Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-01-23

ina. now think hard for few minutes.
! am going to ask you a strange ques-
t!on."
She locked at mo with patient
smile on her weary counienance.
You may ask It," she sail.
Has anything that you can recall
In your life-any incident. any word.
any look. any act. seemed to indicate
that you were not Barlott's daugh'
teri"
"Slgnor Wilberton." she gasped.
''Maubikeck." The cry was like that
OF frightened child. and MaubIkeek
drew nearer TO her ard placed one
OF his giant arms around her.
'You understand" continued.
that don't suggest tnls us 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
ful that I scarcely saw. No. there
could be nothing. NJ father gave me
to Mallgni. and the box"
Box" I said. intcrrupilng her.
You said nothing about a box be
FORE
1T was red tin box" she said.
locked with a little brass paddock.
Ny father gave It TO Maligni. and said
something In the tongue | have since
learned was Sardlnlan. ! asked Mali
gnI once what the box contained. and
he said It contained the contract be
tween him and my father"
Il would give much to gain posses
sion OF that box" | said. DO you
know where MnlisrI keeps it?"
mo. l have never seen 1t since the
day my father died.
Just then there was great tramp.
Ing OF feet In tho hail. which stopped
nj the door opposite. ! opened the
door OF Nlta'A room and poepcd out.
/ There were threc men thcro-MalIgni.
with his face Nil hidden In bnndnges.
my old friend. Doctor Dinsmorc. and
Major Simmons. The doctor and tho
major went inside with Mallgni. but
remained only few minutes. When
II 'bsAA' pehH
"Signorina. you have already had
too much excitement tonight. and you
need rcat. Tie hrst thing TO be done
10 to ind Dambo. which shall Sc,
about ms soon aA | have my burned
hands attended to-
oh. you are too generous ard
Liad." nhc said. "You are suffering
ON my account. II Is too bad
1T Ia nothing" I said. Now We will
SEQ the doctor and have our burns
dressed. Come. Manblkcek."
He followed me out and hurried
after my ..'icnds. caught them ut
the door of the hotel.
"Ah. Wilbcrton," exclaimed Major
Simmons. when I hailed him and Doc.
tor DlnNmorc. Il have been looains
for you. How ia ,'Ic girl?"
'Nita II all right replied. How
in Maiigni7"
"Maiigui Ia more frightened than
hurt" raid Doctor DinHmorc. The
bullet was evidently intended for hia
brain. but missed I;s MARI. lie will
be well In Few days"
Here presented the lion.tamcr to
my two friends.
You are ro; through your work for
tonight. doctor" said. "Maubi.
gcck's hands are badly burned. and
mine In less degree. Taoy must be
attended to-
We got into the carriage that Mau.
blkcck had used to bring us to the
hotel. and Doctor Dlnsmorc. at Mauhi.
/ kcck'H request. gave the coachman the
address OF HIS Office. We were room
there.
Maubikcck. being moro severely
burned than l. was. OF course. first
taken care OF by the plyAicianS.
While they were busy ! sa; Gown near
the major.
"wcil.' he Haid in low voice that
Maubikcck could not hear. what do
you think Of It all. anyway
Il am more than ever convinced
that our original suspicious were cor.
rect replied. "it appears that lust
before Barloti died. he gave tho girl
to MaliRni. and also gave him n red
tin box watch was locked with brass
paddock. At the same time he spoke
to Maligni in tho Sandman dialect.
which Nitn did not understand. and
Maligni was apparently very much ex.
cited and surprised at what he said.
Later. Ni,a asked Malisni what was
In the box. and he told her 1t con.
tanned the contract ynicr which her
father had worked
Then I Explained the system under
which the trapeze acrobat had worked.
and repeated Nita's story FOR the ma.
jor's benefit.
IL 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 nj
this point.
The major and I walked tony hotel.
where he left me. 1t was two O'Clock
In the morning when reached my
room. wcariness soon ovcrcame me.
and retired. II seemed TO me that
had scarcely slept at all wien ! was
startled from my slumbor by terrific
banging at my door
who is therc?" I shouted.
at is I-Maubikeck'" was the re-
ply: and the voice in watch 1t was
uttered was SO full OF excitement that,