Cañon City record., 1902-10-09

| token Wnlch she Dade me give thee. II
lacks but half hour of the time ap-
pointed. Fail not TO be upon the spot
where she commands thee, as the gen
tie lady will be exceeding wroth an
she finds thee not"
A diabolical chuckle from the escaped
monk at this moment interrupted my
cogitations. and now realized for the
first time the very disagreeable and
vexatious fact that he had overheard
every word of my interview with Flo
rella ana that now the rogue was In
full possession of the secret of my rela-
tions with Ippolltn.
"IIa. hu,' he exclaimed. Thou art
shrewd youth and hast played thy part
well. IL thou shouldst ask my present
advice ! should say to thee, Marry the
noble lady at once After having done
which and after having put the old
man out of the way in some quick and
convenient manner thou wilt of neces-
| sity be heir TO the dukedom without
| any further trouble about the busi-
ness
But | have not asked thy advice"
answered hotly, "and it will be time to
give it when | do So"
"or. hnply. thou couldst seize the
damizella and convey her TO some
strong and secret place. there to detain
her until thou couldst make profitable
terms with Castruccio."
81 tell thee. base churl." said In
great anger. that thy advice Is often
sive to me and that | will have none OF
II. And now get thee hence. us have
business toward which brooks not de.
lay"
NAY. good prince; thou shouldst not
take so unkindly the prudent counsel
which | have offered. And as TO this
business OF thine. | myself will attend
thee TO the postern gate whereof the
maid spoke, as the night is somewhat
dark, and l trow that thou art not IN.
millnr with the way"
was aggravated beyond endurance
by his impudent persecution. He WAS
ns hard to get rid OF ms Sindbad's old
man of the sea.
Look here. knnve." said /. placing
my hand upon my sword hilt. II VIII
speak plainly TO thee. have seen
enough OF thee. and II thou dost not
presently leave me will make thee re
peut of IT,"
He looked ri me for moment in sur.
prise. gave me II Nephistopheliau leer
Ind went on whls,ling and with n
staggering stride INTO the darkness.
/ now sent Clan Jacopo TO my castle
with directions TO expect me within an
hour or two and ilicn set out to lind my
way 10 TIC rear of tho dukes grounds.
II was rather l-,rkN. but the nuof WIS
at that moment rising. and had Just
enough light 10 get my bearings with.
passed on beyond the palace. To the
left. until came to small street.
which nfterward found was called
the Via de Ginori. running at right an
giles with the one which ans on. Here
bore to the right along tlle side Of the
brilliantly Illuminated eiitisc until
came to n high stone wall sfth spikes
nt the top. Following this fs- furlong
or more. ! arrived ut great open held
or meadow which hay behind the wall.
ed garden Of the Alblzzi. I followed
the masonry along the whuh' width
OF the field and found but one door or
gate ia the cutirc extent OF IL. II was
heavy. solid. onkcn portal. anu l came
to the conclusion presently tlrhs 1t was
the pLacc sought.
Firty feet from the doorway Ghd just
outside OF the wall there was = round
cisteru aiou, tifrccn feet in diameter
and with q stone coping two fcrt or 50
In height. It was probably - public
well. where the Inhabitants of the
quarter obtained thrir water. IL lacked
by M wBtrh frn minutes Of midnight.
and ! commenced 10 while away the
time rntii IppoIitn should coaie by
casting pebbles down and listening for
them tn strike the water. which was slI
OF twenty feet below the rim. Sudden.
Iy heard footsteps close behind me.
and even bcfor" l could turn fny head
I got trrribic thrust or poke In the
very middle Dr my back which sent me
hcndIsng over the stone coping into the
cistcru
Fortunately l struck the wIter vt
about the middle. which was Iauch bet.
ter than having my brains dashed ant
aga inst the stonewUrk around IL. went
down about ten feet and. quickly rising
again to the sIrfucr. found myself
close 10 the wall. into ~ errvicc of
which succccdcd in getting my hn.
gers so that l could have. breathing
spell and look about me.
"Domcniddlo, sirrah. pardy. and by
my hulidom!' thought l. these being all
the medinval expletlves which came TO
me at the moment.
could see three or four heads
thrust out over the coping and pecrine
down toward me. ! had great presence
of mind and kept quiet. l assure you,
for knew that the assasslns If they
thought me still alive would cast down
upon me a number of good sized cobble-
stones which ! had noticed 10y having
,t,,,hlal oya.. tbam ma I epme To the