The Elbert County tribune., 1903-03-05

You are wounded. son." he said. in
voice that was soft and almost
womanly.
YES. father" replied. my own
voice coming only in a whisper. Il
have been shot"
The monks face was very pale
unnaturally white. thought He
looked at me through his goggles a
moment before answering.
you are wounded in the back,
son." he said. rs it the work of an
assassin
Il Will tel you the truth. father"
I said. weakly. Il am a prisoner of
the state. The brother OF the prefetto
was murdered. l was accused of the
murder. and though / knew nothing
about IL. ! was convicted. was at
work on the public road to-day and
escaped A fellow prisoner fired at
ME with the guards rifle and wounded
me. They will be after me soon"
Alas, son, This is bad bust
ness"
The monk. as he said this, glanced
nervously around. as II apprehensive
of detection in thus succoring a pris-
oner of state who had escaped.
He put his hands under me and
lifted me gently from the ground. |
seemed to be but child in his arms
Holding me across the back of his
mule, he easily mounted. and, speak
ing to the animal. we were soon NOV
ing up the mountain side.
We did not travel far in this way
- III.
we had come to a thick portion of
the forest, and we were in rugged
mountain region. The monk had
been peering from side to side, as If
in search of something. and suddenly
halted his mule before a tall. white
barked tree that stood near the edge
of the road.
Il thought l knew the place. he
murmured to himself. THAT is GER
tainly the tree
Sliding from the saddle to the
arms and carried me into the forest.
He spoke to his mule and the animal
followed him.
He carried me carefully over rocks
and fallen trees and through seeming
ly impossible places. He seemed to
know fully every foot of the uneven
ground. and to be looking for some
particular spot.
"Ah." he exclaimed at last. at
is here. The soldiers of the prefetto
will have to work to find you here
And you will not betray me.
father?" l asked.
Nay. I know full well the ease
with which the prefetto imprisons
falsely. You are safe here. And you
will be fed"
81 thank you. father" said. in
gratitude.
We had entered grotto. The air
inside was cool and sweet. l could
hear the murmur and ripple of a
spring and mountain stream near by.
| felt a sense of rest and security,
and my trust in the monk was firm.
Soon delicium set in.
was now at the circus and gazing
with wonder and admiration at Nita
Barlotti. the trapeze queen, and at
Maubikeck. the lion tanner, in their
respective acts.
Then the visit to Ralph Gravis-
courts rooms and the discovery of
the photograph was as vivid In my
mind as on the day 1t actually oc-
Cured. And so on. | lived over and
over again the stirring scenes of my
last days in New York. and the de-
parture of Maubikeck and myself on
the steamer
And then the accident; Maubikeck
rushing into my room and carrying
me on deck: and there standing on
top of wave. still in the glare OF the
light from bcaven, stood Maubikeck.
and above him, in red letters, seem
ingly of fire floating in the air. saw
the words. IF you are saved and
am not. save Nita from Maligni!"
| was vaguely conscious of lapse
of time as / lived over these scenes.
seemed to feel that some one was
near me. But knew nothing real.
There was nothing of actual life about
me.
Again I fancied heard the ripping
of stream.
Again | thought that marble walls
surrounded me. At first 1t seemed
that ] was in a tomb, but gradually
consciousness came to me and
awoke. Tae bed of furs was my
couch: the grotto walls were above
me. An odor of something came to
my nostrils family. l turned my
head.
fire was burning in the little
stove. By it. a cigarette in his mouth,
holding something over the Goals. sat
Mut.erelli. He rose and looked at
ne.
"All right. signor." he said. in the
calm voice of man who knew what
he was doing and had been doing 1t
long time. 1T will be ready in
minute. A bit of toast and a sip of