The sun., 1895-03-03

| even on the point OF Lepardps sword tnat Wb
| ready for Count Antonio, aud the sword OF Ie
| pardo passed through the breast Of the hermit
| OF the vault and protruded behind his back he.
iioor OF the vault, crying exuitahtly, Death
! Thanks be TO God. DEATH" And then and there
| But Antonio, with Eena and three more for two
! Of Bena's five were slain drove Lepardo and
hts men back before them and thus hsrS won IN
! their JOY, they found that Tommasino more
than held his, own, for he had scattered Lepar-
| dos men, and the syndic's were In full Hight,
save eight or ten of the old soldiers. who had
served n free companies, and these stood In a
inggcrs in tho left, determined to die dearly,
aud the. grizzly haired fellow who had killed
Here are some fellows worth lighting. my
lord said Bena, joyfuly. to 1ommRsino. Let
ns GGSs se " 1rS man IoT pdnS man sn
"A man and maimed another IN the vault, he saw
M reason for staying his hand. ann.
deserve 70 die at the hands of men like us"
!nt Willie hey PREPARED TO attaeh; Antonio
enough men dead over this matter of tcsnre's
treasure" And he compelled Tommasino and
reluctant: and they seized horses that had be-
lougcd to leparlO'a men, and one of Tommasno s
men also being dead, Bona took his horse.
Then Antonio said to the men Of free cOmpa-
but take what Is mine. 10 IN peete. This syn
dcred and stood their ground. Then. Antonio
turned and role to tho entrance of the vault
he cried to Lepardo; Confer with me, sir
You can come forth safely" And l.cpardo
than five men, there and having others
wounded. aud he was himself wounded in
his right arm and could not not hold MS MS
" Sir. 1t Is no shame for II man To yield when
fortune is against him. And trust chat am
one Ia whom a gentleman may Vie ld without
shame. See. the syndic's men are fled and yours
are scattered and these men, who stand hravcly
together. are not enough to resist me-" And
Lcpnrdo answered sadly. for he was very sorry
that he had failed to take Antonio:
A., ihdeed. Indeed. my lord we are w9rsted. f9r we
he should who seeks to overcome the Lord
Antonio"
TO this Antonio bowed most courteously. say
Ink, Nay it is rather fortune, SIR" and Lee
"Iet we can die in case you put unseemly
" There is no condition, save that You fight no
"i let it. be- ,G my iy "r said " Leparo. and to
this the men of the free companies agreed. and
they mingled with Antonio's band. and two OF
them Joined themselves to Antonio thatdaN and
were with him hCnceforward, one being slain ON
MI. Agniro aud the other preserving his life
through all the perils that heset the Count
Then Antonio went back to the house of
tesare and brought forth the body OF tcsare.
who lad been slain to be carried ont and set tho
collins again in decent order. and laid Cesare
the last of the house. there. But when the
corpse of the hermit was brought out all mar
yelled very greatly, and had much compassion
for him when they heard from the lips.o Count
.
out of the moneys that he had from Cesare n
large sum that masses might be said for the
Count 1T was Heavens will that through his
misfortune and the strange madness that came
upol him my life should be saved"
These things done. Antonio gathered his band,
and having AIKEN farewell of Lcrardo and COM
mended him for the valor OF his struggle. pre-
pared to ride back 10 the hills. And his lace
was grave, for lie was considering earnestly how
he should escape the hundred men who lay
watching for him IN the plains. But while he
- All Baratestn is ours. cousin. Cannot we get n
s of aa ns d STs 1s1
also. and they sent and caught twenty men OF
Barntesta. grave merchants and petty traders.
and brought him in his chair to Antonio; And
the Count said to the syndic: 1T is III med
Syndic. of with that gown of yours
And they stripped the syndic Of his gown, and
had contracted to purchase OF the lame tailor os
the price of the tailor's invitation, And all
Sd men clothed themselves FL like
gown: taking his place at the head. And thus
soberly attred. they rode out soberly from Bara
abl" to restrain themselves from laughter to see
them go: and most strange of all was Bena, who
with fur
1t was now noon. and the band rode slowly, for
paused to take shelter under clumps of trees. SO
that the afternoon waned before they came In
sight OF the Dukes encampment. soon then
they were seen, and young officer of the guard
with three men came pricking toward them to
learn heir business; and Antonio hunched the
down over his eye. and thus received the officer.
And the officer was deluded and did not know
him. but said:
is there news Syndic2"
Yes, there is news" said Antonio. Tho
hermit OF the vault of the Pescheiti is dead ut
= know naught of him" said the officer.
BY this time Antonios men had all crowded
fhn
him in on every side: and those that watched
from the Dukes camp saw the merchants and
But Antonio said: . How, sirT You have never
hsFf t the hsT' tnf 1na yr"t ,Sa ocer
" He was man. sir" said Antonio, who
dwet nonh with IL the de, dead i'm in vault and was so
long in coming"
- think this hermit was mad"
Il think so also" said Antonio.
Then, sir. you are not OF his mind! y asked
Antonio, smiling. You would not sleep this
night t with the dead nor hold out your hands to
by St Prisian, no" said the young officer
with : laugh, For this world is well enough,
would be quit of before face another"
/" If that be So air." said Antonio, return to
him who sent you and say that the syndc OF
and that his busin is lawful and open to no
suspicion" And even as Antonio spoke every
man drew his dagger and there were three dag
gers at the heart of the officer and three at the
heart of each OF the men with him. " For by
eyes on the officer. and by no other means can
you escape immediate death"
Then the officer look ed tn right and left being
very much bewildercd. but Tommasno touched |
him on the arm and said You have fallen, !
sir, into the hands Of the Count Antonio, Take |
an oath to do as he bids you, and save your life"
And Antonio took Oft the syndic's cap and |
showed his face; and Bena rolled up the sleeve |
Df his old mans gown and showed the muscles |
Of his arm.
THE Count Antonio!" cried tho officer and |
his men, in great dismay.
Yes. and we are four TO one," said Tomma-
sino. You have no choice. sir, between the |
oath and immediate death. And 1t seems TO me |
that you are. indeed not OF tho mind Of the her
nit OF the vault"
hut the officer cried. MY honor will not suf-
fer this oath my lord" And hearing this, Bena |
advanced his dagger But Antonio smiled again |
and said
Then will not force it on you, sir. But this |
much must force on you to swear TO abide |
hero for half an hour. and during that time to |
send no word and max no sign 10 your camp" |
To this the officer, having no choice between |
In and death agreed. and AntOniO leaving him