The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-08-13

In sudden alright. Vaguely we BEGAN
70 sense the danger menacing Arturo.
Ihen ! knew why had felt so strong
to the Italian girls letter.
NOW you must be very brave. Marie"
IL PAID quietly In tone l struggled to
make make, hrm and motheriy; You see.
too well to frighten you with 1t. So
you must help him now
How real Arturo's danger was we did
not then guess-nor could we have
all the world 50 much as just the Sim m
pie fact OF his love for his pretty wife.
Close to the doorway OF the garish
Italian saloon at the corner stood a
| covering his eyes. In his hands was the
tin cup Of his ilk and across his chest
a placard. Help The Blind"
Arturo went close to him and stood
hesitant for a moment. Then he drew
roll Of bills from his breast pocket
Men do not drop rolls Of bills In tin
cups where habitualty pennies rattle
unless some grave necessity urges them
| to their snowy generosity. In response
to quick impulse / rushed over and
attempted to take the money from the
cup. The blind man seized my wrist
| and dragged me toward him ffercely.
There was a snarl Of vindictive hatred
on his face and-I had a sudden con-
sciousness that he was peering at me
through his smoked glasses and that
they we're q disguise set over keen eyes
which saw cruelty well.
l knew that was In the grip Of the
Black Hand itself and that I need ex-
pect no mercy.
Then a weapon swung over the head
OF the men who held me captive. Arturo
had recovered his lost courage and was
using his violin case TO attack my as
sailant. In another moment Arturo had
seized me by one hand and Marie by the
other and was dragging US up the street
with desperate haste.
Back of us we could hear the thudding
pursuit Of the coarsely booted blind
man" and another Italian who had come
to his rescue.
on and on we rushed in that sheer
panic which people In retreat must al
ways feel. Suddenly Arturo dragged us
into a doorway. I looked up instructive
and saw over my head a swinging sign
which indicated a photographers shop.
Still impeled by that wild terror which
had startled our flight. We rushed up the
us, until at last we came to a doorway
against which Arturo fiung his weight.
The door burst open and We rushed in.
The photograph gallery which we had
pierced by the white moonlight which
fell in broad wake through a skyligh,
overhead. About us were the screens
and gilded chairs and movable cameras
:. Of the professional Photographer
! could hear Arturo's heavy breathing
) as he leaned against the door which
, must barricade us from our pursuing
: foes. A moment later there was tn,
thud of bodies from the other side, ant
! knew that our hiding place had beer
h. discovered.
I groped around In the darkness unit
) the electric lights. In the sudden glare
turned and studied my companions
\ On both faces there was tho heroic de
! termination to make 3 stand and tn
me realize exactly now dangerous wa
. the position in which we had become'
= involved.
His Hidden Offense.
=? In some way OF which I was no
then aware, Arturo had offended tn
y powers that be in little Italy"
Whatever the cause, I know that W
9 three covering weaponless behind tn
I flimsy barricade OF that door were TAX
: ing a desperate stand against no les
q a menace than the Black Hand itself.
a A vast. protecting love for these hap
less young things. who were In the ne>
J. world pursued by grim offshoot o
u
q over me. and / reached out my nan
: to give Marie what little comfort
). warm and loving token Of companion
;. ship could offer.
q A second later the door burst oper
e Two Italians rushed In. One was tn
n lurking figure OF the shadowy passage
way-the other the blind" man. The
|. rushed at Arturo. Love and fear mad
d him dauntless: he threw owe upon tn
/. ground and turned TO meet his secon
e opponent. But the fight was not a
a even one. for the man he had flun
e aside jumped up again and made
n IL to attack him from the rear.
i loosed my hold on Maric's finger
and rushed over to save Arturo froI
a flank movement. But the man,
meant TO circumvant threw me asid
/, roughly and rushed with the force {
, a charging bull at Arturo. There wa
= a sudden CLEAN of light as he leape
" on the young viClinst.
a HE will keel Arturo" shrieked Me
y RE desperately.
There seemed no help for that. fo
: the flashing CLEAN came from an W
IT lifted dagger In the mans hand.
= The letter which Arturo Bocetti ha
70 hidden from Marie, his wife. on u
morning when she turned to me II
y help had been from the dreaded Blac
Hand.
"A. Bocetti:
you are ordered to give 500 to o,
g messenger. who Will make himse
known, Your wife's life is the penal'
n of failure"
The instinct to protect what one Low,
IT from knowledge Of how much that 10y