Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-06-21
"No more than there IL to you: in one
word, St. Armandc, do you agree or not?"

"No more than there 10 to yen: in one
word, St. Armande, do you agree or not:"
Every WE'LL"
"Then there is no time to lose Jacopo!"
"Excelency!!"
and myself, will go on ahead. The rest can
follow. l have given all other orders to the
signor, st. Armandc.'
''rhere is Bande Mere, your worship"
II am ready, cavaliere," and tall, thin,
gray -nustached trooper saluted a. he spoke
He looked the man | wanted. My lackey
was stout horseman, and at pinch might
hold sword as well as he held my valise
So, shaking hands with St. Armande,
put spurs to Castor, and we dashed of.
Turning the corner of belt of forest land,
l looked back and waved my hand in fur
Their adicu to the chevalier. | caught the
futter Of the white handkerchief the young
dandy carried, as he loosed it to the air in
reply to my salute, and the next moment the
trees hid them from view.
We rode hard now, Castor going almost
as freely as when we started. Indeed, |
would have far outpaced the others, if ! did
not let him feel the bit once, and the noble
beast, as if knowing his duty, required no
further warning not to outstrip his compan-
ions.
Gong as we were now Perugia was but
few hours away; but the pace was too great
to last long, and from Todi to Perugia there
were nine leagues and trife over of an
ascending road. Castor might do it, the
others / was sure would not. In order,
therefore, to rest the horses, as we'll as to
avoid question, l resolved that we should
dine at Rosario, and after an hour or so OF
rest press forwards, passing by Tod, and
travelling all night, SO as to reach Perugia
in the morning. If we went faster, we would
only reach at night, and SO late as to find
entrance into the town impossible.
We clattered past the villages of San
Geminl and Caste Todino, and about noon
drew up our now somewhat blown beasts
at the gates OF the "AIan-at-Arns the only
inn in the village.
1t was poor place saw at glance, and
al we pulled up, crowd of yokels in holiday
attire gathered around US. The inn seemed
full, too, for the yard swarmed with people,
and a half-score heads Of contadini were at
each window, staring at us open-eyed.
AS / took this in, the landlord came run
ming out, cap in hand and full of apologies
"Ohimc! But my house is full to the gar
rets, signore, and it il nothing | can do for
you to-day. Tomorrow is the feast of ST.
Mary of the Consolation, and all the coun
try is going to Tod"
Il DO not want to stay. We merely halt
here to bait our horses AID to dine. Can
you manage that?'
IF that is all, excellencv, yes, OH, yes
The beasts, they can rest anywhere, and
there Is polenta and room for your excel.
lency's followers; but for yourself, signore,"
and he shook his head mourniully.
"What is the difficulty?: And l dis.
mounted, my men following suit.
"But this, sgnore. There is but one
room in the house you could use, and that is
occupied by two gentlemen of the army.
Violent men, signore, who will no: allow
anyone to share it. Lasso me! But not
paul have they paid me as yeti"
Give them my compliments, and say that
the Cavaliere Donati begs to be allowed
corner of their table for his dinner"
''Alas, signore! 1t is useless They have
been here two days"
'Then it is time they made room for other
travellers. Give my message, landlord, and
say l am following"
Mine host trotted off with considerable
misgivings expressed in his face, and fol-
lowed by my lackey, bearing my valise, I
went after him at slower pace.
When l reached the room, which could
hardly be missed, seeing it was the only one
in the house that had any pretense Of APP
pearence, l found the door open, and heard
a half-drunken voice shouting:
'Begone, dog! Blood of king! But are
two gentlemen to be disturbed be:n.se a
signore with a long name wants to dine?
Skull of St. Jerome! Did you ever hear the
like of this? Cospetto! Tell him 10 10
hang, or I'll spit him like lark"
l heard enough to recognize thu voice,
and, turning to the lackey, said:
Send Jacopo here ut once with stout
cudgel-run.'
The man went off on the double, .,>A re.
manned without the door listening with
amusement to the ancient Brico's buster,
for it was he, and he was having all the talk,
his companion, whoever he was, now and
then giving grunt of assent.
'Mitre and cowl He'll and sulphur! Will
you begone, fool, or shall l slit your wind
pipe?' and / heard him beat the table with
his fist. "Out, rascal" he roared, and
bring in another skin. of chianti"
Out came the wretched innkeeper, and,
seeing me at the door, began to urge Inc to
go; but at this moment Jacopo came run
ming up with stout stick in his hand, and,
pushing the landlord on one side, I stepped
into the room, followed by Jacopo.
Brico's friend, who was quite drunk as it
seemed, had fallen asleep whilst he was talk
ing, and lay with his head between his arms,
half on the table, half on his chair The an
cient was seated with an empty skin before
him, and rose in wrath as entered.
"What the" he began in wine blown
voice, and then his face paled little as he
saw me.
l did not waste words. "Cudgel me this
fellow out, Jacopo," said, and Jacopo at
tended to the task as if he loved it. The an.
cient attempted to draw his sword, but it
was useless, and minute or two later he
was flung out into the courtyard, beaten
to jelly and bowling for mercy He lay
where he was flung, too bruised to move.
His friend slept through it all; but az my
lackey lifted up his head in an attempt to
eject him, recognized Piero Luigi, and felt
that some more stringent action than had
taken with Brico should be adopted here.
This man is a thief" said to the lan.i.
lord, land his friend little better"
'"rhen to the stocks they go; and now"
almost screamed the host, mot paul have
they paid me, signore, swear this, the ban
dts. Hi! Giuseppe! Giovanni!"
A couple of stout knaves came running in.
and the innkceper, trembling with ange,
and fear combined, yelled out:
bind this brigand and his companion &c
curely, keep them in the stables, and to.
morrow we will hale them before the po-
desta"
enjoyed my dinner comfortably, and on
going out to see after the horses was met by
Bande Mere, who took me aside to where,
in corner of the stables, two men were ly.
ing urcly bound. One was Luigi, still