speculative—“that they would give you one third.”
“Think won't do,” responded Desmond. “I want to be sure of it. I'd take your word for it—”
“I know that they would give you one third,” said Zelva, quietly.
Desmond studied his man. He felt that the time for pretense was ended.
“All right,” he said. “I'll tell you everything. I'm doing it on the assumption that you are those people you
talk about. I'll spill the whole story and I'll expect a chance to get clear of the country.”
“That should be easy,” replied Zelva. “Arrangements will be made for it.”
With this positive assurance that Zelva was concerned vitally with the budding plot, Desmond lost no time
in giving the necessary information.
“NINE o'clock to-night,” he said. “The yacht Cordova is off Long Island. Legira has the money in a box,
in an old house that I rented for him. He has a car. He and his servant, Francisco, are to meet a small
boat from the Cordova. Going aboard—then off for parts unknown.
“Legira fears an attack at midnight—not on himself, but against Wallace, the impostor, and Lopez, the
secretary, who are the blinds. I am to notify them to clear out or to call the police for protection. That is
up to them.
“I think the police idea is just a bluff on Legira's part. I figure he's the man who killed Hendrix and he
wanted me to think that he is not afraid of the police.”
“You say that you are to notify Lopez?”
Rodriguez Zelva was losing his pretense of evasive interest. He knew that Desmond was speaking
straight. The traitor had lost all caution during his excited flow of information.
“Yes,” responded Desmond. “I am to notify him—”
“Do not do so,” said Zelva.
“All right,” answered Desmond.
“Do nothing,” added Zelva. “Give me your address. At your home or wherever you live. Go back to
your office. Report whatever you hear from Legira. Stay at your quarters afterward. Continue to report. I
shall do all. You will receive word from me. I am thinking—already -”
The evil smile that appeared upon Zelva's puffy lips brought an enthusiastic grin from Frank Desmond.
The traitor was sure that he had scored a bull's-eye in his wild shot to thwart Legira.
“Give me data now,” continued Zelva. “Then go—very carefully.”
In response to Zelva's careful questioning, Frank Desmond revealed all that he knew. Among the details
that he gave was the important item concerning the location of the house on Long Island.
When the interview had finished, Rodriguez Zelva knew all. He understood fully that the avaricious nature
of Desmond had inspired the man to seek this way of double-crossing Legira.
To Zelva, the double cross was the simplest method of procedure. Now, his purpose was to convince
Desmond that there would be no cause for worry.
“What Legira has intended is good,” remarked Zelva. “Good because it is a way to take much money
safely. So I shall do the same, but better. I shall tell you how much money Legira has taken. Would you
like to know?”
Desmond was agog.
“Ten million dollars,” said Zelva, quietly. “He was offered one half if he would give it up. He would not
do so. On that account, I shall give one half to the man who has done so. That will be your share, my
friend.”
The calm mention of such vast wealth staggered Desmond. He had been thinking in terms of a hundred
thousand dollars or more. Now, he was bewildered. Zelva had calculated upon that.
