The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-09-08

Of utter content and placid happiness
"Mutterelli!" 1 said in whisper
which was all the voice could raise
Mutterelli laid down his knife ant
came toward me.
"You called, signor," he said.
where is the monk?" l asked.
Mutterelli put his finger to his lips
"You are not to talk, signor," he
said. BE patient, and when you are
stronger we will speak OF it. YOU
have been. very ill, signor.''
How long have been in the grot
to. Mutterelli?" asked.
Sixteen days, signor.'
l sank back on my fur couch, over
come by sense of weakness and ut
ter helplessness. Sixteen days! And
it seemed as though it was but an
hour since the monk had carried me
into the grotto, and had set about
dressing my wound. And the change
from the monk to Mutterelli was sc
strange, so unexpected. Yet Mutter
ELI was calm, and seemed perfectly
at home in this strange place.
When he had replied to my last
question he offered me glass of wine
which | drank. Then he turned and
walked out of the grotto. I remem
hered that he had done this when ]
first saw and recognized him, and
realized that this was his method OF
enforcing silence. So alone l lay, and
in my weakness wondered what chain
OF circumstances had led Mutterelli
to the grotto.
In about an hour Mutterelli re
| turned.
He slowly rolled cigarette in his
| fingers and lighted it. drew a stool
| near my bed and sat down.
How do you feel, signor?" he
| asked.
Il feel much better" I replied
Alntterelli was evidently going to
talk, so l waited patiently for him to
begin.
You have been very sick, signor.'
he said finally. 1T is now sixteen
days since you came here"
Eyes," l replied; so you told me
before. But how many days is il
since you came here?'
Sixteen, signor," he replied calm
| ly
You followed me?"
Eyes. signor I was told where ia
find YOU"
"Then my hiding place is known"
l said.
Yes, signor. Your hiding place is
known to me and to the monk who
brought you here. That is ALL"
And you saw the monk? You must
have seen him, for he only could tell
you where to find me-"
Eyes, sigEor, l saw the monk. He
is a good monk, signor. l alone in
Sardinia have his confidence. The
monk and belong to the same secret
society. signor, though am but a
poor member. See, signor?"
What is his name, Mutterelli?"
He is Brother Michael, signor, OF
the Order of Jesuits. He is high in
favor with the general of the order
| signor. and travels much, doing mis-,
sionary work."
The eXertion of talking had been
| severe and felt that l must stop.
"You are weary, signor," said Nut.
terelli. You have talked too much
You must rest. l will leave you"
He sanntered toward the entrance
to the grotto. and l saw him pause
long enough to twist the end of an.
other cigarette and light it. Then he
disappeared through the marble arch
lay back ON my furs. wondering
There was. in my mind. vague yet
rapidly growing conviction that Nut
1erelii and the monk were one and
the same. The timely meeting be-
tween the monk and Mutterelli; the
implicit confidence which the monk
opposed in Mutterelli, who, l knew
mad price-all these things, as
| thought them over. convinced me thai
! Mutterelli was Brother Michael and
| Brother Michael was Mutterelli. Sc
far he had done well. But how wa:
| ever to get away from Sardinia. and
how was | going to continue my eff
forts to restore Nita Barlotti to the
| sphere in life to which | knew She
belonged?
| ITO he cOntinued)