mg.cyro-第6章

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　　〃It　is　a　good　one；　Cardona。　Proceed　with　your　inspection。　New　clues　may　develop。〃
　　
　　FORTY　minutes　later。　Joe　Cardona　was　summarizing　his　findings。　He　was　standing　by　Rowden's　desk；　where　he　had　placed　torn　letters　and　envelopes　taken　from　the　wastebasket。　missioner　Barth　and　Northrup　Lucaster　were　listening　to　the　acting　inspector's　summary。
　　〃Roke　Rowden　was　murdered；〃　declared　Cardona。　〃He　was　slain　by　the　man　who　had　e　here　to　aid　him　in　his　swindle　scheme。　We　have　checked　with　the　bank；　regarding　the　key　that　was　in　Rowden's　possession。　We　know　that　he　went　to　his　safe…deposit　vault　and　removed　valuables　just　prior　to　his　return　here。
　　〃The　switchboard　operator　and　the　elevator　man　both　testify　that　Rowden　returned　about　twenty　minutes　before　I　came　to　arrest　him。　But　they　can　furnish　no　clue　to　any　visitor。　Rowden's　pal　must　have　e　here　earlier。
　　〃We　have　the　name　'Cyro；'　which　Rowden　managed　to　write　before　he　died。
　　The　job　is　to　find　Cyro。　The　chances　are　that　the　killer　left　town。　The　question　is：　Where　did　he　go？　These　letters　on　the　desk　were　picked　up　by　Rowden　a　couple　of　hours　ago。　There　are　ten　of　them；　all　from　different　cities；　and　none　of　them　look　important。
　　〃We've　got　about　as　much　chance　of　tracing　the　killer　through　one　of　these　letters　as　we　have　of　locating　him　by　one　of　those　time…tables　over　there　in　the　alcove。　The　man　may　have　gone　to　any　one　of　these　ten　cities。　Or　he　may　have　cut　for　anywhere　on　the　map。〃
　　Wainwright　Barth　approached　to　examine　the　spread…out　letters。　The　missioner　shook　his　head。　He　walked　around　to　the　alcove　and　looked　at　the　table　drawer。　A　mass　of　time…tables；　spread　in　disarray。　Barth　looked　about　to　find　Lucaster　standing　near。
　　〃Your　false　friend　Rowden　was　ready　for　prompt　departure；〃　announced　Barth。　〃The　way　he　mixed　these　timetables　indicates　that　he　was　choosing　some　destination。〃
　　〃That　surprises　me；〃　replied　The　Shadow；　retaining　his　crackly　tone。　〃I　should　think　that　Rowden　had　already　made　his　plans。　But　this　other　man…the　one　who　killed　him…〃
　　〃That's　a　point；〃　put　in　Cardona。　〃Maybe　Cyro　dug　into　this　table　drawer。
　　He　must　have　been　waiting　here　for　Rowden。〃
　　〃May　I　look　at　these　time…tables？〃　came　Lucaster's　inquiry。
　　〃Sure；〃　agreed　Cardona。
　　He　watched　indulgently　while　the　gray…haired　manufacturer　made　an　inspection。　Carefully；　Lucaster　was　sorting　out　the　schedules。　At　last；　Cardona　heard　him　speak。
　　〃Quite　odd；〃　was　The　Shadow's　crackled　remark。　〃You　would　think　that　Rowden　had　gathered　time…tables　for　almost　every　point　that　can　be　reached　from　New　York。　But　he　has　not。〃
　　〃Some　are　missing？〃　inquired　Joe。
　　〃Yes；〃　came　the　reply。　〃Certain　Southern　schedules；　all　of　a　definite　sort。　Florida　time…tables　are　here；　but　those　to　Atlanta；　Montgomery；　Mobile　and　New　Orleans　are　missing。〃
　　〃You　are　sure？〃
　　〃Yes。　I　had　intended　to　take　a　trip　to　the　Gulf　Coast　before　returning　to　Des　Moines。　I　am　familiar　with　those　particular　time…tables。〃
　　
　　〃E　back　to　the　desk；〃　suggested　Cardona。　〃Let's　take　a　look　at　Rowden's　mail。　Maybe　he　had　a　tip…off　to　something　and　the　fellow　who　killed　him　decided　to　grab　it　for　himself。〃
　　They　reached　the　desk。　Cardona　pointed　out　the　various　letters。　Lucaster's　gray　head　nodded　four　times　during　the　detective's　count。
　　〃A　letter　from　Atlanta；〃　began　Joe。　〃One　from　New　Orleans；　another　from　Birmingham。　The　fourth　is　from　Mobile。　Those　cities　are　all　listed　on　the　missing　time…tables？〃
　　A　nod　from　Lucaster。
　　〃Four　chances；　missioner；〃　said　Cardona　to　Barth。　〃But　they're　all　slim　ones。　After　all；　these　letters　don't　mean　a　thing。　They　came　to　Rowden；　not　to　the　killer。　There's　nothing　about　any　one　of　them　to　indicate　a　con　game。〃
　　〃There　is　a　peculiarity　here；〃　remarked　The　Shadow；　in　Lucaster's　tone。
　　His　eyes　were　gleaming　as　he　stared　toward　the　desk。　〃See　this　New　Orleans　letter；　Mr。　Cardona。〃
　　〃It's　from　a　shipping　pany；〃　observed　Joe。　〃Gives　information　on　cotton　shipments。　I　don't　see　anything　special　about　it。〃
　　〃But　the　envelope…〃
　　〃Is　addressed　to　Rowden。〃
　　〃Yes。　But　I　should　say　that　it　was　done　on　a　different　typewriter。〃
　　〃That's　a　point；　Mr。　Lucaster；〃　agreed　Joe。　〃But　the　envelope　might　have　been　typed　by　another　stenographer。〃
　　〃It　has　no　return　address。　Of　course；　Mr。　Cardona；　that　is　not　entirely　unusual。　But…〃
　　As　the　speaker　paused；　Cardona　saw　him　carefully　fold　the　torn　letter　along　its　creases。　Then　Lucaster's　fumbling　hands　tried　to　fit　the　folded　letter　into　the　rearranged　envelope。　They　failed。
　　Cardona；　without　inquiring　the　purpose；　tried　to　help。　It　was　then　that　he　realized　what　Lucaster　was　attempting　to　do。
　　〃The　letter　won't　go　in　the　envelope！〃　exclaimed　Joe。　〃A　long　letter　and　a　short　envelope。　They　don't　fit。〃
　　〃That　has　significance；〃　put　in　missioner　Barth。　〃Let　us　see。　What　could　that　signify…〃
　　A　crackly　chuckle　from　Lucaster。　Barth　faced　the　gray…haired　visitor　from　Des　Moines。
　　〃I　am　a　business　man；〃　stated　The　Shadow；　with　a　beaming　smile　that　fitted　Lucaster。　〃I　have　received　many　letters　at　my　office。　They　always　fit　inside　their　envelopes；　missioner。
　　〃If　I　had　a　letter　and　an　envelope　that　did　not　correspond；　I　would　say　that　the　letter　did　not　e　in　that　envelope。　Maybe　poor　Rowden　received　two　letters　from　New　Orleans。〃
　　〃Then　where　is　the　other　one？〃　demanded　Barth。
　　〃Perhaps　the　murderer　took　it；〃　suggested　The　Shadow。　〃Taking　the　letter；　he　might　decide　to　take　the　envelope　also。　Looking　in　the　wastebasket；　he　found…〃
　　〃The　other　envelope！〃　broke　in　Cardona。　〃That's　it；　missioner！　The　killer　found　the　letter　first。　It　meant　something　to　him　so　he　kept　it。　When　he　was　ready　for　his　get…away；　he　thought　about　the　envelope。
　　〃He　was　in　a　hurry。　He　grabbed　the　first　envelope　that　bore　a　New　Orleans　postmark。　He　found　the　other　half　of　it　and　thought　he　had　what　he　wanted。
　　We're　down　to　one　city；　missioner。　New　Orleans！〃
　　
　　BARTH　nodded　slowly。　Cardona　watched　him　steadily。　The　Shadow；　peering　from　the　visage　of　Lucaster；　also　studied　the　missioner。　At　last；　Barth　spoke。
　　〃You　are　going　to　New　Orleans；　Cardona；〃　he　proclaimed。　〃There　you　will　trace　a　man　called　Cyro。　He　is　wanted　for　the　murder　of　Roke　Rowden。〃
　　〃It's　like　looking　for　a　needle　in　a　haystack；〃　objected　Joe。　〃Maybe；　missioner；　if　we　first　inform　the　New　Orleans　authorities…〃
　　〃The　needle　has　a　thread　attached；〃　interposed　Barth；　wisely。　〃Perhaps　you　may　find　the　thread　and　trace　it　to　the　needle。　First；　of　course；　you　must　check　on　outbound　trains　to　New　Orleans。　That　failing；　you　will　go　there；　on　special　assignment。〃
　　His　order　given；　Barth　motioned　to　Northrup　Lucaster。　Together　they　walked　from　the　apartment；　leaving　Joe　Cardona　standing　by　the　desk。　They　reached　the　missioner's　car　and　drove　to　the　Metrolite　Hotel。
　　〃Good　night；　Mr。　Lucaster；〃　said　Barth。　〃Keep　in　touch　with　us　after　you　have　returned　to　Des　Moines　and　we　shall　tell　you　how　our　search　has　progressed。〃
　　〃You　think　that　your　man　will　find　Cyro？〃
　　〃I　do。　Cardona　is　capable。　Given　a　lead；　he　will　make　the　most　of　it。　I　am　counting　upon　him　to　run　down　the　murderer　of　Roke　Rowden。〃
　　
　　INSIDE　the　Metrolite　Hotel；　Northrup　Lucaster　stopped　at　the　porter's　office。　He　made　reservations　for　Chicago　on　the　Midnight　Limited。　His　bags　were　brought　downstairs；　among　them　was　the　one　that　Moe　Shrevnitz　had　delivered。
　　Singularly；　Moe's　cab　was　the　one　that　wheeled　up　when　Lucaster　arrived　on　the　street　with　his　luggage。　The　gray…haired　passenger　stepped　aboard　and　crackled　his　destination　as　a　railroad　terminal。
　　He　changed　that　order　as　the　cab　wheeled　away。　Likewise；　he　changed　his　appearance。　Black　cloak　and　hat　came　from　the　bag。　When　Moe's　cab　stopped　on　a　secluded　street；　a　silent　form　emerged　unseen。
　　Shortly　afterward；　a　light　clicked　in　a　darkened　room。　Bluish　rays　threw　an　eerie　shimmer　upon　a　polished　table…top。　The　Shadow　was　in　his　sanctum。　His　lips　phrased　a　sibilant　laugh。　The　character　of　Northrup　Lucaster　was　ended。　So　was　all　thought　of　Des　Moines。
　　The　Shadow；　like　Joe　Cardona；　was　making　plans　for　an　immediate　t