The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-08-12

save you from a whipping" said
he gravely.
s1'll need no weightier a mes
sage than the one / BEAR" was Tie
sharp answer. "The duke shall
hear of these indignities to which
you are subjecting one he loves,
and who has run great peril in his
service"
His dignity, his air of injury
was now overwhelming. Sand
mark you, sir, it is not the way TO
treat an envoy, this. Were my duty
to the duke less than it is, or my
message of less moment, | should
depart as / have come. But he shall
hear of the reception I have had,
rest assured of that"
Tolentino, shuffled i'll at ease.
"Sir," he cried, protesting, 81
swear the fault is yours. Who,
pray, are you, to visit me with
your .reproofs? If I have failed
in courtesy it was you provoked
me. Am I to bear the gibes of ey-
cry popin-jaw who thinks he can
discharge my duties better than
/? Enough sir!" He waved great
hand, growing dignifed in his turn
Deliver the message that you
bearS And he held out that mas
sive hand of his in expectation of
a letter.
But Messer Lorenzo's pretense
was, of necessity, that he bore his
message 4bys word of mouth.
II am hidden by my lord to en-
join you to make surrender with
the honors of war, which shall be
conceded you by the duke of Val
entinois,' said he; and seeing the
surprise, doubt, and suspicion that
instantly began to spread upon
Tolentino's face for all to read, ne
launched himself into explanations.
"Cesare Borgia has made terms
with Duke Guidobaldo, and has
promised him certain compensa-
lions if all the fortresses of his
dominions make surrender without
more ado. These terms my lord
has been advised to accept, since
by refusing them nothing can he
hope to gain, whilst he may lose
all. Perceiving this, and satisfied
that by prolonging it's resistance
San Leo can only be postponing it's
ultimately inevitable surrender and
by that postponement the
loss of much valuable life, Duke
Guidobaldo has sent me to bid
you, in his name, capitulate forth
with"
1t had specious ring. It was
precisely such message as the
humanitarian duke might well
nave sent, and the profit to ac-
rue to himself from the surrender
ne enjoined seemed also a likely
enough contingency. Yet the
'hrewd Tolentino had his doubts,
doubts which might never have as
sailed another.
Wrinkles increased about his
ierce black eyes as he bent them
low upon the messenger.
"You will have letters of this
enor from my lord?" he said.
I have none" replied Lorenzo,
assembling his uneasiness.
Now, by Bacchus, that is odd"
"Nay, sir, consider" said the
7oung man too hastily, the danger |
I my carrying such letters. Should |
hey be found upon me by the Bor-
ria troops, T."
He checked, somewhat awkward |
y, perceiving his mistake. Tolen-
inc smacked his thigh with his
pen hand, and the room rang with
ne sound of it. He sprang up.
Sir, SIR said he, with GER
ain grimness, eve must under
tand each other better. You saw !
hat you bring me certain orders |
o act upon certain matter that |
las been concerted between VAL |
'ntlnois and my lord, and you talk
II danger to yourself in bearing
'uch orders in a letter. Be patient |
With me if | do not understand.
folentino's accents were unmis-
akably sardonic. $50 desirable is
t from the point of view of Val
,ntinois that such commands
should reach me, that he could not
lave failed to pass you unmolested
through his troops. Can you ex-
plain where l am wrong in these
?"
There but remained for ,Messer
Lorenzo to put upon the matter
he best face possible. A gap was
5awnlng at his feet. He saw It all
90 plainly. He was lost, it seemed.
That explanation, my lord. no
ioubt, will furnish you, should you
seek it from him. 1 hold it not. Il |
vas not given me, nor had / the
presumption to request it." He
spoke calmly and proudly, for all
hat his heart-beats had quickened.
and IN his last words there was a
certain yelled reproof of the 9TH
sr's attitude. When" he contin-
led, 81 said that it would have
'een dangerous to have given ME
etters, l but put forward, to an
'Wer you, the explanation which
occurred to me at the moment. 1
lad not earlier considered the mat
er. l now see that / was wrong
n my assumption"