Evening star., 1933-01-07

/ This is too lovely. l just want
| 4 to live out in the sun and bask
| like a lizard for days and days.
And are there jewels in lizards
head?" Armand asked, significantly, "ol
| is that toad?"
"A toad" she said, which means,
! suppose, that we must hop. Don't
strike a woman, Armand!" But he did,
with a bit of roll, paid the check, and
they moved on.
Beyond Nice the Corniche road curves
incredibly along a rocky ledge above the
! sea. and on one of these turns, close to
Villefranche a car came out of the in
visible bend behind a great elbow OF
crumbling rock and sped up the incline
on the opposite side of the bay going
toward Monte Carlo. Both of them saw
it at the same moment, and despite the
warning sign which quantity begged
them to relent. Armand Immediately
increased his speed. The tires groaneo
as he flew around the corners, but the
car ahead was well in advance.
"I'll bet he's just got here!" Alacia
called into the wind. Must have come
in from Grenoble, at Nice! Funny to
catch up like this"
Not half as funny as it's going to
bel" he shouted with relish. Just wait
until 1 get hold OF him; we're going to
have this thing out right now"
But this was more easily said than
done. Somehow it seemed impossible to
lessen the distance between the two
cars. They were perfectly matched for
speed and both men were eXtraordl-
narily skilfJl drivers, and, fortunately,
there was little traffic, for the Cornlche
was scarcely built for racing. 1t was
impossible to be sure whether the men
in the Europa ahead had seen their
purSuerS or not, although the sWltt
steadiness of their pace seemed account
ed for in that manner. Certainly there
was nothing to prevent Santini recog-
nizing the car which strove vainly to
gain upon him, but the nature OF the
road made it unlikely that he would
look back. and the curves were, in any
event, concealing Santinis speed was
utterly reckless and there must be, Ar
mand decided, a good reason for IL,
since If he had already got rid OF the
rubies. there was no object In this
apparent refusal to be overtaken. Then.
with the border of the principality OF
Monaco in sight, Santini slackened his
pace. Nowhere else in the world are
traffic laws so rigidly enforced, and the
goId-laced guardians of the peace ap-
parentIy earn their innumerable medals
in proportion to the number OF their
arrests for speeding. Armand followed
suit, slowing down and maintaining a
reasonably cautious distance, followed
into the town.
"He NAV look around any moment
now" he said, "or spots us IN MS
mirror. I am curious to see what hes
going to do when he's certain he cam
escape up!"
BLOW your horn and stop him!" she
cried. "Oh, Armand, he may get away
Not in Monte Carlo!" he said lightly
Don't be absurd! He's known here
and expected 1t won't be as easy to
avoid us as all thatl"-
AS Armand spoke, both cars began
climbing the ramp of the hill leading
from the port to the Casino, and Ar
mand had more difficulty in keeping
track of the leading car, being Obliged
to dodge around trolleys and slow-mov-
ing traffic, and, emerging into the flow
cry little place in front Of the gambling
rooms, he was barely in time to see
Santini take the hill road to Beausoleil,
the upper section of Monte Carlo.
Turning right at the foot of the funic-
ular railroad, Santini began the steep
ascent in haste, and Armand followed,
the narrow twisting street climbing up
and up until it seemed that machine
could not possibly make the grade. Just
in front of Armand's car was light
taxi cab with a high, old-fashioned
body and the seemingly accidental in
terYention of this vehicle made 1t in
creasingly difficult to keep Santini in
slight. Passing was not only forbidden
but highly dangerous and most Of the
time Santini was completely hidden
for the corners came at short intervals
but it was evident that he must still be
somewhere ahead for here were no In
tersecting roads. Then suddenly they
saw him for moment through a gap
in the tall buildings, his car still crawl
ing upward, steadily. And a second
later the taxi driver Immediately in
front held out his hand.s He was about
to make turn which was still invisible
to Armand and Alacia. Perforce, Ar