The Holly chieftain., 1903-04-10

where | went Immediately after kill
ing Malisni-
There is nothing more for me to
say. | am the murderer of Pacho Ma
ligni, for which l was to be paid by
rortoni. of New York.
Again | swear that the above state
ment is true, and may Jesus and the
Virgin pity me as deserve, and as no
man on earth will pity me. l am lost.
Luigi Dambo."
When the superintendent had fin
ished this, Sigmottas eyes were
CLASSY, and he seemed almost ready
to collapse.
Now, Sigmotta," said the superin-
tendent, you are not the bird we are
after All this Sandman affair does
not interest us, any more than to show
you our power The man we want is
the man who first employed you to
kill Alice Graviscourt, and then to
kill Maligni and Nita Barlotti. Ralph
Graviscourt is your master and it is
for you to choose whether you or he
suffers the penalty for the crimes"
The Italians face flushed with hope
as he heard this, and looked from one
of us to another in a vain search for
look of pity.
What do you want of me?" he
asked.
I'VE want a full and succinct state
ment from you of Graviscourts crimes
and yours, telling how the infant,
Alice Graviscourt, disappeared, and
| bn fra
trated, hiding nothing, but revealing
everything. That is what we want
;. of YOU
And then what will you do with
me?" asked Sigmotta.
Hold you until the truth of your
statement is proven, and then release
you"
There was pause. The major
walked back and forth uneasily. Thor
lane sat as calm as Byrnes himself. |
was feverishly eager
Very WELL" said Sigmotta, finally.
81 am ready Shall | wrte?"
No. The stenographer will take
down your words, and then put it in
proper form for your signature"
And then began the unraveling of
the last knot in the exciting mystery
of the Graviscourt millions.
Graviscourt met us, as he had al
ways met us, with the placid smile
and the suave dignity of the man of
wealth, leisure and culture, There
was, perhaps, a degree of pallor in his
face that was unusual, but this might
easily be attributed to the return of a
rival whom he had believed dead and
out of his way.
He greeted me cordially, however,
and congratulated me upon the fact
that the rumor of my demise was un-
founded.
He led us into his cozy library-the
very room in which Dilkins had dis
covered the photograph of Alice Ora
viscourt-and placed chairs for us and
\ urged us to sit down.
There were four of us: the major.
Thorlane, myself and special officer
in citizens dress, detailed by Byrnes
to accompany us and to take Gravis-
court into custody. l had insisted
upon my plan of action being followed,
which was to proceed to Graviscourt' S
rooms, unmask his villanies there and
read to him the statements of Dambo
and of the two Sigmottas. When this
had been done, it was to be the off
GERS duty to arrest Graviscourt, and
my connection with the case ceased.
1t must have been clear to Gravis-
court that something serious was com
ing, for the major was as glum and
grim as an old warrior could be. and
the stern face of Thorlane must have
seemed to Graviscourt an ill omen.
But no sign of trepidation showed
in his manner, and he politely offered
us cigars and wine, which we all de-
clined, while he waited for us to an
nounce the object of our visit.
The moment was painful one, and
although had worked for this man S
downfall, now that had the weapons
wherewith to destroy him in my hand,
sincerely pitied him. But there was
no receding now, and | plunged at
once into the subject.
ITO be continued.)