The Globe-republican., 1902-08-21


", 1 am in some persons way, and
unless the secret is discovered,
shall, no doubt, be murdered If you
can help me, you viii win my graft
tut1e.''
Thus prettily asked. 1 walked be-
side them. and the old woman came
ambIng after, muttering to herself
things 1 could not understand. but in
which I frequently heard the name
Maligni.
Now, there was more than one rea-
son why it seemed perfectly proper
for me to accompany Nita and Maui
bikeck and lend what assistance 1
could in this time of need To begin
with. I was much interested in the
girl ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of
her grand beauty, and the romantic
interest always attached to a beautiful
girl in her position.
Secondly, 1 was interested in Nita
BarlOtti, as has been shown hereto
fore, because she closely reSembled
the photograph of Charles Gravis
courts wife, and because in that re-
semblance there had seemed to be
some Shadowy hint that Graviscourt
was not all that he seemed to be be-
fore the world. And in striking at
Graviscourt, 1 striking a blow
for my own love, and this is motive
that will always stir the heart of a
man whose love is withheld from him
by anOther's will.
Thirdly, 1 was interested in the
1ioE-tamer- He impressed me as be-
ing ordinary individual-very diff
ferent from the average circus at
tache, as was Barlotti herself, and
in the evidences of love that I had
seen pass between these two, I had
seemed to see a reflection of my
own, and this claimed my interest.
if nothing else.
Fourthly, 1 had seen the act of the
man who had set fire to the trapeze
rope, and was, no doubt, the only hui
man being, save himself, who had
seen it, 1t became me, therefore, to
aid Maubikeck and Nita by using the
knowledge I possessed, and by iden-
tifying the miScreant who had fired
the rope, ascertain through him his
motive, or, if he had been employed
to do the thing, the name of his
cowardly employer.
One of the facts that 1 learned by
this adventure was that the stars of
a circus lived, when away from the
glare and tinsel of their profession.
of money to spend.
Leaving the Garden by means of
one of the private entrances, Maubi-
keck hailed a carriage. 1t was a
good one, and was drawn by a team
of well-fed, s1eek-looking horses, and
used every night for his own convey
ance, and we all got into it. Maubi-
keck and Nita sat together, and the
old bag sat with me, with our backs
toward the driver. She was not a
pleasant carriage companion, and ]
would gladly have exchanged places
with Maubikeck. The old woman
swayed back and forth, moaned,
wrung her hands, and spoke iercely
to Maubikeck, who told her with I'M
mistakable emphasis to hold her
tongue.
Il will explain this woman's We
hemence, Signor Wilberton,'' said the
| ion-tamer. "Pacho Ma1igni is hard
master and a jealous man. He allows
no one but himself and those hired
| for the purpose to come near Mia
| Barlotti- Believe me, this is the first
| time since we opened in Madison
Square Garden that / have accom-
panied the signorina to her hotel. Ma
| Hgni keeps her constantly under his
care, and this woman is employed by
| him to prevent others-princ ipally
myself-from coming into the pres
ence of the signOr1na. That we are
enabled to be with her is due
! solely to the mishap which has be
| fallen Ma1igni. He may be dead al
| this moment or seriously wounded
| That he is wounded is certain, or he
would have been hand as usual
| to take Nita to the hotel
ttAnd where does Ma1igni 1ive?" !
asked.
| AT the same hotel
(To be continued.)
@.,- ~n-,,o 80, - ,.,-@