The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-06


that beset our adventurous path
gum runners-I sat at the table across
from Antonio and thought of many things.
He as out on bail, but We both felt rather
chan spoke of our forebodings-felt the
dreaded, unseen force that was drawing US
on to disaster. Antonio, endeavoring to
dispel my fears, attempted to jest
"What on earth have you been doing?
! never such telephone bill You
must have called every town and village
on Long Islandv
He referred to my frantic efforts to
locate the station house prison where
pictured him as lying in desperate need fol-
lowing the discovery by the authorities of
our contraband cargo from the Bahamas
] slipped my demi-tasse and looked deep
into his eyes.
"Antonio," asked, where is all this
leading us?''
He shrugged. He made no immediate
rejoinder but he had a far-away expression
that made my heart ache. l didn't care so
much what happened to me, but feared for
Antonio. He was man who never was
made to be confined in Jail or chained to a
routine world. True, l realized that he
was running afoul of man-made laws, and
that the fate. that awaits those who resist
the tenets of civilization is not happy one.
But to me, Antonio Cassese meant freedom,
liberty and the right to roam, to love and
to do just as he himself pleased. l added:
"This may mean the beginning of the end
they may take you from me-.
Antonios face was a study The idea
to
soul. Then look of rage swept across his
swarthy, handsome features He almost
Kissed:
"They can't beat me. I have to win---
for you. I will VIM
Antonio reached across the table and
patted my hand.
"Have you cigarette?" l asked
NO." Antonio replied, and then smiled
for he thinking of something else, as
he explained, Certainly, here is a cigarette
I meant to say No, they will never beat
me- Here is a match. No, it takes all the
lawyers in the country to give me bat
tie, and even then l will VIM
Antonio gazed at me in silence for a
moment and then continued.
"Why, 1 have faced death over and over
again. Yes and you have faced it with me.
Don't you weaken and don't you be alarm
ed about me-"
l was crying, much to Antonio's dscom-
future.
81 am going with YOU" sobbed.
"What do you mean?" he questioned,
"going whereof
81 am going to Jail with you I>could
not live outside, knowing that you were
there, alone anyway" l added, petulantly,
''they might have pretty matron in the jail,
and know she couldn't help falling in love
with you'
l know that sort of talk sounds absurd,
but woman is apt to imagine foolish things
whether he is going voluntarily or not. The
absurdity of this remark made Antonio for
get his troubles for moment. He actually
laughed out loud for the first time in weeks.
1t seemed to relieve the tenseness of the
situation.
''Foolish!" he exclaimed. "Don't you
know that matrons take care Of women
prisoners, and not the menu"
The word prisoners" falling from An.
tonio's lips, brought our predicament again
to my mind. felt as though had been
stabbed through the heart. am not an
bysterical person. think that is one rea-
son why was successful as Queen of the
Rum Runners. l never to my knowledge
displayed "yellow streak" and Antonio has
told me that behaved like major" under
lire.