The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-12
THE IUT ANfST'S CIPHER

by Lucian Child.
Toni Notta stood gazing at his conf
plcted carving.
For good or i'll his work was done. He
could not better it. New all that re-
NAMED for him was to await the decision
of the judges. telling him whether he
had failed or succeeded Looking back.
he almost regretted that the long hours
of work ir his quiet room had ended Ie
had been pleasant, chiselisg away undis-
turbed Lovely music had foated down
to him from the upper room where the
stranger musician li9edAthe unknown
lutanist who came and went in secret.
That was all done with now. The mu.
stefan was to leave tna city that night,
and the carving must be- handed in to
the judges on the morrowc
Those were wonderful days in Flor
ence. at the end Of the Fifteenth century:
days when artisans were artists: when
beautiful thoughts took beautiful form
everywhere. in blu ldines.1ala iatings. and
sculptures; when people meeting at even
ing in the city squares talked eagerly of
the new frescoes in church or council
chamber, or Of the latest statue set up
in a palace garden.
1t had gone from mouth to mouth in
the least few days that the illustrious
cavalier. Ser Luigi Albectt in gratitude
for his wifes recovery from sickness,
had vowed to restore his family chapel.
He had appointed day for all the work
boys of Luca Braga's bottega to como
before him with carvings, that he might
decide to whom to give the carving of
the choir stalls. II was an unheard-of
thing that such work should go TO any
but a master workman, SO every young
fellow in the botte ga, and Tom Notta
with the rest, had worked his hardest
to deserve the honor. And now the re-
suit would soon be known.
The boy had dropped on his knees in
the window embrasure beside his wo't
studying every inch of 1t with loving
care He did not know the lutanjst had
come down the stairs till his voice
reached him from the landing.
'I'o you leave your door aJar when ct
your dcvotions, little one. that ali mag
see how pious you are?' asked the
lutanlst @H
The boy started up in confusion
Il was not at prayers messeT," he ex-
planned, coming forward. land for the
door, | leave it cper that I may better
hear the music"
$50 you like muster"
when / hear 1t the chisel goes of it
SELF the boy said gravely. Il see where
to put t;a, flowers and leaves. and 1t
makes a picture before my eyes of all
that wish to cut In the wood. 1 do not
know how it is. but since you have bcen
playing and singing these last days-it
it were you messer s1tranger-I have
had no trouble. and before you began
spoiled each bit of wood l touched" His
dark eyes were fixed on the musician
with a sort of wondering gratitude.
You are a strange child, laughed the
lutanist "You are one of those who are
to take part in tomorrow's contest Of
wood carvers:' ferf
YES, even /. messer, an, dis it not gra-
cious In so great a slgnor TO offer the
prize TO work boy? Ser Luigi says he
wishes to encourage rising talent"
Again the lutanist laughed gayly.
cor he wishes to consult the good of a
purse none too thiclSly lined with ducats.
Well, / know Ser Luigi A disciple will
be content with less gold than would his
master. But why work in this dark room
instead of in the well lighted bottega?"
There is clear. beautiful light by the
window. - protested the boy. land in the
workshop there would be Cecco, who
mock me. My, fingers feel like thumb
when Cecco says, Toni, Toni, what II
that meant for? whale, perhaps? See
the tail of it,, When really it is pome-
granate blossom. messcr. And. messer,
he dropped his voice, coming neafer,
sometimes my work is broken and spoil
how it happened. I can work better
here. - - o.
Il should think so. indeed, A nice Tel
low your Cecco must be! May l see tbs
carving Of yours my Tonig5f,,ry s-.s-
Toni nodded gragely. dgsY WsH .gojsc.
Since 1t was you whon played l. had
thought perhaps San Antonio, my pa
iron, had sent angelic music to aid me.
You are very sure you are not an angel,
an enchanting smile.
Every sure, my Toni. Only poor,
wandering Iutanist from Milan, passing
a few days in the Flower City and play
ing to title boys in spare momsn:s.
The lutanist's smile matched TOMS.
MILAN? Where the great Messer Lip
nardo lives. whom they, call the delight
of the ducal court; he who leads in every
art, painting, music. all of them? Oh,
Ir,csscr, have yeu seen our Fiorentine?"
Tents questions tumbled one over the
other. ri
YES. / have seen him. what do you
know of him?" 7ir9t
'Luca Braga tells many tales of his
wonderful doings. Is he not beautiful DIS
god, and greatest Of 'men?"
The lutanist answered with a shrug.
Not so great as sorne.3 nor, perhaps,
so little as others" re- Then, abruptly,
This question put everything but his
work out of the boys hea5. He led the
way to the window. then stood watching
the musician with breathless anxiety.
In the embrasure, propped against the
wall. was a large panel. shaped like a
shield. Around its legs was carved a
wreath of vines and flowers, honeysuckle.
Wy-berries, dogwood ofchises and saint
foil. Delicate fcstoons with little stray
rs
the wreath toward the center. The vines
had as wild a grace ass if scrambliny
over their own hedges. b,
Bellissimct' exclaimed the strange,
at last, turning On Toni eyes shining
with approval 81 did not expect this
You hSN artists brains, 1t seems, nay
Toni, under those curls. Where did you
learn so much of flowers and foliage?'
Toni was radiant.
"Luca Braga tells us always how Mes
ser LEONARDO studied and copied the
growing plants. / have tried to do as he
did. that is all. But will the judges APP
prove my panel?' he joined his hands in
entreaty. Say me a spell that shall
shall protect 1t. if Cecco, when he sees it
casts the evil eye on it."
Good work is a charm in itself re-
piled tie lutanist But if that ia l.,
why then. ne held out his hand. Lei
me have your chisel. will you?
Surprised, Toni handed him the in
strument. Laying aside his lutte, the
musician took tool in han6-the lsft
hand, Toni noticed-and on the back Of
the panel sketched swiftly a strange ase.
of loops and twists
Now. my Toni" he said, half laugh
ing. half serious, IF the judges hes
tate in awarding you the prize, call for
a mirror Held to this cipher, it ought
to prove a spell strong enough to assist