Evening star., 1921-10-02

I fleeing toward the keep. that inner
stronghold which was now their only
| haven. Dropping at last from the
ramparts. he Joined this retreat. But
him only some thirty of his men: the
rest had been caught in their beds.
Old Baldo gave him a coat of mail.
Young Foresto brought him his sword
and shield. Climbing the keep-wall,
Cercamorte squinted down into the
murky courtyard That whole place
now swarmed with his foes.
Arrows began to fly. round OBJ
i ject sailed through the air and landed
| in the keep; 1t was the head of the
! Arabian.
who are these people?" asked
Baido. while rapidly shooting at them
with bow. "Ai! they have fired the
barracks. Now we shall make them
out"
The flames leaped MP in great
| sheets, producing the effect of an in
i fernal noon. The masses in the
| courtyard surged forward at the keep
with a thunderous outcry:
"Grangioia! Grangioia! Havoc on
Cereamorte"
! morte!"
God and the Monfalcone"
| Strike for Zaladino! Havoc on
Cercamorteo
Lapo barred his teeth at them. Half
| of Lombardy seems to be here. Well.
my Baldo. before they make an end
/ of US shall We show them some little
tricks?"
You have said it. Cercamorte. One
! more good scuffle. with parade OF
all our talent
! The assailants tried beams against
/ the keep gate: the defenders shot
them down or hurled rocks upon
their heads. But on the wall of the
keep Cercamorte's half-clad men fell
sprawling, abristle with feathered
F., shook it on its hinges. Lapo drew
his surviving soldiers back into the
hall.
He ordered torches stuck into all
/ the wall-rings. and ranged his men
| on the dais. Behind them, in the
doorway leading to the upper cham
| bers and the high tower. he saw his
j wife. wild-looking. and whittier than
her robe.
Go back. Madonna. 1t is only your
| family calling with some of their
| friends. ! entered Grangioia Castle
abruptly; now it is tit for tat
The crone brought two helmets.
which Lapo and Baldo put on. Then.
F, drawing their long swords, they
| awaited the onset.
The keep gate yielded. and into the
! hall came rushing a wave of peaked
! dais the wave paused, since in it were
| those who could not forego the JOY
| of taunting Lapo Cercamorte before
killing him. So, suddenly. all his an
| tagonists contemplated him in si-
| lence. as he crouched above them
with his sword and shield half raised.
| his very armor seeming to -emanate
! force. cunning and peril.
| Foul monster" muff1ed voice
! shouted. Now you come to your
| DEATH
! Now we viii give your carcass to
the wild beasts, your brothers!"
f! Let my daughter pass through"
ba wled old Grangioia: then, receiving
| no response. struck clumsily a Lapo.
! With a twist of his sword Lapo
disarmed the old man, calling out:
Keep off. kinsman. l will not shed
! Grangioia blood unless you force me
! to it, Let Mutt come forward. Or
yonder gentleman dressed up in the
| white eagles of Este. which should
J hide their heads with their wings,
SO long and faithfully have 1 served
them"
| But none was ignorant of Cerca-
morte's prowess: SO. after a moment
of seething. they all came at him to-
gether.
| The sword blades rose and fell so
swiftly that they seemed to be arcs of
light; the deafening clangor was
| pierced by the howls of the dying.
The dais turned red-men slipped on