The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-07-12
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They mumbled together and dug in
turn. Then one dark figure came
out into the open, took his bearings,
flung lantern light on the blazcd
tree trunk, and advanced to a brown,
motionless hump lying hard 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
hithcr before destroying, and then
remove any trace that might linger
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,
strange, hideous thing happened.
The body under his touch dropped
to pieces. It's head rolled away; its
trunk became dismembcred and he
fell backward heaving an amorrh.
GUS torso into the air. For, exert
ing the needful pressure to move I.
heavy weight, he found none and
tumbled to the ground, holding up
coat stuffed with grass.
The man was on his feet in an
instant, fearing an ambush; but as
constituent opened his mouth.
"Corpo di Bacco!" he cried, and
the exclamation rang in a note of
something like terror against the
cliffs and upon the ear of his COM
panion. Neither rascal delayed a
moment. Their mingled steps in
stantly rang out; then the clatter
faded swiftly upon the night and
silence returned.
For ten minutes nothing happen
cd. Next, out of lair not fifteen
yards from the distorted dummy,
rose figure that shone white as
snow under the moon. Mark Brcn-
don approached the snare that he
himself had set, shook the grass out
of his coat, lifted his hat
from the ball of leaves it covered.
and presently drew on his knicker-
bockers, having emptied them of
their stuffing. He was cold and
calm. He had learned more than
he. expected to learn; for that
start.Nl exclamation left no doubt
at all concerning one of the grave
dlggers. 1t was Giuseppe Doria'
who had come to move the body. and
there seemed little doubt that Bren-
don's would-be murderer was the
other.
The operations of the detective
from the moment that he fell head
long, apparently to rise no more.
may be briefly chronicled.
With a loaded revolver still in his
opponents hand, he could take no
risk and fell accordingly. Brcndon
had simulated death for while. but
when satisfied of his assailant's de-
parture, presently rose, with no
worse hurts than a bruised far. q
badly bitten tongue, and a wounded
shin.
Mark guessed that until darkness
returned he might expect to be un-
disturbed. He walked back, there
iore' to his starting place, and found
the packet of food which he had
brought with him and flask of rod
wine left beside it.
After meal and pine he made
ms plan and presently stood again
on the rough ground beneath the
cliffs, where he had pretended so
realistically to perish. He expected
Fedmayne to return and guessed
that another would return with him.
His hope was to recognize the ac-
With infinite satisfaction he
heard Giuseppe's voice, and even An
element of grim amusement attend.
ed the Italians shock and his sub
sequent snipe-like antics as he
leaped to safety before an antici-
pated revolver barrage.
CHAPTER XIV
A Ghost.
The next morning, while he rub
bed his bruises in a hot bath, Bren-
ION determined upon course of ac-
ton. He proposed to tell Jenny and
her husband exactly what had hap
pened to him, merely concealing the
end of the story.
He breakfasted, lighted his pipe
and limped over to Villa Pianezzo.
He was not in reality very lame. but
accentuated the stiffness. Only AS
sunta appeared, though Brendon's
eyes had marked Doria and Jenny
together in the neighborhood of the :
'ilkworm house as he entered the
garden. He asked for Giuseppe and,
having left Brendon in the sitting
.oom OF the villa, Assunta departed.
Aimoss Immediately afserward Jenny
greeted him with evident pleasure
tut reproved him.
I'VE waited an hour for sunner,
he said, "then Giuseppe would wait
10 longer. l was beginning tn get
and l have beer fright
'ned all night. / am thankful 70
zee you, for feared something SER
GUS might have happened"
Something serious did h.rr.,
We got strange story to tell. Is
'our husband within reach? He
must hear 1T, too, think. He NAV =,
e IN some danger as we'll as 9th.
She expressed impatience and
hook her head. 1
cant You believe me-? But Of
curse you can't. Why should Won? n
'oria in danger! However, if Won
lark." ms
u was the first time that she had
nus addressed him ,sI -.
but the temptation to con-
'o e., IN her lasted not moment.
tContinued in Our Next .Is.n.s 4