makes him steal the document off Porphirio, and . . . "
"But how does he get him to do that?" I asked.
"Oh, the Dog has Demonio pretty well under his thumb, so he makes Demonio scheme round till he gets old Pio—er—gets him under his thumb, and then, of course, Pio thinks that Porphirio—I mean he thinks that he has Porphirio—er—has him under his thumb."
"Half a minute, Sinclair," I said, "who did you say was under the Dog's thumb?"
"Demonio."
"Thanks. I was mixed in the thumbs. Go on."
"Well, just when things are like this . . . "
"Like what?"
"Like I said."
"All right."
"Who should turn up and thwart the whole scheme, but this Signorina Tarara in her domino . . . "
"Hully Gee!" I said, "you make my head ache. What the deuce does she come in her domino for?"
"Why, to thwart it."
88
