The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-02-15

last / came to It. There was the name
on the wan at the corner.
1 As I stood there became conscioui
that man was on the pavement on ths
| other side of the road. A window opened
In the house in front Of which he wa,
standing A woman put her head out. ]
knew her-she was the woman who had
been dancing with oaspare. Then knew
that the man on the pavement was Gas.
pare The electric light shone on ths
woman's face. 50 that saw IT as clearly
as IL 1t had been the brightest day. She
began with question:
well. lis II done-the little bushes,
with Emilo?'
We said something which could no,
see. since his back was toward me: but ]
could guess what 1t was from her re.
jofnder.
THAT is fifty pounds in your pocket
and also mine-eh. Gsspare?"
Grimly she laughed. and again with
drew. This time the window shut and
| the blind came down. and the man on the
pavement turned and --ood and looked al
me. Then. with his hands in his coat
pockets. he stroiled on down Greek street
turned and watched him as he went
He paused under lamp which, attached
to a building, projected over the pave
ment. He raped at the door with his
knuckles. and was almost instantly ad-
United.
When he was in strolled up the other
side of the road. Over small window
which was divided into three long panes
was a board: Restaurant Napolitain
Alessandro." Almost exactly opposite
was an entry which ran by picture the
atre. I drew a little back into it and
waited.
| Not very long-hardly ten minutes
Then the door Of the restaurant opened
Two men came out-Signori Gaspare and
AIessandro. could hear their voices. but
could not see their faces. After a few
words they parted. As Alessandro was
about to return indoors quickly crossed
over to him.
81 want to speak to YOU" 1 said.
Pardon 1t was a question: he was
probably wondering where 1 had come
from.
II want to speak to you" I repeated.
I'll come inside"
I was inside before he guessed my In
tention and he was etilI on the doorstep.
Clearly this was a restaurant; in the un-
certain light could see the marble Ia
bles. Presently he followed. coming
closer to me than / liked.
What do you mean by coming into my
place like this? will have no nonsense.
You make a mistake IL you think So
had no clear plan OF action; I just felt
that 1 wanted 10 strickland 1 struck.
THAT fellow Gaspare, with whom you
were talking. has just killed young man
named Emilio
'Of what are you talking?'
You know very well of what I'm talk
ing. He killed him at your instigation;
you've just paid him fifty pounds for
doing it,
I rather lost my head. or T should have
chosen my words more carefully. knew
the man was dangerous. He pushed the
street door to; it shut without a sound.
Don't you dare to touch mer' was a
little scared; the darkness was like a
shroud-the silence was ominous.
Come" he said; I want to talk to
you" He gripped me by the wrist and
began to pull me along. was powerless
to offer any efectual resistance. caught
at a marble table as We passed. He
snatched me away without pausing in his
stride.
We came to q door, which he opened.
We were in a passage with stairs and a
light somewhere above.
We came to a landing; he swung me
round a corner and along a passage. At
the end there was a door. through which
he thrust me; having done so. he shut
it, and I heard him turn the key. He
himself remained outside.
When became. in some degree, mis-
tress Of myself tried to think what was
the best thing I could do. Being without
matches 1 had to feel. First along the
wall. was in a good-sized room; I, took
twelve fairly long steps before 1. came to
a corner which showed 1 was at the end
of it, When came TO the table some
thing caused me to put up my hand. I
touched something overhead; it was the
bulb of an electric light. I pursued my
investigations, and found what 1 sought.
In an instant the room was lit in a fash
ion which. after the previous darkness,
was almost dazzling.
1t was a sitting-room. There were two
doors; one which took to be that through
which I had been propelled. and a sec
ond, by the fireplace. which perhaps led
to an adjoining apartment. What 1 took
to be the window was guarded by iron
shutters. painted white
, sat down on a chair feeling rather be-
wildered. Probably, IL / stayed there,