To his ears came the sound of voices in subdued discussion. They were so muffled, however, that he could distinguish nothing, and recalling a partly open window at the front, he went forward to the corner, peered cautiously about, and tiptoed to within a few feet of it.
At once the voices came to him plainly.
“You gotta dat?”
“Stan’ in doo’way, hat in yo’ han’, upside down,” responded the colored man’s gruff voice.
Wondering, Jack drew nearer.
“At halfa da past two by da beeg clock,” continued the first speaker.
There was a pause, and the negro repeated, “At half pas’ two by dah city clock, shahp.”
Suddenly it came to Jack. At the dictation of the Italian, the negro was writing a “Black Hand” letter—ordering one of their victims to display some signal to show that the demand for money would be complied with!
The Italian’s next sentence left no further doubt. “If you no giva da sign, you deada man by seex clock.”
At the words, and the fierceness with which they were uttered, Jack felt a chill run up his spine. Had he followed his immediate impulse he would have fled. But determining to learn if possible who the letter was for, he waited.