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

Uttering a cry. sic clutcned my

But Nita ala.
Uttering CRY. sic clutcned my
arm.
you are lostl" she cried, "and SO
am Il You did not tell me you killed
him.
"Eh?9 | replied, still half dazed
bv the blow had received.
"They say Maligni is dead from the
stab you gave him!"
"Maligni dead!" / yelled. Il saw
Maligni alive not ten minutes ago! J
didn't kill anybody"
"Maligni is dead" she said. NOW
what will become of us? oh, Maubi.
keck, come back from the sea! Como
back, Maubikeck, from your grave
beneath the waters and carry me
away Maubikeckl Maubikeck!"
Even as she was crying thus nys-
terically, the girl was seized by two
men, and started back to the house.
And had | been perfect Hercules
| could not have handled the men
who grabbed my arms, neck and even
my legs and pushed me toward the
villa
My fair fellow-prisoner and | were
conducted into large room-a
library-in which sat a stern, cold
faced man, whose black eyes burned
with rage and whose mouth set in
ironlike firmness when we were
brought before him.
"The prefetto!" murmured Nita.
looking at me.
was in the presence Of the gov
ernor of the Province of Cagliari,
whose house | had invaded.
"Ahi" he exclaimed, "it is you who
have entered the house of the gov
ernor of Cagliari and murdered his
brother in cold blood You! You
cur! You mean dog! And an Amer
lean, are you not?"
II am not a murderer" / replied.
Il did not kill your brother. / did not
injure him. When l left the balcony
of your villa with this young lady,
your brother was alive ard well"
you are liar as we'll as a MUIR
derer," said the prefetto Il will show
youl l will give you taste of Sar-
dinian justicel"
1T is a lie!" exclaimed, vehement-
ly. "A foul lie! If your brother is
murdered, it was not by my hand! /
am an American citizen, and | de-
mand a fair and just trial."
a.f1 ornnr oor,,a ,,ror hfc fano
and he spoke to some of his men in
their own dialect.
Then | was rudely jostled and led
along a halAand up a broad flight OF
stairs. Turning to the right from
these, was taken into the very room
from which ! had taken the locket
the pin and the manuscript.
On the floor, near the entrance, lay
Pacho Maligni, dead. a gaping wound
in his throat and his body convulsed
as IL in the last struggle. l glanced
hastily around. The contents of the
room were undisturbed, with one
important exception-the red box
which / had left on the table, was
gone.
Il did not kill him." l said. point
Ing to the dead Snowman. Il know
nothing about his death. My objec
in coming here was to carry Nit;
Barlotti away-to get her out Of biz
clutches-for she loves a friend o
mine, in whose service / was acting
| looked in at your brothers window
and saw him sitting at the table HI
got up from his chair and went ou
that door. Then ! fed with the girl
You know as much as l do abou
what took place here after | left"
He repeated my words to tn,
guards. They laughed in a bitter
sneering way.
| mad not mentioned the fact that
had entered Pacho Maligni's room ant
taken the paper and golden trinket
for in that moment of great anxiet.
my thoughts came swiftly, and
OWNED that the elder Maligni had n,
knowledge of the existence of the re,
box or its contents.
| did not see Nita Barlotti agail
that night. She was doubtless con
fined somewhere in the villa. wa
conducted to a strongly guarde,
chamber, where, with armed Sai
dinians around me, spent memol
able and uncomfortable night.
Ito be continued)