The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-07-12

and presently sat down to rest upon
a little, lofty plateau where, in the
mountain scrub, grew lilies Of the
valley and white sun-rose.
Suddenly Mark became aware that
he was watched and found himself
face to face with the object Of his
search. Robert Redmayne stood
separated from him by a distance of
thirty yards behind the boughs of a
breast-high shrub.
But it appeared that the watcher
desired no closer contact. He turned
and ran, heading upward for a wild
tract of stone and scrub that spread
beneath the last precipices of the
mountain. Mark strove to run the
other down as speedily as possible,
that he might close, with strength
still sufficient to win the inevitable
battle that must follow, and effect a
capture.
He was disappointed, however, for
while still twenty yards behind ana
forced to make only a moderate pro-
gress over the rocky way he saw
Robert Redmayne suddenly stop,
turn and lift revolver. AS the red
man fired. the other flung UP his
arms, plunged forward on his face,
gave one convulsive tremor through
all his limbs, and moved no more.
The big man, painting from his exer
lions, approached only to see that
bis fallen victim showed no sign of
Life, the other, with his face amid the
alpine flowers, remained where he
had dropped, his arms outstretched.
his hands clenched, his body still,
blood running from his mouth.
The conqueror took careful note Of
the spot in which he stood and bring
ing a knife from his pocket blazed
the stem of young tree that rose
not very far from his victim. Then
he disappeared and peace reigned
above the fallen.
Many hours passed and then, after
night had flooded the hollow. there
sounded from close at hand strange
noises and the intermittent thud of
some metal weapon striking the earth
The din assembled from a rock which
lifted its gray head above a thicket
of juniper; and here, while the fat
summit of the boulder began to shine
whitley under the rising moon, a Ian
tern flickered and showed two shad-
ows busy above the excavation of an
oblong hole. They mumbled together
and dug in turn. Then one dark fig
ure came out into the open, took his
bearings. rtung lantern light ION the
blazed tree trunk, and advanced to a
~
by.
The dark, approaching figure saw
the object of his search and came
forward. His purpose was to bury
the victim, whom he had lured hither
before destroying, and then remove
any trace that might hnger upon the
spot where the body lay. He bent
down, put his hands to the Jacket
Of the motionless man, and then. as
he exerted his strength, a strange.
hideous thing happened. The body
under his touch dropped to pieces.
Its head rolled away; it's trunk be-
came dismembered and he fell back
ward heaving an anonymous torso
into the air. For, exerting the need
full pressure to move a heavy weight.
he found none and tumbled to the
ground holding up a coat stuffed
with grass.
The man was on his feet in an in.
slant, fearing an ambush; but aston
ishment opened his mouth.
"Corpo di Baccot" he cried, and
the exclamation rang in a note of
something like terror against the cliffs
and upon the ear Of his companion.
Neither rascal delayed a moment.
Their mingled steps instantly rang
out; then the clatter faded swiftly
upon the night and silence returned.
For ten minutes nothing happened.
Next, out Of lair not fifteen yards
from the distorted dummy, rose a fig
ure that shone white as snow under
the moon. Mark Brendon approached
the snare that he himself had set,
shook the grass out Of his coat, lifted
his hat from the ball of leaves it COW
cred, and presently drew on his knick
erbockers, having emptied them of
their stuffing. He was cold and calm.
He had learned more than he expected
to learn; for that startled exclamation
left no doubt at all concerning one
Of the grave-diggers. It was Giuseppe
Doria who had come to move the
body, and there seemed little doubt
that Brendon's would-be murderer
was the other.
The operations of the detective from
the moment that he fell headlong, ap-
parently to rise no more, may be
briefly chronicled.
With loaded revolver still in his
opponents hand, he could take no
risk and fell accordingly. Brendon
had simulated death for a while, but
when satisfied Of his assailants de-
parture, presently rose, with no worse
hurts than a bruised face. a badly bit
ten tongue. and a wounded shin.
Mark guessed that until darkness
returned he might expect to be un-
disturbed. He walked back, tnere-
fore, to his starting place. and round
the pacekt Of food which he had
brought with him and a flask Of red
wine left beside st.
After a meal and a pipe he made
his plan and presently stood again
on the rough ground beneath the
cliffs, where he had pretended so
realistically to perish. He expected
Redmayne to return and guessed that
another would return with him. His
hope was to recognize the accomplice.
With infinite satisfaction he heard
Giuseppe's voice. and even an ele-
ment of grim amusement attended the