WAS IT MONTELLI?

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 7, 20 October 1941, Page 7

WAS IT MONTELLI?

by LESLIE CARGILL.

(Copyright).

CHAPTER XVI

“DON’T WORRY YOUR HEAD”

A council of war around the breakfast table was conducted in the friendliest, possible spirit. Suitable clothing was to be obtained for Mrs Montelli who would then proceed to the hotel, where Tony-could get in touch again at his convenience. Yet there was a snag. Completely to clear himself Clitlieroe felt it necessary to provide Superintendent Clewthers with every fact obtainable, necessarily implicating the woman. This he was loath to do out of an ingrained sense of chivalry.

Nor was Elise willing to put one of her sex in jeopardy, an amoral outlook, but not at all unusual.

Mintey could be relied upon to hold his tongue, even although he was not to be permitted to take part in .any fascinating crib-cracking, a disappointment that cut him to the quick, as he was not slow to assert.

In the end it was agreed that Slim Annie’s complicity should remain unmentioned. Apart from that the authorities should be supplied "with the fullest information.. “Afraid that is inevitable,” Jerry remarked almost apologetically. Mrs Montelli expressed agreement. “Don’t worry your head about my old man,” she added. “One of these days he’ll get what’s coming to him, and then I’ll sit and wait for the doors of the penitentiary to open. That’s how it is between us—darned fools that we are.” That she was, Elise mentally amended, wondering if her own devotion could stand a similar strain. Her warm smile in Jerry’s direction sent the blood coursing through his veins, making him feel that life was worth living after all. “Must be something in a man’s looks that gets us,” Elise added softly, automaticaly tanging herself with the gangster’s wife. A KILLER COMES TO TOWN. “Calling early to-day, aren’t you?” Jerry greeted Superintendent Clewthers genially, although he had intruded into a happy /gathering. “Didn’t expect your diurnal visit until later.” “The fact is . . He hesitated, glancing doubtfully at Mrs Montelli. “I’ll scram if you like,” she offered. “Never mind, it may concern you as well. Dago Manuel’s in town.” The name elicited an instantaneous response from Slim Annie, who wont pale, half rose from her seat, and then slumped back in visible agitation. “Gee,” she muttered, “that’s bad! Can’t you hold him?”

“We could if we knew where he is. Our information comes from a confidential source and it was surprising news that he’d managed to get himself into this country.” “Surprising! That isn’t, the half of it. This’ll mean murder. I must get a hold of Tony and warn him.” “Who,” asked Jerry curiously, “is this Mr Manuel, whose presence arouses so much consternation?” “Who is he? Say, ain’t you heard of Dago Manuel?” “Should I have done?”

She regarded him pityingly. “W 7 hy he’s one of the most famous men in the States. Biggest menace we’ve got.” “Dear me, then my acquaintance with the famous has been sadly neglected. No wonder there is so much eagerness to arrange an adequate reception party.” “Party, my foot. Dago’s a killer! Tony works the same racket, only without the strong-arm, stuff. Dago bumps ’em off and then takes the pickings.”

Jerry thumped, one fist into the palm of his outer hand. “The name begins to strike, a responsive cord in my memory,” he exclaimed. “Wasn’t that the fellow who carved up your husband’s ear, and did some fancy work elsewhere? All the decorations except that appendicitis scar, in fact?”

“Now you’re waking up, mister.” “The important thing,” Superintendent Clewthers interposed, is that the man has a down on Montelli. More serious even than on previous occasions. Bent r on doing him in, they tell me. That’s why Tony cleared out of America, being more scared of Manuel than of the police.” “Sounds awkward, doesn’t it?”

The superintendent frowned. “Especially for you,” he observed. “Don’t forget that confounded likeness. It’s bad enough when it involves you with the police, but a thousand times worse when somebody is gunning for a fellow with a .particular kind of dial. Strikes me you’ll need to wear sandwich boards labelled ‘1 am not Tony Montelli.’ Only I’m not sure Dago would believe them.” “Cheerful little comforter aren’t you?” “In the best of spirits, sir. After all it would make it much better for us if there was only one of you to contend with.” Jerry regarded him with distaste. “I will not,” ho said severely, “be butchered to make a Scotland Yard holiday.” TAKE THE OFFENSIVE Superintendent Clewthers’s warning was not a thing to be disregarded. It had only one merit, inasmuch as Elise rallied to his support with commendable promptitude. Yet her very solicitude rvas disconcerting, rather reminiscent of the self-sacrificing heroine cheering her champion to battle. Comfort of a sort came from Mrs Montelli who held firmly to the opinion that Tony would intervene to avoid an

inoffensive third-party taking a rap intended for him. Apparently she had a wonderful respect for her husband’s sense of fair play. “Of course, he played you for a sucker in the way of busines,” she put it, “but he wouldn’t let. you come to harm.”

Jerry scratched his head. “After being thrown into prison on his behalf, having half the police in the country dogging my steps and getting involved in jewel robberies, that takes a lot of swallowing,” he objected. “Gosh, them was only jokes.”

“Tell me where to laugh. My sense of humour must be elementary, because I took them seriously.”

Elise came down on the side of Slim Annie. “You never were in any real trouble,” she argued. “Sooner or later the tangle is bound to be sorted out.”

“That would sound better if I were already out of the wood.”

For days he was on tenterhooks, starting at the banging of a door and finding the proximity of any stranger distressing.

“I’m fed up with this,” he announced to Superintendent Clewthers, seeking out that astonished police official. “What are you going to do about

it?” “Take the offensive., There isn’t room for both Tony and myself in this country—especially with this Manuel fellow on the warpath. Suppose I get Annie—-Mrs Montelli, that is -to fix up a meeting with her husband. Then your shadowing chap can nip in and make the arrest.” Clewthers thought there might be a chance, simple as the plan was. More important, was his warm reception of Jerrv as an ally. From this moment suspicion of the Englishman s complicity began to melt away. Now the attendants were to be more in the nature of guards than anything else. Jerry walked openly, frequenting places where he might reasonably expect to make contact with one or other of the opposition. Often there was Elise for company, thrilled at the thought of adventurous possibilities. And always, not far away in the rear, went a patient policeman gaining experience of places and people not normally within his ken. Which was about all he did gain. For, to all intents and appearances, both Mr and Mrs Montelli, as well as Dago Manuel, had ceased to exists

iTo he Continued.)