Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-09-11

~ had been on had been sue
~ - cessful. She had crossed
the seas on this quest, she
@ had travelled the countries
of ancient Europe-she had been
through difficulties and dangers; but
they had left upon her youthful. al
most childish face, no damaging mark
1t used to be my standing expression
to tell Alice Clement that she grew
younger every day. And now, as we
sat in the parlor car Of fast train 20
Chicago, | repeated the stock worn
phrase. and she laughed, as she always
did.
That's because you are growing old
about twice as fast as any one else
In the world" she cried. Il suppose
the next time l see you you will be
hobbling along on stick and wearing
q beayd down to your knees
| looked out at the station CLOCK
and noticed that there remained half
hour before time for the train to
leave.
considering that" said. won't
you take pity on me and tell me what
sent you to Europe?"
She seemed to debate moment
with herself and looked at me once or
twice with that teasing expression
have come to know 30 we'll.
Suppose" she said. II told you the
story of a piece of paper. blind wo-
man and a castle In 1taly?'
"A WHAT" l asked, vaguely.
More than that" was her answer;
"but will let 1t come In my story.
81 picked up the paper one morning
to read the brief notice that the 1tal-
ian section Of town near Chicago ave-
nue. was somewhat excited over the
disappearance Of Rosita Cassanelli.
Rosita, 1t seems, had started to con-
fessional at the Holy Name church
Sunday morning at about seven
o'clock. She did not enter the place
of worship, nor did she return to her
home. The case was plain. according
to the newspapers-the Black Hand!
Some way that case interested me.
I saw the captain and gained permis-
sion to work on 1t. An hour later
was In the little store of Antonio Cas-
saneln. obtaining from him in fiery
Italian sentences what he knew about
the kidnapping of his child. That was
but little. Rosita had been there and
now she was gone. Any enemies!
Antonio shook his head and spread
his hands. Any chance for ransom?
The Italian smiled vaguely at me and
pointed to his meager stock.
1T is all I have" he said.
"Yet large sums OF money are not
always sought by the men who steal
children in Little Italy. To some, one
hundred dollars means q vast amount.
1t was the time Of the year when
every lodging house harbored scores
of laborers driven In by the cold
weather from work In the railroad
camps. They needed money, they
were not particular as to how they
got 1t, and tho stealing Of human flesh
represented the best way Of making .
living.
Il left the little store and wandered
along the street which l believed Ro-
sta had walked on her way to church.
asking questions through the Italian
policeman who accompanied me, as
we went along. At last found what
l sought, little child who had seen
Rosita talking to three men who had
stopped her. That was all the child
knew, with the exception Of the fact
that she had seen one OF the men
take an envelope from his pocket, tear
the flap from 1t, scribble something
and then hand 1t to one Of his COM
panions. throwing away the empty
part Of the envelope.
The child could give no description
of the men, nor did she see them lure
Rosita away.
But had what sought-the
chance OF clue and, together with
my companion, We began the search
for the piece of envelope. We knew
there was only q small chance that 1t
could tell us anything; but we must
take that chance. Slowly We walked
along the street, our eyes searching
here and there, staring at every bit OF
paper. meeting disappointment after
disappointment. At last I gave q lit
tie cry and leaped forward
"A fapless envelope lay wedged be-
tween an ash barrel and rickety
shed. I seized It and eagerly sought
some bit Of writing that hoped might
be there. But I was disappointed.
"Yet there was something about
that envelope which made me think.
The paper was heavy and Of the best
quality. The shape was not that Of
the ordinary envelope purchased in
our American stores. held 1t to the
light and then turned to my Italian
friend. my faco showing more Of in
terest than a case Of this ordinary
kind should breed.
"'Defeo,' I said. Gould there be any
such thing as kidnapping societyf'
What do you mean?' the police
man asked.
"T mean an organized band of kid.
napers, who have grown wealthy
through the stealing Of children and
the holding of them for ransomT
"Defeo laughed. There can be
most anything in italy he said.
well ! mused. " this 10 the case