The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-03
Author of " A Prisoner of zenda.v
Copyright. 1895, by Anthony Hope.
CHAPTER vi,


Vault.
Among the stories concerning thu
CounT antonio which were told to me
in answer to my questioning, and
whereof have rejected many as be-
ing no better than idle tales, there was
one that met me OFTEN, ana vat
seemed strange and Impossible to be-
Aeve, for 1t was said that he had dur
6ng the time OF his outlayry once snen+
several days in the vault Of the PES
chelti, and there suffered things that
pass human understanding,
inns Yault lies hard by the Church
OIL ST John the Theologian. in tho c1,h-
urbS OF Bazatesta, on The banks Of 111e
slver, and the Peschelti had Palace
1Ard oy' and were family of high
11oD1ifty ana allied by blood IN +be
mouse Of Monte Velluto. But I could
ma no warrant for the story of an
Nonlo5 sojourn in the vault, and. al
thouSh many insisted that the tale was
tIue. YET they could not tell how m.
WY Ihe Count came TO be in the vault,
uhCI at length found an aged woman
VINO had heard the truth of the matter
from her grandmother, and she made
ne acquainted with the story. foUfno
on me hood Of garrulous gossip. from
which have chosen as much az con
Germs the purpose, and here J. set it
doWn. for believe it TO be true,
ahd would omit nothing that
IouChes the Count, so I can be SIRE
that what 1 write is based on truth.
When Count Antonio had dwelt in
the hills. for the space of three years
and I'VE months. it CHANGED that Ce
Sare,55 last of the Peschetli. died. and
he made 2 will on his deathbed
whereby he beQueathed to Count An
tonIa his lands and also a store of
1n0nS,a4 ana many ornaments of gold
and jewels, for AntOnioS mother mad
been OF the house of the pesohetb,
ana Ce5are loved Antonio, although he
had nos dared to give him Countenance
for fear of the Dukes anger; vet
knowing that he was dying. he be-
queathed everything to him, for the
dukes wrath could not hurt a dead
man. And. SO soon as he was dead.
MS steward, Guiseppe, sent secretly
ana in haste TO Antonio, saying: MY
lord, you cannot take the lands OF. the
house, but, il you Will be wise, come
quickly and take the money and Jew
els, FOR { fear that his highneSS the
duke, declaring that an outlaw has no
hight, and can inherit nothing, will
send and seize the treasure" Now An
tonic. though grieVed at the death. -of
Eesarel was glad to hear OF the treas
ure, for he was often hard put to If
10 maintain his company and those
who depended on him for bread. So
he pondered anyiously how he might
reach the palace Of Peshelti and lay
hands on the treasure and return
safely, for ct this time Duke Valentine
had posted above hundred OF his
guard in the plain, and this troop
watched all the approaches to the hills
50 that the band could not ride forth
in body unless il were prepared to do
battle with the guards. nor did An
tonic desire to weaken the band. lest
the guards, learning that the bravest
WerepaWay. should dare an attack
Therefore he would not take TommaS-
mo not Bena nor any of the stoutest
with him; but he took four young men
who had dome to him from Forniola,
having fallen into the Dukes displeas-
pre slough brawling with his guards.
Tlose he mounted on good horses, and,
having made a circuit to avoid the en-
campment in the plain, he came to
Cesare's house on the day before that
= appointment for the funeral Gfu-
seppe came to meet him and led him
10 where the dead man lay, and, after
the count had gazed on his face and
kissed his forehead, they two went to
the treasury. ana Giuseppe delivered
the treasure to Antonio, and Antonio
made him q present OF value and con-
fTmed him in ms Stewardship al
tkeySh Il was not likely that the Duke
Wohflz suffer him to hold any power,
inaeS 1pch as his Highness had de-
clR 1 his intention af forfeitins the
estate into his own hand
Now it CHANGED that one Of the
young men, being RECALLED with wine
drank very freely. and began to talk
loud and boastfuily Of his master s
achievements as the servants sat under
there was with him a certain tailor,
lame man, who had furnished mourn
ing garments for the funeral The
tailor, learning that Antonio was come,
said nothing and seemed not to hear
nor understand the drunken youths
talk: but at an early moment he took
his departure, and strafghtWaV hoh-
bled, as fast As his lame leg would let
him. TO the syndie OF Bar2testa very
busy and ambitious fellow. who longed
greatly to win The dukes favor And
the tailor set the price Of five pieces of
gDid and the ordering of a, new gown
on The news he brought, and the syn
dc. having agreed. the tailor cried:
"A.fenio of Monte VelIuto is at the
houEEzof Peschelti, and his band is not
TitSf5dlim. If You hasten you may
catch him" At this the syndic was
very greatly delighted. for the dukes
conamissaries were not to arrive to take
possession of the house IN his name
till the morrow. by which time Antonio
would be gone; and the syndic rubbed
his hands saying: "Ir 1 can take him
my glory Will be great. and the graft
tude of his highness also"
Ana he gathered together all his con-
stables, and hard upon twenty dis
charged soldiers, who dwelt IN the
Town, ana the fifteen men OF the dukes
who were stationed at Baratesta to
gather his highness' dues: and thus.
T-itfp a. force Of about fifty men, he set
out In GREAT haste for the house of the
Peschelti. and was almost come there
before a little boy ran to Giuseppe cry
ing that the syndfc and I'll The con-
stables and many besides were coming
to the house. And Giuseppe, who had
hut three men servants Of an age to
1Eft. The other Ave being old (for
Cesare had loved to keep those who
served him well. even when their pow
ers grew less than their willy, and per-
eeivlng that Antonio's four we're young
and untried. wruDs his hands and has
tened 10 the count with the news, say
ing. Yet weak as we are. we can die
tor you. my lord"
Heaven forbidr' said Antonio look
kno out of the window. Are they all
51awnsInen that come with this syn
riysias, no. my lord. There are GER
Of the dukes men, and L see