Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1911-08-04
SAVED FROM
A TRAP
-
BY EMMA ID, roWNE
as-a-aaa.
Copyright, 1919, by American Press
Association,
BY EMMA d, rowNE

I
switzerland In several places crosses
those beautiful lakes OF northern Italy
which are the resort Of people from
an over the world, Tho Italian Gus.
toms officers are constantly on the
alert to intercept smugglcrs.
one evening postmau was climbing
one of the steep mountain roads that
lead up toward the border line when
he WAS accoSted by man with n stub.
Bile beard and small. cunning eyes,
! Anything for Antoine Cayallorll"
he asked ot the postman.
The postman took a package OF let
ters from his bag and looGed over their
superscriptions,
Nothing for Cavalleri." he said and
was about TO return the letters to the
bag when the man made grab for
one OF them, seized II aud ran away
with IT, The postman was at dlsad.
vantage. His letter bag was so heavy
that he could not hope TO catch the
letter thief while Il was strapped TO
his back. and he dare not lay It down.
He would not risk large number Of
letters to recover one. He hurled
stone after the thief 10 vent his ire
aud kept ON his way, lie had not gone
far before he met young girl COM
ing down TO meet him.
"A letter for me today. LuiglY'
"Yes; there is one, believe"
He looked over the letters, but found
none for the girl. Il was sure there
was one" he said. Then he stopped
and thought. saying half 10 himself
and half TO her. II wonder II that was
the letter the rasca. robbed me of"
He was looking ut his companion and
saw that she paled,
Have you been robbed Of letter."
she asked quickly,
YES"
by thlckset man with short
beard and eyes IKE u snake's;"
The same. He asked for n letter
for Antoine Cavalleri, and while was
looking over the lot made grab for
one ana ran away with 1t. But what
Is 1t. Marie?"
"Oh, Luigi, Giovanni and his friends
will be taken. The man who stole the
letter wus customs official II con.
aims the hour and the place where
they are tonight TO run some goods
over the border. This letter was ad'
dressed to me to deceive the revenue
officers. This nun has been told that
l. am the medium between the Swiss
and Italian bands whO are acting to.
gethcr-Giovann and his friend col.
leeung the goods la Switzerland and
turning them over TO the Italians. who
run them across the lake, Giovanni
sent 1t to me to deliver to Toni"
But Is there not time to warn
,themy" -
Il don't know where either party Is
or the trysting place. That Is given In
the letter. Which way did he goT
"He took the valley road up the
mountain
II will go and seek him myself. He
knows that girl named Marie Polini
Is the go-between for these letters, but
he has never seen me-"
An hour later the, letter thief was sit
ting under an arber outside an Italian
inn drinking glass of wine and smok-
ing a cigarette Marie, who was ascend.
ing the road. saw him. and. taking a
byroad-all roads Ia that country run |
between high stone walls-she entered |
the inn unseen by n back door. She
knew well the people who lived there; |
they were friendly to her and the |
smugglers-indeed. friendly 10 any one
who Is interested In getting living |
out OF the two sources of income open |
to Impoverished Italians. the govern
ment and Americans. though the flow
Of coin is usually to the government,
while 1t Is always from the Americans.
She told them the story and her pur.
pose. Going out to the official, she said.
with a smile:
did the senore call for more wineg"
II did not. but II so pretty maid
will drink It with me | will have q
liter"
The girl brought the wine and mod
astly stood till the man asked her to
be seated; then. showing her white
.eeth in a smile and darting her Ital-
an black eyes at him. she took the
glass Of wine he poured for her and
,ipped It, The customs officer drain
I'd his own glass and re6lled It,
A knowledge of drugs that will kill
n stupefy has been handed down
lmong the Italians since the days Of
he Borgias. Before bringing the wine
Marie had slipped powder into 1t.
md the man had scarcely drunk when
lis eyes grew heavy. They closed. and.
he pretty face Of Marie, which now
wore u smile of triumph. faded before
lin. AS soon as he became uncon.
cious she unbuttoned his coat. took
he letter he had stolen from the post
nan, looked at the superscription and,
eeing that it was for her, opened and
cad ii.