San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-10
(SS
Az A.
~ DOUGLAS GRANT
ey Douot As GRANT
70 Ns4 NsA stsVIee INC

''Police Headquarters, Shaftstown.
I want only the shoemaker. The rest
may CO."
Giovanni, he not-a here-w be-
gan a sallOw little man eagerly, but
his erstwhile guests paused in their
scurrying exit to denounce him with
one acclaim and he bowed to the in
evitable.
wat you wanna wit me!' he de-
manded sullenly when Mike lad
climbed i'm at the sashless aperture.
Just to ask you some questions,
Giovanni. If you'll answer 'em truth
fully III forget i ever saw this little
game, but if you lie I'll take you
up for running it and you'll answer
'em over at Shaftstown."
Giovanni protested volubly that he
was well known as the most truthful
man in Kingsville and although he
knew nothing he would say whatever
the police officer might require, but
Mike cut him short.
"All right. What time do you open
your shop in the morning."
Seek o'clock. Da boys stop before
go to de job"
"Nevcr mind about that! Did you
ODtu ut SlA luct uCSuuN
Giovanni nodded. evidently amazed
at the question. Then his dark eyes
widened.
'Da day Of da beega wreck"
Nothing to do with the wreck ~
Mike retorted impatiently. "Did you
see the Z. o'clock trolley from Shafts
town stop at the station over there
and a lame lady get Out!'
Giovanni smiled and shrugged.
1T was not da lady who was
creepled. but her shoe! Da heel is
loose an in da station it come off so
she limp over here an / fix-a it on
for her. A very fine-a young senorina
but ina da troub'."
What trouble do you mean" Mike
asked quickly. >"How do you know?'
"She cry. She t'ink l not-a see but
I could not'a help" Giovanni spread
out his hands. "She tremb', she
shake-a Ikea da leaf in da win. j
do not know wat is dis-a troub'. but
it seem Ikea she is scared Of some
ting, maybe somebod'! She mus go
away Queek but dere is-a no train,
an she ask ola me we'ere is-a da
garage. I tell-a her dat one, an wen
her heel is-a fix, she CO."
He had pointed to the lighted SER
vice station before which the long
lined roadster still stood and Mike
demanded eagerly:
Did she hire car there? Did
you see her leave? Which direction
did they go in?"
"Sure / see." Giovanni nodded
affirmatively. "She make-a da queek-
a da, barg' wit Holloran-hees-a da
prop'-an' den she drive-a off Ikea
da dew data way"
He indicated the turnpike leading
to the main state road to New York
and Mike exclaimed
"She didn't drive herself"
mo. Frank-a Halloran, da son of
da prop. hees-a drive da beeg-a red
car, an da lady she sta all alone
behind !"
"What did the lady look like?'
Mike reached into his pocket and his
informant's eyes began to glisten.
"Like-a da beautiful senoritas OF
our Sicily-blo-onde. Giovanni ran
his fingers in ecstasy through his
own oily black hair. "Da leetle-a
shoe, it is-a SO small 1 can hardly
hol it ina my ham when 1 fix-a da
heel. She carry black-a bag, vera
fine bag, an she do not-a one time
let-a it out OLA her hands"
"That's enough, Giovanni. / guess
that's the lady we've been asked to
trace" Mike handed him a bill.
THAT'S to pay for your broken win
dow. but if / ever hear of your say
ing one word about this little talk
we've had
The grateful Giovanni. swearing
the silence of the grave, let him out
the back way and he proceeded at
once to the garage. The car at its
door was evidently ready for imme-
diate departure, for the mechanics
had both drawn aside and a huge.
burly individual in a sweater stood
talking to a tall man in motoring
toys with one hand resting on the
wheel. He wore a visored cap and
his face was in shadow but his COM
panion's was full in the lisht and it
bore look Of honest satisfaction es
if at n lob we'll ACCOMPLISHED.