Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-20
BLUE MURDER
By Edmund Smell.
Thrilling . and
Peril.
By Edmund Smell.
whats the idea, Marney?"

Wnat 5 the lQea, Mdrney!
Ideal" echoed the other: why. it
into a peanut machine! D'you hap
pen to have made any more of these
sensational discoveries?"
The other smiled and shook his head.
I'm afraid that's about all-except
perhaps that the Lizard was wearing
the same gray hat and blue trench coat
as I saw in London I was too high
up to get look at his face"
Marney leaned back in his seat and
crossed his legs.
"D'you know what I think, young
Teller? In my opinion that guys an
ex-employe of some diplomatic service
or other, gone wrong. You see,- Digh-
ton, he knows too much for mere
outsider. He knew the secret of Tav-
erner's stairs, for example. That looks
that he should have been counting on
Daudot for one business when the
chief was negotiating with him for an
other"
How long has he been at the game"
asked Dighton.
The other slapped his thigh.
"A matter of weeks, that's all, as
far as I can figure it out. The vul-
lures were just gathering around Ahl-
borg's outfit, seeing which of 'em could
peck out his brain first, when the
lizard sailed like a streak of blue
lightning over the horizon and threw
in a few unwelcome complications"
Dighton wrinkled his forehead.
Hes out for the Pocket Death, like
the rest of us"
"Yep!" snapped Marney;.. that's a
dead certainty. It's equally evident
tl..% hoe ant fov lot Two Sy1cnortnd
It beforehand the story of the pearls
corroborates it,"
1.-THE question is" declared Dighton,
"is he trying to secure Ahlborg's in
vention for some other power-or for
himself? Is he a secret agent, with a
profitable side-line-Or Is his interest
in the Pocket Death purely personal?
It has been extraordinarily useful to
him up to date, you must remember"
1.-THE value of this new dope" said
the American, lis that it's more or
less silent, and that 1t reduces its VIC
TINS to powder within reasonably
short space of time. If 1t could be
altered SOS to leave out that blue stain
it'd be more valuable still. In ordinary
warfare the color business Is OF little
consequence; but from the point Of
view of a crooking wanting to cover up
his tracks, it matters whole lot. l
don't mind betting you Ahlborg's con-
centrating on that defect now"
Dighton reflected.
It was evident that his companion
preferred discussing the merits and de-
merits of the explosive rather than
committing himself to an opinion on
the questions raised.
"He's firing the stuff off pretty reck-
lessly," he announced after long ST.
lence. Covering up tracks may be OF
vital Importance to him at the mo-
ment, but from our point Of view, he's
been recklessly extravagant with
charges that are practically impossible
to replace. Unless, of course, he Is
confident of replacing them"
Marney glanced round.
How d'you mean?"
"He may have entered into some
agreement for the purchase of the stuff
already" returned Dighton. TITS un-
likely, grant you, but at this juncture
all sorts of unlikely things are liable
to happen. There's still another way OF
looking at it: If the Lizards the crook
we imagine him to be, he may be put
ting his services at anybody's disposal
providing the price is big enough"
I'm which case-?" queried Mar
ney, dropping the end Of his Toscano
and crushing it under his heel.
I'm which case Ahlborg may be pay
ing him to get that gun back!"
Stranger" said the other with a
look of undisguised admiration, you've
a lot of sound common-Sense in that
big head of yours. It's whole educa-
ton to listen to you'll"
IContin,,ed in T0n1orroW's Star)