As Kennedy and I flung ourselves
into the crowd we caught a glimpse of Gennaro, with blood
streaming from a cut on his shoulder, struggling with a policeman
while Luigi vainly was trying to interpose himself between them.
A man, held by another policeman, was urging the first officer
on. "That's the man," he was crying. "That's the kidnapper. I
caught him."
In a moment Kennedy was behind him. "Paoli, you lie. You are the
kidnapper. Seize him--he has the money on him. That other is
Gennaro himself."
The policeman released the tenor, and both of them seized Paoli.
The others were beating at the door, which was being frantically
barricaded inside.
Just then a taxicab came swinging up they street. Three men
jumped out and added their strength to those who were battering
down Albano's barricade.
Gennaro, with a cry, leaped into the taxicab. Over his shoulder I
could see a tangled mass of dark brown curls, and a childish
voice lisped "Why didn't you come for me, papa? The bad man told
me if I waited in the yard you would come for me. But if I cried
he said he would shoot me. And I waited, and waited--"
"There, there, Una; papa's going to take you straight home to
mother."
A crash followed as the door yielded, and the famous Paoli gang
was in the hands of the law.
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