Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-02-13
c.,,r,ss. 1895. b, nOs,.r Bos-,,'' SOC.
CHAPTER W.-tcon,inusd)

amined the door, making sure thht IL
was closed. and that any person pass
ing In the hall could not ovcrhear our
conversation. Mutterelii. who sat
near u window. smoking a cigarette.
looked et me In surprise.
Il am going TO tell You something.
kiuttereIii," I said. smiling at his sur
prised look. ''and want to make sure
that no one can hear me but you"
''You need not fear" he replied. II
do not taInk. signor. that there Is
another person In the hotel who
speaks English"
Very good. Now. to begin. Nut
tereilI. I must tell you that ! have rot
come to Sardinia to hunt monfion. In
fact, I don't care u sardine whether
tler. are any mounon here or not.
Mutterelll opened his eyes wide and
puired harder on his cigarette.
1t is n lady. sigror." lie said
''nn AFFAIR.""
1T Is a lady" replied. and a good
deal OF an affair. Now listen. There
is somewhere In the island OF Sardinia
u man whom must ind. have rca'
son to believe that he has lived here
Fpiuf yFhIE- ttu may Huf' h'"' -
him. His name Is Maligni.'
"MaIigri!" exclaimed Mut,crciii.
IeapIrs to his feet. THE prcfctto'
You came here to hnd Maigni7 Ma
Iigri. lie Is the prrictro. The GOV
error Of the province Of Cagiiari' Tlc
most powerful Of the Sardinian
luiEcA' The head OF the Order of
our I aiy. the s,roagcs, order In Italy
OF the Catholic Church. You came To
cnglIari to lind HIM He owns you
while you are IL CagliaTl!"
Tails was startling. Muttcrclii
raEsd at me aE II | was n maniac. He
certainly looked like one.
There may tc other MalignIs."
faId. The rRmc Is not an uncommon
one. Is itT"
There Is but one family III Ma
iigui." he replied. 'rhcir estate is
about ten miles from here. ON the
northern boulevard. II is the finest
country seat In Sardinia. II belongs
to the prcfctto. who. although he has
his legal residence In the castle. and
IA there every day. spends most of
his time with his family In his eoun.
III Malirni. ard the prcfc,;o is the
elder. The other Is In America. lie
Is not rich like the prcfcito.'
That's the man I am after I said.
'Pacho MaliRni. Snowman. lie was
In America. but have reason To be-
Iicyc that he IL now In Sardinia. He
has In his possession n yourg woman
about whom there is great mystery.
To solve this mystery have pursued
him here. To enable me to attain
my object II is essential that l oh.
tain possession OF certain red box
that was given To Pacho MaiiEni by
this girls father on his dcathbcd. I
believe that In that box were papers
or other things throwing some ilgAt
upon the birth OF the girl. The man
was an Italian. hut she is not. and
that is the mystery want to get at"
Muttcrclli shrugged his shoulders.
You are In love with the young
lady. rignor?' he said.
No" replied. Il am not. though
she Is lovely enough for any man to
fail In love with her. Hut am nj.
ready in love with young lady OF
New York. but | cannot marry her
urtii the mystery OF the red box is
solved"
But what abaut this young sig.
rorirag" he asked, You will not Mt.
tempt to take her from Pacha Malig.
ri2"
"Shc must he rescued from the
clutches OF this Mnligni Mt all hnz.
ards!" ! replied, cmphatically. II have
sworn by the memory OF one who
loved her. ard whom she loved. now
dead, although she does not know II.
to rescue her. ard. II my suspicion Is
correct. restore her TO that position
in life to which she belongs"
And the ramc OF the signorina?"
asked Muttcrclli.
"Nita BaTlotii''
Muttcrclli smoked an entire cigar.
cite before he answered. sat and
looked out of the window. giving him
all the time he waited to study the
matter.
Finally Muttcrclll shook himself
and hcavcd great sigh.
We'll" said, what do you think
Of it,"
at is dangerous" he said. slowly.
"OT course II IL dangerous. In iact
II Is more dangerous than even you
imagine. This Maligui has an enemy
unknown to me. who has made one
attempt on his life, and may make
another. Maligri viii, OF course, be
constantly on guard, even though he
may fancy himself secure in his
brothers house. Yes. 1t Is danger
Gus"
but how will YOU begin. signor?"
agrcd Muttcrclli.
IL shall begin by leaving the details
OF the beginning TO you | replied.
You understand these Italian houses.
and you can bribc the servants.
don't care how much money you use.
II you only succeed. You must ar
rarge for nc to meet Nita Barlotti
nlorc-at her wirdow or In her room
or any place where | may speak to
her without interruption. Then you
must arrange for me TO sec Pacho
Maligni in his private apartments,
without his seeing me or knowing
that am there. ! wart to study the
situation and try to obtain the box,
its contents and tie girl at the same