Evening star., 1928-09-27
"Who was the big fellow?"

"who was the big fellow?"
Heinrich Dopmann himself. He's
got his marching orders from Berlin
right enough. If he pulls 1t off-theyll
be advertising for a new waiter at the
Nettuno tomorrow"
Dighton Strengthened his shoulders.
Looking up at him, the American no.
ticed that his chin had taken on an
aggressive tilt.
"Dopmanns not pulling anything on
tonight, old son." he asserted. IF this
precious scheme of his shows signs Of
holding water at ALL I'm going to take
advantage Of it. Kicking my heels
about in Rapallos getting on my
nerves."
"You?" calculated Marney. What
d'you mean?"
You'll see" said the other, when
the time comes"
He increased the pace until the
shorter man had difficulty in keeping
up with him.
"Hullo" announced Dighton pres
emily, the raids started and the de-
Tending partyS got wind of it!"
From the far side of AhlborgS terri
tory, vehement and awe-inSpiring, came
the deep baying Of the hounds. +.
Marney, painting up the final slope to
grounds Of the Villa Sabine, stared at
the back Of the man in front. and his
gaze carried with it pleasurable antici-
patton combined with g. touch of ap-
prehenSion.
This eaSy-going, eaSy-tempered Eng
lishman had changed SO suddenly that
1t was difficult to believe he was the
same being. Somewhere between their
slipping into the field and out of it
again the subtle transformation had
taken place. He had entered the gap
raw novice, looking up to the Ameri-
can for sympathy and guidance; he had
repaSsed it with determination shining
from his blue eyes and every sense alert.
There was no doubt in Marney'S mind
at that moment who was the real leader
of their little party of two.
He held his head high. like a war
horse Scenting battle. Without need of
warning from the Older man, he walked
in the shadows . . :. nOlSeleSSly
warily. He might have been back on
the western front again, with platoon
camoufiaged into niger minstrels be-
hind him. ready to fall prone at the
first star shell lighting up the heavens.
In the prospect OF scrap he had
forgotten Mafelda, forgotten the dance
method of entry to the villa, forgotten
even Greta. Dimly at the back of his
UAlCIC iAOIAOiA VA NOFCA-
ing the loss of the Pocket Death by OBJ
tanning possession of a weapon of i'm
proved design perhaps-certainly more
fully charged Of one thing he was
very certain-whatever the result of the
foray might be, he was going all-out to-
night
At the point where on his first visit
he had encountered the dogs he held
up his hand and waited. The din of
barking, still inceSSant and aWe-in-
spring. was comparatively distant. 1t
came from somewhere beyond the gates
"D'you see, Marney," he whispered
back when they were almost up to
them, they're pretending to raid from
two points on the far side of the trees
Clever that! It's divided the pack and
got 'em confused"
They dropped into the ditch on the
far side of the road as the lodge door
opened and short, Stumpy man came
out, putting on his hat. Through the
vertical rails of the double gate they saw
the oblong of yellow light falling across
the drive from the doorway, the Scraggy,
ill-nourished cat that had followed its
master out-and the grim Nemesis that
overcame the servant before he had
time to utter sound.
Dopmann did not risk revolver shot
Springing from the shadows beyond
the gates with a SuddenneSS that sent
the cat scuttling back into the house.
he throttled the gatekeeper out of hand.