The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-04-25

the circus, but my VIE Mia take SICK
and die. Then | hat little Nita put in
a big school in Albany, and she is
there now.
Il haf a pin and a locket and
chain wich little Nita wore, wich
haf kept. They viii be in the box
with this letter. On the pin is the
name Alice. The locl1et haf picture
Of beautiful lady. | took this pic
ture out and put little slip of paper
under 1t with the date on it when 1
found the child.
This is all l know. love little Nita
like she was my own. My brothers
name is Charles Sigmotta. but | do
not know where he is. Little Nita
is at Madame De Longs school in AL
bany, in the Stat of New York.
Il swear by all the holy saints that
what / haf written is true
"ANTONIO SIGMOTTA."
Here, indeed, was valuable docu-
ment. My exultation was so great
that seemed to have Ralph Gravis-
court completely routed, and Edith
Broughton's sweet face seemed to
smile encouragingly at me from way
across the sea. But after few min
utes Of supreme qualification, the
thought flashed over me that the
statement of Antonio Sigmotta, otherJ
wise known as Barlotti did not In any
way connect Ralph Graviscourt witty
nh nfn r,h
the pin with the name Alice engraved
upon it and Nita Barlotti's striking
RESENT blance to the wife of Charles
Graviscourt, were to my mind conclu-
sive evidence, but would the evidence
hold In law? knew it would not
took the locket from my pocket,
removed the picture and found a slip
of white paper bearing date. ex-
amined this, and my heart throbbed
with excitement when | saw that the
date of Doctor Sigmottas attempted
murder of Nita Barlotti was the same
as that inscribed upon the tomb
stone in Trinity cemetery, New York,
as the date of little Alice Graviscourt's s
death. | carefully replaced the paper
and the picture, and with wild dreams
of what might occur if | ever escaped
from the clutches of the prefetto,
passed the remainder of the night half
sleeping on broad, low couch that
stood in one corner of the guard room.
In the morning was served with
substantial breakfast and soon
after l had disposed of it was con
Quoted before the prefetto. The elder
Maligni looked at me with venom
Gus glance, and | saw in the faces OF
the crowd of men around him not one
g4ance of friendliness.
Among the spectators was a rascal
ly-looking fellow who was called by
the prefetto "Pordino," and as he
seemed to have the friendship of the
powerful Maligni, at once identi
fed him as the Count di Pordino, the
uncle of Henry Thorlans, spoken O.
by Mutterelh
Nita was not brought into the room
during the trial, and did not seem t.
be an important factor. There wai
not friendly voice raised in my be
half. l made an attempt to speak
but was oriered to be quiet.
When the testimony was all in, tn,
prefetto turned to me, and said:
Young man, have listened to thu
evidence against you, and | find tina
you are guilty of the murder of m,
brother. From to-day, you are tn
same as dead. The sentence which
shall impose upon you is that you b.
put in the Cagliari prison and worl
Tor the state during the remainder 0
your life. That is all have to sa.
to you"
Butt" cried, springing to my feet
Il am not guilty. | swear to you, pre-
fetto, that l do not know who kille
your brother! | had no cause to hat
him or to wish him dead! But other
} had! An attempt at his life wa
made in New York. | saw it, but
had nothing to do with it. You
} brother had enemies who hav
tracked him here. l."
Enough! You were seen yesterda
in company with another, examinin
my villa and grounds. At night m
brother is murdered and you ar
found 'on my property, carrying O
my brothers promised wife. 1t
enough"
Then turning to the guard, he u
tered command, and | was conduc
! ed from this hall of justice to my pri
| on.
AS l entered the great iron gates {
the prison yard, and heard them clan
behind me. l felt the deepest despai
My clothes were taken from mi
: and was clad in the bi-colored pri
on suits with which Sardinia clothc
, its prisoners.
These suits are made of stuff yer
similar to that in use for the sam
purpose in the United States, but tn
colors, instead of running in stripe
ere divided in the middle One-ha
measuring from line drawn from II
nose downward, is dark and the otht
! light. When | had been thus clothe
had one arm, leg and the right sic
: of my body black, and the left arr
! leg and half of my body dirty gra
My watch, the gold locket and pi
? that I had taken from Maligni wei