Show 1 IN IN by SEWARD W HOPKINS apayor of 0 jac jaca robbin robbins of amer ca ol 01 la tb cb na no sea two berti n el ei 0 I 1 KA hawaii aall on a plo P b charce charge etc 1805 by I 1 BOI CHAPTER 11 II I 1 had finished with Gravis court but not with nita Barlo barlotta Ba tae tie impulse to see her again was nas too strong to be controlled and that evenal evening g I 1 again occupied a box tn in II TI adison square garden but I 1 was doomed to a disappoint meet ment that was I 1 een in the same meas ure as my former eagerness instead of Barlo barlotta Ba there appeared on a small balcony near rear the bandstand the same greasy mean looking italian who had led the trapeze queen away on the night of her successful ful debut this creature bowed boned low to the audience that had poured their silver into his coffers and in a thick voice eaid said ladles ladies ard it hat be come my ead duty to inform you dat you vill be dl disappointed great dis efen ing de bright star de von shining jewel of dis great aggregations of mammoth attractions attract iones will not be able to appear before you dis Sigr ortra barlotti Ba haf been sudden suddenly y taken ill and my regard for dis young lady is so great dat I 1 haf insisted dat bhe she remain quiet under de care of a docta doc taire lre until she hat haf t f ily recovered but it if she Is better to morrow so dat it vill rot do her any barm harm den maybe I 1 vill allow her to come once more and git gif you pleasure my friends I 1 thank ou bowing again the italian digap feared I 1 did not rot tarry long with a feeling 9 of keen disappointment I 1 left the gar den and went to my hotel As I 1 was going up the stairs to my room I 1 met major simmons coming down the major accompanied me bac t c to my rooms and I 1 turned on fie the light rang for a night waiter and ordered some cigars of a brand that I 1 knew the major liked and also some wine these comfor s of a bachelor bachelors s life having appeared tte the major lighted a cigar and ensconced himself comfort ably in a large armchair resting his head on the high back and throwing one leg over the other settled into a lazy position now go on he be said tell me what you have been doing and where you have been hidirs all day I 1 thereupon told him all that I 1 had done leaving out no to detail while I 1 was speaking the major looked at me gravely and when I 1 had finished he merely blew his cigar smoke into the al at and said nothing I 1 couldn coulden t heh hel it I 1 said in apol spot ogy agy that story of yours about the lucky uncle and the remarkable stint larity in tae faces left an impre impression sion that I 1 could not shake off nor could I 1 resist the impulse to investigate I 1 nor I 1 you I 1 jumel from my cha r in excitement you yes when Gravis court held that A photograph in bis his hand I 1 detected evi dences of agitation in his manner the impre impression eslon tho the whole thing gave me was very ill a e yours the impulse the same this I 1 rose early and visited trinity cemetery in the afternoon I 1 visited mott street the bureau ot of vital statistics I 1 saw just what you caw aw went on the major and ard had it not been tor for a chance meeting I 1 would have reached the same conclusion that you have my breath was coming hard from me now welp I 1 when I 1 left mott street I 1 caw aw Gravis court a carriage I 1 chinking it a strange coincidence that he should be tn in the vicinity I 1 followed it it stopped before one of the most miserable places in the italian qua ter in the lower portion of the building was a dirty looking drug store over the door was the sign L I 1 saw Gravis court get out of the car ariage and enier enter the drug store I 1 hurried past hoping to get a look int into the window I 1 was mas not dIc disappointed d I 1 saw the proprietor greet gravis court as an acquaintance and they went into a back room when I 1 re turned the carriage was still thre and a woman was in attendance at the store the conference between Gravis court and was a long one it I 1 am not mistaken I 1 may b be a because dissipation changes faces but if I 1 am rot not mistaken L is no other than br charles Sig motta Gravis courts s old friend I 1 exclaimed the man who sigred the death certificate of the Gravis court child the same this news was so overwhelming that I 1 sat silently smoking for sev eral minutes in fact but little more was said by either of us after a few minutes the major reached over poured himself out some wine drank it and took his hat as it if to go I 1 saw him to the door and promising to meet him at the lotus club the follo following day I 1 returned to my room where I 1 threw myself down on the couch in the alcove utterly lost in the bewildering sen sensations actions that the ma jors story had aroused according to my promise I 1 met maor simmons at the lotus club at four 0 clock on the following after noon dickins was there and upon my invitation vie ne agreed to spend the evening at madison square garden thus it was that at el elgeti ti 0 clock we were in our seats at the circus watch ing the incoming crowd which seemed to me greater er than usual the intervening acts passed and barlotti Barl otil LI came I 1 aw caw st standing ardIng rear the ropes of the trap eze ard as the girl passed him I 1 saw her glance up irto bis his face with a look that spoke unutterable and un dying love and with this love fiere was gratitude I 1 glanced at the majors face it was nas set and stern and his keen eyes were bent on the beautiful actress she stepped into the loop of rope and was d awn up to the t adeze she from he trapeze to the bars and back arain then she hung bead head downward am ant swany to and trall fro on tho flying trapeze 8 ud erly Lierly there was a smell of 0 smoke ard a etreal of came fame shot aps upward ard the rope of the loop the one that carried barlotti Ear lotti aloft and brought her down donn again was burning it had evidently been saturated with oil for it burned fiercely and the flames licked upward as only the of burr burring leg oil can do and signorina Sigr orina Barlo barlotti when she saw the flames coming toward her gasped and hung halt half fainting on the bar of her trapeze I 1 had left my seat and had drawn nearer to the ground inside the aral trapeze I 1 saw there was still a rope that held this in its place and down which the girl might slide clide with safety I 1 was about to call to her when I 1 saw an attendant of fie the circus evidently an italian touch a match to this rope and the flame began its deadly work apparently I 1 was the anly one who caw aw the act and I 1 forward to seize the miscreant but he disappeared like a snake in the crowd at that moment I 1 heard a deep voice near me calling nita nita hold fat fact fa t to your bar 1 I nill ill ave cave you turning I 1 saw tile the lion tamer at the newly fired rope and regardless of burned hands he was trying to extinguish the flames I 1 stepped to his side and helped him together we fought the devilish fame my hands being severely burned burred until the lower part of the th rope was as free from fire above there was vas still flame and it was rapidly 11 licking 1 its way toward the trap ezil hold this rope tight shouted the lion tamer in my ear car instinctively I 1 seized it and in an other moment the major was with me together we pulled at the charred rope while climbed upward extinguishing the flames as be he progressed suddenly a pistol shot rang out and a cry of horror swept over the pact pant leg ing excited crowd I 1 looked upward expecting to see either or barlotti Barlo fall dead to my surprise neither the lion tamer nor nita exhibited any signs of having been shot above the roar of the crowd I 1 heard his voice nita he cried nita leap into my arms do not hesitate I 1 can hold you the girl obedient to his command and confident of his power swung tie the burning trapeze outward then inward and releasing the bar leaped squarely at through space his out stretched hands seized her and held her safe simultaneously with courage ous leap came a cry from the crowd 1 alegri s shot some one cried and the cry was taken up and echoed all over the garden tae uproar in creacey and the center of excitement moved away from us to that point where the wounded showman lay in a few minutes had bad de scented with his halt half fainting burden and his bruised hands held her ten derly while a flask of brandy that some person handed to the major was pressed to her lips get her safely home said the major dick you stay and help the lion tamer I 1 am going to see what has happened to the italian can I 1 be of any help I 1 asked who are youa you he asked in reply wilberton ot of the lotus club I 1 answered come with us he said perhaps you may be able to help me solve this hellish mystery the girl Is aur rounded by enemies who are trying to kill hill her the reason we do not know come with us to her hotel Mali maligna gill will not interfere Inter tere lere tonight motioning tor for me to to fo low the lion tamer led her away and I 1 followed at a respectful distance he took hr first to her dressin dressing groom room where he left her in charge of an attendant then be he joined me when nita is dressed he said we will go to her hotel I 1 am not accustomed to new york you may be able to help us find her enemies keeping the knowledge of what I 1 had seen the italian firing the rope for future divulgence I 1 stood with awaiting the appearance of the trapeze queen As nita came from her dressing room she was accompanied by an ugly italian woman who nho acted ably in the capacity of maid and at but me a particularly I 1 learned later as a sort of keeper or watchdog for maligno upon this woman s face there was a look of angry protest as it if she had held forth against the den departure arture of nita with and myself but the girl came forward and was met by the lion tamer who placed her hand on his arm and led her through a private hall and exit to the street I 1 had hesitated about accompanying them bit had repeated his re quest that I 1 should assist him if pos sible to unravel the mystery of the murderous animosity with chica the girl was surrounded when spoke nita turned turned toward me and said you are the gentleman who as aisted in saving my life I 1 thank you sir tor for the great kindness surely I 1 am in some person persons s way and unless the secret Is discovered I 1 shall no doubt be murdered it if you can help me you will win my agrati tude thus prettily asked I 1 walked be side them and the old woman came ambling after muttering to herself I 1 could not understand but in which I 1 frequently beard heard the name now there was more than one rid ri ra d son why it seemed perfectly proper for me to accompany nita and mau bibeck and leid lei d what assistance I 1 could in this time of need to begin with I 1 was mas much interested in the girl herself persona ly because of her grand beauty and the romantic Ir interest terest aldays abw ays attached to a beautiful girl in her position secondly I 1 was nas interested in nita barlotti Barlot tf as has been shown hereto fore because she cecely resembled the photograph of charies gravis courts court s wife and because in that re semblance rift there had seemed to be some shadowy hint that Gravis court was not all that he ho seemed to be before tile the world and in striking at Gravis court I 1 was striking a blow tor for my own love lorro and this la 13 a motive f esst 1 t will always stir the heart of a ma whose loio lo 10 Is withheld from urn him by another s will thirdly I 1 was interested in the lion amer he impressed me as being no ordinary individual very dif terent ferent from the average circus at tache as was barlotti herself and in the evidences of love I 1 had seen pass berneen these two I 1 had seemed to see a reflection of my own and this claimed my interest it if nothing ele el e fourthly I 1 had seen the act ol 01 tho the man who had set fire to the trapeze rope and was no doubt the only hu man being ave cave himself who bal bat seen it it became me therefore to aid and nita by using the knowledge I 1 possessed and by iden tidying the miscreant who had fired the rope 0 ascertain through him his motive or it if he had been emp employed loyet I 1 to do the thin ihirg g the name of bis his cowardly employer one of the facts that I 1 learned by this adventure adver ture mas that the stars of a circus lived when away from the glare and tinsel of their profession much like other people p ople with plenty of acrey to speed leaving the garden by meana of one of the private entrances laubi keck keek hailed a carria carr lae e it was a good ore ard and was drawn by a team of well fed sleek looking horses and I 1 thought it was probably the one he used every eight right tor for his own convey ance and we all got into it haubt keck and nita sat together and the old hag sat eat with me with our backs toward the driver she was not a pleasant plea cant carriage companion and I 1 would gladly have exchanged charged ex places with t au bileck the old woman swayed back and forth moaned wrung her hands and spoke fiercely to who told her with un mistakable emphasis to hold her tongue I 1 will exp ain aln this woman a ve hermence signer signor wilberton Wll berton said the I 1 on jamr pacho Is a hard master are a lealous man he allows no one but himself and those hired for the durpos to come near nita Earlo barlotti believe me this Is the first time since we opened in madison square garden that I 1 have accod panted the signer signor ra to her hotel ma laigri keeps her constantly under his care and this woman Is employed by him to prevent others principally from coming into the pres ence of the that we are enabled to be with her row Is dua due solely to the mishap which has befallen mallini he may be dead at this moment or seriously wounded that he Is wounded Is certain or he would have been on hand as usual to take nita to the hotel and where does malegni live 0 I 1 ailed I 1 at the game same hotel to be continued |