Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-14
BLUE MURDER
By Edmund Smell.
TAg stsry Crime and
By Edmund Smell.

relieve us from any danger at ALL" he
added With flash of his teeth. I'D be
a deal happier!"
! But it's good, don't you Think"
/ Marney slapped his knee.
| Good? Of course it's good. I'll slip
| along and tell the chief about it in a
minute, but I reckon he'll have no OBJ
| jections There's just one thing,
| though: "What1l Ahlborg and his
driver be doing while we're breaking
! imp"
Wen have to tie them up and leave
| them for Tavener to look after" He
bit his lip. That's the only weak
point in the scheme. We can't let
| Ahlborg live"
Marney frowned.
Keep a round of his accursed dope
for him when he comes out. II you
feel Squeamish about it. I'll fire it. He
deserves 1t anyway"
He poured himself out some cognac
and drained the glass to the bottom.
Presently he clapped on his hat and
set out to find Taverner.
Shivering there in the ditch, with
water accommodating on the brim of his
hat and falling down the front of his
waterproof every time he moved his
head, Marney felt anxious about his
companion. These stunts were all very
we'll in fine weather, but on a night
like this. with a STRONG Southwestern
whistling through the hedge at their
backs and the rain coming down in
bucketsful. he began to wish he were
back in the little room behind the
shop.
He muttered something under his
breath and Dighton laughed.
What the deuce are you grousine
about?" he demanded. L tell you the
stars in their course are fighting
Marney grunted. but said nothing
We'll. aren't they?" insisted the
other, "Nobody's going to see enough
through the windows of that saloon to
arouse their suspicious"
His face was stiff with the makeup
Marney had piled on with generous
disregard for his coat-collar: the
spirit-gun hurt him every time he
moved, and stray bits of crepc-hair
were working their way down between
his collar and his neck.
There's Ahlborg's car coming down
the drive now" called the American
from . gap in the hedge IF Taverner
doesn't show up within the next two
minutes, were Done!
Dighton stared into the darkness.
Far away to his left, a pair of head
lights .shone dimly.
Here he is, old son! Where's ALL
borg now?"
They're opening the gates You were
right about that cop. I caught his out
line second ago, rife and ALI"
He dropped down beside Dighton as
the light from the oncoming saloon
swept the road.
He'll" yelled Marney against the
storm Hes before his time! He's
beaten us!"
The younger man had drawn the
Pocket Death from his coat and vas
crQuching on the wet grass by the
roadside
Ahlborg's driver had seen the other
car now and was footing violently With
the saloon almost abreast Of the watt
ing men, the hired car came chugginc
forward on its wrong side, as If asking
for head-on collision, swerved vio-
,lently and came to so sudden a halt
that the engine stopped. 1t was a Won
derful piece of work, timed to a nicely.
and Dighton was more than perplexed
to discover how it had been arranged
until he recognized Taverner, cigar in
mouth and gray hat tilted at an angle,
calmly In possession of the wheel
The business began in earnest.
Narney, quicker even than the Eng
lishHlan, had leaped onto the runnin'
board and got the driver covered. Digh J
ton wrenched open door and con-