Show by SEWARD W hopkins her ol 01 jack bobbins of america in abi china sea two gentlemen ol 01 hawaii on a pal etc 1883 by I 1 CHAPTER IX number what Is ita you are to be put into a road gang Is morning and go out to work on public boulevard t was known as number my jeper imparted the above delightful formation to me on the ninth day my imprisonment I 1 say delightful because I 1 mean it d do not use the word in an ironi 1 sense the news was indeed de hatful and gratifying it was what had waited for it was the begin pg of my labor tor the state and hopes rose tor now surely I 1 find an opportunity to strike my liberty the officer in command lost no ne but put us at once to work ost of the prisoners had evidently en there before tor they seemed to low just what to do as it they were suming work that had but recently en laid down after dinner I 1 in company with e same ill smelling ruffian who was marching partner was sent some stance away to bring back a supply cement in a wagon brawn by a lall horse a rugged stout little imal that did not seem to feel tigue As we left the main force behind heart began to beat violently and brain to work quickly tor now I 1 ought the only opportunity I 1 would t had come we traveled perhaps three miles ien we came to a ort of storehouse shed where we scoped the guarco id the key to the shed and handing to me he ordered me to open the or 4 I 1 did as I 1 was told nothing could aeed my humility and meekness at at moment the stuff used for these roada oved to be a kind of asphalt ought from the coast farther north td stored in the shed until needed was now dry and lay in piles of lumps and blocks I 1 he guard stood looking on while companion and I 1 proceeded to irry the stuff to the wagon and load tor our return trip I 1 had resolved at this return trip would never be ade at least by me suddenly an overwhelming influx face seized me and I 1 struck the blow kat I 1 had been dreaming of ever nee my incarceration I 1 not the least cause to feel murderously inclined toward the liard but it was my liberty against s life and the balance fell my way had reached his side with a heavy ece of the asphalt in my hands without giving him time to raise a rifle I 1 lifted the lump and sent it ashing against his skull with a groan he tell into a heap on e floor I 1 sprang to the horse and began to loosen him from the wagon at now an enemy arose upon whom had not counted my fellow prison either from a mistaken sense of ity or from a desire to win favor id perhaps pardon tor himself aught to prevent my departure he arang upon me and we had a hand hand tussle in which it seemed at mes as it I 1 was going to get the arst of it backward and forward e swayed now with his hand at my roat now with my fist thrust square alast his jaw writhing twisting bit g and kicking until I 1 finally got a od grip on his throat and nearly him seizing him with a mighty effort I 1 ailed him against the body of the hard and with a last pull at the raps freed the horse from his en im brance leaping upon his back I 1 banged his des with my heels and away he ent to the northward carrying me ward freedom but the sardinian prisoner was not it beaten I 1 heard the crack of the lard s rifle behind me and felt a ginging sensation in the back I 1 as shot I 1 felt the warm blood oozing down back and began to feel weak and azy even though I 1 had not been t in a vital spot I 1 knew that the ss of blood would finish me unless I 1 as able soon to stay it but to lit now would be death anyhow and kept on the rifle was fired again it this time the distance was too eat for the sardinian s aim and I 1 as not touched on on we went my little horse and past woods and past farms until I 1 iw the road across the valley which had seen from my prison window pd which had seemed to lead to aces of refuge in the mountains suddenly my horse stumbled and ill my weakness was now so great lat my hands refused to cling my digs were as those of a man para tied 1 rolled from the animal s back aa fell with a thud by the wayside ellered of his burden the horse re alered his footing and plunged tor ard out of sight I 1 was stunned by the tall I 1 be une conscious of a burning sensa on in my throat then an ig pain in my head then another in ly back my arms and legs tingled it filled with needles I 1 felt some ling pressed to my lips and again ie burning in my throat my mind rew calmer I 1 opened my eyes islon had returned to me bending over me was a monk you are wounded son he said in voice that was soft and almost yes father I 1 replied my own coming only in a whisper I 1 ave been shot the monks face was very pale white I 1 thought he aked at me through his goggles a loment before answering you are wounded in the back on he said Is it the work of an fi sassin I 1 will ou the truth father bald weal 1 I 1 a a prisoner of the irate the brother of the was I 1 was accused of the murder and though I 1 knew nothing about it I 1 was convicted I 1 was at work on the public road to day and e biped A fellow prisoner fired at me vila the guard s diflo and wounded me they will be after me soon juas son this Is a bad bust nex monk as he said this glanced around as it apprehensive ot detection in thus succoring a pris oner of state who had escaped he put his hands tinder me and lifted me gently from the ground I 1 seemed to be but a child in his arms holding me across the hack of his mule he easily mounted and speak ing to the animal we were soon amov ing up the mountain side we did not travel tar in this way perhaps a quarter of a mile then we had come to a thick portion of the forest and we were in a rugged mountain region the monk had been peering from side to side as it in search of something and suddenly halted his mule before a tall white barked tree that stood near the edge of the road I 1 thought I 1 knew the place he murmured to himself that is the tree sliding from the saddle to the ground the monk took me in his arms and carried me into the forest lie spoke to his mule and the animal followed him he carried me carefully over rocks and fallen trees and through seeming ly impassable places he seemed to know fully every foot of the uneven ground and to be looking for some particular spot ah he exclaimed at last it is here the soldiers of the profetto pre fetto will have to work to find you here and you will not betray me fathers I 1 asked nay I 1 know full well the ease with which the profetto pre fetto imprisons falsely you are safe here and you will be fed I 1 thank you father I 1 said in gratitude we had entered a grotto the air inside was cool and sweet I 1 could hear the murmur and ripple of a spring and mountain stream near by I 1 felt a sense of rest and security and my trust in the monk was firm soon set in I 1 was now at the circus and gazing with wonder and admiration at nita barlotti the trapeze queen and at the lion tamer in their respective acts then the visit to ralph gravis court s rooms and the discovery of the photograph was as vivid in my mind as on he day it actually oc currad and on I 1 lived over and over again ahr stirring scenes of my last days in ew york and the de part tre of and myself on the steamer and then the accident rushing into my room and carrying me on deck and there standing on top ft a ave still in the glare of the light from 1 caven stood and above him in red letters seem ingle of fire floating in the air I 1 saw the words if you are saved and I 1 am not save ata from I 1 was vaguely conscious of a lapse of time as I 1 lived over these scenes I 1 keened to feel that some one was near me but I 1 knew nothing real there was nothing of actual life about me again I 1 danced I 1 heard the rippling of a again I 1 thought that marble walls surrounded me at first it seemed that I 1 as in a tomb but gradually consciousness came to me and I 1 awoke tae bed of furs was my couch the grotto walls were above me an odor of something came to my nostrils faintly I 1 turned my head A fire was burning in the attle e by it a cigarette in his mouth holding something over the coals sat Mutrel ll he rose and looked at me all right signer he said in the calm voice of a man who knew what he was doing and had been doing it i long time it will be ready in a minute A bit of toast and a sip of wine will do you good keep still you are all right signer I 1 whispered signor you know me he cried jesus be praised you have long been near death but now you will be re stored to life ah signer how s thata As he said this he put a wooden board before me upon which was a glass of wine and a bit of white breast of chicken and a slice of toast noth ing that I 1 had ever eaten in delmon ico s tasted halt so good as that dain ty morsel in that hour of my return to earth then I 1 closed my eyes and a deho lous sense of rest stole over me and I 1 fell asleep I 1 slept long and sweetly and awoke much refreshed feeling strong I 1 raised myself on my elbow and looked about squatting on a low stool near the opening of the grotto was mut smoking the inevitable cigar ette calmly paring some potatoes the expression on his face being one of utter content and placid happiness I 1 said in a whisper which was all the voice I 1 could raise laid down his knife and came toward me you called signor he said where Is the monka I 1 asked put his finger to his lips you are not to talk signer he said be patient and when you are stronger we wilt speak of it have been very signer how long have I 1 been in the grot to I 1 asked sixteen days signer I 1 sank back on my fur couch come by a 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 was so strange so unexpected yet mutter belll was calm and seemed perfectly at home in this strange place when he had replied to my last question he offered me a glass of wine which I 1 drank then he turned and walked out of the grotto I 1 kemem bared that he had done this when I 1 first saw and recognized him and realized that this was hia me ho 1 enforcing silence so alone I 1 lay anu my weakness wondered what chain ot circumstances had led Mut to the grotto in about an hour Mut returned he slowly rolled a cigarette indig fingers and lighted it drew a stool near my bed and sat down how do you feel signer he aked 1 I feel much better I 1 replied Mut was evidently going to talk so I 1 waited patiently for him to begin you have been very sick signer he said finally it is now sixteen days since you came here yes I 1 replied so you told me detore but how many days Is it since you came here sixteen signor he replied calm ly you followed mea f yes signor I 1 was told where to fird you then my hiding place is known I 1 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 monka you must have seen him for he only could tell you where to find me yes signor I 1 saw the monk he Is a good monk signor I 1 alone in sardinia have his confidence the monk and I 1 belong to the same secret society signer though I 1 am but a poor member see signers what Is his name Mut he is brother michael signor of the order ot jesuits he Is high in favor with the general of the order signor and travels much doing mis flonary work the exertion of talking had been severe and I 1 felt that I 1 must stop you are weary signer said mut you have talked too much lou must rest I 1 will leave you he sauntered toward the entrance to the grotto and I 1 saw him pause long enough to twist the end of an other cigarette and light it then he disappeared through the marble arch I 1 lay back on my furs wondering there was in my mind a vague yet rapidly growing conviction that mut and the monk were one and the same the timely meeting between the monk and Mut the implicit confidence which the monk reposed in Mut who I 1 knew had a price all these things as I 1 thought them over convinced me that Mut was brother michael and brother michael was Mut so far he had done well but how was I 1 ever to get away from sardinia and how was I 1 going to continue my et torts to restore nita baciotti Ba to the sphere in life to which I 1 knew she belonged 9 to be continued |