The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1902-10-16
MQubikeCk, The Lion Toner.
By SEWARD w. HOPKINS,
Author of -.JacL Robbins of America" I'm the
China Sea- Two Gentlemen of
Hawaii ION a False
Charge" Etc.
espyr.rhs. 1895. By RoHr4r Bozsrn'. SOFA
CHAPTER x.

question
1t was the second day of my re
newed life and I felt much stronger, |
and had been watching Mutterelli |
with a feeling of amusement as he
puttered around, doing this and that
for his own comfort and mine.
ASK it, signor," he replied. There
is no law in the grotto to compel me
TO answer it if don't want to-
No 1 said. But there is rea-
son why you should not tell me this,
if You know Have you any idea who
really killed Pacho Maligni2'
Everything dropped from Mutter-
ellis hands, and he stared at me,
seemingly overcome with surprise.
Who kilIed-who-who killed Ma
ligni? What is that, signor? oh, yes,
l forgot No, signor, 1 do not know
who killed Maligni. You did not kill
him?"
No 1 replied. I swear it. 1 did
not even see him struck 1 was out
side of the villa making my way to
the gate with Nita BarlOtti. when 1
heard him cry out and heard the
alarm given. 1 saw him when 1 was
on the balcony, but he got up from his
chair and left the room. The next
time l saw him, he was lying dead.
am as much in the dark about it
any one
MuttereIIi whistled-
This is news to me, signor- 1
thought, of course, you killed Maligni-
But if you did not, then who the deuce
did?''
Il don't know. That is what 1 want
to know
You shall know, signor," said Nut
terelli, and his jaw snapped. Nearly
a month has been wasted, in which,
perhaps, 1 could have the MUIR
derer down and set you free. But 1
will do it yet, signor. Do not fear
1 will know who the murderer of Ma
lgni is in less than sixteen days
more
Find him." said. land the twenty
five thousand lire that 1 promised
you shall be doubled
-tAhi Thank you, signor. Mutter-
ELI is faithful, but he is poor There
fore he is grateful. 1 must see
Brother Michael to-day. If L can find
him.
The last sentence seemed to be an
afterthought- My own opinion was
that if the willy Muttere1i wanted tic
see Brother Michael he would not
need to go far-a mirror would show
him the Jesuit's face.
That afternoon Muttere1li went
away and did not return until long
into the night When he did come in
ne breathed heavily, and seemed like
man who had been drinking much
wine.
lay there in silence watching him
as in the dim light of the candle he
moved about preparing to go to bed
In far corner of the grotto, upo1
some boards laid 1engthwise, some
furs like those on which 1 lay haC
been placed. Upon this rude coucl
MutterelH stretched himself, and wa
soon snoring away as if he was repos
ing on the softest bed in his probabl.
comfortable home in Genoa. And as
thought of it I laughed softly to my
self. 1t was probably a strange plac
for MutterelH to be sleeping. Ye
more than that, the thought came t.
me that it was a strange couch for
monk And laughing again at Mut
tere1li's clumsy attempts to deceiv
me, 1 fell asleep.
The days passed slowly after this
yet 1 mended rapidly. and my return
ing strength brought renewed amb
ton and stronger determination t
carry to a successful issue the pul
poses that had brought me to Sal
DINA. But 1 could get nothing GU
of MutterelIi. 1 piled him with que.
tiOns about the monk and about tn
prefetto and about Nita Bar1otti, bu
all 1 got, day after day, were reite
ated cautions about leaving the gro
to and vague and misty sentence
about great plans being laid for m
benefit by Muttereli and .'Brothe
Michael
Nita Barlotti was still at the cou1
try residence of the prefetto. and Mu
tereIi informed me that it was T.
mored that she would soon becom
the bride or count oil Poro1no-
could not see how or wherein til
count was any Improvement owe
Pacho Maligni, but MuttereIli pa
TALLY treasured me by saying thu
the count would not be allowed to we
her for when he and Brother Nicha
had got my affairs Strengthened on
they would attend to the case of tt
Count di Pordino and his propose
marriage.
All this was pacifying and almo
satisfying in the early days of n
convaleseence, but there came ds
when L was no longer weak, and whe
the blood, full of life, rushing throus
my body, gave me vigor and a desi
to go outside again into the wor
and see for myself what was going O
and do for myself what 1 had becon
convinced no one else would be alb
to do for me
1t was on one of these days VIII,
Mutterell was away that TIE sni,