The Globe-republican., 1902-10-23

or foes? Is the prefetto's house in
1 threw aside my wig and beard to |
assure her of my identity
The villa is attacked by the Count |
di POrdino,'' 1 said who seeks to take
you away by force But the warning
was brought in time, and the soldiers
of the prefetto are fighting off the
forces of the count
Nita was now beside herself with
grief, passion and fear. STOPPING, she
picked up the knife that Dambo had
dropped.
Il Will do it, Signor wilberton,' she
said. 4 am no longer weak. a
circus performer, and can take my
own part Let them come. 1 Will kill
the prefetto and 1 will kill the count.
but if they conquer me and 1 fail to
kill them, will plunge this knife into
my own heart rather than become
the bride. the slave, of the Count di
Pordino.''
Her eyes flashed as she spoke, her
bosom rose and fell in an excess of
emotion, and the delicate but muscu-
lar little fingers grasped the handle
of the knife in a most determined way
Now Dambo, who had been motion
less under the effects of the merciless
blow had given him, began to crawl
away from me- Springing to the win
dow, which was shaded with heavy
lace curtains, held in festoons by cord,
[ tore the cord away, and selling the
Italian, bound him strongly and Sc
curely. and warning him not to make
any further attempt to escape, left
him in heap the floor.
The din in and around the villa was
now som netting awful. Sounds of rifle
shots, cries, shrieks, means and curses
reached US through the doors and win
dows, and I rushed out the balcony
to get peep at the scenes of war be-
low.
More lights had been brought. Ian
terms flashed all over the villa grounds.
The monastery bells were changing the
midnight alarm The battle had be
come a hand-to-hand struggle, the
forces of the prefetto essaying not
only to defend the villa from attack,
but to drive the invaders from the
place, and the horde of cutthroats I'M
der the Count di Pordino still hot in
the hunt for Nita Barlotti, and what
ever else of plumber they could lay
their hands to-
Backward and forward the clashing
groups ran, shouting, shooting, stab
bling, blinded by rage and passion, in
famed by the blood already spilled, de-
stroying life where they could, fearing
not death themselves.
To my eye it seemed if the
| Count di Pordino's bandits were gain
| ing. And if the military failed to
arrive from Cagliari. all would soon
| be up with Nita Barlotti and me-
Apart from the other struggling
combatants, two sta1wart men -Swayed
to and fro in a fight to the death.
One had worn a mask, and it had fall
en- off, disclosing the features of the
| Count di Pordino. The other was
| Ma1igni, the prefetto of Cagliari-
| They were armed with knives, and
as they writhed and twisted in each
| others grasp, the knives were
plunged first into one and then into
| the other, until it seemed as if they
surely must drop dead from their
/ wounds.
| Near these two struggling princi
| pals in the ARRAY stood Brother Mich
| ae1, the Jesuit, and silent and cold
| was he, amid the boiling and seethine
| of the caldrOn around him, that his
| calmness thrilled me as in another
| some great deed of valor might do.
And Nita saw him, and watched the
| silent figure a moment in wonder, SC
| distinct and apart from the entire
scene did he seem to be-
s'SignOri" she whispered. tsSee
| that silent monk Is he not grand1y
calm amid all the horrors around
himi He is different from the others
See how noble and still he is.
Yes" 1 replied, in whisper
| THAT is Brother Michae1-a Jesuit
He saved me from the soldiers and
| prison guards when 1 ran away and
he saved my life from a wound they
| gave me. 1 have my suspicion thai
Brother Michael is one whom the pre-
fetto thinks is doing serv1le penance
| in the monastery Perhaps you have
| heard of Henry Thor1ane- 1 thinI
| that Brother Michael is none Other
| than he in the @''
| Henry Thorlane.'
The cry rang out from Nita's lips
| with a wildEess that frightened me
| and caused the silent monk to lool
| toward US.
| Henry Thor1anei" she cried again
| mo, no; it cannot be Henry Thor
| lane Henry Thor1ane is deadi He
| died when
She reeied. Her hands went up te
| her head With gasp and moan she
| sank into my arms and lost all con
| sciousness- 1 nurried1y carried hel
| into the room and placed her on the
| bed Water was handy, and 1 bath i
| her face with it When the fgh1
| should be over, 1 would call for liquor
| and give it to her.
1 stepped out on the balcony agar