Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1913-07-11


as he again picked up the letter and
stared at it. Written in practiced
Italian hand was this message: En-
closed is the five hundred Ira. By
tomorrow we shall be safe on the sea
and then to Immeo. Heaven bless you
my men. (Signed) Roderico. That
was all but, it held forth to me thous-
| and conjectures, thousand surmises
each more wild and more varied than
the other
| Every word. every letter, was a
blazing question mark. Why?-
Why?
why should count come to Amer
| lea, steal the child Of a poor man and
pay gladly for it? Why should he
then seek escape across the sea and
bless the men who had aided him?
1T was almost certain that he
would not go to his estates in Immeo
must trail him, track him from
country to country That night
left for New York In Liverpool
| found he had gone to London, in Lon
don I searched and struggled to at
last learn he had departed for Edin-
burgh. The child was with him. Then
l knew that he was leaping from city
| to city even as a rabbit leaps from
| clump of grass to clump of grass to
evade his pursuers. Edinburgh led to
Chantilly, Chantilly to Paris. There
| for two weeks l lost him. Then came
| the clue which sent met to Berne.
1t was in the shadow of the snow
| capped Alps upon a little rustic
bridge which crossed a tumbling
mountain torrent that I found the
man that had chased so many thous-
and miles.
Deep set of eye, kindly Of feature,
tall and aristocratic in appearance, he
was somewhat different than the man
| led a little girl as he walked along
talking to her playfully, patting her
hands now and then, and once in a
while lifting her joyously into his
arms and kissing her. That little girl
was Rosita Cassanelli-but what
difference! The ragged clothes of
the slums had changed to ones of
1
from which was suspended great
glowing amethyst encircled her neck.
| Shoes of the finest make were on her
feet. Every item of her dress and ap-
pearance were of elegance For a mo-
ment hesitated, unbelieving that this
| could be the person. had sought,
| that this could be the girl who once
l ~, ~
| COS Little Italy. At last started
| forward and bending as though to tie
a vagrant shoe-lace, whispered the
name of 'Rosita,' into the child's ear.
! "A frightened look crossed her
countenance and she seemed to cling
more tightly to the hand of the man
by her side. Count Immeo looked
| glance.
"fWell?' he asked, and there was
anger in his voice, what do you mean
by frightening the child?'
| 81 smiled at him. Does her real
name easily brighten her?' asked
"'Her real name?' A perplexed
| frown showed on his forehead.
WHAT
"'What do I mean by calling her
Rosita?' I asked.
/ "sRosita?' he almost gasped.
Exactly I answered, the letter
you wrote from New York enclosing
five hundred Ira as payment for the
kidnapping of this child was fortu-
nate-or unfortunate-enough to fall
into the hands of the police. Now.
count / said showing my badge, I
would like to know why you kid
mapped the child of a poor shopkeep-
er and brought her here to Switzer-
land bestowing upon her every af-
lection, yet knowing that you risked
prison in doing So
"The man had turned pale. He
stood for moment regarding me in
wonderment, his arms encircling the
form of the little girl as if to shield
her The eyes seemed to sink further
back into his head than ever.
"'You followed, then?' he asked
huskily.
THAT is evident was my answer,
and / am liable to follow farther un-
i
| More than that, there may be little
| question of international law as re-
CARDS your coming back to the United
States as a prisoner
HE took step backwards? "A
prisoner he half cried. A prisoner
for stealing my own child? Yes.
laugh he burst forth-slaugh and say
/ lie But she is mine. She I
will tell you no more he half growled
| at me- I will tell you no more
IT stepped toward him and laid a
| determined hand on his arm.
you'll make the fullest of ex-
/ plantations, said, slowly, because /
have made my arrangements for your
arrest should need 1t. As far as the
law knows, this child is the daughter
of Antonio Cassanelli, a shopkeeper
! of Chicago
""The child is mine!' he answered
almost Historically. Mine! Mine!
Mine! What have l given up money