The Lamar register., 1903-03-25
CHAPTER XIII.

This chapter is of the nature of an
interjection. 1t contains, without any
reference to the chain of events in
which was an actor. the story of
Henry Thorlane. This cleaned from
him in bits during the few days i'm
mediately following the death of Ma
ligni, the prefetto, and the Count di
Pordino.
The story of Thorane which Nut
terelli had told me concerning the
arrest and Imprisonment of the inno
cent man for conspiracy and the con-
fiscation of his estate, was true. He
had been incarcerated in the monas-
terry of The Saints. The truth was
this: Thorlane, during his days of
liberty. had, as Mutterelli had in
formed me. been an open enemy of
the monks of The Saints. But his
enmity was not directed toward the
entire body. nor against the superior
of the monastery, but against those
monks whose practices he believed TO
tie corrupt and who, he believed, were
in league with the prefetto and the
Count di Pordino in their extortion
and brigandage. In this he had found
a secret friend in no less parsonage
than the superior of the monastery
himself, who. though a good man. was
weak and unable to successfully cope
with the combination for evil which
he knew existed.
He did. however. develop enough
backbone to help his friend Thorlane.
and soon after the Imprisonment of
the Englishman. the superior succeed
ed, in some way. in making the pre-.
fetto believe that the prisoner would
be more secure in solitary confinement
in the monastery. The prefetto readily
assented, and Thorlane was removed
monastery.
From tha monastery he was assist
ed to escape by the superior. who con-
tinually reported to the prefctto the
security and safety of his prisoner.
Thorlane lived for a time In the
marble grotto. and one day he met,
while hunting moufion, disguised be-
yond recognition, his old comrade and
university companion, Mutterelli, to
whom he made himself known. Nut
terelli helped him to escape from Sar-
DINA, with the four mountain lions
who had been his companions in the
grotto. and with these he resolved to
seek his fortune in America, until he
had amassed enough money to enable
him to legally and successfully COM
bat the charges against him and re-
gain. his confiscated estates.
He reached America successfully
and exhibited his lions in a small way
adopting the name Maubikeck as be-
ing one not likely to lead to identifica-
tion.
Then Pacho Maligni, the brother of
the man against whose life he was ac-
cused of conspiring. began operations
collecting the materials for his circus.
Pacho Maligni. although he may have
known of the change of ownership of
the Villa di Thorlano, keeping abreast
of the affairs in SARDINIA, he did not
know Maubikeck, and the lion-tamer
resolved to link his fortunes to those
of the Sandman. with the hope that
in some way the connection might
lead to some discoveries that would
be advantageous to himself.
At the rehearsals he met and loved
Nita Barlotti, and she returned his
love. To her he told all the story of
his misfortunes, and found in the
beautiful trapeze girl ready sym
pathizer.
What occurred in New York to stir
and start afresh the adventures of
my remarkable friend has already
been set forth in these pages.
When Thorlane, or, as I knew him,
Maubikeck was left behind on the
sinking Queen. he did not go tamely
to heroic death. as I supposed. but
resolutely set to work to save his he
roic life. He managed. by the aid of :.
two others, to get raft together be-
fore the ship went down. This was
furnished with a sail and supplied
with food. Upon it they launched
themselves upon the waves
They were fortunately driven to the