The Holly chieftain., 1903-03-13
MQudk0Ck, The UuHul|eI.
sx SEWARD W. HOPKINS.
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CHAPTER X.


CHAPTER X.
"Mutterelli. want to ask you q
Question"
1t was the second day of my re-
hewed life and felt much stronger,
Ind had been watching Mutterelli
with feeling Of amusement as he
buttered around, doing this and that
Tor his own comfort and mine.
Ask 1t. sfgnor." he replied. There
Is no law in the grotto to compel me
to answer 1t If l don't want to-"
No" said. but there is NO rea-
son why you should not tell me this,
if you know. Have you any idea who
really killed Pacho Maligni!"
Everything dropped from Mutter-
ellis hands, and he stared at me,
seemingly overcome with surprise.
Who killed-who-who killed Ma.
ligni? What is that. signor? oh, yes,
l forgot. No. signor, do not know
who killed Maligni. You did not kill
him?"
No" I replied. Il swear 1t. did
not even see him struck. l was out
side of the villa making my way to
the gate with Nita Barlotti, when
heard him cry out and heard the
alarm given. saw him when I was
on the balcony, but he got up from his
chair and left the room. The next
time saw him, he was lying dead.
am as much in the dark about it as
any one"
Mutterelli whistled. g=s
This is news to me, signor.
thought, of course. you killed Maligni.
But II you did not, then who the deuce
did?"
Il don't know. That is what want
to know"
You shall know. signor," said Nut
terelu, and his jaw snapped. "Nearly
a month has been wasted. in which,
perhaps, could have run the mur-
derer down and set you free. But
will do 1t yet. sign6r. Do not fear.
will know who the murderer of Ma.
lgni is in less than sixteen days
more"
Find him." said. "and the twenty.
five thousand lire that promised
you shall be doubled
"Ah! Thank you, signor. Mutter.
elli IL faithful, but he is poor. There
fore he IL grateful. must see
Brother Michael to-day. II can find
him"
The last sentence seemed to be an
afterthought- My own opinion was
that II the willy Mutterelli wanted to
see Brother Michael he would not
need to go far-a mirror would show
him the Jesuit.s face.
That afternoon Mutterelli went
away and did not return until long
into the night. When he did come In,
he breathed heavily, and seemed like
a man who had been drinking much
wine. l.t
lay there In silence watching him,
as In the dim light of the candle he
moved about preparing to go to bed.
In q far corner of the grotto. upon
some boards laid lengthwise. some
furs like those on which l lay had
been placed. Upon this rude couch
Mutterelli stretched himself, and was
soon snoring away as II he was repos-
ing on the softest bed In his probably
comfortable home in Genoa. And as
thought Of 1t l laughed softly to my
self. 1t was probably q strange place
for Mutterelli to be sleeping. Yet
more than that, the thought came to
me that 1t was strange couch for
monk. And laughing again at Nut
terelli's clumsy attempts to deceive
me. fell asleep.
The days passed slowly after this,
yet mended rapidly. and my return
ing strength brought renewed ambi-
tion and stronger determination to
carry to a successful issue the pur-
poses that had brought me to sar-
DINA. But could get nothing out
of Mutterelli. I piled him with ques-
tions about the monk and about the
prefetto and about Nita Barlotti, but
all I got. day after day. were reiter-
ated cautions about leaving the grot-
to and vague and misty sentences
about great plans being laid for my
benefit BY Mutterelli and Brother
Michael"
Nita Bariotti was still 1t the coun-
try residence Of the prefetto, and Nut
terelli informed me that 1t was ru.
m0red that she would soon become
the bride Of Count di Pordino, L
could not see how or wherein the
count was any Improvement over
Pacho Maligni. but MutterelIi mar.
italy reassured me by saying that
the count would not be allowed to wed