Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-03-22
CHAPTER Y.
D'ENrRANGUEs SCORES A POINT

DENTRANGUESS SCORES A POINT,
Before l had gone fifty PAGES, however, |
became aware that there was some law left
i'll Montevarchi, for warning cry made me
look over my shoulder, and saw party of
the city guards, who had discreetly kept out
of the way when Brico and 1 crossed swords.
hurrying towards Inc. The same glance.
showed me that the ancient was already in
their hands, and was being dragged along
with but little regard to his comfort; and
l felt sure that now, as the troop was gone,
the citizens would wreak their vengeance on
this hen-roost robber, and he would be
lucky if he escaped with life. AS for me,
the catchpolls being out, they no doubt rea-
soned that they might as well net me. 70
stop and resist would only result in my be-
ing ultimately overpowered, and perhaps
imprisoned; to yield without blow meant
very much the same thing, and, in the shake
of a brakes tail, resolved to run, and to
trust for escape to my turn for speed. So |
set off at my roundest pace, followed by the
posse, and the rabble who but moment
before were cheering me.
More than once felt inclined to turn and
end the matter for myself; but the fact that
this might mean laying aside all chance OF
settling D'Entrangues urged me to my best
efforts. Some fool made an attempt to stop
me, and / was compelled to slash him across
the face with my sword, as a warning not to
Interfere with matters with which he had
going; but dashed down little by-street,
and was, after hundred yards, brought to
a halt by dead wall. could barely reach
the top of it with my bare hands, but
luckily this was enough TO all me to draw
m Ir0,N tn {Ioo oil 49, IL
just as the police reached within ten feet
of me- l did not stop to take note of their
action, but was off as soon as my feet
touched the ground, and found to my
JOY that | was close to one of the un-
repaired breaches in the city wall, made six
months ago by Tremouille's cannon.
Through this rushed, and, scrambling down
a slope Of broken stone and mortar, found
l would he compelled to climb down very
nearly hundred feet of what looked like the
face Of rock, before | could reach level
ground. There was not even a goat track
My agility was, however, spurred on by hear
ing shouts behind me, and preferring to risk
death in attempting the descent rather
than fall into the hands of messer the DO
desta, CHANGED the venture, and, partly by
holding on to the tough broom roots, partly
slipping, and aided by Providence and Our
Lady of San Sprito, to whom l hurriedly
cast up a prayer, l managed to reach the
bottom, and fell, exhausted and breathless,
into cistus hedge.
l was too beaten to 60 another yard, and,
had my pursuers only followed up, must
have become all easy prey. AS it was ] heard
them reach the breach, where they came to
a stop, all shouting and babbiing at the
same time. One or two, holder than the
others, attempted to descend the ledge of
rock, down which escaped, but it's steep
hess damped their courage. They, however,
succeeded in loosening some of the debris
so that it fell over the cliff, and few of the
stones dropped very close to me; but by
good hap l escaped, or else this never would
have been written. One great block, indeed
just passed over my head, and [ vowed an
altar-piece to Our Lady of San Spirito,
who alone could have diverted that which
was coming straight to my destruction; and
l may add I duly kept my word After a
time the voices above began to grow fainter,
and to my delight found that the citizens,
thinking it impossible should have escaped
like lizard amongst the rocks, were bark
ing back, and ranging to the right and left
] waited until all sound died away, and eau
tiously peeped out. The coast was clear.
had recovered my wind, and, without more
waste of time, I rose and pressed on in the
direction of the hills, determined to chance
no further adventures near the towns In
deed, / had crowded more incident into the
past few hours than into the previous five
and-thirty years of my life, and my sole OBJ
ject, at present, was to reach Florence
without further let or hindrance
keeping the vineyards between me and
the town, [ avoided all observation, and,
at small wayside inn, filled wallet which
purchased with food and bottle of the
rough country wine, SO that there might be
no necessity for my visiting human habita.
ton during the remainder of my journey.
With the wallet swung over my shoulder, an
hour or so later l was ascending the slopes
of Mount St. Michele, cursing the fallen pine
needles, which made my foothold so slippery
that I slid rather than walked
It was late in the evening before halted
and ate my dinner under an overhanging
rock, sheltered from the north wind by a
clump of pines. When I finished rolled
myself up in my cloak, and fatigue, to-
gether with good conscience, combined to
send me to sleep as sound as it was re-
freshing. I was up before the sun and con-
tinued my way, determined to reach Flor
ence by evening" l took no particular no.
tice of the view, where could see to my
right the Prato Magno, and to my left all
the valleys of the Greve; but kept my eyes
before me, intent on my thoughts.
At length, when passing Impruneta, where
the Black Virgin is, Florence came in sight,
There was slight haze which prevented me
from seeing as clearly as I could wish; but
plainly made out the houses on the banks
of the Arno, Arnolfo's tower, the palace
OF the Signory, the cathedral, the Bargello,
and the unfinished Pitt palace, whilst be.
yond rose the convent-topped hill of
Scenario, where the Servites have their mon
astery.
As looked there was little of admiration
in my heart, although the scene was fair
| enough; but could give no mind to any
thing beyond the fact that l was at last
! within measurable distance of D Entrangues,
and that in few hours my hand was like
TO be at his throat
With these thoughts there somehow min
glcd up the face Of madame, and the scene
| of our last meeting put this aside, how
ever, with strong hand, and determined
to think no more of her, although no such
recollection could be anything but pleasant