"It is called the Tána Society--the Den Society, in English. I believe that it is a collection of cut-throats, who terrorize people with the symbol of the coral hand. The name comes from the idea of the society hiding in a den, and emerging to do justice. It is something like the Sicilian Mafia."
"Quite so," Haskins nodded. "I now understand Bellaria's fear. She ran out of this room as though she were crazy, and indeed she was, for the time being. She apparently thought that I was an emissary of the Tána, appointed to kill her."
"Was Bellaria in town?" cried Tod, astonished.
"Yes. She found out about myself and Mavis, and came up to tell Rebb. I called to see Rebb and we met. She came back with me, and we had a long talk. She hinted about betraying a man called Salviati, with whom she was in love, and talked about hiding from the vengeance of certain people. When she saw the coral hand she ran out crying, 'Tána! Tána!----"
"But how did you get the coral hand?" asked Tod, open-mouthed.
Haskins described how he had taken away Mrs. Crosbie's cigarette-case by accident, and how he had found the hand. In fact he told Macandrew everything, including the whole conversation with Bellaria, and the subsequent visit of Mrs. Berch to recover the amulet. "And this Signor Venosta gave the coral hand to Mrs. Crosbie?" ended Gerald. "What do you think of it, Tod?"
Macandrew sat down gasping. "It's like a confounded penny dreadful," he remarked, ruffling his ruddy hair. "Girls shut up--incomes stolen, and secret societies--oh, Lord! there is going to be trouble."
"In what way?"
"Don't ask me." Tod rose and began to put on his overcoat. "If I were you, Jerry, I should chuck the whole business."
"What--leave Mavis?"