son of Neptune, born, as his name implies, under the shadow of Vesuvius. He goes down to the sea in ships; and, like all good mariners since old Noah himself, returns with a throat parched by many days of briny breezes. Last night, being new landed from a long cruise, Giuseppe sought solace in flowing flagons of Chianti, until, when he tacked through the breakers of River Street toward the beacon light which his lass kept ever burning in her wifely window, he had almost forgotten his own name amid the rosy aromas of his national potation. Arrived at his domicil, Geronimo fell into a deep sleep, with a sinuous string of spaghetti clasped firmly in his corded hand; and as he slept, he dreamed a dream,' Then it goes on to treat the whole affair as a hallucination, distorting[Pg 138] or evading all the facts. Ridiculous account. Rubbish. Perfect rubbish." [Pg 138] "At least, it can do us no harm," said Mr. Tabor, while Lady and I exchanged mirthful glances. "The more the whole affair is belittled, the less danger there is of any serious gossip or investigation. What I don't like is this sort of thing." He crumpled a red and black page across his knee. "There is no substance in it, but it might stir up trouble. "'Last night the perpetrators of a brutal and mysterious crime escaped without a struggle. "'They abducted a poor woman, a wife and mother, from her home. They left behind them destruction and a red stain upon the threshold. "'How did these wretches escape? Why were they not apprehended? "'The answer is simple: They were rich. "'A swift automobile awaited them. The police were powerless to stop them as they sped away. "'If a poor laboring man, crazed by sorrow, commits a crime, the utmost rigor of the law awaits him. He can not purchase a great machine to speed his flight. "'Neither can he purchase the machinery of justice,[Pg 139] the skill of eminent lawyers, the shifts and delays of appeal. He must pay the penalty. [Pg 139] "'But the rich man pays only his myrmidons. The dastards who committed last night's atrocity vanished behind a cloud of gold. "'Shall we permit these things to be so? Shall we allow the wealthy
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