Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-05-12


vanni Cont. one OF my Milan friends.
He was fsshionably dressed and, to
my horror, saw me and came toward
me with outstrstched hand Genazzini
WIS passing out at the time. 1 saw
him look at my meeting with Cont.
but without appearing to take any es-
pecial interest in It 1 pledged my
friend not on his life to mention m5
to any one and got away from him as
soon as could.
I confess that on meeting my en-
pIoyer again I dreaded TO see some
indication OF an awakened suspicion.
but he did not refer TO having seen
me addressed by & gentleman or seem
to have remembered it. / breathed
easier. He said his last plan necessi
tated my putting on the same kind OF
dress / had worn when he first met
me. Before leaving me he directed me
to meet him at a wine shop near the
, railway station and In beggar's APP
parel. I was to go there about In
the evening ana wait for him TN he
came. We would then go to commit
the robbery.
This brings me TO the wineshop look
ing at the shadow of a figure adFanc-
ing to murder me. One second was
SUFFICIENT to tell me that the figure
was q man and that man was Genaz-
zini. INwould not have known it but
for the shadow of his hand The shad-
ow showed only three fingers the
thumb and forefnger being absent.
But this was not all that flashed upon
my mind, though Whist thought was
inferred. On leaving the restaurant he
had gone to some place where, unob-
served himself. he had seen me talk
ing with my friend Cont and must
have Known from my expression and
my manner that I had received a
shock and was directing Cont not to
publicly recognize me again Since
then Genazzini had doubtless put the
machinery of, the Camorrn to work to
ascertain who 1 was. He must have
been successful IN at least learning
was a spy If not cara ineer. IL was
necessary that die before could do
any more harm, and possibly the Sc
crets had learned might die with me.
The shop was doubtless under the con
troll Of the CamoTra. The only person
besides myself IN 1t was the woman
who kept II, and abe was not likely to
give evidence against the murderer. A
stiletto would be used, since it made
no noise.
This is a great deal to go through
ones mind while another is advancing
from behind to stab him, but to me-
who seemed TO be doomed, there was
plenty Of time, as have said, within
second.
And 1 would have been doomed. I
would never have told this story had
it not been for the advantage OF the
shadow cast on the wall And. even
this would not have saved me had IL
not been that in the raised Swallowed
hand I recognized by the missing
thumb and forefnger the MANNED fist
of Genazzini.
Having known that my life WIS ev-
cry minute in danger, l, Of course,
went armed and invented contrivances
to enable me to use my weapons quick
Iy On my back, under my coat, was
a stiletto, the favorite weapon In west
ern America some sixty or seven
ty years ago. In both sleeves 1 car
ried a self cooking Derringer pistol
suspended on rubber strap. The pis-
toI hung just above my wrist, and by
a quick fling OF my arm could stretch
the rubber so as to enable me to grasp
the weapon.
All this would have been useless had
not seen the shadow and identified
it by the missing thumb and finger,
for would have been crushed under
the murderous weight while his stiletto
let the life out of me. AS 1t was, l
rose, gave my arm a ffirt, and as my
enemy's hand came down on my shout
der and the stiletto toward my throat
/ put a bail through one of his eyes,
at the same time lodging his blow.
He fell on the floor. and with one jump
| reached the door and never stopped
till reached a policeman.
But all L wanted OF him was assist
ance in case there were any members
of the Camorra near to take part
against me AS soon as 1 was salts
fed in this respect left him and went
to the headquarters Of my corps and
reported the tragedy.
My chief declared that If 1 valued
my life 1 would better change my field
nazzini was either dead or would die,
and, being u very secretive man, he
had not told any one OF his connection
with me, or, at least that I knew any
thing about the Camorra. I was there
fore DESTROYS OF finishing my work
But those above me decided, otherwise
was ordered TO Padua, which is
about as far from Naples as any place
within the limits OF Italy, and there
was obliged to 90. had picked up
one or two clews, however, which I
gave to my successor. who began
where left of, and at last advices 1
learned that he had discovered who
had committed the murder Of the
American lady and was working on
securing evidence to bring about a con-
victfou-