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He has never regained consciousness, and I fear, sir, he never will. It is a case of deliberate murder, the police told me early this morning." I clenched my fists and swore a fierce revenge for that dastardly act. And as I stood beside the narrow bed, I realized that what Olinto had said regarding my own peril was the actual truth. I was a marked man.
One night, while we were lying outside Lisbon, Woodroffe and Chater, together with Olinto, went ashore, and when they returned in the early hours of the morning they awoke me by crossing the deck above my head. Then I heard someone outside my cabin-door working as though with a screwdriver, unscrewing a screw from the woodwork.
About four o'clock, as I was passing through the big hall of the hotel, I heard a voice behind me utter a greeting in Italian, and turning in surprise, found Olinto, dressed in his best suit of black, standing hat in hand. In an instant I recollected what Jack had told me, and regarded him with some suspicion.
She gazed beyond into the room where the others had assembled, and then looked at me inquiringly, whereupon I led her forward to where they were, and Muriel fell upon her and kissed her with tears streaming from her eyes. "I prepared this surprise for you, Mr. Gregg," Muriel said, laughing through her tears of joy. "Olinto learnt that she was on her way to London, and I sent him to meet her.
Olinto Santini has recently opened a small restaurant in Western Road, Brighton, and is, I believe, doing very well. And ourselves! Well, what can I really tell you? Mere words fail to tell you of the completeness of our happiness. It is idyllic that is all I can say.
"I have a permesso to carry a revolver, which is in itself sufficient proof that I am a man of spotless character." "I cast no reflection whatever upon you, Olinto," I answered. "I have merely inquired after your wife, and you do not give me a direct reply." We had walked to the Royal Oak, and stood talking on the curb outside. "I give you no reply, because I can't," he said in Italian.
Sometimes they traveled for the purpose of disposing of the jewels in various inland towns where the gems, having been recut, were not recognized, while at other times, Chater and Archer, assisted by Mackintosh, the captain, and Olinto Santini, the steward, sailed for a port, landed, committed a robbery, and then sailed away again, quite unsuspected, as rich Englishmen." "And the crew?"
Then, when we could wander away alone together, I explained to Muriel that the reason of my sudden journey to London was in order to continue my investigations regarding the mysterious affair. This puzzled her, for I had not, of course, revealed to her that I had identified Olinto.
"You served me well, Olinto," I replied, "and when I discover real sterling honesty I endeavor to appreciate it. There is, alas! very little of it in this world." "Yes," he said in a hoarse voice, his manner suddenly changing. "You have to-night shown me, signore, that you are my friend, and I will, in return, show you that I am yours."
The victim was the man who had acted as my friend the Italian waiter, Olinto. I advanced and peered into the thin inanimate features, scarce able to realize the actual fact. But my eyes had not deceived me. Though death distorts the facial expression of every man, I had no difficulty in identifying him. "You recognize him, sir?" remarked the officer. "Who is he?
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