Show lyuu by SEWARD W HOPKINS author jack ol 01 america la atu sea two gentlemen 1 I hawaii on a pals charge etc by box CHAPTER XI let ns go to the profetto pre fetto said the bonk and give him warning of the work that Is planned against 1 0 o night the profetto pre fetto Is our master we must protect him for he is the representative of the ahng what Is our name sona 1 called bambo father I 1 come with me to the profetto pre fetto pome traveler I 1 will need your evi hence AS well wondering what desperate game the monk was about to play I 1 followed 1 the monk spoke a few words the guard A servant was sum and we were led into the pres ance of the master of all cagliari Cag llari your excellency said the monk by way 0 salutation yes brother michael responded he pre tetto you have news of am to convey so said the berv I 1 am ready to listen your excellency said the monk at Is my good fortune that I 1 have possessed of important knowl edge that concerns your safety and hat of the fair signorina Signor lna barlotti who s under your root the profetto pre fetto started that cursed american he eald no this time it is one of your busted friends who is plotting against you and who w but tor our here murder you this night and carry away the signorina signor lna tor bis awn 1 sacre exclaimed abe profetto pre fetto pale and looking at bambo and me with staring eyes Is this true have I 1 a friend so false his name his name I 1 demand his mime slow your excellency do not be come excited said the monk calmly fit Is the count dl bordino who thus lots against you bordino Por dino impossible he was bere today to day and drank wine with me nd we spoke of his approaching mar ariage to the ward of my brother Is he so bad as that let him anter here and my own hand shall alay him and as the enraged pre tetto uttered tie threat against the count I 1 thought t the word carved in the wall of abe sell in the torre dell elegante Ele tante and in he marble ot the grotto henry thor ane I 1 will avenge the pre tetto called the officer of be guard and told him the facts the aunt was expected about midnight ina it was nearly that now remember said the profetto pre fetto as ils captain was leaving kill all the others but leave the count to me the bells of the monastery were ginging the hour of midnight and the barkness lar kness of a cloudy night was over everything when a who stood in a attitude on the front porch of he pre tetto s ellla were startled by i yell that came from a coppice to the ight A shot was fired evidently by me of the pre tetto s guards and the lash of his rifle lighted up the grounds or an instant and in that instant ve saw the forms of men running to vard abe villa suddenly bud denly some one placed lights in he windows of the villa which threw i glare out into the night and by this ight the guards bojt the profetto pre fetto saw he attacking party and formed to neet them the ellla became the scene of indescribable excitement and activity the creams of frightened women the servants of the household pierced the ur and rang out in unison with the coarse shouts of the soldiers and the tries of the attacking party the leader of the attacking crowd kras but thinly disguised the count 1 bordino was a tall man and bore immelt with a carriage that was too harked in character to be easily over poked he was not wounded in the charge and in the glare of the lights the windows he could be seen arg S his men on the profetto pre fetto with a muttered curse sprang forward evidently to meet abe bount face to face As be leaped from porch the jesuit slid after him I 1 aras about to follow when I 1 missed bambo who had been standing be and me A rush of tear came over ie bambo had had another purpose i coming to the villa than to warn be profetto pre fetto lie bad before attempt id nita barlotti s life he would do it gain dropping ray peddler s pack I 1 bound id through the halls and up the stairs oward nita s room in the excitement the door of bar otti s room had been opened I 1 reach d the upper hall just in time to see lambo knifa in hand enter her door then a scream in a voice which I 1 as told me the all aln was at his work panting I 1 lunged on and reached the room to bambo with a knife upraised in Is right hand while his left clutched he frightened girl by the throat badsing my club I 1 uttered a prayer or muscular strength it must have een answered a club descended pon the skull of bambo and he tell ack half stunned the hand that had been at nita s throat relaxed its hold nd the knife fell from the other to tie floor anital I 1 cried seizing the half girl and seeking to reassure er you are sate you know am Wll berton your friend signor Wll berton she gasped what does it meana and what means 11 the noise the shots and the cries ire we attacked are they friends foes Is the pre tetto s house in angert I 1 threw aside my wig and beard to assure her of my identity the villa is attacked by the count 1 bordino I 1 said who seeks to take ou away by force but the warning ras brought in time and the t the pre tetto are fighting off tha arces of the count nita was now beside herself with riet passion and tear stooping she icken up the knife that bambo had copped 1 will do it signor Wll berton she uld I 1 am no longer weak I 1 am a woman but I 1 can fight I 1 have been a circus performer and can take my own part let them come I 1 will kill the profetto pre fetto and I 1 will kill the count yut it they conquer me and I 1 fall to kill them I 1 will plunge this knife into my own heart rather than become atie bride the slave of the count dl bordino her eyes flashed as she spoke her bosom rose and fell in an excess of emotion and the delicate but moscu lar little fingers grasped the handle of the knife in a most determined way now bambo who had been motion less under the effects of the merciless blow J had given him began to crawl away from me springing to the win dow which was shaded with heavy lace curtains held in festoons by cord J tore the cord away and seizing the italian bound him strongly and securely and warning him not to make any further attempt to escape left him in a heap on the floor the din in and around the villa was now something awful sounds of rifle shots cries shrieks moans and curses reached us through the doors and win and I 1 rushed out on the balcony to get a peep at the scenes of w ar be low more lights had been brought lan terns flashed all over the villa grounds the monastery bells were clanging the midnight alarm the battle bad become a hand to hand struggle the forces ot the profetto pre fetto essaying not only to defend the villa from attack but to drive the invaders from the place and the horde of cutthroats under the count dl bordino still hot in the bunt for nita barlotti and what ever else of plunder they could lay their hands to backward Back waid and forward the clashing groups ran shouting shooting stab bing blinded by rage and passion in flamed by the blood already spilled de straying ying life where they could fearing noi death themselves to my eye it seemed as it the count dl bordino s bandits were gain ing and it the military failed to arrive from cagliari all would soon be up with nita baciotti Ba and me apart from the other struggling combatants two stalwart men swayed to and fro in a fight to the death one had worn a mask and it had fall en off disclosing the features of the count dl bordino the other was the profetto pre fetto of cagliari Cag llari they were armed with knives and as they writhed and twisted in each others grasp the knives were plunged first into one and then into the other until it seemed as if they surely must drop dead from their wounds near these two struggling pals in the affray stood brother mich ael the jesuit and silent and cold was be amid the boiling and seething of the caldron around him that his some great deed of valor as might do and nita saw him and watched the silent figure a moment in wonder so distinct and apart from the entire scene did he seem to be signer she whispered see that silent monk la he not grandly calm amid all the horrors around him he is different from the others see how noble and still he Is yes I 1 replied in a whisper that is brother michael a jesuit he saved me from the soldiers and prison guards when I 1 ran away and he saved my life from a wound they gave me I 1 have my suspicion that brother michael is one whom the pre fetto Is doing servile penance in the monastery perhaps you have heard of henry thorlene Th orlane I 1 think that brother michael Is none other than he in the henry thorlene Th orlane the cry rang out from lips with a wildness that frightened me and caused the silent monk to look toward us henry thorlene Th orlane she cried again fo no it cannot be henry thor lane henry thorlene Th orlane is dead he died when she reeled her hands went up to her head with a gasp and moan she sank into my arms and lost all con I 1 hurriedly carried her into the room and placed her on the bed water was handy and I 1 bathed her face with it when the fight should be over I 1 would call tor liquor and give it to her I 1 stepped out on the balcony again to see how the fight was progressing suddenly Sud dehly the pie tetto and his murder ous foe bordino relaxed their hold and tell together encouraged by this the bandits renewed their attack the villa must certainly fall into their hands just then by a sudden movement the silent monk drew from his bosom a peculiar symbol and held it aloft he spoke a few words and I 1 heard exclamations of surprise ejaculated among the crowd of hire lings they swarmed around the jesuit who spoke to them again it seemed in a commanding way then the attacking party turned and just when they seemed to have everything in their grasp they filed silently out of the place leaving the defeated soldiers of the profetto pre fetto dum founded at this new turn that had taken bending over the fallen chiefs the monk felt their breasts as if to learn whether they were alive or dead the investigation evidently satisfied him for he turned and signaled for some of the house servants and soldiers to carry the profetto pre fetto and the count into the house thoroughly bewildered now I 1 made sure that bambo a cords were secure dragged him out of nita s room and into that in which pacho had been killed and locking both doors put the keys in my pocket and went down to meet brother michael on the stairs I 1 met who was sauntering carelessly along lag a cigarette you herec I 1 I 1 did not see you in the fight no signer he said A man who has prospects of fifty thousand lire never risks his life in a fight with bandits I 1 was looking for you I 1 have something for you from under his jacket he took a box the red tin box that had been taken from pacho where did you get thata I 1 asked in bambo s quarters he said it seems to connect him with the murder of it does it doese I 1 aadu ane bambo Is this minute lying bound n pacho room and in tte next lies nita baciotti Ba in a dead taint was going after some cognac for her the doors are locked give me the beys he said 1 I have a flask I 1 will bring the sig corlna round yon go below broth er michael may wish to see you I 1 felt that I 1 could trust and handed him the keys then 1 went down into the library where the profetto pre fetto and the count di bordino had been carried two broad low couches had been hurriedly drawn into the center cl the library upon one lay the pre and upon the other the count dl bordino Por dino it vi as evident even to my unpracticed eyes that both these men were dying physicians who had hurried to the villa aroused by the alarm bells ol 01 the monastery were working over them and by the side of each stood a monk holding in his hand that is all we can do said one the wounds are fatal neither the profetto pre fetto nor the count di bordino will live till daylight the wounded men looked about them they were conscious and heard their doom as pronounced by the physician brother michael stepped nearer to them and said sons you have beard the sad words of the physician make your peace with god for you will soon stand before him to be judged tor your deeds on earth and if they have been evil for the degree of tancy and reparation you have given have you count dl bordino any sin or secret on your soul which you wish to confess and receive absolu alon and forgiveness before you go before the final and the almighty judged the count 1001 ed at the monk feebly a moment and slowly shook hie head Is there nothing 9 think count of your past life Is there nothing have you ver borne false witness against another A frightened look came into the count s eyes ah softly said brother michael there als something Is it about henry thorlene Th orlane the count made a sign of assent the crime with which be was barged and tor which he was sen fenced to a servile penance tor awen ty years and tor which his estate was confiscated and turned over to your hands did he commit that crimea was he an enemy of the the lips of the dying count formed the word no the monk then turned to the pre fetto to be continued |