Vendetta for the Saint

The Saint has found himself up against the Mafia in Sicily after running into a man who claims to be Alessandro Destamio, a member of an aristocratic family, but believed by the Saint to be a clerk named Dino Cartelli who has been reported dead. A police chief, Marco Ponti, asks the Saint to help probe Mafia activities as the present head of the Mafia is dying and there will soon be a gathering of the Dons to appoint a successor. Simon Templar further antagonises Destamio by befriending his frightened girl-friend Lily, and then meets Destamio's sister Donna Maria and niece Gina. After one attempt on his lie has failed, the Saint receives a visit from Lily, who warns him of a further attempt. He gives her money to escape and sends her to an hotel in Cefalu. Destamio is a masquerader whose real name is Dino Cartelli - and then manages to escape. Much to his alarm, the chase takes him to Cefalu. Believing that he has eluded his pursuers, he goes to Lily's hotel and finds her in the hands of Destamio's henchmen. Lily is shot and badly wounded but saves the Saint's life by grabbing a gun and killing Bertoli. It is obvious that she needs urgent medial attention, and Simon telephones Gina for help. Gina gets them safely back to Donna Maria's home and hides them when Destamio arrives. He fails to find Simon and Lily, but takes Gina as a hostage. But as he is doing so, Simon learns the truth about Donna Maria's part in the affair. Dino Cartelli has needed a respected name to help him in his new, ambitious career. The penniless but aristocratic Donna Maria, after her brother's death, has consented to allow him to take the family name in return for money. Gina is now in acute danger, and the Saint tells Marco Ponti where the Mafia meeting is to be held. Marco and his men move in. "Destamio" has one ace left to play - Gina. It's up to the Saint to trump it... The threatened attempt is made when the Saint is at the Destamio mausoleum, where he confirms that the real Alessandro Destamio is indeed dead. Simon is knocked unconscious and taken to the very place he has been seeking: the home of the dying Mafia chief, Don Pasquale (the late FINLAY CURRIE).