Cyro

CHAPTER XXII VILLAIN’S GLOAT

DUNWOOD MARR — otherwise Cyro — stood master of the field. Huddled in corners, fierce but helpless, were those whom he and his lieutenants had trapped. Wayson and Cardona were lined up with Exeter and Medbrook. Alicia had been motioned to join her father, Emory and Babcock. Luke was also with this latter group.

While Brilliard covered Cardona’s group, Lence held his gun toward Gaudrin’s corner. Dunwood Marr had attended to the frisking. Weapons lay beside the treasure. Choosing two guns, Marr handed one to Brilliard and the other to Lence. Each subordinate had a brace of revolvers.

“Look me over,” purred Marr. “The smoothest swindler in the business! Cyro! Revealed at last. Dunwood Marr, millionaire. Funny no one has ever troubled to investigate my Mexican mines.

“I own them. But they do not produce. That is why I undertook this quest for gold.” He glanced toward the treasure chests and chuckled. “Gold that is real. I’ll have my pick of doubloons, Gaudrin. My pick of all of them.”

Vicious of expression, Marr paused to survey the silent group. Savagely, he changed his tone as he snarled threats of doom.

“My swindles have been big ones,” he asserted. “Enough to enable me to continue my part as a millionaire. New dupes every year, plucked by my skilled workers. No wonder I have kept getting steady dividends from my pretended mines.

“But this pay-off needed crime — burglary and murder. It was big enough. Still, I tried to play my part. As Dunwood Marr, I was ready to stand among the dupes. Do you know where this treasure is going? To the Nautilus!

“You would never have found it there. After the robbery, with my minions scattered, I would have boarded my new yacht — to travel away with the purloined treasure. Police looking for crooks who carried nothing, while I, Cyro, sailed openly from Lake Pontchartrain.

“I knew the Nautilus was after treasure. I figured it a year ago, Gaudrin, when I took that cruise. That’s why I kept in touch with you. Well, I’ve reached the pay-off. What is more, I am going to leave as I intended. I shall be Dunwood Marr aboard the Nautilus. I shall say that I left this mansion early; before trouble started. That” — Marr paused insidiously — “will be a true statement.”

WITH an order to Brilliard and Lence, Marr swung from the center of the room. He opened the door to the hall. Those in the study heard him hiss a signal. Marr reentered. A few moments later, a dark-faced, mustached man joined him. Brilliard and Lence grinned as they saw Larribez.

“Jose Larribez,” introduced Marr, with a sneer. “Another friend, from Havana. He was not to meet you tonight. But I have altered my plan. I shall tell you why. Now that I am known as Cyro, I can not afford to leave living witnesses. All of you are doomed.

“Larribez has a crew from the water front. They will carry out this treasure.” One gun pocketed, Marr was locking the opened boxes. “They will take it to the Nautilus where I shall meet them. Lence has a squad of mobsters. They will attend to matters here. This place will be a shambles when they have finished.”

With Brilliard and Lence steady with two guns each, Marr stopped and calmly scooped up odd coins that lay upon the floor. Pocketing the gold, he turned toward Larribez.

“Ah, Senor Cyro,” purred Larribez, “you are ready that I should take the treasure? My men — they are waiting for—”

“Bring them,” ordered Marr.

Larribez walked from the room. Marr suddenly swung after him. He stopped Larribez at the door.

“Wait, senor!” he commanded. “Perhaps I have spoken too much. It is wise that we should plan our game most safely. We shall bring in the mobsmen first. They can cover these prisoners.”

So speaking, Marr leveled two guns toward the corner that Brilliard was covering. He told the Frenchman to take Lence’s place at the other station. Larribez reached to his pocket. Marr shook his head to indicate that it was not necessary.

“The prisoners are unarmed,” he sneered. “Be ready, Larribez. That is all. But your only concern will be the removal of the treasure.”

Then, speaking to Lence, Marr gave the final order:

“Signal Link Ruckert and his crew. From the back door. When they have arrived, we can have Larribez call his seamen.”

CONTEMPTUOUSLY, Marr centered his gaze on the helpless men before him. Proud of his part as Cyro, he could not resist the chance to add new sneers to the old. Glowering, fist-clenching men faced him. But the four in the corner knew that an attack would spell instant doom.

At close range, Marr held them helpless. Brilliard also had a group at bay. His prisoners included only two who might have put up a fight. Those were Danforth Gaudrin and Captain Emory. Luke quivering, was no more dangerous than old Professor Babcock or Alicia.

Joe Cardona and Lieutenant Wayson were grim. Royal Medbrook looked sour. Reginald Exeter, however, showed that he was on edge. He was thinking of more than his own life. Alicia Gaudrin, the girl he loved, had been doomed to die with the rest.

Exeter stared toward the other corner. He saw a brave expression on Alicia’s face. Tense, he was ready to spring at Marr. He restrained himself, realizing that the act would bring an immediate barrage. Wildly, Exeter stared about, hoping for some chance. His gaze fell upon Jose Larribez. Unnoticed, this new lieutenant had strolled to the door.

Meeting Larribez’s stare, Exeter was momentarily conscious of steady, burning eyes that peered from that sallow mustached face. He caught a slight nod of Larribez’s head. Turning, Exeter stared straight toward Dunwood Marr.

At that instant, a laugh burst from the door. Strident, fierce, it came like a shuddering signal of doom. Sinister merriment that shivered those who heard it. A mocking, taunting cry from the sallow lips of Jose Larribez.

Instinctively, Dunwood Marr glanced sidelong. Raoul Brilliard copied Cyro’s action. Larribez had been standing with folded arms. Those limbs were sweeping wide; from beneath Larribez’s coat came looming automatics.

Jose Larribez was The Shadow!

THE SHADOW had done more than spy upon the real Larribez. Last night, after hearing the Spaniard’s orders to Dombar, The Shadow had fallen upon Larribez with swift attack. He had bound and gagged Cyro’s lieutenant.

The Shadow had dealt with Larribez’s henchmen, at the Cafe Internationale. Then, disguised as Larribez himself, he had called upon Brilliard and Lence. As Larribez, he had learned their plans.

Waiting outside the Gaudrin mansion, The Shadow had been ready, in case Wayson and Cardona failed. Coming in at Marr’s signal, he had found Cyro revealed. Here for vengeance, The Shadow had turned the tide!