"Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 252 - Judge Lawless" - читать интересную книгу автора (Grant Maxwell)

"Oyez, oyez, oyez! The court of Judge Lawless is now in session, and will
come to a state of disorder!"
To disorder it did come, as the crowd sat down again. Dave heard loud
guffaws, which showed how the throng appreciated this mockery of justice.
Among
the chortles that sounded in Dave's ear were many wisecracks. One in
particular
that brought a round of laughter, was when someone said:
"Oyez? Oh, yeah!"
 Again the gavel pounded, proving that even in this mock court there could
be a limit to travesty. As the group quieted, Dave looked toward the platform
and saw the bowed man raise his head. As sharp as a knifestab, the
significance
of that man's title struck home.

JUDGE LAWLESS!

More than a title, it was a description. Never could any other man have
so
fitted his name. From hunched shoulders glared a face that was ugly, bloated,
to
a satanic degree.
Wide lips showed the bulge of teeth above an underslung jaw. Topping a
flattish nose were narrowed eyes that could only be called glinting slits,
considering the beadlike gaze behind those nearly closed lids. The grizzled
hair of this self-styled judge, instead of giving him a dignity, added to his
demoniac expression.
There was a clatter on the table, and Dave saw that from beneath it Judge
Lawless had brought a small pair of scales. Dave suddenly realized that the
table, of boxlike pattern, was supposed to represent a judge's bench; or,
rather, a bar of injustice.
As Dave watched, Judge Lawless dropped weights on one side of the
balance,
but instead of going down that side of the scale moved up, much to the
merriment
of the assembled unworthies.
Again, Judge Lawless pounded with his gavel, producing what could be
termed a quiet disorder. Surveying the group with those gimlet eyes of his, he
singled out men and beckoned them to the bench. There, in undertones, they
conferred with Judge Lawless, evidently giving him reports on criminal
activities in which they had been engaged.
To others, the "judge" obviously issued instructions that must have
pleased them, considering that when they left the bench their lips carried an
imitation of the Lawless leer, which seemed to be remarkably contagious.
It wasn't easy to make out faces in the dim light, but Dave managed it,
though without the success he wanted. Not one of those faces belonged to
Delker, the man he had hoped to find here.
Menz turned his sallow face Dave's way. It was a narrow face, with sharp
chin, and it looked sharp-toothed, too, as Menz grinned. The crook who posed
as