Evening star., 1941-05-04

ITO save herSeH, en-! OBrlen
her to play"
No David told him. "Hildreth
knew that LYDIA Mora was calling
on Carmody that evening. LYDIA, l
think, went to ask Carmody II 1t
were true that he had used his in
f1uence to void her divorce from
Derringer. Maybe Hildreth thought
LYDIA was romantically interested IN
Carmody-and was jealous"
THAT would be about it" Mark
Derringer broke in. LYDIA did make
a play for Carmody shortly after we
became estranged. Hildreth knew
about that"
The remainder of the day was
nightmare for David. He accom-
panied Martinez to police headQuar-
ters and witnessed the start OF the
search. Policemen were sent out,
instructed to do nothing but hunt
for the three persons whose des-
criptions Senor Martinez gave.
Martinez phoned the police at
Ponce, Arecibo, Mayaguez, Quay
anna. It seemed impossible,
to David, that LYDIA could long stay
missing in Puerto Rico. The island
was small, the police efficient.
No News Received.
But the hours passed. Reports
came in, bringing no news. There
were three false leads during the
dav. and Martinez and David sped
In a police car to investigate. When
thev were found false, David felt
fear as much as disappointment.
The nightmare of the day lasted,
ran into the soft tropc night. Mark
Derringer appeared at headquarters
at 3. He, too, had been searching
he said. He looked tired. He drew
his hand across his eyes; as II they
we're very tired. He wasn't wearing
his glasses.
"I'm afraid of this, Larsen" he
said. "If LYDIA was safe she would
have been found. Hildreth Wouldn't
know where to hide her. Shes
stranger here. Do you fear the
same thing that's worrying me?"
David knew what the man meant.
He said savagely, 81 don't want to
think that!"
Derringer had been gone but
minute or two when policeman
called in. Martinez took the call
and his sharp Latin face grew eX-
cited.
Here is something, Capt. Larsen!
Some soldiers were sightseeing in
the catacombs under the city. They
found a woman's handbag in a tun-
mel"
David didn't reply. He was al
ready striding toward the door.
Martinez brought the car to a
stop midway in a narrow side street
before the entrance to a narrow
alleyWay between two balconied,
l-windowed houses. David and
Martinez got out and entered the
alleyWay. Two policemen stood at
the door of an ancient, thick-Walled
building.
Finally, a Clue.
The policemen saluted and one
handed Martinez a white leather
handbag. THE soldiers found this
below in tunnel whose entrance
is in this building They gave it to
us and we went down. We found
nothing else"
Martinez said, DO you recognize
this bag, captain?'
David said thiCkly 1T belonged
30 Miss Mora, think"
They went into the centuries-old
building, and the poliCemen's flash
lights revealed an opening in the
stone floor with steps leading down.
They descended. The tunnel ran
straight and level in a westernly
direction. 1t was dark, very damp.
Their footsteps made sharp sounds
In the eerie quiet. After about 300
yards the policemen halted. They
had left a chalk mark on the stone
floor.
This is where the soldiers found
the handbag, SenoreS."
David took a flashLght from one
of them, played its beam over the
floor Finally he exclaimed Here's
something, Martinez"
There was a tiny heap of splin-
tered and crushed glass. David fin
eered a larger splinter. He was
puzzling over it when the one po-
liceman, having gone far ahead in
the tunnel, called back.