Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-07-23
\ Case Of
Blackmail
By SADIE oLcoTT


threatening letter to some one who
could afford to hand over the cash to
avoid trouble, when chance gave him
a fine opportunity. He was walking
past the estate of the Hethringtons
one night about II o'clock when he
espied a light flash among the trees
within the Enclosure.
Pietro was of an enterprising turn
of mind, arguing that one can never
tell when a secret may be picked up
which may be turned into money. The
flash had revealed to him something
that he had not expected to see at
that time Of night in a rich mans
grounds-namely, a gentleman carry
ding a small oblong box under his arm.
Moreover, Pietro got a glimpse of a
lady moving beside the gentleman.
Both were young, and the lady was
beautiful.
Pietro climbed the fence with the
agility of youth and, creeping through
snch plants as adorn gentlemen's es-
tates, made his way toward the cou-
4 pie, who were moving to q rear cor
| ner OF the RrOunuS.
Pietro did not need to be the adept
he was at theorizing to feel sure that
/ this young couple were going to bury
. the body of q child contained in the
(. box they had with them. If the little
one had died without mystery there
would have been no need of their In
ferring 1t at this time of night n In
this secret manner. Stealthily he fol-
lowed the couple, who stopped at an
open space in the shrubbery. The man
dug a grave and, having put the box
in 1t, shoveled In the earth and smooth
ed the surface, while the lady, holding
/. the lantern, stood by, a picture OF mel
ancholy. A big dog stood by the lady,
viewing the burial with evident inter
. est. When it was finished and the
. couple were about to return to the
house the dog pricked up his ears and
gave a low growl. Pietro beat a hasty
retreat. The dog dashed toward him.,
. and Pietro got over the fence just In
time to save himself from a pair or
powerful jaws.
Pietro believed that he had a valua
BILE secret. IL he was right in his in
ference that the body of a child had
been buried those who had inferred 1t
would undoubtedly give a large sum
4 for the preservation of the secret
4 Pietro was a methodical rascal and
would have visited the grave, dug up
the box and assured himself of the
truth of his inference. but he had a
wholesome dread of the dogs jaws.
. To go there in the daytime was inn
. practicable, and at night the dog was
Embossed and permitted to roam over
the grounds.
Pietro thought of going to the house
f and making inquiries of the servants
that would help him in determining
h what the secret burial meant, but he
was farseeing and looked forward to a
4 possible future arrest, In which case
to be identified as having prowled
around the place, the denizens of which
he proposed to bleed, would prove a
I great disadvantage to him. He deter
mined to proceed on the theory that
there was something to be concealed.
He learned the name of the owners
of the place, then wrote a note men
Il llOufnk NAuI hC u pCCh 49, ch~Ao
4 to keep the secret on payment OF So
600, giving an assumed name to be
addressed at the general delivery OF
the ~postofice. In Il weeks time be re-
4 ceived a note written in a feminine
4 hand imploring him not to divulge
what he had witnessed. The money
to pay for his silence was being got
together, and as soon as 1t was ready
he would be notified.
A fortnight later, not having heard
anything further In the matter, he
wrote again, demanding immediate
payment or the police would be noti-
& fed that a crime had been covered up.
To this he received a reply that $4,000
of ready money had been raised and
would be turned owe to him in any
manner that he might designate.
Each year for four years $500 would
be paid him provided the secret was
kept.
This looked to Pietro like a bona
tide offer. He had not thought that
the parties would likely provide against
being called ON for blackmail in future.
He accepted the proposition and ap-
pointed a meeting at a certain day
and hour at a street corner near the
scene of the burial to receive his first
4 payment. He would wea a brown
suit and would carry a book In his
left hand. Any attempt at treachery
would result in the death of his would
be captor.
At the time appointed a man appear
ed on the scene and, seeing another in
a brown suit and a book in his hand,
asked him If he were the party to be
paid for keeping a secret Pietro nd
8 mitted that he was, and the other put
8 his hand into his inside coat pocket,
took out a fat pocketbook and was
about to hand 1t over when several
men started from different points near