The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1905-08-31
M0ubkeCk, The L01IQneT.
By SEWARD w. HOPKINS,
Author of Jack Robbins Of America" I'm the
China Sea- Two Gentlemen Of
Hawaii" ION a False
Charge" Etc.
Copyright, 1895, by ROBERT BoNSxR's SOFA
CHAPTER I'LL,

WY TeHeCllOUS, DIS me lOHS HouiS
dragged themselves along toward
morning, were anything but refresh
ing.
The dominant thought, of course,
was that l had got myself in a bad
scrape and would probably lose my
life. For one moment the thought
did come to me: There is the United
States minister" | dismissed the
d as holding out no hope. l had no
means of communicating with our rep
resentative. In fact, / was entirely
cut off from all communication with
the world. My friends would prob
ably never know what became of me.
My only hope was Mutterelli. And
where. through all of this, was Nut
terelli?
Calling to my assistance all the
nerve | possessed, l resolved to put
on as good a face in the matter as
possible, and not allow the prefetto or
his guards to see any signs of weak
ness in my demeanor.
. The room in which | was held was
well lighted by a large lamp which
hung from the ceiling. | drew a
chat under the lamp, and with the
same nonchalance which would have
characterized me had | been n my
faVorIte corner at the Lotus Club with
the major and Dilkins around me in
stead of the black-looking ~Sardinians,
l pulled from my pocket and began to
read the paper | had taken from the
table in Pacho Maligni's room. 1t
read as follows:
New York City, in the Stat New
York, in the United Stats of Amer
lea, May l6, IS.
ITO the person who, when I am
dead, shall obtain this paper, | salute.
1t is that | am at every day in the
great danger of being killed by an
accident of my proteshun that I leave
in this form the story of Nita Bar
lotti, that perhaps in some long day
to become she may be restor to those
where she belong and who hat lost
her. And |, who am known to the
world a. Barlotti the Trapeze King,
pray to that person who reads these
words to do what he can and what
cannot to the good end that Nita Bar
lOtti may know who she really is.
and may come into her own if she is,
as | belief, the daughter of a rich
person.
1t vii be a surprise to the person
who find this to know that my name it
is not Barlotti, but SigmCtta. Yes,
| am Antonio Sigmotta, and Barlotti
is the name hat take in the circus to
please my brother, who was very rich
n a physician in New York.
When | came this country I was
poor-very poor. | vent to my
brother, and ne was angry to me in
words, but he did some kindness to
me that he let me live IN hi house
till | hat money to keep myself. ]
make contract with Maligni to go in
the circus as trapeZe actor, and M
brother max me change my name, SO
not to disgrace him.
"One day | went into my brother
private room for something. 1t was a
workshop-he call l]aboratoria or some
like that. 1t was at the nj hit, and
was very dark. My brother was in
his bedroom.
81 lighted the gas in the la~boratoria,
and found what | was looking for
some medicine be gave me when | had
the aching of the lead.
As | was about to turn back the
gas to go out, | saw a bundle on the
floor. 1t seemed to me that it move
Then | stood stIll, and | neal a llCtle
cry like a child. | rush to the door
listen for my brother, but he not
to be heard. | open the bundle. II
was a sack, with strings, in the end
1t had in it a little child-a girl.
drew 1t out. The child breath and
moan, but do not seem to know, and
then | know my brother had given il
a drug.
Then | hurry, trembling much, and
! took some cloths and other things
and make a rag baby just the size OIL
the child | took from the sack. | pu,
the rag baby in the sack and made il
tight like it was before I opened
l. Then ! quick carry the live child
to my room and hide it in my bed
Then l watch. Pretty soon my brother
come and go to the laboratoria.
keep quiet so he do not hear me, and
follow him. He take the sack and my
rag baby and steal from his owl
house like he was a thief, and l know
he was worse. Still, | follow him.
MY brother went into a dark street
and ven to the docks on the Eas,
river. | saw him take a stone and
tie a cord to II and around the sack
Then he throw all into the water
When he saw 1t sink he turn round
and sneak home.
II had in New York. near my
brothers house, a sweetheart. me,
her at a concert hall, and l often wen,
to see her at her house. She was a
great singer. and 1 love her, so
want to marry her. She was a goou
girl and her name was Nita.
Late in the night I took the child,
and when my brother was asleep
stole from his house and carried the
child to Nita. told her all abou,