The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-04-16


The proprietor shrugged his shoulders,
made a gesture with his hands and
continued on his way into the kitchen
The gray-haired man approached
Finneran timidly.
Excuse me, signor," he said, you
spik Italian?"
81 read it better than l speak it,"
replied Finneran, with truth and ami
ability Here possibly, was adventure
The gray-haired man glanced furi-
lively about him, and then seated
himself at Finneran's table.
."You no Italian" he began with con-
vfction, smiling at the others brick
red hair and azure eyes.
mo, I'm a blond Esquimaux," said
Finneran solemnly.
The gray-haired man glanced fur
drew from his pocket a much-soiled
envelope which, after further furtive
chances, he pushed across the table.
Then looking eagerly at Finneran, he
HuISDGT6u. ltll lit WllohI Ht Sdy
Finneran glanced at the address,
which he recognized as that of a bet
ter class tenement in the Italian quar-
ter, then drew the letter from the
envelope 1t was in Italian and exc
cuted in red ink. In one corner was
d crudely sketched hand done in black.
why do you ask me to read this,
Cantarelli?" he demanded, shooting a
stern and quizzical glance at his COM
panion.
81 can no read or write" said the
gray-haired man, leaning across the
table and gazing squarely into his
eyes.
"But some italian friend"
"Ah, l no trust-I scared Not for
me-myself. No. 1t matter not. But
my daughter, My beautiful Giuliett;s.
All, signor, she is so beautiful! Like
the blessed Madonna. And so good.
Finneran bent over the letter and
as he did so he heard quick intaking
of breath, muttered imprecation, and
the gray-haired man sprang from the
table and vanished through the side
door, looking over his shoulder to-
ward the main entrance as he fed.
FInneran followed the direction of his
glance and caught sight of a dark
skinned, evil face peering in at the
door. IT vanised almost instantly.
And there before him on the table lay
the lurid letter, with its signature of
I'll Mano Nera" Black Hand!
When Professor Altomare stopped
fol his papers at Finneran's news
stand next morning, and was moving
off toward the subway entrance, he
vas halted by the newsdealer's CHEEKY
tones.
Excuse me, professor, just a mo
n,ent- have yoA got timerto translate
a short letter for me?"
Certainly, my friend" answered the
little italian teacher, and Finneran
handed him the sinister-looking letter
AS he hastily read it over to himself
the professor elevated his eyebrows
and when he had finished emitted a
prolonged whistle.
"Well?" said Finneran.
did someone send, this to you
no?"
mo, but would like to know what
it says"
The professor readjusted his spec
tacles and said, 81 will read it for you .
Then he cleared his throat and read:
animals!
you can delay no longer. Thrice
you have failed. Tomorrow night
will call at your house as the clock
strikes nine my knock shall sound on
your door. Leave the money with
Giulietta If l find her empty-handed
she will die on the spot, and you soon
after. You are too wise to attempt
any trick. If | am captured you will
be dead within an hour Be guided
by me and all will be well. Fail me
and you know what will happen,"
mo signature but black hand,
chuckled the professor as he returned
the letter to Finneran and walked
away, waving his arms.
Finneran's first impulse, his more
sensible one, was to lay the matter
before the police captain of the pre-
cinct in which Giulietta and her father
lived; but the thrall OF adventure
sc eking held him back-here was
beauty Cat least according to her
father, soon to be in distress, and he
-Finneran-could succor her-could
thwart and punish the miscreant who
would offer her harm! And there was
no monkey business about it, either!
Now Finneran was far from quixotic
in the purest sense of the term; but
he was keenly alert to the fact that
an actual tragedy was impending, and
that he himself could and would avert
ii single-handed.
At last he faced a regular adven-
trre!"
A plan of action must be immedi-
ately devised That the writer of the
threatening letter meant what he said
there was no doubt-how to cope with
and capture him was the question.
That bodily hurt might come to him
self never entered the mind of Finne-
ran. Lacking an inch of six feet in
height, and broad in proportion, Fin