The Washington times., 1895-02-10

by his power" said Antonio; but in spite of
his words the Prince OF Mantiyoglia passed
his arm through his and laughed rueiully.
whispering: peace, man, peace.
And thus I. the duke, having bowed my
will 10 his, shall return to Forniola. not
beaten, indeed, yet half beaten aud cowed by
the power of Manuyogiia.
"It shall not be, my lord, cried Count An
tonic.
..Yet. my lord duke, you do not tell him
what the condition is, said the prince.
"Why, it is nothing else than that I should
pardon you and suffer you to wed the Lady
Lucia, :" said Duke Valentine.
Then Count Antonio loosed himself from
the arm of the prince and bent and kissed the
princes hand; but he seid
lis this thing to come twice on a man in
one day? For it is but an hour or more that
| parted from the lady of whom you speak,
| and if her eyes could not move me what else
! shall move me?'' And he told them briefly
OF his meeting with the Lady Lucia. And
| Duke Valentine was wroth with the shame
! that a generous act rouses in heart that
knows no generosity; and the prince was yet
more wroth and he said to Duke Valentine:
''Were there any honor in you my lord,
you would not need my prayers to pardon
him."
At this the dukes face grew very dark, and
| he cried angrily:
"Get back to your own line, my lord. or the
truce snail not save you" And he turned to
Antonio and said: "Three hours do / give
| you to get hence before pursue
Antonio bowed low to him and TO the prince,
and the hree parted the two princes in bitter
| wrath and set again on fighting TO the end,
the one because he was ashamed ana yet
! obstinate, the other for scorn OF arancor that
found no place in himself. Bnt Count Antonio
went back to his company and drew it some
little way from both armies; and he said to
| ToUomaaiDO.
tThe truce is ended. and they will fight
again as soon as the men have had some
rest, and he told Tommasino what had
passed. Then he sat silent again, and pres
emily he laid mold of hiscousin's arm, saying:
Look you, Tommasino. princes are some
| times fools, and hence come trouble and
| death to honest humble folk 1t is sore
business that they fghtagain tomorrow and
not now, for any great matter, but because
they are bitter against one another on my
account. Cannot stop them. Tommasino?"
"Aye, if you have 5000 men and not thirty
| five, for that is the sum OF us now, counting
Martolo, who is back from Forniola.
Antonio looked thoughtfully through the
| dusk of evening which now fell.
stThey Will not fight Tonight he said ''I
am weary of this blood-letting." And Tom
masino saw that there was something in his
| mind.
Now the night fell dark again and foggy.
even as the night before and none in either
army dared to move, and even the sentries
could see no more than few yards before
them. But AntoDio's men, being accustomed
to ride in the dark and to find their way
through mists. both in plain and hill, could
see more clearly; and Antonio divided them
into two parties, himself leading one and Civ
ing the other into Tommasino's charge. And
having very securely tethered their horses
they set forth, crawling on their bellies
through the grass. And Antonio. with his
party, made for the camp Of the prince. while
Tommasino and his party directed their way
toward the dukes bivouacs. And they saw
the fires very dimly through the mist. and
both parties passed the sentries unobserved
and made their way to the center of the
camps. Then, on the stroke of midnight, a
strange stir arose In both camps. Nothing
could be seen, by reason Of the darkness and