mg.cyro-第13章

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u　would　like　to　grab　this　fellow　Cyro。　So　would　I。
　　〃To　you　it　would　mean　a　pinch。　Big　credit　for　you　back　in　New　York。　To　me；　it　might　mean　anywhere　from　fifty　grand　up。　If　a　con　man　struts　his　stuff　around　this　place　and　gets　away　with　it；　I　not　only　lose　the　customer　who　was　trimmed；　I　lose　all　his　friends　and　all　their　friends。　Do　you　get　it？〃
　　Another　nod　from　Cardona。
　　〃I　thought　you　would；〃　resumed　Medbrook。　〃I've　been　on　this　case　ever　since　word　came　to　me　this　afternoon。　I　have　thirty　men　around　this　place；　Cardona。　Any　one　of　them　would　be　a　credit　to　the　best　detective　agency　in　the　country。　Here　are　their　reports。〃
　　He　paused　to　pull　a　sheaf　of　papers　from　a　desk　drawer。　He　thumbed　the　pages　one　by　one；　then　tossed　the　batch　to　Cardona。
　　〃Read　them　for　yourself；〃　declared　Medbrook。　〃They　cover　the　past　week。
　　They　list　every　muscler　that　walked　into　this　club。　They　have　every　man　labeled。　I'd　be　tickled　pink　if　your　man　Cyro　was　among　them。　But　he　isn't。〃
　　Cardona　studied　the　listings。　He　was　astonished　at　their　detail。　They　included　aliases　as　well　as　bona　fide　names。　They　referred　to　crooked　deals　that　the　marked　men　had　performed。　But　as　Medbrook　had　said；　every　rogue　was　of　a　tawdry　sort。
　　〃You've　seen　my　bouncers。〃　There　was　a　tinge　of　pride　in　Medbrook's　tone。
　　〃They　invited　every　one　of　these　small…timers　out　of　the　place。　If　they　had　slugged　the　whole　lot…hung　a　haymaker　on　every　chin…there　wouldn't　have　been　a　e…back　from　a　single　one　of　the　rats。　But　I　don't　like　skinned　knuckles。　They　don't　go　well　with　evening　clothes。　Those　huskies　of　mine　use　politeness　until　it　hurts。　But　it　works。〃
　　〃It　don't　look　like　I'm　tracing　Cyro；〃　remarked　Cardona；　passing　the　papers　back　to　Medbrook。　〃But　I've　learned　something　tonight。　If　I　had　thirty　men　as　good　as　yours；　I　could　show　some　results　that　would　knock　the　police　missioner　off　his　pins。〃
　　〃They　cost　me　three　grand　a　week；〃　observed　Medbrook。　〃More　than　that。　Pay　that　price　for　a　squad　of　detectives　and　you'll　make　out　as　well　as　I　do。　All　right；　Cardona。　There's　the　story。〃
　　〃And　it　means　no　luck。〃
　　〃You've　sized　it。　But　there's　still　a　chance。　Tonight　isn't　over。　The　boys　are　tipped。　Maybe　they'll　pick　up　a　lead。　How　long　are　you　going　to　be　in　New　Orleans？〃
　　〃A　long　while；　I　think。〃
　　〃That　means　more　nights。　Just　like　the　roulette　wheel。　Always　a　chance　for　a　big　win。　But　you　won't　gain　anything　by　ing　out　here。　Where　are　you　stopping？〃
　　〃At　the　Montezuma。〃
　　〃A　good　spot。　Well；　if　we　spot　your　man；　you'll　hear　from　Rafferty。　And　get　this；　Cardona：　If　we　spot　him；　you'll　get　him。　He'll　be　waiting　for　you　when　you　call。　Is　that　satisfactory？〃
　　Cardona　nodded。　Medbrook　arose　and　extended　his　hand。　Cardona　accepted　it。
　　Medbrook　picked　up　the　box　of　cigars；　Joe　helped　himself　to　a　batch　of　the　expensive　smokes。
　　〃I　said　not　to　e　here；　Cardona；〃　reminded　the　gambler。　〃By　that　I　mean　don't　bother　with　the　gambling　room。　We're　watching　it。　But　as　for　the　nightclub〃…Medbrook　smiled…〃drop　in　there　any　time　you　want。　Ask　for　Louie。
　　Tell　him　who　you　are。　Give　Louie　the　check。　He'll　take　care　of　it。
　　〃Bring　your　friends；　and　if　you　don't　have　any；　tell　Louie。　He'll
　　introduce　you。　But　in　the　meantime；　you've　still　got　a　big　bet　in　the　city。
　　I'll　tell　you　why。　Even　in　New　Orleans；　the　police　don't　know　how　well　organized　we　are。　But　the　con　men　do。　They've　passed　the　word　along　their　grapevine。
　　〃If　this　fellow　Cyro　is　looking　for　something　soft　in　New　Orleans；　he　may　be　wise　enough　to　know　that　the　Club　Caprice　is　a　poor　spot　to　start　at。　So　take　a　look　around　town。　They'll　arrange　that　for　you　at　headquarters。〃
　　Medbrook　arose　from　his　desk　and　strolled　out　into　the　room。　Cardona　followed。　With　one　hand；　the　gambler　opened　the　door；　with　the　other；　he　clapped　the　detective　warmly　upon　the　back。　He　closed　the　door　after　Cardona　had　gone。　He　went　back　to　his　desk。
　　
　　TEN　minutes　passed。　A　rap　at　the　door。　Medbrook　called　to　e　in。　A　bouncer　entered。
　　〃What　is　it；　Tony？〃　questioned　Medbrook。
　　〃The　dick's　gone；〃　stated　the　bouncer。　Then；　uneasily：　〃But　so　has　another　guy。〃
　　〃One　you　were　spotting？〃
　　〃No。　Not　exactly。　A　fellow　we　had　on　the　list　of　new　customers。　I'd　have　told　you　sooner；　boss；　but　the　dick　was　in　here…〃
　　〃That's　all　right；　Tony。　What　was　the　man's　name？〃
　　〃Tracy　Lence。〃
　　〃Where　from？〃
　　〃New　York；　I　heard　him　say。〃
　　〃Is　he　in　the　files？〃
　　〃No。　He　looks　like　a　gent；　too。　But　I　was　kind　of　leery　after　Manny　told　me　that　the　guy　went　out　just　about　the　time　the　dick　showed　up。〃
　　〃Tracy　Lence。〃　Medbrook　pronounced　the　name　slowly。　〃Did　he　look　like　he　was　playing　for　some　sucker？〃
　　〃No；〃　admitted　Tony；　〃he　didn't。　That　was　just　it；　boss。　He　was　picking　the　worst　bet　in　the　place。〃
　　〃Whom　do　you　mean？〃
　　〃Luke　Gaudrin。　Anybody　could　tell　that　young　Gaudrin　is　flat。　Leastwise；　this　fellow　Lence　could　have。　This　is　the　third　night　he's　been　palling　with　Gaudrin。
　　〃I　wouldn't　have　suspected　nothing；　boss；　if　Lence　hadn't　ducked　out。　But　it　looked　kind　of　funny；　right　on　top　of　that　New　York　dick　ing　in。　Maybe　I　should　have　stopped　Lence；　or　gone　after　him…〃
　　〃No　Tony；〃　Medbrook　shook　his　head　slowly；　〃you　did　right。　I'll　tell　you　what　to　do。　Where　is　Luke　Gaudrin　right　now？〃
　　〃Playing　Dave's　wheel。〃
　　〃He　still　has　chips？〃
　　〃Plenty。　He's　following　a　guy　that's　got　a　system。〃
　　〃They　all　have　a　system。　But　none　of　them　last。　Listen；　Tony。　Stop　by　and　speak　to　Luke　Gaudrin。　Tell　him　I　want　to　see　him。〃
　　〃Maybe　he　won't　want　to　break　away　from　the　wheel…〃
　　〃Catch　him　at　the　right　moment。　Just　when　he's　made　a　win。　Tip　Dave　to　spin　the　wheel　before　he　can　make　another　play。〃
　　〃All　right。〃
　　Tony　grinned　and　departed。　Royal　Medbrook　extracted　a　fresh　cigar　from　the　box　on　the　desk。　Poker…faced；　he　sat　staring　toward　the　door；　waiting　for　the　arrival　of　Luke　Gaudrin。
　　
　　　CHAPTER　X　
　　　THE　SHADOW'S　STEALTH　
　　WHEN　Joe　Cardona　went　out　through　the　gambling　room　of　the　Club　Caprice；　he　failed　to　observe　Lamont　Cranston。　Joe；　however；　did　not　escape　the　scrutiny　of　the　tall　personage　at　the　roulette　table。　The　keen　eyes　of　The　Shadow　watched　the　detective's　exit。
　　Long　hands　placed　new　chips　upon　the　board。　Luke　Gaudrin；　following　The　Shadow's　move；　put　an　eager　question：
　　〃How　long　will　this　system　hold　out？〃
　　〃This　is　my　last　play；〃　came　Cranston's　quiet　response。　〃But　if　you　follow　this　bination；　you　should　have　luck。　Stop　on　the　sixth　spin；　whether　you　win　or　lose　on　that　particular　play。〃
　　Luke　nodded　as　he　heard　the　odd　instructions。　The　wheel　was　stopping；　this　time　it　gave　an　even　break。　Lamont　Cranston　gathered　his　chips。　He　stood　by　watching　while　Luke　made　another　play。
　　Conscious　of　Cranston's　presence；　Luke　thought　that　his　new　acquaintance　was　standing　by。　But　as　the　wheel　began　its　quick　revolution；　the　tall　stranger　strolled　leisurely　away。　Luke；　his　eyes　riveted　on　the　wheel；　did　not　observe　The　Shadow's　departure。
　　Playing　the　quiet　role　of　Cranston；　The　Shadow　stopped　at　the　faro　table。
　　Though　apparently　watching　the　board；　his　eyes　were　elsewhere。　The　Shadow　saw　Tony　ing　from　the　office。　He　had　seen　the　man　enter　there　just　after　Cardona's　departure。
　　Tony　was　circling　over　toward　the　roulette　table。　He　stopped　near　Luke　Gaudrin。　Rafferty；　back　at　the　door　to　the　second　card　room；　also　had　his　eye　on　the　big　bouncer。　The　Shadow's　keen　gaze　turned　toward　Rafferty。　Calmly；　The　Shadow　stepped　away　from　the　faro　table　and　edged　into　the　doorway　of　the　card　room。
　　He　passed　the　portal　unseen。　The　card　room；　vacant　of　players；　was　dimly　illuminated　by　a　wall　lamp。　Cranston's　tall　form　moved　with　swift　glide。　Beside　it　stretched　a　long；　mysterious　shadow…a　blotch　of　blackness　that　ended　in　a　hawklike　silhouette。
　　Though　still　retaining　his　guise　of　Cranston；　The　Shadow　had　bee　a　creature　of　stealth。　His　figure　became　obscure　as　it　reached　a　doorway　that　led　into　the　next　card　room。　The　adjoining　partment　was　dark。　The　Shadow　merged　with　blackness　as　he　entered。
　　Silently；　across　the　floor　to　another　door。　A　tiny　fl