blood upon his hands. Justifiable blood. An eye for an eye. And yet, as
the seconds trailed endlessly by, the girl was surprised to find herself
amending her prayer.

"Bring him up safe--and clean."

She uttered a choking cry as the bright rays of her light fell upon
Kenneth Gregory's head. He was swimming slowly toward the launch,
dragging Mascola after him.

[Illustration: The bright rays of her light fell upon Kenneth Gregory's
head]

"Hold his wrists."

She noted the lifeless tone of Gregory's voice as she made haste to
comply with the order. Saw the fingers of the two men clutch the rail
while they waited for strength to pull their bodies from the water.

Kenneth Gregory pulled himself weakly over the coaming. In silence he
assisted the girl in dragging Mascola from the water. Huddling on the
driver's seat of the _Richard_, the Italian leaned against the dash,
fighting for breath. Gregory stumbled backward and sank to the floor of
the cockpit, covering his face with his hands.

"I--failed," he gasped. "I had a chance.--But I passed it up.--I
couldn't do it."

Dickie fell to her knees beside him and threw her arms about his neck.
"You're a man," she whispered, "One in a million." Then her lips found
his.

Mascola watched the two shadows blend into one. Silhouetted in the
bright moonlight, he leaned against the coaming, his lips curved in a
sneering smile.

From the darkened cockpit of the _Fuor d'Italia_ came a bright jet of
flame. Then another. Before the echoes of the two shots had died away
Mascola's body slid from the seat and fell in a heap upon the floor.

Dickie drew her revolver and sprang to the rail. Sweeping the darkness
of the _Fuor d'Italia's_ cockpit with the rays of her light, she drew
back.

"Bandrist," she whispered to Gregory through whitening lips.

CHAPTER XXXII

FOR ALL THE WORLD TO KNOW

Silvanus Rock was at the Golden Rule Fish Cannery at an early hour on
the morning following the raid upon El Diablo. When Blankovitch entered
the office, he noted at a glance that the face of the capitalist looked
drawn and worried.

"Any news, Blankovitch?"

The words tumbled eagerly from Rock's thick lips as he caught sight of
the ruddy countenance of the manager.

Blankovitch shook his head.

"Only the broken message a little before midnight," he answered. "You
got that. Gonzolez landed. That's all we know."

Rock fidgeted while his eyes roved about the room. "You don't s