped；　the　big　man　alighted　at　his　corner。
　
　
　DUNSON'S　first　move　was　to　cross　the　street。　This　brought　him　to　the　left　side　of　a　short　block。　To　his　left　was　the　looming　bulk　of　an　old…fashioned　mansion；　the　residence　of　Judge　Martin　Benbrook；　who　was　long　retired　from　the　bench。　There　were　two　gates　in　the　iron　picket　fence　that　ran　in　front　of　the　old　house。　One　offered　access　to　the　front　door；　the　other　led　to　a　side　passage　that　ran　to　the　rear　of　the　house。
　Just　past　Judge　Benbrook's　home；　the　remaining　half　of　the　block　was　posed　of　buildings　with　lighted　fronts。　Across　from　them　was　the　Majestic　Hotel；　on　the　right　side　of　the　street。　Nestled　against　the　hotel　were　parked　cars；　scarcely　discernible　in　the　darkness　of　the　parking　lot。
　Dunson　strolled　along　at　leisurely　gait；　he　saw　that　he　could　easily　cross　the　street　unnoticed；　after　he　had　passed　Judge　Benbrook's。
　It　was　when　Dunson　neared　the　second　gate；　that　the　first　token　of　danger　came。　A　touring　car　had　swung　the　corner　which　the　trolley　had　left。　Its　lights　flashed　suddenly　from　dim　to　bright。　Dunson's　walking　figure　was　outlined　in　their　glare。　For　an　instant；　the　big　man　paused；　hoping；　the　lights　would　swing　away。　They　did；　but　in　their　place　came　the　vivid　glow　of　a　spotlight。
　Prescott　Dunson　was　caught　in　full　view；　turned　half　toward　the　side　gate　in　the　picket　fence。　He　was　clutching　his　suitcase；　blinking　into　the　brilliance　that　had　so　plainly　revealed　him。　To　his　startled　ears　came　the　sound　of　a　rasped　mand；　that　delivered　two　words　only：
　〃Give　it！〃
　The　suitcase　dropped　from　Dunson's　shaky　hands。　In　that　tense　instant；　the　doomed　man　realized　that　he　was　on　the　spot。
　Prescott　Dunson　had　walked　into　the　snare　of　death。
　
　
　CHAPTER　V　
　DEATH　DELIVERED　
　OTHER　eyes　than　Dunson's　had　seen　the　sudden　glare　of　the　revealing　spotlight。　They　were　eyes　that　were　not　blinded　by　the　unexpected　brilliance。
　Across　the　street；　but　beyond　the　spot　where　Dunson　stood；　a　lurking　figure　was　watching　from　the　shelter　of　cars　stationed　in　the　parking　lot。
　To　that　observer；　the　spotlight　told　its　story。　He　saw　the　helpless　man　caught　in　the　path　of　light。　With　a　quick　spring；　this　watcher　came　from　his　place　of　security。　Street　lights　showed　him　as　a　shrouded　shape。　The　Shadow　was　again　on　hand　to　offset　crime。
　Before　thugs　could　obey　the　mand　of　their　leader；　The　Shadow's　fists　came　up。　With　quick　fingers；　he　pulled　the　triggers　of　automatics；　dispatched　whining　bullets　straight　for　the　death　car　that　lay　almost　between　him　and　Prescott　Dunson。　Cries　came　from　the　slowly　moving　touring　car。　The　Shadow　had　scored　hits　upon　human　targets。
　Those　shots　saved　Dunson　for　the　moment。　They　gave　the　doomed　man　a　needed　opportunity。　Close　beside　Dunson　was　the　gate　to　the　side　passage　that　led　beyond　Judge　Benbrook's　house。　Had　Dunson　dropped　his　suitcase　and　pressed　through　the　gate；　he　could　have　gained　the　shelter　that　would　save　him。
　Instead；　Dunson　stood　rooted。　He　seemed　hypnotized　by　the　light　that　blinded　him。　The　death　car　veered；　to　escape　The　Shadow's　bombardment。　While　the　automatics　still　tongued；　a　clatter　began　from　within　the　touring　car。　One　crouching　machine　gunner　had　lain　below　The　Shadow's　fire；　was　pushing　the　muzzle　of　the　death　gun　through　the　opening　of　a　half…opened　door；　on　Dunson's　side　of　the　street。　That　killer　profited　by　Dunson's　lack　of　motion。　He　let　the　doomed　man　have　it。
　The　touring　car　sped　forward；　while　bullets　still　streamed　from　its　side。
　The　driver　was　low　behind　the　wheel；　the　machine　gunner　was　crouched　on　the　rear　floor。　Others　were　hanging　from　the　side　of　the　car　while　it　ran　the　gantlet　of　The　Shadow's　fire。　One　in　the　front　seat；　the　other　in　the　rear；　two　thugs　had　stopped　the　bullets　that　had　entered　the　right　side　of　the　car。
　The　Shadow　boomed　last　shots　at　the　driver。　They　failed　to　get　him；　for　the　rolling　form　of　an　intervening　thug　shielded　the　man　at　the　wheel。　As　the　touring　car　wheeled　leftward　to　the　main　street；　The　Shadow　put　a　bullet　through　the　gasoline　tank；　but　the　automobile　kept　onward　and　disappeared　from　view。
　
　
　THE　SHADOW　started　across　the　street；　to　the　darkness　where　Dunson's　body　lay。　Before　he　arrived；　he　heard　light；　quick　footsteps。　As　he　came　up　in　the　darkness；　he　found　a　girl　bending　over　the　bullet…riddled　man。　The　Shadow　saw　a　white　face　in　the　darkness；　as　the　girl　listened　to　Dunson　s　last　words。
　〃Tell…tell　Shaw！〃　gasped　Dunson。　〃I　should…should　have　done　as　he…he　said…〃
　The　sentence　ended　with　a　sigh。　Prescott　Dunson　was　dead。
　Bravely；　the　girl　raised　the　man's　head；　felt　it　drop　back　from　her　grasp。
　At　that　instant；　she　sensed　that　someone　was　beside　her。　Looking　up；　the　girl　viewed　a　blackened　figure　almost　at　her　elbow。　She　saw　the　burn　of　steady　eyes。
　Frightened；　bewildered；　she　tried　to　scream　an　accusation。
　〃You…you　killed　him！〃
　An　approaching　car　had　swung　the　corner。　The　Shadow　saw　it　across　the　girl's　shoulder。　He　knew　that　it　was　bringing　a　second　crew　of　gunmen。　Shoving　one　gun　beneath　his　cloak；　he　seized　the　girl　about　the　shoulders。　Hurling　his　full　weight　against　the　gate；　he　rammed　it　open；　then　launched　the　struggling　girl　along　the　passage　beside　the　house。
　The　Shadow　performed　this　action　with　a　plete　spin　that　brought　him　again　facing　the　street；　a　ready　gun　in　hand。　He　had　whirled　the　girl　more　than　a　dozen　feet　away；　she　was　in　a　spot　of　safety。　New　battle　was　due；　the　click　of　an　automobile　spotlight　foretold　it。　Standing　at　the　gate；　The　Shadow　was　fully　revealed　by　a　stream　of　light。
　Though　spotted　as　Dunson　had　been；　The　Shadow　was　prepared。　His　laugh　sounded　its　fierce　challenge。　Standing　above　the　body　of　the　murdered　man；　The　Shadow　loosed　quick　bullets　from　his　single　。45；　though　few；　those　shots　were　perfect。　This　time；　The　Shadow　had　the　range　he　wanted。
　His　first　bullet　was　straight　for　the　rear　door　of　the　car。　That　door；　like　the　previous　one；　was　partly　opened。　The　Shadow　dropped　the　man　who　was　behind　it。　His　second　bullet　stabbed　the　spotlight；　finishing　its　glare。　As　the　driver　gave　the　car　the　gas；　The　Shadow　ripped　a　final　bullet　for　the　steering　wheel。　A　cry　told　that　he　had　clipped　the　hoodlum　at　the　wheel。
　The　car　zigzagged　wildly。　An　unwounded　thug　managed　to　control　it　and　yank　it　into　the　parking　lot；　where　it　sped　through　a　path　between　parked　cars。
　The　Shadow　whipped　forth　the　gun　that　he　had　stowed　away；　but　he　did　not　aim　toward　the　car　that　had　fled。　He　had　a　new　target；　this　was　a　sedan　that　swung　in　from　the　other　direction。
　
　
　ING　from　the　main　street；　the　sedan　was　plain　against　the　lighted　front　of　the　Majestic　Hotel。　The　Shadow　saw　a　gun　muzzle　thrust　from　a　rear　window；　he　blasted　away　before　the　driver　was　ready　to　turn　on　a　spotlight。　Bullets　that　spat　from　darkness　were　too　much　for　this　crew。　The　driver　wheeled　the　sedan　to　the　left；　took　the　route　that　the　second　car　had　followed；　through　the　parking　space。
　Before　The　Shadow　could　make　another　move；　he　heard　the　whine　of　sirens。
　They　came　from　both　directions。　The　Flying　Squadr