The Kalispell bee., 1902-08-22

bloody castle. Domeniddio alone know
eth how many murders have here been
done upon their foes by the remorseless
Pazzi See, 1 have but to pull this lever
and the floor will disappear from be-
meath your feet and We will be cast
down into that black and bottomless
well of which you have doubtless
heard"
At this great fright seemed to seize
Upon the gaping crew, and they crowd
ed quickly and eagerly to the entrance.
and then Ippolita must have pulled the
lever, for saw their hands wave in the
air, heard a most awful and blood cur
ding shrek made of all their combined
voices and saw them suddenly disap-
pear. Then there came great splash
ing, a sound of oaths and of blows and
of death struggles, and in moment all
was still once more.
Ippolita now worked the lever back,
and the floor rose again to its place
Then she came to me very quietly and
coolly and proceeded to unite nv fas-
Jennings.
II will wager thou didst believe that
l did not love thee, my Timoteo," said
she. "Beshrew me, but did not think
that so light a touch would move yon
iron lever, and now that do bethink
me am of the opinion that / did bear
upon it too heavily"
Was she not magnificent, noble and
yet inexplicable creature? With one
movement of the hand she had disposed
of and put out of existence the whole
Of the executive and judicial part Of
the government of the realm, to say
nothing about a half score of the
watch, and yet she made no more of it
than if they had been so many flies.
l now went out to the stables and
saddled Aldebaran, my noble steed of
ebony, and, hunting around at some
length, | found dilapidated pillion,
which 1 also strapped upon him. Then
led him to the great door of the cas-
tie and took a long rich cloak which
had been brought by one of the robbers
and which he had evidently stolen at
the dukes banquet, and wrapped it
around Ippolita so that her dress and
face were concealed. lifted her upon
the pillion and, springing to my place
in the saddle, gave the intelligent ami
NAL the rein, and we set out for Cas-
truccio's palace.
When we were well on the way,
there came bounding along the street
and knocking over such of the pedes-
trians as got in his way a gigantic
black hound, having much the appear
ance of a Danish boarhound, and as
soon as he saw US he made for us and
ran alongside my horse, making now
and then great springs into the air, as
though he fain would have dined off
the calves of my legs, while all the
time he was baying and yelping vocif-
erously. | drew my rapier in order to
spit him the next time he came near
enough, for the beast made me exceed
ingly nervous, but Ippolita held me
from it and cried out joyously:
''Now, by all the saints at once, it is
none other than my valiant, good and
trusty Nero. How he hath found me
know not, but in sooth he must have
sought me long, for it is the faithful
nature of the beast. Fair prince, harm
him not, for he is my treasure, my pet
and my darling"
Nero, seeing now that his mistress
had recognized him, began to leap and
gambol all the more, and the oftener
she cried "Down!" the higher he came
up; so at last l gave him good welt
on the side of the head with the fiat of
my sword, and he afterward ran along
very quietly beside us.
"Per Messer Domeniddiow Ippolita
now exclaimed as we pursued our way
with light hearts toward the palace.
"What will the duke, my reverend
father, say anent my having quit the
! house last eve and having stayed out
all the night and day? Marry, l fear
that he will chide me sore and will
| deem this tale of robbers is much too
| fanciful.''
But Fiorella will have told him of
thy abduction" said 1.
NAY, not so, fair prince, for he
would have had the ears cut from the
jade upon the very hearing of the
matter. Rather hath she told him some
fairy narrative to excuse her conduct
and account for my absence. Would
that it were SO, that l might see hel
lying tongue grow black with the
strangling of the bowstring which
shall presently provide for herr
CHAPTER XII.
| e a WHEN we arriNad at the nreat