The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-06-30
(Continued.)

The general assembly of the Sons OF
this formidable Society was TO be held
on the first OF October, and though II
was only swo days before that time, Mon
asterio had not yet impaired to orsini
and the ladies any directions as to how
they should enter the owls Nest"
That was a matter or life or death 10
orsini. who in order TO persuade Ga
briella OF his danger and induce her 70
elope with him, was OF his own accord.
about 10 put his life IN the hands or the
ruthelss Sons, as the attempt by an ex-
PEELED member, to attend a meeting, was
considered high treason toward the So
ciety. and the punishment OF death was
administered on the very spot by the
hands OF the jealous faithful guardian at
the entrance 70 the cellar-hall.
And indeed. for any stranger or inter
loper TO bafYle that man or escape his
attention and safely pass the well te-
Tended barriers, was very difficult thing
10 accomplish.
That man, standing more than six feet
high. and possessed OF the shoulders OF
q Hercules, had been selected directly py
the Grand Master for that position. He
was not only the most reliable but was
the keenest and the sharpest OF all the
Sons, having besides lions heart, the
dexterity OF a panther. the fierceness or
a hyena. and his arms. the strength or
an elephants trunk.
Therefore there no trick that could
be played on that side. That keeper had
a long record in his own country. His
name was conspicuous on the dockets or
the criminal court: and so numerous were
the shooting and stabbing affairs In
which he had figured. that the shelves OF
the penal chanceries OF Messna and Pal
ermo we're fairly bulging with accounts or
his trials.
For these he had been sentenced 10 Jail
many times, and yet he was considered
an honorable man by the class of people
TO which he belonged. for he had never
been charged with stealing. His last
achievement. that of going over to the
lines OF the Malta from the ranks of tie
State police. had greatly raised him In the
consideration and esteem Of his party.
1t may appear singular. still II is
fact, that In Europe. especially in France,
England and Italy. the most famous
criminals are often engaged by the gov
ernment to aid the police in the search
for other criminals. This is the result
of the fact that these criminals know
each Others ways OF thinking and pro-
ceeding very well: they know their habits
and dens, their marks and patois. SO.
when the year 1876, a mounted police
squad was established in Italy. the only
purpose OF which was TO root out the Ma
fla from Sicily, the present, most efficient
guardian of the cellar entrance was then
urged TO join the squad and good pay
was offered him. together with the prom
ise OF pardon for his last offence. In ad-
dition, this precious recruit was TO have
a permanent position as long as he be-
haved wisely and co-operated effectively
in the enterprise. But the ex-convict,
the free e-boarder I'm many Jails for years
was not the proper fish to be hooked, and
as he had never before concerned him
self about the evils threatened by the
police he was now not elated by the
promised rewards, and one day, instead
OF patrollng the fields, he deserted TO
the enemy, taking with him to the Malta,
all his arms and eouipage.
The reader should not infer, however.
from this brief account, that the Cerberus
at the gate of the cellar was an old man.
that would be a mistake, as he was then
but littel over the tenth lustrum. fact
which showed that he had started to
sow his wild oats very early in life,
and had had a rapid career.
Only with the purpose OF gratifying
Gabrielle, had Monasterio promised TO
find out a way for the party TO steal into
loss TO know how TO attain IT, and more
so because now the guardian OF the cell
lar was more watchful than ever before,
both on account OF the alarming crisis
through which the Malta was passing and
also on account Of the fear that the ex-
PEELED member. Orsini, would endeavor
TO force an entrance into the hail.
The password which, as a rule. was
varied at each meeting. would not be
sufficient for the purpose, because at the
foot OF the stairs leading into the cellar
the questioning was also changed. would
have proved an insurmountable obstacle
10 the women's voices. Margaret had not
paid any attention to this, nor II she had
could she have managed 10 alter her own
and Gabriellas voice. or study ventrilo>
quism in so short a time
To clear away this main obstruction
was the cause of many sleepless nights
for Monasterio. but they were spent TO no
effect whatever. since he had neither Or
pheus' Tyre not the cake seasoned with
poppies and honey, with which TO lull
the Cerberus to sleep. He even thought
OF stealing the ring OF the Grand Mas
ter or obtaining a counterfeit OF It
but not even this device would do. for.
with the ring. only one person could gain
admittance. and there were three He
finally determined TO try to carry out the
last idea which came TO his mind. viz,
to let the party into the owls Nest
before the meeting. either by the main
door or by the lateral one.
Clad In a corduroy suit and with a kit
OF tools on his shoulders, from which the
handle OF a saw peeped out a man was
seen I'm the purlieus OF the old Trinakria.
making his way thither. The man went
prowling all about the ramshackle. wood
en- building and then tried the front door