The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1906-12-08
CHAPTER Nv.

On reaching Maria Roselli's house,
the number of which had been given
him by Lorenzo, the inspector knocked
| loudly. and then iinpatiently waited tor
| an answer. None came, nor did
any sound OF voice or movements
within the dwelling indicate that
it was tcnanted. He raped again
with like result and then stepped into
the street to view the dwelling. As he
did so, the high. narrow door from
which the paint had long since faded,
| opencd, and woman's figure stood
| framed in the portal.
Mackworth. eagerly observing her.
| saw she was tall and i'lin, her years
| about sixty, her regular features wear
ing a hard expression, the dark eyes
| cold and speculative. the face lined and
| wrinkled, something masculine i'll bear
| ing
Are YOU Maria Rosellis" he asked.
advancing toward her.
YES" she replied returning the gaze,
Then | want to speak to YOU
you can talk here she said in eS-
| celieat English.
1t is something don't wish to say
| in the street
She hesiiated moment, then drew
asidc To let him pass into the hall,
closed the door, and ushered him into
barely furnished, unca7pcted room.
rs Marco Mezza in the house 7"
Mackworth began.
-Marco Mczza2" she repeated, with
out surprise being noticeable in her
| voice or face. No"
Then where is he,"
Il don't know" she replied, frigidly.
But he has been here!"
"Oh, yes"
"When?"
Some time in September. don't re-
member the date"
I want you to tell me all you know
about him"
"Why?' she asked, staring hard at
Mackworth.
Il am a police officer. He may be
concerned in a very serious business !;
you will see why ask for him
Mackworih saw she expressed neither
astonishnent. interest nor anxiety. HIS
| words left her perfectly indifferent to
| their inference.
Il know very little of this M-,ya- He
| came here some weeks ago, as ! have
said
HE was a friend of yours
Il had never seen him before. a Hea
politan living in Paris gave him my ad-
| Dress" she answered.
| "How long did he stay with you?
"Three days. would keep him nc
longer"
"Why?' asked the inspector, anx-
iously.
well, he was nearly always drunk,
and then he was i'll; his coughing kept
my other dodgers awake at night My
house was no place for him
| "And SO you got rid of him?"
II told him he should go to the hos
pital"
"And he went?"
'He left here for the hospital, but l
don't know If he ever went there" she
answered, the same calm indifference
noticeable in her manner.
what hospital?"
THE Italian; he spoke little English y
And afterwards-did he return to
your"
mo; he knew would not take him,
Have you made no inquiries TOT
him1"
mo; why should II" Maria Roselli
asked. in her hard voice. II have to
mind my business il would live, and
| HAVE udu tloubiS rs my ~" -
life without going In search OF it among
strangers"
Had he any friends to see him while
he was here"
Not one. He slept all day, because
he was awake coughing all night. When
he went out in the evening it was e
the public house"
(Which public house!'
"That don't know"
"And he returned alone"
always"
After this the woman moved towarc
the door, as il to indicate the inter
view must end. She had neither the
curiosity nor sympathy to inquire what
it was Mezza had done to put the police
on his track
Mackworth, seeing she could give nc
more information, became impatient te
reach the Italian hospital, which he knew
was situated in Queens Square. There
no doubt, he would be able to learr
where Mezza had gone on being dis
charged, and perhaps to trace directl,
to him the mad deed which, no doubt
his illness and want of opportunity hae
prevented him from committing during
the first days of his return to Eng
land.
| Passing through the wide hall of ths
hospital, which had been the dwelling
\ of people of fashion when Queen Anne
reigned, Mackworth was shown into :
reception room, and soon the dool
opened, and the superioress entered ant
bowed
"Bueno giono, signor," she said, II
pleasant voice.