第72章 The Black Hand(5)

I ain't supposed to do dis wit'out orders, see?"A moment later I followed, glad to get out of the oppressive atmosphere, and joined him in the back of Vincenzo's drug-store, where he was again at work.As there was no back window there, it was quite a job to lead the wires around the outside from the back yard and in at a side window.It was at last done, however, without exciting suspicion, and Kennedy attached them to an oblong box of weathered oak and a pair of specially constructed dry batteries.

"Now," said Craig, as we washed off the stains of work and stowed the overalls back in the suitcase, "that is done to my satisfaction.I can tell Gennaro to go ahead safely now and meet the Black-Handers.">From Vincenzo's we walked over toward Centre Street, where Kennedy and I left Luigi to return to his restaurant, with instructions to be at Vincenzo's at half-past eleven that night.

We turned into the new police headquarters and went down the long corridor to the Italian Bureau.Kennedy sent in his card to Lieutenant Giuseppe in charge, and we were quickly admitted.The lieutenant was a short, fullfaced, fleshy Italian, with lightish hair and eyes that were apparently dull, until you suddenly discovered that that was merely a cover to their really restless way of taking in everything and fixing the impressions on his mind, as if on a sensitive plate.

"I want to talk about the Gennaro case," began Craig."I may add that I have been rather closely associated with Inspector O'Connor of the Central Office on a number of cases, so that Ithink we can trust each other.Would you mind telling me what you know about it if I promise you that I, too, have something to reveal?"The lieutenant leaned back and watched Kennedy closely without seeming to do so."When I was in Italy last year," he replied at length, "I did a good deal of work in tracing up some Camorra suspects.I had a tip about some of them to look up their records --I needn't say where it came from, but it was a good one.Much of the evidence against some of those fellows who are being tried at Viterbo was gathered by the Carabinieri as a result of hints that I was able to give them--clues that were furnished to me here in America from the source I speak of.I suppose there is really no need to conceal it, though.The original tip came from a certain banker here in New York.""I can guess who it was," nodded Craig.

"Then, as you know, this banker is a fighter.He is the man who organised the White Hand--an organisation which is trying to rid the Italian population of the Black Hand.His society had a lot of evidence regarding former members of both the Camorra in Naples and the Mafia in Sicily, as well as the Black Hand gangs in New York, Chicago, and other cities.Well, Cesare, as you know, is Gennaro's father-in-law.

"While I was in Naples looking up the record of a certain criminal I heard of a peculiar murder committed some years ago.

There was an honest old music master who apparently lived the quietest and most harmless of lives.But it became known that he was supported by Cesare and had received handsome presents of money from him.The old man was, as you may have guessed, the first music teacher of Gennaro, the man who discovered him.One might have been at a loss to see how he could have an enemy, but there was one who coveted his small fortune.One day he was stabbed and robbed.His murderer ran out into the street, crying out that the poor man had been killed.Naturally a crowd rushed up in a moment, for it was in the middle of the day.Before the injured man could make it understood who had struck him the assassin was down the street and lost in the maze of old Naples where he well knew the houses of his friends who would hide him.

The man who is known to have committed that crime--Francesco Paoli--escaped to New York.We are looking for him to-day.He is a clever man, far above the average--son of a doctor in a town a few miles from Naples, went to the university, was expelled for some mad prank--in short, he was the black sheep of the family.

Of course over here he is too high-born to work with his hands on a railroad or in a trench, and not educated enough to work at anything else.So he has been preying on his more industrious countrymen--a typical case of a man living by his wits with no visible means of support.

"Now I don't mind telling you in strict confidence," continued the lieutenant, "that it's my theory that old Cesare has seen Paoli here, knew he was wanted for that murder of the old music master, and gave me the tip to look up his record.At any rate Paoli disappeared right after I returned from Italy, and we haven't been able to locate him since.He must have found out in some way that the tip to look him up had been given by the White Hand.He had been a Camorrista, in Italy, and had many ways of getting information here in America."He paused, and balanced a piece of cardboard in his hand.

"It is my theory of this case that if we could locate this Paoli we could solve the kidnapping of little Adelina Gennaro very quickly.That's his picture."Kennedy and I bent over to look at it, and I started in surprise.

It was my evil-looking friend with the scar on his cheek.

"Well," said Craig, quietly handing back the card, "whether or not he is the man, I know where we can catch the kidnappers to-night, Lieutenant."It was Giuseppe's turn to show surprise now.

"With your assistance I'll get this man and the whole gang to-night," explained Craig, rapidly sketching over his plan and concealing just enough to make sure that no matter how anxious the lieutenant was to get the credit he could not spoil the affair by premature interference.