The Washington times., 1895-03-03

| ilhu nlm alive and whole. And Antonio
came TO Lepardo, wn ostood his sonsetbravely
although greatly bewildered to find q
party ofAntonio s men where he looked for
Antonio alone. And he cried to his men
20 rally round them, and, keeping his face
anu MS Dlade toward the count began to
| Iait pack toward the mouth of the vault in
| order to rejoin his men outside for there
! also he perceived that there was an enemy
Inns Lepardo fell back and Antonio pressed
on. But, unnotieed by any, the mad her.
NIT now sprang forth from the corner where
thrust at Lepardo the hermit caught him by
the arm and with the strength of frenzy
drew him back and thrust himself forward
running even on the point of Lepardo's s
sword that was ready for Count Antonio,
ana the sword Of Lepardo passed through
the breast oe the hermit of.the vault and
protruded behind his back between the
shoulders, and he fell prone on the floor
OF the vault, crying eXultantly: DEATH
THANKS be to God. DEATH" And then and
there he died ofthe thrust that Lepardo gave
MN. But Antonio, with Eena and three
more-for two of Bcna's five were slain
drove LepaTdo and his men back before
them, and thus won their way to the gate
OF the vault, where, to their joy, they found
mat Tommasino more tran held his own,
Tor he had scattered Lepardos men, and
the syndic's were in full fight, save eight
or ten of the old soldiers, who had served
lnfree companies, and these stood in group,
their swords in tLeir right hands ard dag.
gers in their left, determined to die dearly
and the grizzly haired fellow who had
, killed Antonio's horse had assumed COM
mand ofthem
Here are some fellows worth fighting,
my lord, :" said Bena, joyfully, te>Tomma-
sino. Let us Leat them, my lord, man for
man, an equal number of u.s. For, al
another tie vault he saw TO reason for
staving his hand
AYE, Bena," laughed Tommasino.
''These fellows deserve TO de at tie hands
OF men lshe Us -
But While they prepaTed to attack, Anto-
MO cried suddenly: "Let them bel There
are enough men dead over this matter of
Cesare'S treasure" And lie compelled Tom
massino and Bena TO Come with him, al
though they were very reluctant and they
seized horses THAT had belonged to Lepardo's
men, and one OF Tommasino's men also
being dead Bena took his horse Then
Antonio said to tie men of free companies
What is your Quarrel with me? ! Go but
take what is mine Go III peace. This syn
die is no matter of yours :" But the men
wondered and stood their ground. Then
Antonio turned and rode to the entrance
OF the vault, where his band was EOw be-
sieging LepSrdo, and he cried to Lepa rdo:
Confer with me, sir. Y on can &C me forth
safely" And Lepardo came out from the
vault. having lost TO less tran five men
there and hav.pE others wounded, and he
was himself wounded in his right arm and
could not hold hls sword. Then the count
said to him: 'Sir, it is no shame for man
TO yield when fortune is against him. And
| trust that am one to whom gentleman
may yield without 81 anne See, the
syndic's men are fled and yours are scat
far "A ffaaCs 30. Iar1 1r-aI,-
together, are not enough TO resist me-
And Lepardo answered sadly-for he was
very sorry that lie had failed TO take
Antonio:
Indeed, my lord, we are worsted
For we did not come out ten men against
one, as l think lie should who seeks TO
overcome the Lord Antonio
To this Antonio bowed most courteousiy,
saying: Nay, 1t is rather fortune, sir"
and Lepardo said:
Yet we can die in case you put unseemly
conditions on us, my lord"
There is no condition, save that you
fight no more against me to-day" said
Antonio.
$50 let it be, my lord" said Lepardo,
and to this tfe men of the free companies
agreed, and they mingled with Antonio's
band, and two OF them joined themselves
TO Antonio that day and were with bim
henceforward, one being slain on Mount
Agnino and the other preserving life
through all the perils that beset the counts
company
Then Antonio went back to the house
of Cesare and brought forth the body of
Cesare, and, having come TO the vault, he
caused those whohad been slainto be carried
cut and set the coffins again in decent or
der. and lay Cesare, the last OF the house,
there. But when the corpse OF the hermit
was brought ont all rnarvelIed very greatly
lod ror i'm.
they heard from the lips of Count Antonio
ms pitiful story, and a Antonio bestowed out
of the moneys that he had from Cesare a
large sum that masses might be said for the
soul OF the hermit. For a surety" said
the count. lit was heavens VIII that
through his misfortune and the strange mad
ness that came upon him my life should be
saved -
These things done Antonio gathered his
band. and having taken farewell OF Le
pardo an dcommended him for the valor of
his struggle, prepared to ride back TO the
hills. And his face was grave, for he was
earnestly how he should es
cape the hundred men who lay watching FOR
him in the plains But while he considered
Tommasino came to him and said: IAN
Baratesta is ours. cousin. Cannot we get
a change or coat and thus ride @ ithless notice
from the dukes camp" And Antonio
laughed also, and they sent and caught
twenty men or BardteSta, grave merchants
and petty traders, and among them Bena
laid hold OF the syndic and brought him
in his chair to Antonio. And the count
said to the syndie: 1T is i'll meddling
with the affairs Of better men, Master
Syndic. orr with that gown of yours
And they stripped the syndc OF his gown
and Antonio put on the gown Thus the
syndio had need very speedily OF the new
gown which he had contracted to purchase
OF the lame tailor as the price of the tailor's
invitation And all Antonio's men
clothed themselves like merchants and
Antonio in the syndic's gown,
taking his place at the head. And thus