Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-21
BLUE MURDER
By Edmund Smell.
Battle With Crime and
Rescue O in
Bv Edmund Smell.

Perched on the edge Of his bunk,
in a suit of faded pink pajamas, ne
looked thinner than ever.
you'll have to rub shoulders with
all sorts and conditions-and you can't
keep your mouth too shut. I've opened
mine a deal more than meant to to-
night. but it's rare that 1 find myself
in company that suits me. Say when
you're ready and I'll turn out the
light"
Dighton had scaled the steps pro-
vided and had sprawled into COM
Portable position between the sheets.
When do they blow in for the pass
ports?"
Somewhere around g. No need to
turn out. Are you fixed?"
Eyes. Switch her off. Er-good
night. Marney."
"Night-night," croaked the little man
from below-and the light went out.
Dighton slept for four and half
hours right off the reel 1t vas still
dark when he awoke. The express was
in station-he read Aix-les-Bains on
lamp.
In spite of the heated compartment,
he realized that it was colder outside,
considerably colder than it had been in
Paris At the next waking points,.
Jean de Maurienne-piled heaps of
snow showed in ghostly whiteneSS
against the darkness. He saw it on
the roofs of coaches as they slipped
past the window.
He dozed off to the notes OF a sous
chiefs trumpet signaling them out
and the next thing he knew was 4
frozen mountain that made the bed
clothes feel like paper and polite
Italian performing his customary duties
at the frontier station.
1t was quite light now and they
were two hours late.
Your passport, Signore?'
He dived his hand in a pocket and
produced the required document
The official thanked him and passed
on. Customs officers followed, asking
questions and flourishing little pieces
of colored chalk The door had barely
closed when it slid open again to admit
a stout French commissaire, with
bristling mustaches and an aggressive
| stare.
Somehow Dighton suspected that his
visit had to do with the tragedy in the
rue DIES Acacias.
He asked for his passport again and
examined it from cover to cover.
You have come straight from Eng
land. m'sieur?"
"Oui, m'sieur."
| Dighton knew what he was looking
for-the stamp of the port OF diSem-
barkation-the purple impression that
showed when he had landed at Havre.
"You did not stop in Paris?"
Non, m'Sieur."
The other closed the passport and
| observed Dighton for some moments,
with his hands clasped behind him.
"You are travelling for business or
| for pleasure?"
smiled
"Bien. m'sieur!"
The document was in his hand again
and the door had closed behind the
| visitor.
.Phew!" murmured Marney from the
| lower berth. That was narrow
shave. young Teller! If you'd waited
til tomorrow it'd have been all up
It was the date that saved you there!
D.ghton was glad when the wait
was over, when they were equipped
with electric locomotives fore and ali
and speeding up the curved in line
toward Mont Gents. 1t was not until
thew were through the tunnel that ht
breathed again. The shabby snow
rooted French buildings had giver
place to gayly distempered houses. with
square fronts and painted frescoes
Bevcrd the natural barrier OF TIL;
mountains even the landscape hae
altered Little soldiers in gray-greer
capes came into view, peasants draolJ
picturesque and middle-claSS me-,
wrarped in their cloaks like medieval
conspirators. .4
He read Bardonecohia in big letters
| of dull red.
They were in Italy.
ITO be continued tomorrow