◆ SpookStack

we eH ; Tauck ie. be greeted By - . wrod Badd: "T pee Poucye goiiihe monsy—good Now lett a ; What"el anid, “count ax infillon Rag standing up in the > pouring: 1 en's be ally.” ‘Phat segmed ta satisty him, for J waa Gren allowed back on the Jaunch and intreduced to the Tan in charge. He wes called Piette and was another awarthy Ttalian who spoke Amrrican-Bogiish. . At thet point Recco ans nounced that I would be going on tie trip alone and. before 2 could guestion thin atnings ' @egiston the lIsunch moved - gway down the Grant Canal, ;” T set down in the cabin 6 - $hink out my next move. Aa ip agdiiion fo the captdin, there 5 BR havigator and a tabs rator on board, I deciied 1 ove around to try te And out ¢ SoUrsE, ‘Don't move’ - Aa we moved aut of. the Grand Canal inte the open sea, T got uy. At apes Fletro apoke for the firat time: “ Passengere 06 the Bent, please. Don: move *! I hewan to feel the almo- hhete was deectidediy un- easant. IT suspected a susiple 5 ase of robhery with vislente, o Rere [owas telng taken out oO pea with & brintcase thet the “"“threa manon board thought had in, 1b 23,000, ” iG ay a Pee ip shows Duncan Webb’ ‘ pulled out my| gun and said: One ‘of you” it first’; T sat down with one hang of my drie{-case and the ofheg on gy revolver. eo laudch put on speed, and for ithe next tya flours we. headed firmly cet io sca Singh the radio eperaior sat taking and sending messages and set gi Bye got peal” } Re KS ; My : the morning when we slowed: gangster style he aid i pndiher ward was spoken. down. ahd suddaniy I saw the outline of another ship ahead. Cautiously we drew alongside it ark typical dirty Meditern§neas eoasier, ms , This, 1 thought, is my moment of triumph or fellure. Chot of the cther ship enmarge a n tail fair-hatred man dressed . im @ pes’. cap with FAT-AeDA | and & wind-preaker Jackel. He dlambered an to our launch amd the contain, Pletro, sald to mie: “Vie is your may.” { axked what proof he- had that he wes one of the guercs af Guy Barges, Bietre ald not Nike ih.“ Hereis your man) how hand. over. the I yising -raloe, When T sill insisted en proaf of the yian's identity—he epoke ih a languees ng was eertainiy nat nh, man or Beandinavian -—Pisiro gave Bim an order and he produced & cardboard card. Tt bad & Photo« Kraph of thé man ou ft. Du T did mot read the text. I asked for further proof, «= Poetre gol BET. What ihe bell do you want -- Blaine ta vouch for him? Come on, bard over the dough, He's the guard al right ; He made amove towards me as if to grat my tief-case; and at that I pulled aut my revolver, Sane taal |g! T said. ‘Theres was dead. silevicn on | ade I peard with the blond: visitor he af where the meeting took place jn the Adriatic. AB sy 4 ‘and Pictre glaring at me. Then standing almost at attention L said i “ * You may tae oub to kill me int, before you de, angtof you iil go frat. I'm Teserging the rat ote for you, Pietro) and I old him to explain to the guard J meant business & SE heer € ant ap RE Ae Gey a pare ae sa ~ ee dough.” te aad in ® | Tiallan, SpanishgGer. ° will get. . Gangster talk Then Daaid: *1f yeu cart pri ies eyitenca that this man FF - guard of Guy Burges, Tow) ee he fs paid fdr helping Big- . gess to excaupe And Burgess. - too, wil get the moncy he ¢ waits. Bulimipaying nothing Pietra became 3 Uitie more “Wete here $6.do bnainens, ‘but there are all Bort of guys who've got to be paid of We need the dough fo pay thent ‘before they! do anything.” i “Then prove of and UR pay,” Yaad, still with fhe gus point ie at Pietro * There wads & mutlered con- , versation between them, then Bistro sald: “Ib-we prove that hits guy aneaning the Blond iri * fa cl i hand over tha dough? ” “Yes? E sald. . i Shen the guard went back te + ithe ather ship. After a gow ' ~. gotmutes he came back and Bad bs Jong talk to Pietra : He then aaid ta me; “This” ‘will prove thig-Ditiness Ib on Ene " apand-up, He's got 8 special Frewage from your man end if: you -knpw him youll know it’s genuine... H's in TMatan, bat YU translate it; listen——- . “Tell 5. P. R. thal the Bain ar fesel mush remain @pe Gnished and ane of her crea- ‘tore iu frightened that he will avan be gent bo join ihe level ar plane...” Then Ke‘ broks of, saying: “Pim not so het on this trans. lating stall.” . gf apked him fo write down the. rgessage for me in Italen. J dso and I could make nothi it, oF did mot recognise papitata a. ; Understand the text. pee ee OE ee ty 4 a t Burgess will ¢ agp ae. | i H end £ could wot. } Outburst 9 f sald: “It's no good. werk pay on thet. RethIing to mae” ~ SAU Ghat there was another outburst of fury, sb F decided to fall them the froth, “ou'te wasting your time. Fd seid, “this brief-casais-fuill of Rothing bub newspaper. Ive got noe money with me,” : Pietro went white with anger and ¥ felt He was about. to spring on me. To waved him back with mg revolver. There's 9 atch in this resiiy," Fosaid. “IU pay every penny of the moriey if yinrii produce Suigess or ane of his quards. IN ge back to Veniss and get { without delay. ... ia up to vou," Finally, after another wrank itro produced this proposiLif “Go back {6 Venice eck that message, You'll fp een 7 f t i