The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1899-10-19
CHAPTER 1T.
NINE. D'ENTRANGUr6

etrcct, entered n BARRIERS 3 shOp To nave my
beard removed in order TO disguise myself
a. far as possible. The barber. fussy little
fellow. placed before me a mirror Of polished
steel, and as he set to work stropping a
ruzor on the palm or his hand. removed
my cap, and for the first time observed that
the hair Of my head was thickly strcaked
with gray.
"Your exccllcncy has doubtless come to
Join the army" said the barber. in n tone
Of inquiry, as lie drew his razor across my
face.
"Ah. yes, yes; have just come" replied,
and the little man went on
''Therc have been great doings to-day.
'Tis said the duke has ordered the Count di
Savelli TO be executed for having in his pos
session n favor Of madame. They say the
count stole il, but We know better, don't
we. your cxccllcncyg" and tho little fool
chucklcd 20 himself. He went on without
can never resist us soldiers. | may tell you
that I served with Don Carlo Bagiioni, and
can bear my pikc-thcre now, think that
side IL clean shaven--ns wns saying before,
II was hard on the Marquis al Savelli, a gal.
liant noble whom frequently saw-pardon,
your cxcellcncy. 1t Is but scratch after all
had you not moved so suddenly, still only
n scratch. nothing for a soldier. The Mar.
ouis al Sayclli. mn I mid wns n regular c,,s.
TONER of minc. and bc had a lovely bcod Of
bnir. yout excellence. II was not so much
before ! took him in hand. Ecco! but in a
month you should have seen! lie came in
here in his free, easy way. and flung me ten
crowns. 'I,uy ribbon for Madonna Giulia
with that. Mcsscr Pazzi,' says he; and
barkcc. send me over six more bottles of
your elixir Of ST. Symmathus. Maldctto!'
he exclaimed. twisting his curls betwecn bis
fingers. but she adorcs me now, Now
who. [ saw. could she have bccn but-tcbick, I,
Diayolo? IL IN done: never n cleaner nbayc in
Rome itself. n your exccllency's fortune
grows as well ns your hair. 1 could wish YOU
no better luck"
I rose In silence. and. lippinr him A crown.
bade him pay himself. and. receiving my
change. hurried out. dcclinin. all Mcsscr
Pazzi's entrcntics TO bear with me bottle of
his precious elixir of st. Symmncbus or any
other nccurscd balsa,n, 1 saw at a glance
that the rtmovnl of my beard caused a con.
siderable alteration in my appearancc, and
imagined IL could but change nv nttire INV
most intimate friends would not know me
unless they observed closely; and even then
might perhaps fail to recognize me. This
view, as it turned out, was not quite cor.
rect, and I had yet to learn how difficult
thing It 10 10 arrange a complete disguise.
A few doors further ON laid out some of
nv money in the purch,,e of n sto out leather
huff coat a long. dnrj, mantle. ond a can IN
match. The can was oruam,nted with a
single black feather: and when had donneI
these garments | felt that, wrapped In the
cloak, with the cap pulled well over my eyes.
and the feather standing deiiantly out to the
side, l wanted but a fathom Of sword
10 make myself as rufIianly looking bravo
as ever trod the purlieus OF Naples or Rome.
But tho sword was some difficulty, for my
crowns had dwindlcd TO 10. Fortunately
had on my finger a sapphire ring. and this
pledged for 20 crowns, and made my way 10
the armorcrs. I there selected u strong,
straight weapon, with plain cross handle
and cutting blade. such ms would be useful
for rough work. and, after some hDggling,
got il for ten pieces. The arInorer assured
me that il was sound blade, and may say
II did me good service. II now hangs in my
bedchambcr, n little chipped, II Is true, but
as brigh. and NJ fit for use rs the day paid
for 1t. with a heavy heart, in Don Piero's
shop, near the gate Of st. Lawrence in
Arczzo.
began now TO feel the want Of food, for
beyond tine cup Of Chianti brought TO me
by the under officer I had tasted nothing
since yesterday evening. and therefore step.
ping into an ordinary called for q flagon Of
wine and a pasty. Whilst engaged in as.
saulting these, half dozen men, whom
rccogn zcd as belonging to the garrison, en-.
tered the hostel, but to my Joy saw was
not known to them, and after casual glance
al me they fell 10 eating their meal.
I was. however. pcrforce compelled to lis.
ten to their conversation, which w.s carried
on in the loud tone men Of their class affect.
and found to my annoyance that they were
discussing me, and the events Of the day.
In order TO escape this was about TO rise,
when ] heard one Of them mention DEN.