Nita,” she called out. “We’re going to burn it.”
“The girl will not live!” Fanny was made to walk nearer to the edge of the cliff. The wind and rain tore at her.
Nellie rolled the ancient newspaper clipping into a cylinder and thrust it into the flame. “Come on, burn.” In a second the candle flame licked at the paper, began to take hold. “Conjurationum terribilium . . .” recited Nellie. “Potentissimorum efficacissimorumque . . . malecifiaque omnia de corporibus humanis tanquam Flagellis Fustiguesque fugantur . . . Doctrinis refertissimus atque uberirimus . . . Maximum Exorcistarum commodi-Tatem in lucem . . .”
The dark-haired girl was at the very edge. She swayed.
The last of the image of the dead Nita burned to black ashes.
The girl screamed once. Then she began to fall.
Smitty sprinted across the rocky ground and dived. He made a scoop of one big arm and caught Fanny Fiddler before she tumbled over the cliffside and fell to the black rocks below. “A point for our side,” he said.
The actress moaned, eyes closed.
Smitty carried her back toward the others. “I think she’s okay now,” he said.
With a sigh, Nellie stood up straight. “First time I ever tried anything like that,” she said.
In his excitement O’Malley put his arm around her. “You were terrific, Nellie!”
“Well, thanks,” she said.
CHAPTER XXV
A Bonus
Smitty was up before the fog lifted. He went breezing through the temporary commissary the movie people had set up, grabbed a pair of donuts and a cup of coffee. Downing that, he scooted out of the castle.
Waiting for him on the front steps of the place were the shovel and cardboard carton he’d deposited there earlier. He gathered them up and headed into the forest.
He was whistling, nodding to himself with satisfaction.
“You look disgustingly cheerful.”
“Huh?”
Nellie was coming toward him along a misty forest path. “Nothing, skip it.”
“Thought you’d still be pounding the pillow after all the stuff that happened last night.”
“Felt like taking a walk.”
“You look sort of glum.”
“It’s nothing.”
Smitty said, “I guess you were maybe a little stunned by Cole’s announcing he was going to take a short leave of absence from Justice, Incorporated.”
“I suppose stunned is the word for it,” replied the little blonde. “Where you going?”
“Oh, I got me an idea. Want to tag along?”
“Sure, might as well.”
“Don’t get the idea I got the brains of an elephant just cause I’m built like one,” the giant said as she fell in at his side. “I mean, I know you’re pretty fond of Cole.”
Nellie said nothing.
“Sure,” continued Smitty, “and when he up and announced he’s going to take some time off to get married to this Heather Brail dame . . . well, sure it’s going to knock your props out from under you some. I tell you, though . . . I think I know Cole pretty darn well. We been through a lot together since he joined the gang. He ain’t the kind of guy to settle down.”
“Meaning?”
“I don’t think he’s ever going to marry the dame,” said Smitty. “Sure, he says he is now. But that’s because he’s all excited about saving her from a fire and all. Plus which, Cole’s still sort of a boy at heart. All this Holllywood stuff kind of impresses him. Making movies, glamour. But he couldn’t live here all the time and just be the husband of an actress. Not him.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“Sure, I am,” said Smitty. “You watch. I bet Cole’ll be back in Manhattan within two weeks, raring to go on another goofy case.” He shrugged. “Of course, Nellie, if he doesn’t, well, I’m always—”
“I know, Smitty, I know.” She took his arm. “Now tell me what you’re going to do with that shovel.”
“Oh, that. I’m going to dig up the buried money.”
“Really? Those other fellows were something less than successful at that.”
“Yeah, but they didn’t have the
“The girl will not live!” Fanny was made to walk nearer to the edge of the cliff. The wind and rain tore at her.
Nellie rolled the ancient newspaper clipping into a cylinder and thrust it into the flame. “Come on, burn.” In a second the candle flame licked at the paper, began to take hold. “Conjurationum terribilium . . .” recited Nellie. “Potentissimorum efficacissimorumque . . . malecifiaque omnia de corporibus humanis tanquam Flagellis Fustiguesque fugantur . . . Doctrinis refertissimus atque uberirimus . . . Maximum Exorcistarum commodi-Tatem in lucem . . .”
The dark-haired girl was at the very edge. She swayed.
The last of the image of the dead Nita burned to black ashes.
The girl screamed once. Then she began to fall.
Smitty sprinted across the rocky ground and dived. He made a scoop of one big arm and caught Fanny Fiddler before she tumbled over the cliffside and fell to the black rocks below. “A point for our side,” he said.
The actress moaned, eyes closed.
Smitty carried her back toward the others. “I think she’s okay now,” he said.
With a sigh, Nellie stood up straight. “First time I ever tried anything like that,” she said.
In his excitement O’Malley put his arm around her. “You were terrific, Nellie!”
“Well, thanks,” she said.
CHAPTER XXV
A Bonus
Smitty was up before the fog lifted. He went breezing through the temporary commissary the movie people had set up, grabbed a pair of donuts and a cup of coffee. Downing that, he scooted out of the castle.
Waiting for him on the front steps of the place were the shovel and cardboard carton he’d deposited there earlier. He gathered them up and headed into the forest.
He was whistling, nodding to himself with satisfaction.
“You look disgustingly cheerful.”
“Huh?”
Nellie was coming toward him along a misty forest path. “Nothing, skip it.”
“Thought you’d still be pounding the pillow after all the stuff that happened last night.”
“Felt like taking a walk.”
“You look sort of glum.”
“It’s nothing.”
Smitty said, “I guess you were maybe a little stunned by Cole’s announcing he was going to take a short leave of absence from Justice, Incorporated.”
“I suppose stunned is the word for it,” replied the little blonde. “Where you going?”
“Oh, I got me an idea. Want to tag along?”
“Sure, might as well.”
“Don’t get the idea I got the brains of an elephant just cause I’m built like one,” the giant said as she fell in at his side. “I mean, I know you’re pretty fond of Cole.”
Nellie said nothing.
“Sure,” continued Smitty, “and when he up and announced he’s going to take some time off to get married to this Heather Brail dame . . . well, sure it’s going to knock your props out from under you some. I tell you, though . . . I think I know Cole pretty darn well. We been through a lot together since he joined the gang. He ain’t the kind of guy to settle down.”
“Meaning?”
“I don’t think he’s ever going to marry the dame,” said Smitty. “Sure, he says he is now. But that’s because he’s all excited about saving her from a fire and all. Plus which, Cole’s still sort of a boy at heart. All this Holllywood stuff kind of impresses him. Making movies, glamour. But he couldn’t live here all the time and just be the husband of an actress. Not him.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
“Sure, I am,” said Smitty. “You watch. I bet Cole’ll be back in Manhattan within two weeks, raring to go on another goofy case.” He shrugged. “Of course, Nellie, if he doesn’t, well, I’m always—”
“I know, Smitty, I know.” She took his arm. “Now tell me what you’re going to do with that shovel.”
“Oh, that. I’m going to dig up the buried money.”
“Really? Those other fellows were something less than successful at that.”
“Yeah, but they didn’t have the
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