The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-17

woodsman with the heavy sword he
carried, and thus he came to Lorenzo.
sSut there in amazement he stood still
or antonio and Lorenzo had dropped
tnelr points and fought no more. But
both stood with their ewes on the slim
ngure of a girl that lay on the
ground between them, and blood was
pouring from a wound in her breast,
ana she moaned softly. And, while
dhe rest fought fiercely, these three
STOOD looking on the girl and Lorenzo
hooked also on his sword, which was
eyed three inches up the blade. For
as ne tardst most fiercely at Antonio,
Nenusta had sprung at him with the
spring Of a young tiger, g dagger fash
ing in her hand, and in the instinct
That sudden danger brings, he had
turned his blade against her, and the
point of it was deep in her breast be-
fore he drew it back with horror and
cry of Christ, I have killed herr'
And she fell full on the ground at the
feet Of Count Antonio, who had stood
notionless in establishment, with his
sword in rest.
Now, the stiffness and secrecy of
Tommasino's approach had served him
well, for he had come upon Lorenzo S
men when he had not thought Of an
enemy, but stood crowded together,
shoulder TO shoulder, and several OF
them were slain and more hurt before
they could use their swords to any
purpose, and Tommasino's men had
fallen on them with great fury, and
had broken through them even as
Bena had, and, getting above them,
were now, step by step, driving them
down tbs path, and formed a rampant
between them and the three who stood
by the dying lady. And when Bena
perceived this advantage, wasting lit
tie thought on VenuSta Che was a hard
man this Bena), he cried to Antonio:
Leave him to me, my lord. We have
him Surep and in an instant he would
have sprung at Lorenzo, who, finding
himself between two enemies, knew
that his state was perilouS, but was
yet minded to defend himself. But An
tonic suddenly cried in a loud voice.
''StayI' and, arrested by his voice, all
stood still-Lorenzo where he was,
Tommasino and his men at the head
CT the path, and his guards just below
them. And Antonio, leaning on his
sword, stepped a pace forward and
said to Lorenzo:
MY lord, the dice have fallen
against you. But 7 would not fight
over this lady's body. The truth of
all she did 1 know, yet she has at
last died that I might live. See, my
men are between you and your men,"
cit is the hazard of war;" said Lo-
reno.
''Aye," said Bena. "He had killed
you, my Lord Antonio, had we not
come
But Antonio pointed to the body of
Venusta. And she, at the instant,
moaned again, and turned on her back
and gasped and died. Yet, just be-
fore she died her eyes sought Antonio's
eyes, and he dropped suddenly on his
and kissed her brow. And they saw
that she smiled in dying. Then Loren
20 brushed a hand across his eyes and
said to Antonio:
Suffer me to go back with my men,
and for a week there shall be a truca
between u.s.
Let it be So" said Antonio. And
Bena smiled, for he knew that the
lieutenant OF the guard must now be
near at hand. But this he did not
tell Antonio, fearing that Antonio
would tell Lorenzo. Then Lorenzo,
with uncovered head, passed through
the ranks of Tommasinos men, and
he took up his dead, and with them
went down the path, leaving Venusta
where she lay. And when he had
gone two miles, he met the lieutenant
and his party pressing on. Yet when
the two companies had joined, they
and sound men, so many of LorenZo's
had Tommasino's party slain or hurt.
Therefore Lorenzo in his heart was not
much grieVed at the truce, for it had
been hard with seventeen to force the
path to the cave against ten, all I'M
hurt and sound. And having sorely
chidden the lieutenant of the guard, he
rode back, and rested that night in
Venusta's house at Rilano, and the
next day rode on to Forniola and told
Duke Valentine how the expedition
had sped Then said Duke Valentine:
Force I have tried, and guile have
tried, and yet this man is delivered
from my hand. Fortune fights for
him." and in chagrin and displeasure
he went into his cabinet and spoke to
no man and showed himself nowhere
in the city in the space of three days.
But the townsmen, though they dared
make no display, rejoiced that Anto-
Mo was safe, and the more because
the duke had lain so cunning and
tire acherous snare for him.
Now Antonio, Tommasino and the
rest, when they were left alone, stood
round the corpse of Vendsta, and An
tonic told them briefly all the story OF
her treachery as she herself had told
st to him. And when he was nIi1shed,
5ena cried:
.'She has deserved her death"
But Tommasino stopped down and
COMPOSED her limbs and her raiment
gently with his hands, and when he
rose up his eyes were dim, and he said:
yes; but at the last she gave her
life for Antonio. And though she de-
served death, it grieves me that she
has gone to her account thus, without
pardon. or the rights Of
holy church"
Then Antonio said:
Behold, her death is her confession,
and the same would be her pardon.
And for the rites
He bent over her and he dipped the
tip of his finger in the lady's blood
that had flowed from the wounded
breast. and, lightly with his finger tip;
he signed the cross in her own blood
on her brow That" said he, shall
b. her JUNCTION, and l think. Tomma-
sino, it will serve"
Thus the Lady Venusta died, and
they carried her body down to Rilano
and buried it there. And in after days
a tomb was raised over her. which
may still be seen. But Count Antonio,
being rejoined by such of his company
as had escaped by flight from the pur-
suit of the dukes troops, abode still in
the hills, and albeit that his force was
less. vet by the dread Of his name and /
Of the deeds that he had done, he still !
defied the power of the duke and was
not brought to submission.
And whether or not the poor youth /
whom Luigi pushed over the precipice
lived or died, Niccolo knew not. But |
Luigi, having entered the service OF |
the duke. played false to MIN also, and |
being convicted in sure evidence, by |
jaking to himself certain moneys that
he duke had charged him to distribute
% the poor, was hanged in the great |