The Elbert County tribune., 1903-02-12
M0udke(k, The H0|fTQleT.
By SEWARD W. HOPKINS.
Author Of "Jaek Robbins OF America In the
China Sea- Two oentiemen Of
Hawaii" .on a FAlss
Charge" Etc.
o.p,r.ss,. i,as. BY norra1 pox.r,'. so..
CHAPTER vI.-(continued.)

was closed. ana tnat any person pass
ing in the hall could not overhear our
conversation. Mutterelli, who sat
near a window, smoking a cigarette.
looked at me in surprise.
''f am going to tell you something.
Mutterelli." l said. smiling at his sur
prised look, "and l want to make sure
that no one can hear mo but you"
you need not fear" he replied. "l
do not think. signor. that there is
another person in the hotel who
speaks English"
VERY good Now, to begin, Nut
terelli. must tell you that have not
come to Sardinia to hunt moufion. In
fact, / don't care sardine whether
there are any moufion here or not"
Mutterelli opened his eyes wide and
puffed harder on his cigarette.
1T is a lady. signor," he said
IAN AFFAIR.""
''It is a lady" replied. land good
deal of an affair. Now listen. There
is somewhere in the island of Sardinia
a man whom l must find. have rea-
son to believe that he has lived here
some years You may have heard OF
him. His name is Maligni."
"Malignii" exclaimed Mutterelli,
leaping to his feet. 1.-THE prefetto,
You came here to find Maigni? Ma
lignii He is the prefetto! The gov
ernor of the province of Cagliari! The
most powerful of the Sardinian
judges! The head of the Order of
Our Lady. the strongest order in Italy
of the Catholic Church. You came to
Cagliari to find himl He owns you
while you are in Cagliaril"
This was startling. Mutterelli
gazed at me as il was a maniac. He
certainly looked like one.
There may be other Malignis," I
said. THE name is not an uncommon
one, is it?''
There is but one family Di Ma
ligni," he replied. Their estate is
about ten miles from here, on the
northern Boulevard. 1t is the finest
country seat in Sardinia 1t belongs
to the prefetto, who, although he has
his legal residence in the castle, and
is there every day. spends most of
his time with his family in his coun-
try villa There were two brothers
Di Maligni, and the prefetto is the
elder. The other is in America. He
is not rich like the prefetto."
That's the man | am after" said
'Pacho Maligni. Snowman. He was
In America. but I have reason to be-
lieve that he is now in Sardinia. He
has in his possession a young woman
about whom there Is great mystery.
To solve this mystery | have pursued
him here. To enable me TO attain
my object it is essential that | OBJ
tain possession of a certain red box
that was given to Pacho Maligni by
this girls father on his deathbed.
believe that in that box were papers
or other things throwing some light
upon the birth of the girl. The man
was an Italian. But she is not, and
that is the mystery I want to get at"
Mutterelli shrugged his shoulders.
"You are in love with the young
lady. signor?" he said.
NO" l replied, II am not, though
she is lovely enough for any man to
fall in love with her. But l am al
ready in love with young lady of
New York. but l cannot marry her
until the mystery OF the red box is
solved"
but NHdt hDout tHlS young sig
norman" he asked. you will not at
tempt to take her from Pacha Malig-
ni?"
"She must be rescued from the
clutches of this Maligni at all haz-
ards!" ! replied, emphatically. Il have
sworn by the memory of one who
loved her, and whom she loved, now
dead. although she does not know 1t.
to rescue her, and, If my suspicion is
correct, restore her to that positior
in life to which she belongs"
"And the name of the signorina?r
asked Mutterelli.
"Nita Barlotti''
Mutterelli smoked an entire cigar
ette before he answered. | sat and
looked out of the window, giving him
all the time he wanted to study the
matter.
Finally Mutterelli shook himself
and heaved a great sigh.
WELL" | said, what do you think
of it,"
at is dangerous" he said. slowly.
"Of course it is dangerous. In fact
It is more dangerous than even you
imagine. This Maligni has an enemy
unknown to me, who has made one
attempt on his life. and may make
another Maligni will, of course. be
constantly on guard. even though he
may fancy himself secure in his
brothers house. Yes. 1t is danger
ous."
But how will you begin. slgnor?"
asked Mutterelli-
81 shall begin by leaving the details
of the beginning to you" I replied.
You understand these Italian houses,
and you can bribe the servants.