Craig laughed. “No, not yet. But I have only to touch this other switch, and I could produce an effect in that room that would rival the famous writing on Belshazzar's wall—only it would be a voice from the wall instead of writing.”
“They seem to be waiting for someone,” said Vincenzo. “I heard somebody say: 'He will be here in a few minutes. Now get out.'”
The babel of voices seemed to calm down as men withdrew from the room. Only one or two were left.
“One of them says the child is all right. She has been left in the back yard,” translated Luigi.
“What yard? Did he say?” asked Kennedy.
“No; they just speak of it as the 'yard,'” replied Luigi.
“Jameson, go outside in the store to the telephone booth and call up headquarters. Ask them if the automobile is ready, with the men in it.”
I rang up, and after a moment the police central answered that everything was right.
“Then tell central to hold the line clear—we mustn't lose a moment. Jameson, you stay in the booth. Vincenzo, you pretend to be working around your window, but not in such a way as to attract attention, for they have men watching the street very carefully. What is it, Luigi?”
“Gennaro is coming. I just heard one of them say, 'Here he comes.'”