THE SPY OF THE SECRET THREE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5215, 9 May 1888, Page 4

THE SPY OF THE SECRET THREE.

CHAPTER VH. (Continued)

" Hold, my lord," whispered Beppo, pluoking his master by the sleeve. "Think twice before you interfere in the quarrels of others."

" This is no quarrel, but a downright assault. It may bo a robber)', perhaps an assassination. See tho poor man struggles. And he seems old, too. What ho, there J" With theso words, Alonzo drew his sword, and hurried forward towards tho scene of disturbance.

"Help! holp!" cried the struggling man. "In God'H name, holp !" While oue of tho ruffians held the victim, the other turned towards tho new-comer. They wore both masked, and were clad in black.

".Back, Signor! If you meddle here, it may bo worse for yon." " But what do you with that man P " " Whatever wo may do concerns ydu not. Stand back, or you may get a taste of my steel."

"Ha !" exclaimed tho princo, firing at the threat. " Set your steel agaiust mine if you daro." "Beware, meddler. If you push me, I'll strip tho mask from your eyes, and—" At this point our hero observed that the second rufriau had stricken the victim a severe blow upon tht. head, and was dragging him away towards tho canal, and with suddon and indignant impulse he knocked the speaker dowu by a blow in the face, and sprang to the assistance of the old man.

" Hold, wretch ! " ho cried, grasping the assistant by tho collar, and hurling him bockward. " Leave this old man tome."

The caitiff quickly drew his sword and sprang upon the intruder ; but he very soon found that he had mot more than his match.

" Back ! back ! " shouted the prince. " I seek not your harm if you do not push mo, but this old man you shall not have." How tho matter might have ended had Alonzo been left alone to fight his way, we cannot say; but Beppo, when he saw that his master was fairly engaged, drew his own sword, and came to the rescue. " Hold!" cried he whom tho prince had knocked down, and who had now been disarmed by tho valet; "wo give in. Perazzo, we will do our work at another time."

At this tho man who stood before Alonzo stopped back and dropped the point of his sword, saying, as ho did so : " Signor, I will look beneath your mask before you are four-and-twenty hours older. The officers of the Secret Three do not invito brawls in public places. Now, Bassano, I am ready to uccompany you." And with this tho two durk-robed men sheathed their swords and walked down to the canal, whero thoy betook themselves to their gondola. " Perazzo ! Bassano !" muttered Beppo, after they had gone. "By Saint Mark! this is sorry business, my master. They are familiars of tho Inquißition!" "Let them be who they may," returned the prince. " And, my Beppo, we have tho advantage of them. They know us not. But lot us look to this poor fellow." Tho victim was sitting upon ono of the projectious of the abutment, whore ho had sunk down when his assailant had let g6 his arm, but ho arose as tho princo approached. He was a man well advanced iv years, with a full beard of silvery whiteness, and straggling locks of the same hue escaping from beneath a close-flttiug red cap. His face was dark, and the form of his featuies, as well us tho garb ho wore, bespoke him a Moor; and when ho spoke, tho Moorish accent was apparent " Good sir," said the prince, kindly, " I trust you havo received no harm."

"Nothing serious, Signor. But how is it with yourself i " " All is well with me."

" But," pursued tho Moor, tremulously, " I heard you speak of the Inquisition. Wore thoso men ol" its officers F"

"So my servant thinks. But they are gone, and what has been done cannot now be uudoue. If they were of tho Inquisition what could thoy want with your' " In truth,' noble Signor, I kuow not," answered the old man, earnestly, and with ingenuous frankness. "I am a Moor, as you may see, and a stranger in Venice. I came hither but yesterday, and have done no evil to anyone; nor has a thought of evil entered my mind. My mission was ono of lovo, and not of enmity. To-night, without warning, I was set upon by the two men whom you have driven off. They gavo mo no reason for their ruffianly conduct, further than to inform me that I niuet go with them." "Can you imagine no cause for their course?" asked Alonzo. "They were evidently familiars of the State Inquisition, and spies of the Council of Ten."

The Moor reflected a little while, and then asked, in a whispered tone : "Do you know, in Venice, a mau of the name of Dagolfo?" " I think I do," replied the prince. " Can you tell me if he ia coenected with .the State Inquisition ?"

"Aye. He is the chief spy of tho Secret Three."

" Then," said the old man, " this outrage upon my porson is a mystery no more. In all the world there is but one man whom I have cause to fear—but ono man who can fear me—and that man now calls himself Dagolfo."

" Havo you friends in Venice ?" " There is one who was my friend iv other years; but I dure not seek him now. Before he sees my face I have a work to do —a holy work—a work of love."

Tho prince was more deeply interested than ho could have told. Ho was drawn towards the Moor by a bond of secret sympathy—a sympathy springing not only from mutual enmity to the spy, but also from the similarity of the business in which they were engaged. "Good sir," ho said, "this Dagolfo is ?iko to be my enemy as he is yours ; and who knows but that we may bo of assistance to each other. Will you tell me your name, and whence you came f'' " If I tell you my name, will jou pledge yourself uot to divulge it without my consent i"

" I do so pledge myself." "Then, fair sir, my name is Maleck, and I came hither from Smy.na. Ask mo no more at present. And now, may I know to whom I am indebted for this rescue i"

"On tho samo condition you imposed upon me." " I will be secret, Signor." " I am Alonzo de Vorona."

" What! son of the Count Antonio ?"

" Ha ! Did you know my father ?" "I mot him, years ago, in Constantinople." At this juncture Boppo puled bis master by the sleeve. "Wo must adjourn this meeting, my lord. Some ono approaches." The princo looked, and saw a party coming down from tho bridge. "Maleck," he said, taking tho Moor by the hand, " we can remain here no longer in safety. Whither will you go ?" "I can care for myself hencefoith, my lord. Tho enemy has given mo .sufficient warning, and I think I can avoid him. If tho worst comes I shall seek the fiiend of whom I spoke. Look to your own safety, and I will do the same. We shall very likely meet again." "But," interposed the prince, "suppose I should wish to communicate with you, where shall I find you ? " " I cannot tell you now, my lord. I have my work to do, and, moanwhile, must hide from tho spy. When I have fixed upon a habitation I will give you some sign." " Come, come," urged Boppo, " strangers aro at hand."

The Moor glided away beneath the deep arch, while Alonzo and his attendant ascended to the Rialto. But the prince did not stop at the inn, for the adventure which had just befallen him had driven a, thought of the Fronch marquis from his m'-id.

[TO BE COMriNUED.'J