The Washington times., 1895-02-24

1 give you your life and fifty pieces of gold.
| For have great need of it.
Now when Antonio heard the dukes words
be was seized with great fear. Tor he sur
missed that it was against Lucia that the duke
meant to use this drug and noiselessly he
loosened his sword and his sheath, and bent
forward again to listen.
| 'And though my purpose Is nothing to you,
yet il is benevolent purpose. Is it not, Lo-
| renzo2'
| ''It is your will, not mine, my lord" said
Lorenzo In a troubled voice.
milne shall be ths crime. then, and yours
1 the reward" )" laughed the duke" For Will
give her the drug and she shall wed you"
Then Antonio doubted no longer OF what
was aIoot, nor that plot was laid whereby
Lucia should be entrapped into marriage
with Lorenzo. nee she could not be openly
forced. And anger burned hotly in him.
! And he swore that, sooner than suffer the
thing TO be done, he would kill the duae
there with his own hand, or himself be slain.
And you alone know of this drug now,
they say" the duke went on, "ior the wizard
OF Florence is dead. Therefore, give it to
me quickly"
But the wizard answered.
1T will not serve. my lord, that give you
the drug. With my own hand l must give it
to the person whom you would thus affect,
and must tell them what they shonld do"
| -uoAO lhiShot osttu uuhC,
Il know your ways. Give me the drug,
and he would not believe what the wizard
said.
1T is even as say" said the wizard, land
II your highness will carry the drug yourself
L will not vouch its operation"
Give 1t me. for know the appearance OF
it, eaid the duke.
Then the wizard having again protested,
went to certain Shelf and from some hidden
recess took a small phial and came with II to
the duke, saying:
"Blame me not il IT'S operation fails"
The duke examined the phial closely and
also smelt its smell.
1T is the same" said he; sit will do its
work"
Then Count Antonio who believed no more
| than the duke what the wizard had said was
very sorely put to it 10 stay quietly where he
was; for ii the duke rode away now with the
| phial he might we'll find means to give it to
| the Lady Lucia before any warning could be
| conveyed 10 her. And. although the danger
was great, yet his love for Lucia, aud hi fear
| Tor her, overcame his pruden g, aud suddenly
| he leapt forth from behind the mirror, draw
ing s sword and crying:
Give me that drug, my lord. or your life
must answer for il. -
But fortune served him Ill, for, as the duke
and Lorenzo shrank back at his sudden ap-
| pearance and he was about to spring on them,
| behold his foot caught in the folds oil tho
| black cloth that had been over the mirror and
now lay on the ground. and, falling forward,
/ he struck his head on the marble r. m that ran
around the charcoal stove, ami, having fallen
with great force. lay there like a man dead.
And, with loud cries OF triumph, the dnEe
aud Lorenzo. having drawn their swor IS,
ran upon him, aud the duke planted his foot
| upon his neck. CRYING:
"Heayen sends greater prize. At last, at
last have him! Bind his hands, Lorenzo" "
And Lorenzo hound Antonio's hands as he
| lay there, log for Stiffness And The duke
turned to the wizard and q smile bent his
lips.
20 faithful sub ect and servant" said he.
| "Well do you requite my mercy and Tor lear
ahce. 10y harboring my bilterest enemies ana
| sui ring then to hear my secret couuseis.
| Had not Antonio chanced 10 trip it is like
enough he would have slain Lorenzo. and me
Also. What shall be your reward, faithful
| seryant?'
When the wizard OF Baratesta beheld the
! look thar was on Duke Valentines face he
suddenly cried aloud: 1.-The mirror. the MIR
ror!' aud sank in a heap on the floor,
trembling in every limb. for he remembered
the aspect of his own face in the mirror and
knew that the hour OF his death had come.
And he feared nightly to die; therefore he
| be5ought the duke very pteously, and told
| him again that from his hand alone could the
drug receive its potency. Aud so earnest
| WIS ne IN tnlS tnat al last Ms ndlt won upon
the duke, so that the duke wavered. And as
he doubted, his eye fell upon Antonio. and
| he perceived that Antonio was recovering
| from his swoon.
There is enough for two" said he, Sin
the phial; aud we will put this thing 10 the
test. But If you speak or move or make any
sign whatever. in hat moment you shall die. y
Then the duke poured hak the contents oil
| the uhial into g.ass and came to Lorenzo
ami whispered to MIN:
III tue drug works on him, and the wizard
is proved to lie the wizard shall die, but we
will carry Antonio with Us; AMI when have
mustered my guard | will hang him in the
square as l have sworn. But ii the drug does
not work then We must kill him here; for
fear to carry him against his will; for he is a
wonderful man, full of resource, and the peo.
pie also love him. Therefore. II the operation
of the drug fail. run him through with your
! sword when give the signal"
| Now. Anlonlo was recovering from his
| swoon. and he overheard part OF what the
| duke said. but not all. AS to the death of the
wizard he did not hear, bat he understood
! that the duke WAS about to test the effect oi
the drug on him and that IL il had no effect