The San Francisco call., 1908-05-10
ADHTHT "a :cR Princess iY 9lav9gy~
AF115su 1 0y.I:gar5oF1 <2r:aAyf0r -
r. OF Wa CKUCIO' "A ROMAN SoINdEE ETC.

tar in tone of concern after obsenv-
Ing his face attentively. What you
want is food and drink. man."
With sudden impulse of hospitality
he began to heap up food on GiustinaS ;
unused plate with a fine indifference to
gastrOnOny or possibly with a tipsy
sense of humor lie piled up bits OF
roast peacock. little salt fish. olives.
salad. raisins. dried figs. candied straw
berries and honey cake till he could
put no more on the plate, which he
then set before OmObOno.
Eat that" lie said. 1T will do you
good"
Then he addressed himself to the pea
cock again with a good will.
Omobono would have got up and
slipped away il he had dared Next to
his bodily fear he was oppressed by the
terrible inpropriety of sitting at his
masters table. where the guests should
have been This seemed to him dread
full thing.
Really. sir" he began. IL you will
allow me would rather
DO not talk. Eat.'
Tocktanish set the example by tear
ing the meat off a peacock's leg with
his teeth
You need it, he added. with his
mouth very full.
The poor secretary looked at the Gu
tor set before him. and he felt very
uncomfortable at the mere idea OF
tasting the stuff. Then ne glanced az
the Tartar and saw the Iatter's blood
shot eye rolling a. him hideOusly. while
the sharklike teeth picked a leg bone.
and terror chilled his heart again.
What would happen il he refused to
eat? Tocktamish dropped the bone and
niied two glasses.
ITO Messer Carlo Zeno.' he cried.
setting the wine to his lips
Omobono thought a little wine might
steady his nerves. and. moreover. he
could not well refuse to drink his mas
ter's health.
Good laughed Tocktamish. IF
you cannot eat. you can drink
Just then Corner groaned piteously,
where he lay in a heap on the floor.
His nose was much hurt. but he was
even more badly frightened. The Tar
tar was not pleased.
II that man is dead. take him out
and bury him." he cried. turning on
Omobono. If he is alive kick him and
tell him to hold his tongue! He dis
turbs US at our dinner"
Omobono thought he saw a chance OF
escaping and rose as il to obey But
the Tartars long arm reached him in
stantly and he was forced back into
his seats
Il thought you meant me to take him
away" he fee5ly explained.
I was speaking to the slaves" said
Tocktamish gravely, though there was
no servant or slave within hearing.
The unfortunate merchant, who was
not at all unconscious. and had prob
ably groaned with q vague idea of ex-
citing compassion. how held his peace,
for he did not desire to be kicked. still
less to be taken out and buried The
To
that followed. After another glass he
rose to his feet and took Omobono by
the arm: considering his pOtations. he
was still wonderfully steady on his
legs.
Where is the strong box" he asked.
dragging the secretary toward the door
opposite TO the one through which Gi-
usttna had gone out.
There is no money IN the house"
cried OmobOno in renewed terror. IT
swear to you that there is no money
Very well" answered the Tartar,
who had taken the keys from the ta-
bic, show re the empty box
There is no strong box. sir" an
swered the secretary. resolving to con-
troll his fear and die in defending his
masters property.
The difficulty was TO carry out this
noble resolution. Tocktanlish grabbed
him by both arms and held him in the
wise OF his grasp.
Little man." he said gravely. there
is box. snd / will find the box.
and / will put you into the box. and
will throw the box into the water.
Then you viii know that it is not good
to lie to Tocktamish. Now show me
where IL is"
Omobono shrank to something like
half his natural size in his shame and
fear and led the way to the counting
house. Once only he stopped and made
a gallant attempt TO be brave and tried
to repeat his queer little prayer. as he
did on all the great occasions OF his
life
20 Lord. grant wealth and honor TO
the most serene republic" he began.
and though he realized that in his pres
ent situation this request was not
much TO the point. he would have gone
on to ask for victory over the GenOese
on general principles.
But at that moment he felt some
thing sharp as pin sticking into
him just where his hose would natu-
rally have been most tight, and where.
in fact. the strain that pulled them
up was most severe; IN that part OF the
human body, In short. which, as most
Of us have known since childhood. is
peculiarly sensitive to pain. There
was no answer to such an argument
as posterior; the little mans head went
down his shoulders went up and he
trotted on; and though he could not be
put Off from finishing his prayer he
had reached the door OF the counting
house when he was only just begin
ning 20 pray that he might have
strength to resist curiosity. a request
even more out Of place, just then than
o petition for the destruction of the
Gsnoese. 7 A moment later he and
Tocktamish entered the room and the
Tartar shut the door behind him.
Neither Of the two men heard the
little bare feet following them softly
at a distance. but when che door was
shut LuciI1a ran nimbly UP To it and
quickly drew the great old iron bolt
which had been left where it had once
been useful at a time when the dis
position OF the house mad been diff
ferent. Lucilla knew that all the win
dows within had heavy gratmgs do
that neither Cmo5cno nor his captor
could get out
Giustina had fled upstairs. as women
generally do 30 save themselves from
any immediate danger. They are born
with the idea that when a house has
more than one story the upper one IS
set apart for them and their children.
as indeed it always was n the middle
ages and they feel sure that there