The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-01-27

man, and was more a thing of orna-
ment than use, set his foot in the STIR
rup and prepared to mount. And in so
doing he turned his back on Robert de
Beauregard. The moment for which
| that wicked man had schenaed and bid
was come. Still holding Antonio's
stirrup with one hand, he drew swift
as lightning from under his cloak a.
dagger different from the toy in his
belt-short, strong, broad, and keen.
And that moment had been Antonios
last, had it not CHANGED that on the
instant Robert drew the dagger the
horse started a pace aside, and An
tonlo, taken unaWares, stumbled for
ward and came near falling on the
ground. His salvation lay in that
stumble, for Robert, having put all his
strength into the blow, and then strik-
ing, not Antonio, but empty air. in his
turn staggered forward and could not
recover himself before Antonio turned
round, a smile at his own unwarfness
on his lips.
Then he saw the keen, broad knife
IN the hands of Robert. Robert
Dreathed quickly and glared ait him,
put did not rush on him. He stood
glaTlng, the knife in his hands. his
parted lips displaying grinning teeth.
NOT a word spoke Antonio, but he drew
]
sword lay on the grass. The traitor.
recognizing the grace that allowed
MN TO take his sword, shamed, it may
pe, by and drew it, and, withdrawing
| 10 a distance from the horses, which
quietly cropped the grass, the two
faced one another.
Calm and easy We're the bearing and
the air Of Count Antonio, if the pic
lures Of him that live in the words of
! those mv1n hi
and easy ever was he save when he
fought; but then lit seemed as though
there came upon him a sort of fury,
akin ITO madness, or las the ancients
would have fabled) to some inspiration
from the god of war, which trans
formed him utterly, imbuing him with
a rage and rushing i1npetuosity. Here
Hay his danger when matched with
isuch a sWordsnlan as was little Tom
Imasino: but after all that few cared to
meet him, some saying that, though
Ithey called themselves as brave as
lothers, yet they seemed half appalled,
when Count Antonio set upon them,
for he fought as though he must sure
~ win, and as though God were -With
him. Thus now he darted upon Robert
de BeaureSard in seeming recklessness
lof receiving thrust himself, yet ever
Escaping them by his sudden resources
ana deXterity, and ever himself at
ltackfng, leaving no space to take
breath. and beWildering the other S
lpractised skill by the dash and bril-
lance OF his assault. And it may be
also that the darkness, which was now
falling fast, hindered Robert the more,
for Antonio was famed for the keenness
iof his eyes by night. Be those things
as they may, i'm the very moment
when Robert pricl1ed Antonio in the
, left arm and cried out in triumph on his
lstroke, Antonio leaped. on him and
drove his sword through his heart, and
Robert, with the sword yet in him, fell
to the ground groaning. And when An
tonic drew forth the sword the man
at his feet died. Thus if it be Gods
| will. may all traitors perish.
Antonio looked around the plain; but
it grew darker still, an even his sight
did not avail for more than some three
score yards. Yet he saw a dark mass
on his right, distant, as he judged that
I space OF more. Rapidly it moved
/ surely it was a group oS~men gallop.
2 ing, and Antonio stood motionless, re.
} garding them. But they swept on, MOI
}. turning whittier he stood, and he, I'M
able to tell what they did, whethel
1 they sought him or whittier they went
F; watched them till they faded away il
!, the darkness, ana then, leaving Rob
Z ext where he lay, mounted his fors,
j aIIG made speed toward the hills, pray
e ing that there ne should find his cou
{ sin and the Lady Lucia, escaped from
y the pursuit of the dukes men, Ye
Il had he known what those dinIly dis
y cerned riders bore with them he Woull
I have been greatly moved at all cost
l, and at every hazard TO follow afte
II lthem and seek to overtaIle them befor
!. they came to the city.
Z On he rode toward the hills, quickl
= yet not so hastily but that he scanne
= the ground as he went so well as tn
~ might allowed him. The moon wa
:, lriSen now, and to see was easier
n. When he had covered a distance G
=, some two miles, he perceived SONS
o thing lying across his path. Bendin
n to look, he found it to be the corpse {
- a horse: he deaped down and bent owe
~ it. It was the horse Tommasino ha
at ridden; it was hamstrung, and il
p throat had been cut. Antonio, seem
at it in sudden connection with calanit.
n cried aloud, and to his wonder his CT
ye was answered by a, voice, which can
Ia from a clunp OF bushes fifty yards g
IN the rig Mt. He ran hastily to the spo
Y, thinking nothing Of his own safet
nor of anything else than of what ha
is befallen his friends; and under tt
lSueVJGE OI IIlG UuS4GS- Two IIlel,
ct the dukes guard, their horses tethert
NJ near them, squatted on the groun
MS and between, lay full length on Il
IS ground, TomnaSino. His face W;
n: white, his eyes closed, and a BLOOD
re bandage was about his head. One
in the two by him had forced his Iii
ke open, and was giving him to dri1
n from a bottle. The other sprang l
on sight of Antonio, and laid a hal
ed to his swordhilt.
a Peace, peace!" said Antonio. g
TT, He is not dead, my lord, but he
ill sore hurt
ill and what do you here with hin
an And how did you take him?"
Ter eve came up with him here a
all surrounded him. and while some of
held him in front, one cut the hal
he strings of his horse from behind, a
10; the horse fell, and with the horse t
his lady and the young lord. He was
en in an instant, but as he rose the lie
IN tenant struck him ON the head a
5he dealt him the wound you see. III
ut he could fight no more, and the lie
tenant took the lady, and with the It
yur rode back toward the city, leaving
we charged with the duty of bringing t
young lord in, so soon as he was in
ch- state to come with US"
Tar They took the lazy
vas even so, my lord
for ''And why did they not seek
not me?"
tbs The fellow-Martolo was his nam
red smiled grinly, and his comrade, DOT
ing up answered:
but 'sMaybe they did not wish to
you, my lord. They had been eight
ant one, and could not have failed to te
ore You in the end.