The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-03-20

the propitious moment.
 Benito, as often said, really abhorred cruelty and hated blood- shed. And besides that, strange as it may seem he was genuinely fond of the girl. He would not willingly harm her. His heart was fully set on getting the money from Phil and releasing Ginger uninjured. He had even worked thing out in such a manner that Ginger herself should never suspect his identity.
 On that eventful Friday morning for the first time things material ized according to his wishes. Speed and Cotton left her alone on the landing just out of sight of the house. Eddy and Pat were in the woods, and from different things Benito had observed he felt they were pretty sure to remain away for some time. Bard was morosely buried in his painting.
 Ginger sat laughing on the big stone looking out over the water It was but the. work of a moment for Benito to step noiselessly from the woods behind her and strike her a smart. blow upon the side o1 the head-smart, but not violent. He was careful to use a blunt club not too heavy. Ginger toppled over backward without a sound.
 The boat stood waiting beside the rock and in less than a minute he had placed her in the bottom of il and covered her carelessly with the pile of blankets. Covered her with seeming carelessness, for in fact he was particularly careful to see that II fnl hAn h upon her face. The very thought of suffocation made Benito posi-. lively faint.
 Within five minutes he was quiet. ly fishing in the deep pool within plain view of everyone in the house and about the grounds.
 All these clever machinations were not the outgrowth of coinci. dence, nor even of inspiration. Be nito had acquired exactness through many years of practical experience.
 True, Benito had gone to Chicago just as he said and as Markers re ports on him verified, had got him self involved with Kappalla's gang just as he described. But that en counter was not of accident but b. design. He had gone. to Chicago fol that very purpose. True, he hat been elected by the gang to shoot Giovanni, but Giovanni did moi press the charge against him very hard. It was at the instigation oi Giovanni that Benito had gone to Chicago in the first place, to serve as a spy for him in the camp of Kappalla.
 Benito and Giovanni had 1cer associated in business before that They had spent. several years to- gether in Mexico and had turned good trick smuggling cocaine across the border. They used carrier. pigeons in that enterprise, and il was in Mexico that Benito had acquired his great love for birds and his respect for their value.
 Giovanni was too shrewd to re- main long enough in any single racket to get himself into serious trouble. He and Benito withdrew from Mexico just in time to avoid complications. Giovanni went to Chicago, Benito to New York, where he retired quietly to the heart of the Italian colony to wait until Gio- vanni should send for him.
 Benito was not in any sense a gangster. He did not like gun-fire, the thought of physical suffering causing him acute anguish, the sight of blood made him turn faint Against any sort of moral turpitude he had absolutely no compunctions but physical violence could only be justified by mans obvious duty to himself.
 q and of commendable persistence And his show of simple kindliness combined with his rare versatility made him a valuable collaboration so that Kappalla was obliged to re- spect his innate prejudices, allow him entire freedom from gang ac- tivities. mad make good use or nm when he was available.
 After his clever work in Chicago he went into retirement to await g new emergency. Angelo's proposed journey to the farm country suited his purpose to perfection, dovetail- ing both with his needful seclusion and his personal taste.
 He had no interior motive in go- ing west, he was just waiting. But it was impossible for man of his talents to let slip an opportunity that beat so loudly upon his door He had no accomplices. he needed none. He figured out the lay of the land and determined to swing the deal for himself.
 When he made his hurried triI to Chicago, he did more than with. draw his money-a small portion ol his money-from one of his banks did more than visit Angelo's mother and buy gifts for his friends. Ht went to see Giovanni.
 From Giovanni he got the pigeons which he took boldly back With hin in his huge straw suitcase. From Giovanni also he got "the rope" tt keep Ginger sleeping during her Tn carceration, and the notes writer in a strange hand on cheap browi wrapping-p paper. All those week. he had kept them hidden, awaitini the one propitious moment.
 "Benito, tell me one thing" sai' Bard. "Where did you hide tha stuff? We ransacked the place hundred times, we looked in ever. nook and corner of your room whel we were hunting Ginger, and w never found a thing"
 "I kept them in the bird-houses, said Benito complacently. ''Nobod ever thinks of searching bird houses. Birds" he added sadly ''seem so good"
 Ginger did not even know tha a blow had felled her from tn rock. She only knew that. afte what seemed q long time, she be gan vaguely to feel that she wa hurting terribly. But she could no tell what was hurting nor wher