The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-08-19
CHAPTER VIII.

Spiracy, the lieutenant or the
band, the noble Count Baldaccio Cas-
tracani being one of the number, and
was at once let into the inner secrets
of the order. Ny surprise and conster-
nation were great when 1 found that
1t was their plan to rise against the
power of Castruccio that very night,
to sack the palace and to put the duke
and his nearest relatives to the sword.
"By my faith, fair gentlemen" said
I, "but We seem to be in a great haste
about the matter. AS We are ware,
my noble father, the Prince ArnolfO,
did but yesterday at midday depart
this life. and it were a sin and a most
other business while yet he lieth un'
buried"
They looked at each other as if they
were loath to postpone the enterprise
upon such grounds.
Besides the which," I continued, II
have it upon trustworthy hearsay that
ten bags Of ducats will be taken by
the banker Montefiori to Castruccio's
palace upon the morrow's morrow at
y y
do we'll to retard the uprising for eight
and forty hours at least or until these
same ducats are arrived"
Upon hearing these words they at
once agreed to postponement of the
instruction. / now thought to ask
about Brother Ambrose. To my sur
prise, learned that the ci-devant monk
did not belong to their company and
that they knew of no such parsonage.
/ therefore took leave of my fellow
conspirators after pledging myself to
meet them at an early hour upon the
morrow, and, passing through the clois-
tiers, the court of the monastery and
fhe old church, l found myself upon the
street.
:, When / was come into the Piazza
Publica of the city, it was already two
hours after midday, and there were
much people in the square. 1 was
threading my way among them when
I felt my sleeve plucked from behind,
and, turning, found myself face to
face with Clan Jacopo. His visage was
pale, and his appearance and dress
were much disordered.
"Fair prince" said he, ''prithee come
this way, out of the hearing of the
populace, for 1 have that to tell thee
which may cause thee to blaspheme
nightly, the which it were not well to
do in public
I followed him to a convenient cor
ner where we could speak unheard.
r., "And now" said l, "tell me thy tale
quickly"
Good master Timoteo," said he, with
eyes bullying from fear or excitement
ego not to thine abode without taking
with thee a numerous body of the
watch, else whist thou be foully muir
dered, for thy house is presently ii
possession of a great band of thieves
and cutthroats"
$50 to! A likely talev' said l. "And
pray, inform me when and how came
these gentry into my palace"
ut was in the darkness of the night
fair lord, and hard upon the hour o.
1 when they did come. l was wait
ing up for thee as thou badest me, anC
the gates were unbarred against tn.
return when suddenly comes me thi
pack of villains to the door, which,
opening, they incontinently swarmeC
into thy habitation. Perdio, there wer
a score at least. BY my faith, l knew
none of Them and as to the manner o
them, though they We're one and al
tricked out in gay clothing and mucl
fnery, yet did they seem by their face
the worst pickpockets and highway
men in the realm. l had short time t
take note of their appearance, but
did observe that he who seemed thei
leader bore within his arms the persol
of young and richly dressed and mos
beauteous lady of snow white complex
ion and hair as black as night"
His description fitted Ippolita MAJ
velously.
"What then? What then?" I cried
Selling Jacopo by the shoulder an
shaking him roughly in my impatienct
'Santiddio, fair prince, l know mo-
for at that moment one of those III
christian knayes fetched me a grea
blow upon the top of the skull with
pike, so that fell prone and withou
sense or feeling. After time, by til
seeing that they regarded me not b
reason of their having preached cas-
of thy best wine and of their bein
gathered around it with a great nois
in the banquet room, stole away an
hid myself in a convenient place b,
hind the arras. And now l noted thi
they had brought with them niue
plumber of gold and silver ware, go1
lets and ewers and platters, from whic
they did drink and eat with much 70
STEERING and profanity"
/ now saw what had become of tt
dukes plate, though / could not occuI
myself with such trifes.
"But the lady, Jacopo?" said cage
". "What became of her? Was 81
alive or dead?"
..She was alive, eccelenZa, when
last was within hearing of the pc,
lamb Thov had cb71f her within III