The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1905-09-28
MQUbknk, The lMlIlneI.
By SEWARD w. HOPKINS,
Author Of Jack Robbins Of Anerica.' '2..ln the
cklna Sea- 1.-TWO Oentlemen Of
Hawaii Q a Palss
Charge" Etc.
osp,rashs, 1895. by ROBERT Bors.,'. soxA
CHAPTER X.

question
1t was the second day sof my re-
newed life and l felt much stronger,
and had been watching Mutterelli
with a feeling of amusement as he
puttered around, doing this and that
for his OWL comfort and mine.
ASK it, signor,' he replied. There
is no law in the grotto to compel me
to answer it if l don't want to-.
NO" l said. But there is no rea-
o why you should not tell me this,
If you know. Have you any idea who
really killed Pacho Maligni?"
Everything dropped from Mutter-
ellis hands, and he stared at me,
seemingly overcome with surprise.
who killed-who-who killed Ma
ligni? What is that, signor? Oh, yes,
! forgot. No, signor, l do not know
who killed Maligni. You did not kill
him?" I
No" l replied. II swear it. l did
not ever see him struck. l was out
side of the villa making my way to
the gate with Nita Barlotti, when l
heard him cry out and heard the
alarm given. | saw him when l was
on the balcony, but he got up from his
chair and left the room. The next
time l saw him, he was lying dead. l
am as much in the dark about it as
any one"
Mutterelli whistled.
This is news to me, signor. I
thought, of course, you killed Maligni.
But if you did not, then VINO the deuce
dido"
Il don't know. That is what 1 want
to know"
"You shall know, signor," said Nut
%terelli, and his jaw snapped. Nearly
a month has been wasted, in which,
perhaps, l could have run the MUIR
derer down and set you free. But
will do it yet, signor. Do not fear,
l will know who the murderer of Ma
ligni is in less than sixteen days
more"
Find him." I said, "and the twenty
five thousand lire that I promised
you shall be doubled"
"Ah! Thank you, signor. Mutter.
ELI is faithful, but he is poor. There,
fore he is grateful. I must see
Brother Michael to-day. If 1 can find
him"
The last sentence seemed to be an
a]fterthought. My own opinion was
that if the willy Mutterelli wanted to
see Brother Michael he would not
need to go far-a mirror would show
him the Jesuit's face.
That afternoon Mutterelli went
away and did not return until long
into the night. When he did come in,
he breathed heavily, and seemed like
a man who had been drinking much
wine.
lay there in silence watching him,
as in the dim light of the candle he
moved about preparing togo to bed.
In a far corner of the grotto, upon
4 soRe boards laid l%engthwise, some
furs like those on which I lay had
been placed. Upon this rude couch
Mntterelli stretched himself, and was
soon snoring away as if he was repos-
ing on the softest bed in his probably
comfortable home in Genoa. And as !
thought of it l laughed softly to my
self. 1t vas probably a strange place
for Mutterelli to be sleeping. Yet
more than that, the thought came to
me that it was a strange couch for a
monk. And laughing again at Nut.
terelli's clumsy attempts to deceive
me. l fell asleep.
Tho 1oy-c poccn5 c1oyr1xy oftor ~ Sc
yet l mended rapidly. and my return
ing strength brought renewed ambi.
tion and stronger determination to
carry to a successful issue the pur.
poses that had brought me to Sar-
DINA. But l could get nothing out
of Mutterelli. I piled him with ques,
tons about the monk and about the
prefetto and about Nita Barlotti, but
all l got. day after day, were reiter.
ated cautions about leaving the grot.
to and vague and misty sentences
about great plans being laid for my
benefit by Mutterelli and Brother
Michael"
Nita Barlotti was still at the coun
try residence of the prefetto, and Nut
terelli informed me that it was ru
mored that she would soon become
the bride of Count di Pordino.
could not see how or wherein the
count was any improvement ovel
Pacho Maligni, but Mutterelli par
TALLY treasured me by saying thai
the count would not be allowed to wee
her, for when he and Brother Michae
had got my affairs Strengthened out
they would attend to the case of the
, Count di Pordino and his proposed
marriage.
All this was pacifying and almost
satisfying in the early days of m,
conyalescence, but there came a da,
when / was no longer weak, and whe1
the blood, full of life, rushing through
my body, gave me vigor and a desire
to go outside again into the worlt
and see for myself what was going on
and do for myself what ! had becom,
convinced no one else would be abb
to do for me.
1t was on one Of these days, whel
Mutterelli vas away, that the spiri
of unrest seized me, and | grew i'm
patient and nervous at my enforced
idleness.
Mutterelli, with his usual regard TO
nv comfort. had DrOcured in som,