Читать книгу The Complete Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald онлайн

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“Look!” said Nosby uneasily. The lights of another car had breasted a rise less than a mile behind.

“Perhaps they’ll pick us up?” asked Hallie.

“We’re taking no such chances,” answered Corcoran. “This is the special beat of one of the roughest gangs of holdup men in Southern Italy. What’s more, we’re being followed. When I asked the chauffeur if he knew that car that drove up behind us in Eboli, he shut right up. He’s afraid to say.”

As he spoke he was helping Hallie and her mother from the car. Now he turned authoritatively to Nosby.

“You better tell me what you got in that Naples bank.”

“It was ten thousand dollars in English bank notes,” admitted Nosby in a frightened voice.

“I thought so. Some clerk tipped them off. Hand over those notes to me!”

“Why should I?” demanded Nosby. “What are you going to do with them?”

“I’m going to throw them away,” said Corcoran. His head went up alertly. The complaint of a motor car taking a hill in second speed was borne toward them clearly on the night. “Hallie, you and your mother start on with the chauffeur. Run as fast as you can for a hundred yards or so and then keep going. If I don’t show up, notify the carabinieri in Agropoli.” His voice sank lower. “Don’t worry, I’m going to fix this thing. Good-bye.”