Evening star., 1925-10-09
Unmasking II Villain.

tieHiS, IuSH past HeT ana
through the door, which locked only
on the outside. But she was frail of
build and weak from sleeplessnesS
and anguish. Fanny C;illett WAS an
Amazon compared to her. With
strong hands she seized the chair and
wrenched ii from Eve. flnginS it on
the floor. The girl fell back with a
moan of despair. But all hope was
not vet dead IN her heart. AS the big
woman rushed upon her she lodged
under the greedy, outstretched arms,
got to the door and had it half open
when Fanny seized her by the throat.
With Il kick the nurse slammed the
door shut again. She had to kill Eve
now. Even If her soul sickened at the
Job, it had got to he done. for her
own protection. The small cold
hands, sparkling with rings. grasped
her wrists. There was more strength
in them than Fanny would have
dreamed But there was no question
"f how the battle must end. She
squeezed the slim throat-the throat
that Kennedy Haste had loved and
kissed. Tighter,-tighteri The clasp
on her wrists relaxed.
Dagon had promised Wells that he
would wait If nothing unforeseen
happened
He did wait-tve minutes. perhaps
ana then nfdIu l1it Souil'i VI i''h
steps. Into the lighted cellar came
the fine figure of Marianti. the Italian
butler.
The handsome old man was in
dressing. gown and slippers. but even
50 he was dignified. his white hair un-
rutflcd, his tace serene and noble
'Sisnore." he exclaimed, surprised
at sight of DaGon standing beside
square dark aperture III the stone
floor. "Si-nore mio.
.\Vhat brings YOU down here. Ma.
ranti?" the detective asked. quietly,
as the old mans dark eyes roNed IRON
him To the hole in the floor and back
again
II ear noises in ze 'ouse, sare. the
butler explained. Il ave fear Zitre
may lie tieves. Dio. siGnore. You
ave find something strange ere
yes.
Yes" echoed Dagon.
Ave | your permission. sare. to
come closer, to look at Zis ole you
ave discover"
..,'ertainly," the detective said. His
face was expressionless, but his eyes
rlittered They were fixed on Ma
rianti, while the old man. his handS
plunged deep into the pockets OF ms
dressin" gown as if for warmth in the
chill of the cellar. stepped SlnSerlS
toward the hole in the floor. Sudden
W. iusr at the last count of the sec
ond he sprans. y knife cleaned ana
-Dagon caught his wrist.
For an instant he believed he had
won. for he had surprised the man
who thought himself unsuspected.
lie was strong. too, but the other was
stronger. Marianti edged him toward
The hole, and Dagon read his wish
10 throw him down there ana close
the stone. He would lie stunned at
the bottom Of the pit. his neck broken
perhaps. Marianti imagined that he
alone knew of this holes existence.
and that none would ever guess how
or where Dagon had vanished. The
defective hated to be mastered by
this prey which he had hunted. but
for the sake of others, rather than MS
own. he couldn't risk Il stab just now
Wells Haste" he yelled. Hurry!
The Italian started as If the raised
knife had struck into his own hesh.
Mechanically he flung a quick glance
over his shoulder TO see If he had
heen bIuffed and Dagon seized the
chance he had wanted and lost for a
moment-to test his jiujitsu. he was
a rank amateur. a mere tEi'o OF the
art. but that backward glance lost
Narianti He crashed down in heap'
with a howl of anguish drawn forth
nv a 1WlSIeN SllOuluCi JoAiis
Rawdon Wells and Kennedy haste
bounded down the stairs.
.I've got him. painted Dagon, VINO
had secured the knife and seated him.
self on the writhinS body But ne
almost got me.
'eMarianti. the butler! cried Wells.
What the devil
THAT'S the word for him-deVli,
Dagon agreed But his names not
Marianti. Don't YOU suspect yet
II don't know what you mean, SAID
Rawdon.
..Well. I've suspected the double
identity for a day or two. l was only
waiting to make sure. l didn't see
this chance coming the way II mas.
But it's bit Of luck. My. but he's a
lively one. He wriggles like snake.
What have we got to tie his hands
with behind his back?''
"Tbe cord of his own dressing
Gown" said Haste, and slipped 1T off.
you're killing me. My shoulders
hroken,' groaned the man, and Raw
don Wells jumped as if he had been
shot.
ed. "It sounds
'Because it is--the voice of Paolo
Magnani.' Dragon cut in. Il knew II
was Magnani at the bottom of all TINS
knew. but couldn't prove. Ana
everything conspired to upset my
theory 1t wasn't till my man Ia
sent to skye got into a house at
Portree where MaCnani was supposed
IN he III, and found no one but Davis,
who used to be butler here. that
was sure who this fellow was.
knew he was in the job. ever since he
burnt some towels with blood on
them in Your fireplace, TO strengthen
the case against YOU in spite OF ran
dora Haste But | was a fool not 10
see the whole thing from that minute.
Didn't Magnani always boast that no
actor in Europe could touch MN ao,
,nake.up and disguise on the stage
WHY not IN private life? 1t took that
neu-s from Skye to beat 1t into my
thick head. But now. with your per
,,,ission. we'll have some fun with
him. I've been spelling Tor it..
"PaoIo Magnani-my cousin-mE
friend broke out Wells. staring at
The man who lay bound upon the moor.
The Italian had ceased to struggle.
He was in hideous pain.
"F,t tu. Brute. and all the rest OF
,tr said Dagon. giving back glare
for glare to the black eyes cursinG
hdm from the floor. Listen. Sir
Rawdon, did you ever promise to
leave money or anything to your dear
cousin?' ,,.,
eyerything I have if I should die un-
married Wells answered bitterly.
Gwen this house. which | could do.
as I'm the last of the line. l1e-ln a
way felt owed it to him. You see.
his mother and mine We're sisters.
His was singer. My father met her
in Naples. and fell in love-or thought
-, Tbay 1rere going to he married.