The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-14

trunk to examine the charges of his re-
volvers- The revolvers were gonei The
best weapons in Villabruna were in the
hands of the Malta He now had no wea-
pom except the long knife he wore under
his vest. The outlook was gloomy. The
Malta would probably attack him in num-
be-s- 1t was too late to put the SO in
TIE almsbox on the shrine, even had he
been disposed to do so. for darkness had
BEGUN to fall. He drew the cage of the
lion into the great hallway of the house
and proceeded to study the situation The
house had once been the country seat or
a nobleman. and was a massive brick
structure. The doors were of solid oak,
and that of Lombardi's chamber was
fastened on the inside with heavy bars
The bars would be of little avail, how
ever, for the Malta would not hesitate to
batter down the door, and they need have
20 fear of making a noise, for no one
- Villabruna would dare interfere with
them. The chamber opened upon a land
ing at the head of a winding staircase
leading up from the hallway. and through
a pair of big windows, commanded view
of the yard in front of the house He
could see any attacking party coming
that way, and it was not long before he
distinguished three forms stealing
through the gate. Two paused half way
between the road and the house and the
third went on alone. lombard nstened
- the head of the stairs He could hear
a faint rafting at the lock of the front
door and the breathing or the sleeping
lion. He crept down the stairs, silently
opened the lions cage and hurried back
to the landing. The rafting at the door
continues, and still he hears the souno OF
the lions breathing The rafting grows
louder. All, the lions breathing mas
stopped and there is soft. VelVety th9d
o. the floor. He braces himself, ready
to Jump into his room, if the lion COM
r.,ences TO ascend the stairs. but there
IS no sound except the rafting at the
lock- and the door opens and. lets IN a
man and softly closes All is quiet IN
-, An1 for N. ~.
swish Lombardi recognizes the SOUND
1t is the lashing of the lions tail. The
man in the hall must hear it, too, Tor ne
is still, and the swishing becomes rapid
thumuing. There is a sound OF rush,
the beginning of a shout which ends in
choking grasp; something falls TO the
ground, and then a heavy poGy Is ,i toSfe9
with his dead prey. The rafting at tne
door begins again. the lion ceases MS
play; the door opens
Andrea" whispered q voice.
Go in, 1 will follow. Andrea is uo-
stairs. doubtless" whispered another
voice and the door closes and all IS st.ii'
save for the soft swish, SWISH OF some
thing IN the darkness
Il hear something, Beppo: light
match" and the match blazes just as
the holder is borne down by huge yer
low thing leaping upon HIM MOANING
with terror, a man rushes up the stars
and lombard seiZes him and oragglns
him into the chamber, binds him IL IS
the Village DdIDtf
the lost revolvers winch in his fright ne
has forgotten 10 use. Lombaroi reairhs
TO the landing.
darkness. but there is no answering
whine from the lion, only the striking
of dead bodies thrown hither and thitner
in the creatures horriDie play =.
A faint red light CLEANS on the nori-
zon. and the old moon. late rising,
shows it's copper half disk in the SKY
There IS a noise of trampinS feet IN the
yard the door bursts open and dozen
men stand outlined against the spectral
light peeping into the hall.
Make . DASH commands voice
lombard has knitted the others as they
First fire a charge into the hail. for
he may be standing there said second
Two muskets roared and the house
shook and shook again as a louder roar
burst forth and the lion leaDed madly
into the crowd. Angered by the pain OF
a wound the beast charged upon one
and then another buffeting and biting
the fleeing men until he had felled four
of them to the ground, stunned and
bleeding lombard rushed into the yard
with his whip and pistols. The last or
the Malta had disappeared
Into your cage. Napoleon
The lion cringed before his master, put
did not obey, growing ominously. Down
came the whip upon his TANKS in rain
of blows and the terror of the Mama
hastily sl1ulled into his cage and threw
himself on his back in an attitude OF
duplication.