Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-08

American had become hero-wor-
shiper in the passage of single night.
He had prophesied for Dighton a long
run of successes-and was annoyed at
this first setback.
He tried to see what had happened
Immediately before Greta's disappear
ance. Working backward, following up
information cleaned from various
sources since the affair he came to the
conclusion that the Lizard had not
| ventured upon this latest exploit with
out the aid of accomplices.
| He had received news of Miss Hayes
departure from England and had joined
her tain somewhere along the route
before it reached Rapallo.
| Marney frowned.
There was hitch here somewhere.
| If the Lizard had followed Greta
| from her train, why had he not taken
advantage of the many opportunities
of surprising her which must have pre-
| scented themselves during her fruitless
search for Dighton? He would have
had all the advantage of darkened
streets and deserted thoroughfares.
There would have been no need for
| violence.
He snapped his fingers.
Either the Lizard had remained in
/
Greta to some agent-or he had heard
on his arrival of Dopmanns projected
raid on the Villa Sabine and been
forced to change his tactics.
This latter theory was disquieting. 1t
suggested among other things that
Dighton and he had been watched. In
which case the bandit probably knew
or had guessed in what house he would
have to look for the apparatus they
had spirited away.
With the lights of the Casino in sight
Marney turned on his heel and went
back.
1t was one thing to get back from
| the Lizard what he had taken, it was
another to insure that he did not crown
the achievements of the day by a Sec
ond coup! ~
He routed out the burly Fontanelli
Now, see here, Fontanelli," he said
''there may be other people after those
things in the cellar. I don't say they
know that they're here, but there's a
big chance that they do. In any case
we're not taking risks Keep lookout
while I'm away. want to protect
what we've got, you understand. II
anybody does look in, I'd like to gel
a look at his face"
Fontanelli drew his hand across his
mouth and nodded grimly.
"Capito, signore," he said.
If they come at ALL" pursued Mar.
ney. they'll come soon."
The other nodded
Il shall be ready, Signore"
You can't use gun: it'd make toe
much noise. What are you going to dc
about it?"
For answer Fontanelli drew a knife
from a trousers pocket and exposed
to the electric light a narrow blads
fully seven inches in length
Holding it by the point he drew tbs
americans attention to the portrait Of
a woman hanging on the far wall. q
dusty, dingy thing in an unglazed
frame that had once formed the upper
half of a colossal calendar
Marney, observing him curiously. saw
MS right hand witch in a curious
backhand way The next thing hf
knew was the knife landing with com.
mendable accuracy in the center of tbs
woman's throat!
Some thrcw!" murmured the little
man thoughtfully.
Fontanelli grinned
When I was a boy" he admitted
proudly, II could split an apple at q
distance of 20 PAGES. That was ir
Sicily, signore; they do these thing!
better down there!"
He strolled over and plucked tn.
knife from the wall.
va benew said Marney from thu
doorway. Il leave it in your hand,
entirely. If you can hold the fellow
without killing him, so much the bet.
ter! shall be away an hour, maybe
two. If you want me. send some on
TO look around the Casino gardens
The group under the trees had van
ished when Marney passed the spot fol
a second time and the notes of the
mandolin were no longer audible.
Harking back to the old line of rea.
soning. he decided that the Lizard hat
at least one agent either on the Casino
staff or sufficiently we'll known at tbs
hotel to enable him to move about
without fear of arousing suspicion.
The Pocket Death had disappeared
1rom Dlghton's room through some such
channel as this and his revolver haC
been emptied of cartridges.
THESE, Marney felt certain, were
small yet important details to which
the Lizard did not attend personally
1t was possible, too, that a signal from
a window that morning had given hin
his cue to enter.
he more than suspected Mafalda
| PaSquali.
1t was strange that she had nIaved
INTO Dlghton's hands so easily, stranger
sun that the Lizard should have sur.
prlSeo tnem at the foot of the cliffs or
the nrst night of their acquaintance.
AND yet, If she indeed were tn
lizards accomplice, she did not APP
to have rendered him very Ell
service.
The bandit had had to travel r.
London and raid Taverner's study in
oToer 20 obtain the only instrument
Wnicn, TO Marney's knowledge, had left
Anioorg's laboratory before Dightor
LOOK hand. With an agent estab.
nShed IN the villa, such a move should
nave been unnecessary.
ne entered the Casino gardens by
the turnstlle. The dance orchestra We
playing in the ballroom. Couples
Illtted past the lighted windows.
ne caught the swift shutting move
meht OF many feet over a polished
floor, bursts of feminine laughter, the
varied, bizarre noises made by an en-
crgetic jazz drummer.
Raising himself on tiptoe, he recog-
nized Mafalda presently, dancing with
a stout man with close-cropped hair
"AAoAh AVG uey h1lSW DIS one OF a Ger
man deputation that had come to see
Ahlborg during the previous Summer.
He found a seat and sat down.
Complications were setting in!
Here was Germany trying for the
invention by force on the one night
and negotiation on the next! Either
their staff work was faulty or ex-
traordinarily subtle.
Whichever way it was, it was irri-
tating to Marney. who had come here