The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-12

and merciful to the weak. He saw the direction in which matters were trend ing-the abyss of utter chaos toward which Rome was rushing.
 Helpless at home Adrian went to Ger many, to the court of the Emperor, where he acquired skill in arms and made his name known in northern wars. Then after residing for a while on one of his estates in Northern Italy, where he pur- sued those studies so dear to him, he re- turned again to Rome. When Adrian had been some weeks returned to Rome he set out one evening to visit his for mer friend, Cola Rienzi. He had found upon his return that Rienzi was begin ming to be spoken of as the leader Of the people; that he was feared and dis trusted by the nobles and had, indeed. become a new factor in the life of Rome. Certainly" he said to himself, as he walked musingly onward, mo man has if more in his power to reform our dis- eased state. But that very power-how dangerous it isl Have I not seen in the free states of Italy many a man called to authority and then, drunk with power, betray his cause? True they were no- bles; but are plebians less human?"
 While thus musing he noticed two women, evidently hastening homeward, who alone shared with him the long and gloomy street Then, where two streets crossed, there came the flare of torches and the loud laugh of mems voices together with the sound of trampIing feet Holy mother" cried the elder of the two, woman about 45 years old and evidently the inferior at tendant of her young companion, what misfortune has befallen us. Run, sig nora, run" But the party of rough and swa ggering soldiers was upon them.
 "Ho. fellows, what have we here?" cried the leader of the band a man richly dressed, and as he spoke he seized the younger woman and tore off her veil. "Ho. here the torches!' he cried. What blushes what eyes! Nay, pret- ty one you need not be ashamed to win the love of an Orsini-it Is Martino di Porto who bids thee smile on him."
 Irene di Rienzi. for it was she. strug- gled and shrieked as the ruffian laid nanQS upon Ter. anu faoi ioh OciOAAiio ran to her rescue. Seizing her from the hands of her assailant he drew his sword and placing his back against building laid about him in such a fierce manner that he kept the foe at bay while he shouted. "Colonna to the res cue. Colonna" Attracted by the cry, two armed men came running to the assistance of Adrian. They were tall, powerful warriors whose fresh complex ions, which even the suns of Italy in many campaigns had not been able to destroy long yellow locks and fierce scornful faces proclaimed them to be of one of those companies of free lances, hardy soldiers from Germany and France or from still more northern realms, who, formed into mercenary bands, were then battering upon the de cayed carcass of Italy under the patron age of any ambitious prince or noble who had the money to buy their serv- ices.
 "Ha, gentlemen" cried the foremost of these two men. a man whose glance was high and naughty, and who seemed to address even a Roman noble with half-veiled contempt, what are tho odds? Six to one? I will take the weaker side" "Who are your" asked Martino haughtily, drawing back from the sword of Adrian. Walter de Mon treal, gentleman of Provence and Knight of St. John." answered the new conner. At that redoubta ble name, the name of one of the oldest warriors and the most accomplished freebooters of his time, even Martinos cheek grew pale and his followers uttered cry of terror At the same time the torches were seen waving and the bands of the Colonna were heard approaching. Mar tino and his men retired with precipita- tion. Thus was Irene saved by the man she had long secretly loved and re- turned in safety to her brothers home.
 Adrian Colonna now saw much of hts former friend and found him no longer the dreaming boy, but a man before whose vast plans and commanding in- tellect he felt humbled. His admiration for Cola al Rienzi, his real sympathy for the cause of the people, and, more than all, perhaps, his love for Irene, seemed to chain him to the side of the rising plebian. But, on the other hand, could he desert his family an dhis caste? No, he would play the mediator between the factions which would rise and the nobles who would be cast down. He would assuage the savage rage of the one and the newly liberated frenzy of the other-though as regarded the latter he had no doubt that the calm and inflex ible will of Rienzi would be able to calm the tempest which he was about to raise. That Adrian should marry his sister was a pleasing thought to Cola. There would be a concrete example of that for which he thought, the bringing of all classes into one common brotherhood. Also. amid the mysticism and the patriotism which thrilled through every fibre of Cola di Rienzi there lurked that ambition of which there was never a plebeian rais ,d to high estate entirely destitute, the ann bition for an alliance with an ''old fam fly" Cola himself now loved, and, though 1t could scarcely be said that lurking sentiments which gave a part of his qualification to the thought of his sisters marriage with a Colonna entered into his own love-for he could have aspired high er-yet his affections 1ad become fixed upon the daughter of one of the lesser nobles, Nina al Raselli. As yet he saw Nina in secret, for he would not stoop to seek her hand from that impoverished noble her father until he could offer her a place of dignity and power which lie felt was soon to be his. For the reyc-