The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-03-29

with ropes, two of whom cried to the
crowd that they were Tuscans, the Flor
entnes did not hesitate to set on the troop
and free the three.
The two Tuscans disappeared In the
crowd Immediately. But the third pris-
oner, an old, white-haired man, who had
remained obstnately silent and looked
around defiantly, ran to the church for
sanctuary. As he rushed up the steps he
stumbled and grasped at the sleeve OF
one of brilliant party standing there.
1t was Tito Melema who felt that
clutch. He turned his head and saw the
face of his adopted father Baldassarre
Calvo, close to his own!
who is this prisoner l wonder?' cried
one of the party.
Some mailman, surely" said Tito.
He hardly knew how the words had
come to his lips. 1t seemed to him that
he had scarcely spoken before some mag
ical poison had darted from Baldasarre' s
eyes, and he felt 1t running through his
veins. The next instant Baldasarre mad
disappeared in the church.
Tito stumbled out of the throng blindly.
, He knew that it was not in the passion
ate, fiercely concentrated nature of Bald
assarre to let an injury pass unreyenged.
He regretted bitterly that he had said
those fateful words. He saw that 1t
would have been the wise course to rec
he had thought him dead.
Rut those words, "Some mailman, prob
ably" seemed to leap forth like some-
thing suddenly begotten. Tito was ex-
periencing that memorable law or human
souls that we prepare ourselves for sud
den deeds by the reiterated choice OF good
and evil that gradually determines char
acter.
while he wandered through the holiday
streets with a hideous fear clutching him.
Baldassarre, with the rope still fast to
him. stood in the crowded church and
stared around bewildered. Suddenly he
felt himself vibrating to laundering
voice that pealed from the pulpit. 1t was
Savonarola crying, "Ihe Gay OF ven
geance Is at hand!'
The cry was like an echo OF his own
passion. He quivered and sobbed. He
listened with fearful exultation to every
kord of threat and terror that rang from
the wonderful man. No other word
touched him. He drove his long finger
nails into his own palms
There were two In the great multitude
of hearers who looked at him with warm
sympathy One was Romola. The other
was the painter, Piero di Cosima, who
| cut his bonds, thinking to himself: "A
| mysterious old tiger! Tito looked at him
| as IL he were seeing ghost!'
Four days later Romola was in the
artists studio. She spied small canvas
and gave a little cry. 1t was picture
Of Tito, with an awful fear in his face
| staring at the man with the rope around
| him.
what does It mean?" she cried. q
| saw that man in the church,
Nothing" said the painter. He mere
| ly stumbled against your husband in pass
, ing and / made freakish sketch" He
| took the picture from her and turned Il
| with its face to the wall.
| Romola walked home, strangely OPP
pressed. At first she intended to ack Tltt
J what it meant. But her heart told hel
| that she dared not ask.
Tito and she were steadily drifting fur
| Their and further apart, despite her at
! tempts to hold him. The Greek had at
tanned official position of high rank ant
| spent much of his time away from home
| Her father had died, leaving behind hin
| in Tito's hand the sacred trust that hi.
grand library should be given to FLORENCE
Tito seemed strangely Indifferent despite
T, all Romola's entreaties, to whom 1t was 6
| solemn duty. She could not rest while
| her deads fathers wish remained unful
| filled.
! At last, Just after the French had lef
the city, Tito told her after much ciraum
locution that he had sold the library L
| the Duke Of Milan and the marblea u
France