Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-11-07

ina. now think hard for few minutes.
I am going to ask you strange cues
tion."
She looked at me with . patient
smile on her weary countenance.
"You may ask It." she said.
"Has anything that you can recall
in your lifeany incident, any word,
any look, any act, seemed to indicate
that you were not Barlottis dangh-
teri" "A
"Signor Wilberton!" she gasped.
"Maubikeck!" The cry was like that
OF frightened child. and Maubikeck
drew nearer to her, and placed one
OF his giant arms around her.
"You understand" continued,
shat don't suggest this as being
true. but simply ask the question. You
have none OF the characteristic fea-
lures of the Italian race. ! should
Judge you to be either English or.
American. Now, can you think OF any
incident at the bedside Of your
father"
"Stay!" she cried. "Let me think.
At my fathers bedside-no. was SO
confused and frightened and sorrow
full that l scarcely saw. No, there
could be nothing. My father gave me
to Maligni, and the boz"
| "Box!" said, interrupting her.
"You said nothing about box be-
| fore"
ut was red tin box" she said,
locked with little brass paddock.
My father gave it to Maligni, and said
something in the tongue have since
learned was Sandman. asked Mali.
gni once what the box contained, and
he said it contained the contract be-
tween him and my father.
| II would give much to gain posses.
sion of that box l said. do you
know where Maligni keeps it,"
mo. have never seen II since the
day my father died"
| Just then there was great tramp
! ing of feet in the hall, which stopped
at the door opposite. opened the
door of Nita's room and peeped, out.
| There were three men there-Maligni,
with his face all hidden in bandages,
my old friend, Doctor Dinsmore, and
Major Simmons. The doctor and the
major went inside with Maligni, but
remained only few minutes. When
l heard them come out, said:
! "Signorina, you have already had
too much excitement tonight, and you
need rest The first thing to be done
is to find Dambo, which shall set
about as soon as have my burned
hands attended to-"
ooh, you are too generous and
kind" she said, you are suffering
on my account. 1t is too bad"
1T is nothing" l said. Now we'will
see the doctor and have our burns
| dressed. Come, Maubikeck."
He followed me out and I hurried
after my friends. caught them at
the door of the hotel.
"Ah, Wilberton!" exclaimed Major
Simmons, when hailed him and Doc
tor Dinsmore. 81 have been looking
for you! How is the grip
| "Nita is all right" replied. "How
is Maligni?"
! "Maligni is more frightened than
hurt" said Doctor Dinsmore. 1.-THE
bullet was evidently intended for his
brain, but missed its marx. He will
be well in a few days."
Here presented the lion-tamer to
my two friends.
! you are not through your work for
tonight, DOCTOR" said. "Maubi-
| keck's hands are badly burned, and
mine in less degree They must be
attended to-
We got into the carriage that Maui
bikeck had used to bring us to the
hotel, and Doctor Dinsmore, at Maubi-
keck's request, gave the coachman the
address Of his office. We were soon
there.
Maubikeck, being more severely
burned than l, was, of course, first
taken care of by the physicians.
While they were busy sat down near
the major.
WELL" he said, in low voice that
Maubikeck could not hear. what do
you think of it all, anyway"
II am more than ever convinced
that our original suspicious were cor
rect" replied. 1T appears that Just
before Barlotti died, he gave the girl
to Maligni, and also gave him red
tin box which was locked with brass
paddock At the same time he spoke
to Maligni in the Sandman dialect,
which Nita did not understand, and
Maligni was apparently very much ex-
cited and surprised at what he said.
Later, Nita asked Maligni what was
in the box, and he told her it con-
tanned the contract under which her
father had worked"
Then explained the system under
which the trapeze acrobat had worked,
and repeated Nita's story for the ma.
jor's benefit.
II agree with you," he said, 'that
the contents Of that red box are i'm
portant. But how to get it?'
Our conversation was interrupted at
this point.
The major and walked to my hotel,
where he left me. 1t was two o'clock
i in the morning when reached my
room. WEAKNESS soon overcame me,
and retired. It seemed to me that
had scarcely slept at all wilenI was
startled from my slumber by a terrific
{ banging at my door
"Who Is there?" shouted.
cit is Maubikeck!" was the re-
ply; and the voice in which It was
uttered was so full Of excitement that,
unmindful Of my scant attire, sprang