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‘A grey car!’ Farid had run so fast that he was gasping for breath as he flung hier ‘I think it’s Silvertongue!’

Dustfinger ju about He really could tell those stinking ot the knack of it

He quickly followed Farid to where there was a view of the bridge The road wound away fro snake They didn’t have ue At top speed, they stumbled down the hillside Farid was the first to reach the road Dustfinger had always been proud of his own agility, but the boy was far niile And he was getting better at playing with fire now too, as fascinated as a boy with a puppy

Silvertongue braked sharply when he saw Dustfinger and Farid in the road He looked tired, as if he had slept badly for the last few nights Elinor was in the car beside hione hoie?

Silvertongue’s face darkened when he saw Dustfinger As he got out of the car he was rigid with anger ‘Of course! You told the towards him ‘You told them where ere! Who else? What did Capricorn proer retreated ‘I never told anyone anything! Ask the boy’

But Silvertongue didn’t so ot out too She stood beside the car looking gri was you!’ Dustfinger accused hih you proue stopped in his tracks It was so easy to uilty

‘Better hide the car under the trees there’ Dustfinger pointed to the side of the road ‘One of Capricorn’s e cars here’

Silvertongue turned and looked down the road

‘Surely you don’t believe hiiven you aho else could? Thelies the ie away’ Silvertongue sounded hoarse, quite unlike hihter he had lost the sound of his voice too ‘They took Fenoglio as well – yesterdaywhen I went tofor the wretched village ever since I had no idea how es there are in these hills It wasn’t until we came to the barrier over the road that I felt sure ere on the right track at last’

Dustfinger said nothing, but looked up at the sky A few birds as black as Capricorn’s irl in, but then he hadn’t spent the whole day watching that accursed village

‘Basta was gone for several days I thought hefor the two of you,’ he said ‘You’re lucky he didn’t get hold of you too’

‘Lucky?’ Elinor was still standing beside the car ‘Tell hiue ‘Or I’ll run hilove with those ue was still looking at Dustfinger as if he couldn’t decide whether or not to believe him ‘Capricorn’s men broke into Elinor’s house,’ he said at last ‘They took all the books froarden and burned theer had to ad almost like satisfaction What had the silly bookoet her? He shrugged his shoulders and looked at Elinor, his face unreadable ‘Only to be expected,’ he said

‘Only to be expected!’ Elinor’s voice alerent as a bull terrier, she marched up to him Farid tried to bar her way, but she pushed hihly that he fell on the hot asphalt of the road ‘Maybe you can fool the boy with your fire-breathing and your coloured balls, er ‘But it won’t ithleft of the books in my library but a load of ash The police were full of admiration for what those villains had done "At least they didn’t burn your house down, Signora Loredan! Even your garden is all right except for the scorch mark on the lawn" What do I care for the house? What do I care for the wretched lawn? They burned my most valuable books!’