The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-01-19

our uOTSeS QC0OS IN LQe OlIec-
ton of Castel Nuovo.
Not the best horse in the world could keep
up the pace We were going for long, and l
was old enough soldier to know that our
speed must be regulated by the slowest
beast ii we wanted to reach in full strength,
so / slackened rein to walk and gave the
animals a rest.
Excepting once, when Jacopo rode off to
make his duty to the Fountain of Trevi, /
had not exchanged a word with St. Ar
mande, indeed l was in no mind to talk; but
he broke the silence with question.
do We ride all night, cavaliere?"
eve have many leagues to go, St. Ar
mande."
"Ciel!" he muttered under his breath, and
l heard the able as he leaned forward whis-
Per: Courage! would you give way now?
Courage!'
Clearly there was a mystery here to which
l had no clew, and it troubled me. l
glanced at ST. Armande, and through the
moonlight saw the white of his cheek, show
ing all the paler for the black patch he wore
transversely across it; but looking at him
did not explain matters.
What the devil does this mean?" 1 said
half aloud to myself.
did you speak?"
Merely something to myself, chevalier
DO you think so?" and his tone softened
suddenly.
/ made no reply, but stirred up Castor,
and we logged along. left the mystery to
take care of itself, and mapped out a line of
action. l would take only two men with me
into Perugia, and send the rest with Ar
mande to the convent of st. Jerome to await
the result of my attempt to free Angola.
It sounded like foolshness to give St. Ar
mande the control of the stronger party,
especially if he meant treachery; but this
] was persuaded he did not. On the other
hand, following Of six troopers was trihe
too many to pay peaceful visit to Baglioni,
and might arouse suspicion, while they were
too few tc attempt open force. In short, if
l could not do what wanted with two men,
l would not be able to effect it with six or
a dozen, and made up my mind to split our
party, either after crossing the Paglia, or
beyond at San Fortunate.
In this manner, sometimes galloping, some
times trotting, and at other times walking
our horses to give them a rest, we reached
Castel Nuovo, but did not enter the town,
skirting it by our right, although one of the
troopers suggested our going westwards by
Campagnano, a useless detour as it seemed
to me. We passed the little town exactly
at midnight, and the chime of bells striking
short way beyond we found the road so cut
into ruts and assures that it was not possible
to go at any other than a snail's pace, so that
within the next two hours we barely COW
cred many leagues. The moon was now
ON the wane, the road became worse, and
one or two of the horses showed signs of
fatigue. Jacopo rode up beside me.
'By your leave, excellency! We have the
road by Soratte to cross soon, and in the
coming darkness may possibly lose our way.
I would suggest, therefore, that we halt here
until dawn. 1t will rest the horses, and
with the light we could press on"
every well. Hark! Is not that the sound
of water?"
Eyes, your worship"
'"Then we will stop there"
A few yards beyond we came to ruined
temple, near which fountain was bubbling.
Here l gave the order to halt, and in less
time than l take to write this the troopers
had sprung to earth, the saddle-girths were
loosened and all the preparations for two
hours halt begun.
l shared little wine with St. Armande
and the able, and the former, rolling him
self up in his cloak, leaned his back against
a fallen pillar, and seemed to drop off at
once into sleep.
The able followed his example, but my
walked up and down, watching the ending
CT the moon, until it finally sank out of
sight, and darkness fell upon us.
Dark as it was around me, my mind was
in still greater darkness, for was unable
to think of any plan by which could gain
access to Angola, after reaching Perugia.
Time, too, was short; but that did not mat
ter, for I was prepared to let the affair of
the ducats slide, rather than lose any chance
of rescuing her.
"A straw yet remained. Luck might be on
my side, and with luck and strong heart
one might do anything. There was moth
ing for it but to content myself for the pres
ent with this. Until l reached Perugia 1
could develop no plan. So paced up and
down with an unsettled mind, and finally,
seating myself on stone, awaited the morn
ing, alternately nodding and awakening
with start.
At last The east began to whiten, and,
getting up stiffly, touched Jacopo with the
end of my sword. He jumped with an ex-
clamation, and, recognizing me, began to
apologize. This I cut short, and babe him
arouse the men.
This instant, your worship. Cospetto!
To think l should have oversight myself!
Ho, sluggards! Buffaloes! Awake! Think
you that you are going to snore here all
night?" and he began to stir the men up.
They rose willingly enough, with tremen-
dous yawnings and stretching of arms, and
we were soon on the march again, through
the increasing daylight.
The coming day seemed to warm the hearts
of the men, and one of them broke into
song the chor1,s hein0 taken mn hv the 9TH