The Holly chieftain., 1903-03-13

and SEQ for nayHelf what was going ON,
and do for myself What l had become
convinced no one else would be able
to do for me.
It was on one Of these days, when
Mutterelli was away. that the spirit
of uarest seized me. and grew Inn
patient and nervous at my enforced
idleness.
Mutterelli, with his usual regard for
my comfort. had procured in some
way . supply Of good cigars, and i
sat on my bed, with my back against
the perpendicular wall Of marble,
smoking one Of these.
Slipping from my couch, mean
dered uneasiiy around the grotto,
grumbling inwardly at the unpleas,
ant delay in my plans. and thinking
hard. trying to help myself out OF
my present difnculty.
was surprised, when approaching
the entrance In my aimless ramble,
to see letters carved In the rock away
to the right OF the arch. Stepping
to this spot, read the words easily,
so deeply and evenly were they cut
into the marble:
& e~HENRY THoRLANE,
win Avenge"
The same words and In the same
form as I had found them In the cell
in the Tore dell Elefante. I,
Henry Thorianss ,tlen, ,ss vas nd
doubt the former occupant OF the
cave. But now = puzzling question
arose: When could he have carved
these letters in the grotto? Previous
to his arrest he would, for all 1 knew,
taking Mutterelli's story into the mat
ter. have no cause for vengeance. And
Mutterelli had said. that he was in the
monastery, from which there could
be no escape. Yet there was his
name and his motto-his war-cry-
carved in letters that would last for
centuries. in the marble rock before
me. One of two things was certain.
Mutterelli did not know all the story
before Thorlane's arrest, or he did
not know what had happened after
ward. 1t was possible that Thorlane
had escaped, made his home in the
grotto. and had been captured again.
Or-and as ! thought this, my heart
stood still a secondAwhat IL Mutterel-
II was right and Thorlane had been
put in the monastery and had gained
the confidence Of the superior and
had Joined the order unknown to the
prefetto or anybody outside the Jesuit
circle inside the monastery walls! And
II SO, then. perhaps, Mutterel!i was
Mutterelli and no one else, and the
monk who had rescued me was Henry
Thorlane.
Still pondering upon this, 1 began
to look still farther for. evidence of
Henry Thorlane's occupancy. found
no more letters. but l did find q trap
door. My fingers came In contact
with an iron ring. / knew It must
have been placed there for a purpose.
l pulled 1t. 1t did not move, and I
lighted candle, for the ring was In
dark portion Of the grotto, and
closely examined the place. found
that the ring was fastened to wood
en- cover which was held in place by
two large pieces Of rock which were
laid upon 1t. These I rolled away.
and the trap-door came up easily. The
opefng thus made led into q small,
ceilar-like hole, and lying on the floor
was a wooden box or cheap kind Of
trunk. l managed to get this out. and
opened 1t. 1t contained clothing of
various kinds, masks, boards. wigs, in
fact, everything that was needed for q
complete disguise. And as i exam.
ined this most fortunate find I chuck.
led aloud. III.
would be free!
And Nita Barlotti should at last
know who she was. and be placed In
possession of her own.
Circumstances seemed to favor me.
Mutterelli came to the grotto late In
the afternoon of the day ON which l
found the trunk of clothing. and re-
NAMED to supper. S
After supper we smoked In silence
Muttrelli finished his cigarette and
seemed to be preparing to leave.
You are going away, Mutterelli!" i
said.
Yes. signor. l shall not be back
tonight"
] did not want him back. and when
at last he had taken his departure I
again opened the trap door and took
out the trunk. Ipulled out the entire
contents and spread them over the
floor OF the grotto. that ! might more
successfully choose the most complete
disguise.