The Holly chieftain., 1903-03-27
'AauDhua, he UutIuleI.
By SEWARD W. HOPKINS.
Asthss q Jack Rssssas q Aosriea." - IL
cAlas Sea-" Tive Osaoe0sa =
Hawaii" .'Oe . Faass
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CHAPTER XII.

"Your excellency," he said, "you
have heard the words of the Count di
Pordino-his dying confession. Do
you believe it?'
Yes. believe it is true" whis-
pered Maiigni-
And is there any act which you
wish u perform before you die, to
make reparation for the wrong that
has been done ar innocent man."
"Yes-yes. Let Henry Thorlane be
brought before me. will do him JUS
tice. that l. too, may receive Justice
from God"
The monk sat down to the writing
table. and taking a pen, began writ
ing on some Of the Official paper Of
the prefetto.
Having finished, the monk held In
his hands two papers. One of these
|. he began to read aloud to the Count
odi Pordlno.
- 1t ran thus:
THE Confession of the Count di
Pordino, on his dying bed. before
Maligni, the Prefetto OF Cagliari. and
the assembled monks and soldiers of
his household:
Il, the Count di Pordino. do confess
and do swear before God that the con-
fession is true; that my nephew, Hen
ry Thorlane, the owner of the Villa
Thorlano and its estate, is innocent
of the crime of conspiracy against
the prefetto. with which crime
charged him, for the sole purpose of
him, in fvsr
at the hands of the prefetto my
nephew's estate as my reward.
And 1t Is my fear of future pun
ishment that impels me to make this
true confession and withhold none
of the truth. that justice may now be
done to my nephew, Henry Thorlane,
whom have wronged."
is this correct, count?" asked
Brother Michael. when he had I'm.
ished.
Yes" whispered the count
Then sign"
Brother Michael dipped pen in ink
and placed it In the grasp of the dying
Aan. Feebly his fingers moved over
z The paper and scrawled his signature.
Then Brother Michael turned to the
prefetto and read the other paper
This was an ofiicial document, restor-
ing Henry Thorlane to all rights of
citizenship, restoring to him his val
liable estate and removing ali taint
Rand disgrace from his name
. This was signed by the prefetto, and
the official seal was placed upon 1t.
Bring Henry Thorlane before me,
that may beg of him forgiveness"
gasped the prefetto.
Wait. There is one thing more to
be done in an Official capacity" said
the monk. "Your excellency, you re-
call the incidents Of the night on
which your brother was murdered?"
The prefetto signified that he did.
"A young man who had entered here
to rescue Nita Barlotti from your
brother-a young man who had no en-
nifty toward Pacho Maligni himself.
but who was acting in obedience to
the request Of friend who was lost
at sea-was seized, and, with no other
evidence against him, was sentenced
to imprisonment for life for the
crime. Your excellency, that young
man escaped, but he is here" Obedi-
ent to his signal. l stood before the
prefetto. "He Is the Jew who came
with me to give you warning of the
attack that was to be made tonight.
, We have evidence, your excellency,
that win convict another of the
crime. and 1t but remains to seize the
real murderer and place him In prison.
And this young man, who is innocent
of any crime against the state, needs
but your signature to make him free
from the stigma that has been put
upon him."
SIS II true! You know. the real
murderer$"
ut is true" said the monk. 81
swear it"
Before I die-before die," mur-
INJURED the prefetto. "let nothing re-
main undone."
The monk again wrote, and this
time 1t was q paper declaring me
innocent OF the crime of murder, and
ordering the removal from the books
in the Department of Justice of all
charges against me. Richard Wilber-
ton, OF New York.
This the prefetto signed, and again
the great oficial seal was used.
.Now-let me see Henry Thorlane,"
gasped the prefetto.