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"Holy Father," he said in his nervous voice, "I bring you bad news"

"What is it, my son?" said the Pope, with a pitiful expression

"The assassin of the Prime Minister turns out to be some one"

"Well?"

"Some one known to your Holiness"

"Don't be afraid for the Holy Father Tell nor"

"It is a lady, your Holiness"

"A lady?"

"She has been arrested and has confessed"

"Confessed?"

"It is Donna Roma Volonna, your Holiness She shot the Prie"

The Pope lifted his head, and looked at the young Monsignor with an

expression which no language can describe Relief, joy, shaled in one flash on his broken and bankrupt face He

was silent for aman in the room below If he is in

sanctuary let him also be in peace Whatever he is to hear of the world

without h me alone Give that as my order to everybody

And ood to us all!"

III In penance for the joy he had felt on learning that Roma, not Rossi, had

assassinated the Minister, the Pope became her advocate in his own mind,