The Elbert County tribune., 1903-02-05
CHAPTER VI.

my safety. | spent considerable time
lowering around the offices of the
steamship company thirsting for a
word or hope for Maubikeck and
those who had left on board the i'll
fated Queen. But the only thing that
was really known was that four boats
left the Queen at the time of the col
lision, and ours was the only one
heard from. And as the boat we
were in was the last to leave, those
have shared her fate.
There was besides my anxiety on
Maubikeck's behalf. n motive OF haste
in my resolve. If Maubikeck was re-
ally lost, as no one who had seen the
dark form of the sinking Queen melt
away in the fog as 1 had could doubt.
then | was wasting time in Liverpool
that should be spent on the trail of
Maligni. ! felt terrible yet almost
holy responsibility resting on me,
now that Maubikeck was gone. He
had given me my life at the cost OF
his own.
And in that last moment of parting,
when l had but half realized the full
purpose of his heroic action. he had
cried out to me from the fog and
blackness to find and rescue Nita
Barlotti II reached land alive. And
now those last words of my preserv-
er rang in my ears like an imperative
call to perform solemn duty. In
obeying Maubikeck / was but further
ing my own purposes. But / may say
truthfully. that SO heavily and solemn
ly did that last cry of Maublkeck
weigh upon my soul. If the carrying
out Of his wishes involved the re-
linquishing of my own, would have
gone on his errand unhesitatingly,
and let my own ambitions sink out of
sight until my debt to his memory
was fully paid.
Thus II was that, having given up
all hope for Maubikeck. and having
provided myself with all the things
needful TO replace those had lost
on the Queen. | was anxious to start
at once for Sardinia In quest OF Ma
ligni and his slave, Nita.
On the deck of a smoothly-glidlng
steamer that was rapidly entering the
port of Cagliari. the chief southern
seaport of the Island of Sardinia,
stood, with my marine glass levelled.
taking in with interest the scene that
was being opened up before me.
The city of Cagliari has a popula-
tion closely approximating forty thou
sand. 1t is the most important city
in fact, the capital-of Sardinia With
the exception of what little trade and
commerce goes to Sassari, on the
north, Cagliari is the emporium of
trade of the island.
Before leaving Genoa on the steam
er l had performed two duties-one
for Maubikeck and one for myself.
| The one In behalf of Maublkeck was
simple. | had telegraphed to Liver
| pool to learn If any news had been
received of my ill-fated fellow-pas-
sengers. | received reply from the
president of the company that one of
the boats-a companion to the one
had been in-had been picked up,
and ten more unfortunates had been
saved from destruction. But nothing
whatever had been heard of the
Queen or any who had been left on
board, and 1t was finally concluded
that she had sunk. and the marine
insurance had been paid.
The duty to myself was the employ
ing of guide and interpreter.
Fortunately for me had recol-
lected that the banking house Of Dorr
& Company of New York. with which
I had had long-standing friendship.
had branch at Genoa. and had
called upon them, made myself known,
and informed them that / was on my
| way to Sardinia and wished to en-
gage the services of an honest guide
and interpreter. OF course / did not
tell them anything about the real
object of my excursion into the island.
| gave them TO understand that | was
merely bent on pleasure-a hunting
trip after moufon.
The mouGon is a small animal of
the sheep tribe and thrives in n wild
state on the Sandman mountains. 1t
is not unusual for French, German
or English sportsmen to go to Sar-
dinia to hunt them. and as a reason
for my voyage. the mouilon served
very well.
Signor Branderi. the head OF the
Genoa branch of Dorr &c Co. was a
| quiet, affable gentleman. very polite.
and spoke English well. He seemed
eager TO do whatever he could for
me, and promised to furnish me with
| just the person | needed.
Signor Branderi rang a bell In his
private office, where we had been sit
ting. and a clerk responded. The
banker spoke to him in Italian. and the
clerk bowed and went away. Shortly
thereafter another person came and
stood respectfully before US. It was
my interpreter.
'Mutterelli," said Signor Branderi,