The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-08-11
CHAPTER vi.

friends in New York. assuring them of
my safety. | spert considerable time
| lowering around the Offices Of the
steamship company thirsting for a
word or hope for Maubikeck and
those who had left on board the ILL
fated Queen. But the only thing that
was really known was that four boats
left the Queen at the time of the col
lision. and ours was the only one
heard from. And as the boat we
were in was the last to leave, those
who remained on the steamer must
have shared her fate
There was besides my anxiety on
Maubiiecks behalf motive of haste
in my resolve. If Maubikeck was re-
ally lost. as 10 one who had seen the
dark form Of tle sinking Queen melt
away in the fog as had could doubt,
| then ! was wasting time in Liverpool
| that should be spent on the trail of
Maligni. | felt terrible yet almost
holy responsibility resting on me,
now that Maubkeck was gone He
had given me my life at the cost of
his own.
And in that last moment of parting,
when | had but half realized the full
purpose of his heroic action, he had
cried out to me from the fog and
blackness to find and rescue Nita
Barlotti if l reached land alive. And
now those last words Of my preserv-
err rang in my ears like an imperative
call to perform a solemn duty. In
obeying Maubikeck l was but further
ing my own purposes. But l may say
truthfully, that so heavily and solemn
ly did that last cry of Maubikeck
weigh upon my soul. if the carrying
out of his wishes involved the re-
linQuishing of my own, l would have
gone on his errand unhesitatingly,
and let my own ambitions sink out of
sight until my debt to his memory
was fully paid.
Thus it was that. having given i'm
all hope for Maubikeck, and having
provided myself with all the things
needful to replace those l had lost
on the Queen, was anxious to start
at once for Sardinia in quest of Ma
ligni and his slave. Nita.
On the deck of a smoothly-gliding
steamer that was rapidly entering the
port of Cagliari. the chief southern
seaport of the Island OF Sardinia.
stood. with. my marine glass levelled
taking in with interest the scene that
was being opened up before me.
Mt of
ton closely approximating forty thou
sand. 1t is the most important city
in fact, the capital-of Sardinia. With
the exception of what little trade and
commerce goes to Sassari. on the
north, Cagliari is the emporium of
trade of the island
Before leaving Genoa on the steam
er | had performed two duties-one
for Maubikeck and one for myself.
The one in behalf of Maubikeck was
simple. | had telegraphed to Liver
pool to learn if any news had been
received Of my Inflated felow-pas-
sengers. received reply from the
president OF the company that one of
the boats-a companion to the one |
had been in-had been picked I'D,
and ten more unfortunates had been
saved from destruction But nothing
whatever had been heard of the
Queen or any who had been left on
board, and it was finally concluded
that she had sunk, and the marine
insurance had been paid.
The duty I'm mySnlf woo tho or,,,o,.
Ing of a guide and interpreter
Fortunately for me | had recol-
lected that the banking house of Dorr
& Company Of New York, with which
| had had long-standing friendship.
had branch at Genoa, and | had
called upon them, made myself known,
and Informed them that 1 was on my
way to Sardinia and wished to en-
gage the services Of an honest guide
and interpreter. OF course did not
tell them anything about the real
object of my excursion into the island.
| gave them to understand that | was
merely bent on pleasure-a hunting
trip after mouAon
The mouf1on is a small animal of
the sheep tribe and tnrives in wild
state on the Sandman mountains. 1t
is not unusual for French, German
or English sportsmen to go to Sar-
dina to hunt them, and as a reason
for my voyage. the moufion served
very we'll
Signor Brarderi, the head of the
Genoa branch Of Dorr & Co, was a
quiet. affable gentleman. very polite,
and spoke English well. He seemed
eager to do whatever he could for
me, and promised to furnish me with
just the person l needed.
Signor Branderi rang a bell in his
private office, where we had been sit
ting. and clerk responded. The
banker spoke to him in Italian, and the
clerk bowed, and went away. Shortly
thereafter another person came and
stood respectfully before us. 1t was
my interpreter
"Mutterelli," said Signor Branderi,
in English. 81 have an engagement
for you. This gentleman is friend
of our house in New York. and ID