The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-01-27
a man when she looked on him sal

ing as little of the duke as of the
{dulle's deerhound which he was pat
ting the while, broke in, saying care
lessly:
And this Robert, my lord, is not the
man for a pretty girl TO love. He Is
a sour fellow"
i thank you for your counsel, my
Lord TonTnasinO," smiled the duke,
yet l love him" Whereat Tommasino
lifted his eyes and patted the hound
again. 1T is enough" added the duke,
I have promised, Antonio. 1t is
enough
Yes, it is enough" said Antonio.
ana he and TOmmasino, having bowed
low, withdrew from the presence of
Uhe duke. But when Gae got clear ou1-
slde OF the dukes cabinet Antonio laid
his hand on Tommasino's shoulder,
saying:
1t is not well that Robert have her"
III is mighty ILL.," said Tommasino.
And then they walked in silence to
the city gate, and in silence still
cnmbed the rugged hill where Anton
/ 10 s mouse stood But the duke sent
Ior Robert de Be2UTegard into his
chamber and said to him:
If You be wise, friend Robert. little
grass shall grow under your feet this
side OF your marriage. This Antonio
says not much, but I have known him
! outrun his tongue with Deeds
IL the lady were as eager as I the
matter would not halt" said Robert
with a laugh. But she Weeps and splits
IRE at me and cries for Antonio"
She Will be cured after the we'd
ding said the duke. But seq that
she be we'll guarded, Robert. Let a.
company Of your men watch her. 1
have known the bride to be missing on
! a marriage dSV era ,l0w -
If he can touch her he may wed
her" cried Robert. ''The pikenen are
close about her house, and she can
neither go in nor come out without
their Knowledge
1t is Well,' said the duke. "Yea de-
lay not. They are stubborn men, these
counts of Monte Velluto."
Now, had the Lady Lucia been of a
spirit as stubborn as her lovers. it
may be that she would have refused to
we'd Robert de Beauregard. But she
was afraid. When Antonio was with
her she had clung to him, and ne loved
her the more for her tiInidity. With him
gone and forbidden. TO come near her,
she dare not resist the dukes will nor
brave his displeaSure, SO that, week
before the day that the duke had APP
pointed for the wedding, She went SO
Antonio bidding him abandon all hope
SAleAS was Na4II S1I1NI SCI AllllI 10 IOIS6L
most unhappy lady.
Robert shall not wed her" said An
tonic, putting the letter in his belt.
Then the time is Short" said Tom
masino.
They were walking together on the
terrace before Antonio's house, whence
they looked on the city across the
river. Antonio cast his eye on the
river. and on the wall Of the dukes
garden that ran along it; fair trees,
shrubs and flowers lined the top of the
wall, and the water cleaned in. the
sunshine.
1T is strange" said Antonio, mus
, ing, THAT one maiden can darken all
! the world that God lights with His
sun. Yet since so it u.s. Tommasino, a
) man can be but a man, and, being a
man, he is a poor man, if he stand by
, while another takes his love-
"And that other a stranger, and, I
swear, a cutthroat" added Tommasino.
When they had dined and evening
began to come on, Antonio made his
servants saddle the best horses in his
stable-though indeed the choice was
small, for Antonio was not rich aa a
man of his rank counts riches-and
the two rode down the hill toward the
city. But as they went Antonio turned
once and again in his saddle and gazed
long at the old gray house, the round
tower and the narrow gate.
Why look behind and not for
ward?" asked Tommasino.
Because there is a presage upon
me- answered Antonio. that it viii
be lorRg before I pass through that
gate again. Were there hope of per-
suading you, TommasinO, would bid
you go back and leave ME to so alone
on this eTrand''
Keep your breath against when You
have to rum" laughed Tommasino,
pricking his horse and tossing his hair,
dark as AntonioS was fair, back from
his neck
Across the bridge they rode and
through the gates, and having trav-
ersed the great square, came to the
door Of Lucia's house, where il rose
fronting the dukes palace. Here An
tonic diSmounted, giving his bride in
to TommasinoS hand, and babe the
servants carry his name to the Lady
Lucia, A stir arose among them, and
nluch whispering Til an old man, head
or the serving men, came forward say
ing:
Pardon. my lord but we are.- com
n1anded not to admit you to The Lady
Lucia" ana he waved his hand tc-
ward the inner part of the porch.
where Antonio saw a dozen or more
pikenen Of the dukes guard drawn
across the passage to the house: and
their pixies flashed in the rays Of The
setting sun as they leveled them in
! front Of their rank.
, Some of the toWasn1en and appren-
, tee lads. stout fellows, each with a
staff, had gathered now around An
tonic, whom they loved for his feats of
strength and his liberal gifts TO the
; poor, and understanding what was
afO0t, one came to see him, saying:
There are some, sir, who would enter
with you if you are set on entering"
, and the fellows eyes sparl1led; for
: there was great enmity in the town
against the pilenen, and q lusty
youth with a stick in his hand is never
II loath to find a use for it.
For q moment Count Antonio hest
tated. for they focked closer to him,
i and Tommasino threw him a glance
of appeal and touched the hilt OF his
/ sword. But ne would not that the
blood OF men who were themselves
; loved by mothers, wives and maids
: should be shed in his quarrel, and he
: raised his hand bidding them be still.
4 have no quarrel with the pike
men," said he, land we must not fight
against his higness's servants"
The faces Of the townsmen grew long
in disappointment. Tonmasino alone
: laughed low, recognizing in Antonio s