The San Francisco call., 1907-06-30
CHAPTER rwENrr-oNE-contiuued

ment. hurried them into the
house and into the lower room
from which the secret passage
opened. The pleasant little home was
sun half dismsnLled from the recent
attack Of the Germans. the neat trim
ness Of the chambers gone.
~ their entrance Agno.o came for
ward in alarm. but at his daughters
hurried explanation turned willingly 20
lte secret door he kept well concealed.
or the little painter took no tAought
oi what il must moan to shelter any
from Niscouti's wrath.
quick. cried Valentine imperiously.
How long can one page keep that
The poor boy" moaned Isotta. hang
lS half lifcless upon Nalentine's arm.
lnhaDpy boy--they viii Kill him.'
Valentine looked at her with scorn.
-Csnst thou think Of page now
Quick
But tho door would not yiold. and
while Asnoio struggled with the spring
crash was heard. a cry, the ring or
armor and the tramp of feet.
The door is down. said Valentine.
We are lost
Il cannot move the spring. cried Az
Quck. quick shrieked Grazioss. but
even as she spoke the chamber door
burst open and d man stepped in: there
we're others Ak his heels, bat he entered
alone
Agnolo, starting back. dropped his
concealments into place and trembled
for his secret and these poor folk who
mad not escaped Nisconti.
The man who entered was in black;
II was all that could be seen in the
dark disordered chamber. but Valentine
needed no light 10 tell her who K was.
lsoUa sank 70 the ground, shrieking
wildly.
oh. father. father cried Graziosa,
aSonizeG. save them"
The newcomer laid his hand on Val
entine's shoulder. she standing calm
and erect, and turned his face TO Gra-
zioss.
From mo-" he said. and his voice
was very sweet. From me. Graziosagr
Ambrogio: Ambrogio." cried the girl.
" hat do you here?r
Valentine would have spoken scorn-
1ully, but Nisconu turned his eyes on
her and she dared not. The courtyard
was fun of armed men
Ambrogio" repeated the painter ia
dismsY. What does this mean?-
Nisconti laughed pleasantly. but his
hand tightened on his sisters shoulder.
1T means thy daughter hath found
lover worthy or her iu Nisconti-
Nisconti. AS in 2 fash the little
painter saw explained . thousand things
tha1 had perpleNed him. Viseonti,
His quickly working brain had
Grasped il and summed II up
before Graziosa could even realize she
heard Alright She stared there silent
win piteOus look upon her face. Wis
cont turned 10 his prisoners.
= Teo4f-a ~ Este f,e-
on he said. curtly, and x group OF
soldiers advanced.
IsOtta clung to Valentine in an
asony.
~At last. said visconti. in her ear.
at last thy calm falls thee
And then he stood aside watching.
While she impiored in turn Valentine
and AgnOlO to save her. in incoherent
words OF anguish.
Il cannot bear it, she cried. y have
borne il too long. o God. have pity on
me. Have pity on me, I have not the
courage to face it again. have not
the courage"
Nisconti turned TO her in savage
triumph Of hate he scarcely troubled %
conceal
"Find thy courage again where thou
foundst il before. ne said Thy hus-
band is not dead. although he leaves
thee TO pine IN prison. lie may remenl-
bcr thee even yet"
lsotta sprang up at the taunt wild
ed.
Keep thy face away from me-" she
sBrieked. '9e have slain him. Kill me
too"
Then, seeing resistance useless. and
those who would have saved her help
Jess Della Scala's unhappy wife sur
rendered quietly: only. as she crossed
the courtyard with her guard and saw
the tree tops wave above the walls and
the sky that was outside Milan. cry
rose that made the hardened soldiers
vince.
-AIastino. Oh. Mastino.'
Nisconti watched her out OF sight,
then turned again 10 Graziosa, his hand
still or bis sisters shoulder.
--Grazioss" he murmurec.
But the girl made no answer; she
was huddled oa the bench that ran
along the wall, looking out with fright
ened eyes.
As he spoke she shuddered, and
crouched closer to the wall
But AEnoio answered. and Nisconti.
serene in his pride. did not notice the
painters tone.
NY daughter is dazed with her SUI
rrisc. lord as who would not be?
sirsziosa speak TO the duke. speak To
thy Ambrogio" and he gripped her
hand hercely. But Graziosa rose at his
touch. and snatching her hand away.
fed from the room with one wild look
toward Nisconti.
..Ye sec. my lord. she is bewildered.
she can scarce believe il true
III matters not FOR now. said tis-
CONT Thy daughter loves me, paint
er. and none the less, doubt not, that
2 am duke OF Milan: and she shall De
ny, duchess. as ] have vowed
Truly, the honor is more, think.
than she can bear" and Agnolo bowed
10 the ground.
- have won a wife for myself--a
wife who loves me for myself alone
All, she loves thee for what thou art
not cried Valentine aloud
But Nisconti took no heed OF her
Think or thy daughter as precious
charge. Agnolo," he continued. Mean
while D leave one of nay captains here
on guard That last attack on thee
and thine came near costing ne TOO
dear"
nv daugh;er--' began the painter.
but NiseonJ interrupted him:
.eThv daugbter VIII he nay wife,
,,.frfer. remember it. and heed her
safety. And thou, Valentine, come with