The Yale expositor., 1902-11-14
M0NbiAeCk, he Lion I0TlGT.
By SEWARD w. HOPKINS.
.aathor 81 Jack Robbins Of America" In The
China Sea-" Tive uentiemen %
Hawaii" "Oa . Paiss
Charge" Etc.
n.,rri.A,. 1875. BY nsnsar Bosss... sosH
CHAPTER XVI.


che man. put all our conversation into
this chapter There was something
about his calm bearing. his mute ac-
ccptance OF his fate that TO me was
zacrcd. His Waite hand scarcely
aremblcd as he carried n match Co his
cigar. even after he must have been
convinced that his race was run.
Ills face was ashen. and the hand
some mouth was set firm and white.
After The preliminary announce
mcnt OF cur discoveries. which he nc
cepicd with n sad bow OF his aristo-
cratic head. ! said:
n have here. Grayiscourt. the
sworn statements OF the man who was
supposed Co have killed Alice Gravis-
court. the man who was hired Co Kill
Mia Bnrlotti. and the man who saved
the child from the numbering physi-
cian. Shall | read them. or do you
place yourself in the hands of the law
without further agony?"
Proceed" he said quietly.
With voice shaking with emotion.
! read Ca him the statement OF Antonio
Sigmotta. During the reading he sat
finished. he raised a glass OF wine 90
perfectly motionloss. and when | had
mis- tips. firmly replaced the glass on
The table. and sat waiting.
Proceed" he said, as | paused
the next"
Then read the statement OF Luigi
Dambo. and still the doomed man sat
perfectly calm, the ashen pallor of his
facc and hands being the only indica-
lions OF the awful tumut that must
have been In his BRAIN
when I had finished this he drained
che glass again. and again sat wait
INK
Proceed" he said. and this time
there was a distinct snecr in his voice.
There Is another-that OF my friend.
Charles Sirmotta."
began To read. Charles Slgmotta's
statement was as follows:
=, Charles Slgmotta. otherwise
known as Tortoni. tae druggist. being
duly sworn, do say and declare that
che following statement Is absolutely
true.
Il have listened TO the statements
Of my brother. Antonio. and Luigi
Dambo. and confess that all that Is
in them concerning myself Is abso-
Iutely true.
Il was the familiar friend OF Ralph
GTaviscourt. who. as is well known.
Wns a poor man with expensive tastes
and heavily In debt. when. by the
death OF his brother. ne became the
guardian OF the child Alice. and the
executor Of his brothers will. by this
VIII. I'm case of the death OF Alice be.
fore marrying. Ralph Grayiscourt be
Camo sole heir 10 the fortune OF a mil
lion
''lIe at once plotted to get rid OF
'the child. and my own financial ncccs.
stiles made me a willing accomplish.
Cor the terms he offered were liberal.
The plan was this: | had child
Tsho had died of smallpox child Of
poor italian parents. who gladly con
scnIcd when / offered 60 take her
away and bury her without expense TO
them. I took this child To Gravls-
courts house. and took the real Alice
Gravisoourt away. first giving her a
powerful drug. which expected would
kin her. Our reasons for making this
substitution were that Graviscourt
feared that some OF the friends OF his
brother and his wife would demand to
sec tho body. and II Il were known
shat sho died OF smallpox. this curl
osity would no doubt be stincd: and
then again. II provided against pub
lie funeral and viewing OF the corpse.
And the child substituted was so
strongly marked By the foul disease
that one look would convince the most
curious and satisfy all misgivings.
But there was no trouble. The
Italian child was buried as Alice Ora.
viscOurt. and what followed with the
real hciross Is truthfully told in my
brothers statement. though up 10 the
advent Of Mallgrj's circus both Grayis.
court and / believed that Alice Grayis.
court WAS at the bottom of the East
river.
-Gmviscourt came 90 me In great
alarm one day and said that a girl who
closely resemblcd his brothers wife
was an actress In Malignl's circus. and
position | had made OF Alice. | rcas-
surcd him and said that the likeness
was merely n coincidence. and SO |
nrmly believed. | knew that my
brother had claimed TO have a daugh.
tcr Mia. but never saw her. and now
understand why he so carefully kept
her out OF my way.
when Grayiscourt had gone. got
90 thinking over the matter. and my
curiosity was aroused. and I went TO
che circus 20 see Mia. my brothers
child. ! was stirred by the striking re-
Eemblance she bore 20 the wife OF
Charles Gravlscourt. and sought Ma.
tisni to learn more OF her. Maligni
told me how Antonio had given her 90
him. and seemed TO attach no impor.
lance TO my visit. But II seems that
ne had neglected TO read the contents
of the red box. having no interest In
n. until ! aroused his curiosity.
The next day Graviscourt came