The San Francisco call., 1907-06-16

How many nave desertedE ne asked
irr a hard voice. "Vincenzo said half
the army
Conrad could not answer the truth
How many?" and Mastino turned
toward him.
"Carrara has taken all his force
faltered the wretched man.
Mastino crushed the parchment yet
tighter in his hand. and walked up to
Conrad. who shrank before his face
Your sword. count" he said Con-
rad hesitated. bewildered-
you are no longer in my service; as
my officer you wear that sword; as
what you are, demand II from YOU"
And he held out his hand
In silence Conrad drew his weapon
Mastino took it. broke IL, threw u On
the floor.
And now CO." he said.
At last Conrad found his voice
sLordr' he cried. "let me stay"
Co." said Mastino.
II will stay" faltered Conrad. and
amend my fault
But Della Scala turned his back on him
go to visconti." he flashed. "Tisio
plays chess as well almost az Vim
cenzo."
The taunt made speech come more
easily. No man can ask more than
anothers humiliation. that other suing
humbly for pardon
II ala not ask so much" said Mastino.
his back still to him. You are un-
hurt"
And the count glanced at Della
Scala's face. and saw little OF what
he had done; that speech was useless
He moved to go, murmuring some
thing with bent head; at the door ne
turned again. Della Scala" he be-
gan. Z
IT will never willingly see your face
Rgain." interrupted Mastino. 60 and
Join my other allies-in Milan"
Conrad drew himself UP.
God helping me. will go TO Milan,
he said. II viii further your cause IN
Milan itself-even though I leave you
with my sword"
Still Mastino stood motioniess. AMI
slowly Conrad passed through the
doors and down the stairs, through the
soldiery that turned their backs-casr
out As the door clashed to behind the
count, Mastino turned passionately and
strode into the inner room. not know
Ing what he did. so great the agony
OF his helpless fury and despair
A gloomy window gave view upon
the open country
Della Scala strode to IT.; little hs
needed the gloomy couch and ths
stained floor. He saw only the green
plain of Lombardy, and his own dimi1-
ished tents. lessened by the better hair.
He struck his hand against the window
frame violently-visconti had tri-
umphed,
This evening had he meant TO selzs
Milan-the evening OF this very day;
and. behold. now IT was all 60 be done
again. the weary, weary waiting, the
watching, the planning the soothing
his allies, the making good Carrara's
treachery; and meanwhile-Isotta,
Della Scala dropped his head into his
hands with cry wrung from his heart.
sIsotta. Isottav'
The sunlight fell too on the crum-
pied parchment on the floor. and Mas
tino, raising his head. saw it lying
there and ground IL beneath his heel
Am I TO be forever laughed at and
betrayed?" he cried Ever served by
never learn I trust too u1uchF' Hs
looked around the chamber, and
thought, with a bitterness beyond ex-
preston. that only q few hours before
Visconti had passed through IL.
Della Scala leaned against the wall;
the very sunlight seemed black. the
very sky hopeless. Yet his spirit rose
He drew out and kissed the little
locket he wore around his neck. the
pearl locket that always hung there.
Then suddenly rousing himself and
walking blindly forward, opening one
door In mistake for another, found
himself at the top of two steps. look
ing down into a chapel. For a mo-
ment his brain reeling and sick. be
stepped back. bewildered. doubling
what he saw.
The place was high and dome shaped.
with plain stone walls. lit by two win
dows facing each other, but shrouded
in dark hangings that admitted only 4
faint. cold light.
The air was damp and vault like.
and the room itself bare OF any fur
niture or adornment save purple has
sock and two lamps of rusty gold that
hung by long. bIackened chains from
the ceiling. Opposite the entrance
hung against the stone wall a purple
curtain, and before II large crucinx.
crudely painted. The dim light just
struck It's dismal coloring. and to Mas
tino's fevered fancy the dead Christ
seemed to twist and writhe along his
contorted body.
The lamps were long out. and the
sense OF incense on the air faint
Della Scala entered softly. catching
his breath painfully. the terror OF re-
ligion strong within him.
On the purple hassock he kneIk. with
clasped hands. before the disdgured
Christ. his heart rising to his lips in
passionate prayer
Lord. thou understandesti Behold 7
cannot deck thy saltars with the gold
thou wilt have mercy on me and on
her."
And he stretched out his arms to tbs
figure in an exaltation OF trust and
hope. Even as i spare those who b.
tray. so wilt thou spare her. o Christi
He flung himself from his knees,
face downward on the stones,
in a tumuit OF hope and trust Around
the folds OF Mastino's cloak lay the
leaves Of some dead roses that had
huttered at his movement from forgot
ten wreaths. hanging brown against
the wall.
Mastino rose, eager for soms an
swer-some assent But the dead
Christ was silent Mastino could see
the cracking paint on the ribs, the
tawdry gold OF the halo. and he came
still nearer In strange desperation
Half hidden IN shadow two faces
looked down on him-expressionless
stone. the angels on the wall
Mastino looked from them TO the
crucinx. and his fervent faith sank,
chilled.
Stone" he murmured in his heart