The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-02-03
Author of q A Prisoner of zcnaa.
Copyright, 1894. by Anthony Hope
Count Antonio aud the Traitor Prime,
CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER II.
Count Antonio aud the Traitor Prince
OF an the dee Is that Count Antonio
Monte Velluto did during the time
SIaSgt he was an outlaw in the hills, a
price having been set on his head by
Duke Valentine, there was none that
made greater stir or struck more home
to the hearts OF men, howsoeYer they
chose t. look upon it, than that which
ne performed on the high hill that
faces the wicket gate in the west side
OF the city, and is called now the hill
of Duke Paul. Indeed, it was the act
OF a man whose own conscience was
his sole guide and who made the law
which his own hand was to carry out.
That it had been a crime in most men,
who can doubt? That it was a crime
in him, all governments must hold
and the same, take 1t, must be the
teaching of the church. Yet all men
held IL not crime, although they had
hot Ventured it themselves, both from
the greatness of the person whom the
deed concerned. and also for the bur
den that it put on the conscience of
him that did it. Here. then, is the
story Of it. as it is .old both in the
houses of the mobiles and in peasants
cottages. While Count Antonio still
dweit at the court and had not yet
fed from the wrath aroused in the
duke by the counts attempt to carry
off the Lady Lucia. the dukes ward,
The hupdals of his highness had been
celebrated with great magnificence
aGd universal rejoicing, and the feast
ing and eXultation had been most hap
ply renewed at the birth Of an infant
Aprince I. year later Yet heavy was
- price paid for this gift of heaven,
Tor her highneSs, the duchess, d lady
Of rare grace and kindness. survived
the birth of her son only three months,
and then died amid the passionate
mourning of the people, leaving the
duke a prey 10 bitter sorrow. Many
say that she had turned his heart TO
good had she but lived, and that it
was the loss OF her that soured, Glim
and twisted his nature. If it be So
pray that he has received pardon for
all his sins, for his grief vas great,
and hardly TO be assuaged even by the
dove he had fer the little prince, from
whom he would never be parted for
an hour, # he could contrive to have
the boy with him, and in whom he saw
with pride the heir Of his throne
Now, in the joy of the wedding and
the grief at the duchess DEATH none
had more OstentatiOuS sign Of sharing
than his highness' brother, Duke Paul.
Yet hollow alike were his JOY and his
sorrow IN that the duchess left to her
husband a dear memorial OF their
brief Union. Paul riValed the duke in
his caresses and his affected love for
the boy, but he had lived long in the
hope that his highness would not
marry, and that he himself should
succeed him in his place, and this hope
he could not put out of his heart. Nay
as time passed and the baby grew to
a healthy boy, PauPs thoughts took a
still deeper hue Of guilt. 1t was no
longer for him to hope for his nephew s
death. nor even 10 mediate how he
Should bring it about. One wicked
imagining led on, as it is wont IN our
Sinful nature, to another, and Satan
xssfspered in Pauls ear that the duke
Ynself was short of 40 by a. year, that
10 wait for power till youth was gone
was not a bold mans part, and that
TO contrive the child's death, leaving
his father alive. was bur to double the
risk without halving the guilt. Thus
was Paul induced to dwell on the
death Of both father and son. and to
say TO himself that If the father went
i'll - Tie sun NoNANl Ne19AAN 4OllOM anu
Th7t with one cunning and coura geous
stroke the path TO the throne might be
cleared.
aIn the beginning of the second year
81 Count Antonio's outIawry, his high
uess WAS most nightly incensed
against him, not merely because he
had SO Won the affection Of the coun-
try folk that none would hetray his
hiding place either for threats or re-
wards, but most chiefly by reason of a
certain act which was in truth more
of Tommasin0's doings than Of An
tonio's. For Tommasino, meeting one
of the dukes farmers or taxes, had
lightened him of his fat bag of money,
saying that he would himself assume
the honor of handing what was fairly
due to his highness, and had upon that
scattered three ourths OF the spoil
among the poor. and sent the beggarly
remnant privily by night to the gate
of the city with a. writing, There is
honor among thieves; who. then, may
call princes thieves" And this writ
ing had been read by gnany. and the
report of ii spreading through the city
had made men laugh. Therefore the
duke had sworn that by no means
should Antonio gain pardon save by
delivering phat insolent young robber
to the lords OF justice. Thus he was
mn chilly pleased when mis- brother sought
Ss-n in the garden 6or he sat in his
wohted place under the wall by the
fish pond and bade him listen to d
plan whereby the outlaws should be
brought to punishment The duke took
his little son upon his knees and
prayed his brother to tell his advice.
You could not bring me sweeter
gift than the head of Tommasino,"
said he, stroldng the child's curls, and
the child shrank closer into his arms
fer the child did not love Paul, but
feared him.
'.Antonio knows that love your
bigbness," said Paul, seating himself
a. the seat by the duke, "but he knows
also that am his friend and friend
to the Lady Lucia, and a man of ten
der heart Would it seem to MIN deep
treachery IF should go privily TO him
and tell him how that on a certain day
YOU would go forth with your guard TO
camp in the spurs of Mount Agnino,
leaving the city desolate, and that in
the night Of that day I could c0ntlive
that Lucia would come secretly to the
gate and that it should be- open for
her, so that by a sudden descent she
might be seized and carried safe to his
hiding place before aid could come
from your higlness?"
But what should the truth DE 2"
asked Valentine