Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-02-20
Tho girl l sought

Nlta was clad In white. At my sig.
nal she turned toward the window. |
stood where the light streamed full
upon me. Quickly stepping to the
window. she opened 1t.
"Ah! 1t is you. signor?" she said.
Yes. 1t is IT, replied, surprised
at her calmncss. you expected me?"
Il eXpected-some ore. One of my
masters servants secretly told me
that at nine o'clock n man would
come to speak to me. | thought II
would be Maubikeck. Where is he?"
Listen, signorina," said, speaking
quickly, In low tone; the lion
tanner and l started from lew York
on the same steamer. IN mid.ocean
we had an accident. The ship was
sunk. BY Maubikeck'S heroism | was
put aboard a small boat and saved. He
placed upon me the dur OF rescuing
you from Maligni. ! have not seen
Maubikeck since. He may be on his
way to you. He may be"
Dead
She stood before me with her hands
pressed to her painting bosom. he
eyes fixed upon me in horror.
Il do rot say so. slgnorina." | re-
piled. lit Is possible that he was
saved. viii tell you all when We
are safe from Maligni's clutch. To
morrow Is your wedding day"
"Yes, tomorrow" she said. ''Oh.
| viii go. ! must go! Maubiiieck Is
not dead lie cannot be dead, He
is too noble to die like that, oh. 1t
is terrible. siGnor wiiberton. tell
me. do you think he - dead?"
"Nitn," I 5aid. Il cannot say. |
fear and hope. Yet the chances are
that Maubikeck went down with the
ship"
She fell back. half faIHtIns. but
recovered herself.
"MaubIkecK, Ny love! My love-"
she murmurcd. Dead. oh. II is too
bitIcr."
You must he brave. rlsroriua." l
said. I'VE must make haste
Yes. ycs." sh. fa,i. Il will so.
Anything is better than TO ne Ma
ligni's wife"
= will return" l said. my heart
full OF pity for the Girl. who was now
sobhing and weeping bitterly. Il will
return Soor. lie ready
Leaving her. stepped softly to the
other window.
sn large room. nj : desk or table.
rat Packo MaliEnI. Near him was
lamp. by the light Of which ho was
reahing sou.- manuscript.
At his haud. on the table. stood =
rcd tin boz. My heart l"apci and
dashed asRirRt my ribs. Near the
box lay golden ;rluko,-a locke; and
chain. 4 short distance aSay lay
pln-a hahy's clasp pin.
lie must have heard something. lie
raised sis head sud sat in listening
attitude. Then. laying the paper he
had hcvn reading down upon the
table. he arose from his chair and
stepped hufricily from the room.
Here Was my opportunity. Deity
I tci, the window. Il was not fast-n,
81. Quickly puhAci il open and
strppci iEto the room. The gold
iosEcJ lay opru. face az. GlsErinE at
Il. | ssS that u contained picture.
SriainR IT, looked at u closely. My
brain seemed uu tTr. Il was "a r,inis.
gurc facsimile Of tar photograph
uhirh UiiLias Lai found IN the tuotus
of Ralph GTayiseanTi, In other words.
il might hr tho likeness Of Charles
CEavissuuTt's uilC as she Nss many
years aEs. uF Of Siia EaFiniti as Hir
uss at The y-Fy moment The pin
had tic ramr Alice engraved upsn
IL. Quickly srisinE ihrsr aud tlC
paper. thrust ise lecEC, Ead pin in
my trousers pocket and iac pat.rr iu
the pocket ~ my coat.
hCs Windur. Nita. paiOiarSd and tear
atait -. bat Eruri to the effort 81
maEirE her Csrapr. She vas rnvcis
apr,i in a Cinats
sr,aiuz her hand. led her to the
ladder and helped hCr down. When
I reached tic Eruuui iTcv the Lad.
der aaRy.
"Come,~ I said. And. without a
word. sac followed me.
Suddenly there was cry.
Great hrayCr'7 exclaimed. MA
lizni has returned aad discovered
your Cssapr'"
"Yoa vut bc ltiIci. sisuor." said
&iia.
and youT"
i viii be married, Tia, is s;n
worse
"ir; us hurry They may rot
able to catch us before ve reach III,
carriage. We may yet CsCape.'
Keeping as we'll in the shadow as
possible. I ,od my beautiful companion
swiftly forward.
Suddenly there vas a rushing sound
behind us. knew that a pursupT
vas on cur trail. had. since reach.
ing Casliari. earned a revolver in my
rocket. seized this. resolving to sell
the liberty Of Nita and myself as
dearly ss possible. Turning was
met face to face. with two staIwaTt
fellows. both armed. Before could
use my revolver. was knocked down
by blow from one Of my assaiIants.
and my revolver vas taken from me.
The guards shouted to others. and
in less time than It takes TO tell It a
dozen more were CTovding around
Us. They iabbCred away in the Sar.
dinian lingo. none Of which ! under.
stood.
But Nita did.
Utcring a cry. she ciutcEcd my
/ arm