The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-07-22

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|parel, with golden hair and hand
some, dreamy eyes of a blue as
dark as sapphires. Cesare held
him in great regard, knowing him
valiant, resourceful and ambitious.
Tonight he regarded him with a
fresh interest, in view of what at
the magician's he had overheard.
The duke waved his officers to
their seats about his council board,
and craved of Della Volpe, who
was in charge of the siege opera
tions, news Of the fortress of San
Leo.
The veterans swarthy face was
gloomy. His single eye-he had
lost the other in the dukes SER
vice avoided his masters penc-
trating glance. He sighed YEARLY.
We make no progress" he con-
fessed, "nor can make any. San
Leo is not place to be carried by
assault, as your Magnifcence well
knows. It stands there upon its
mountain-top like a monument on
a plinth, approached by bride
path offering no cover. And, for
all that it is reported to be held
by scarcely more than a score Of
men, a thousand cannot take it..
There is no foothold at the summit
for more than a dozen men at a
time, and as for using guns against
it, it were easier to mount park
of artillery upon a fiddle string"
"Yet until San Leo is ours we
are not fully masters of Urbino, !"
said the duke. "We cannot leave
the place in the hands of Flora
vanti."
eve shall have to starve him
out them" said Della Volpe.
'And that would take year at
least" put in Corella, who had
been gathering information. sThey
have great stores of wheat and
other vituals and they are watered
by a well in the inner bailie Of
the fortress. With few mouths to
feed, as they have, they can hold
us in check forever"
"There is a rumor today" said
Della Volpe, "that the Lord Flora
vanti is sick, and that it is feared
he may not live"
"Not a doubt but Venice will say
/ poisoned him." said Cesare sneer-
ing. "Still, even if he dies, it will
be no gain to us. There is his cas-
tellan, Tolentino, to take his place
and Tolentino is the more obstinate
of the two. We must consider a
way to be vigilant, and hold the
path against ALL"
Della Volpe inclined his head.
81 have taken all my measures
for that" he said.
And now young Castrocaro STIR
red in his chair, leaning forward
across the table. "By your leave .
said he, "those measures may not
SUFFICE
Della Volpe frowned, rolled his
single eye, which was preternatur-
ally fierce, and scowled contemp-
tuously upon this young cockerel
whose pretense it seemed to be to
teach that war-battered old cap
tain the art of beleaguering.
"There is another way to reach
San Leo" Castrocaro explained;
and drew upon himself the atten-
ton of all, particularly the duke;
in whose fine eyes there cleaned
now an eager interest very unusual
in him. Castrocaro met with con-
fident smile this sudden and gen.
eral alertness he had provoked.
'It is not" he explained, "such
way by which a company can
go, bat sufficient to enable bold
man who is acquainted with it to
bear a message, and, at need, even
victuals into the fortress. There
fore it will be necessary that Mes
ser Della Volpe surround the en-
tire base of the rock if he would
be sure that none shall slip thru
his lines
"You are certain of what you
tell US ?" quoth the duke sharply.
"Certain!" echoed Castrocaro;
and he smiled. "The way of which
I speak lies mainly to the south
of the rock. 1t is perilous even for
a goat, yet it is practicable with
care to one who knows it. Myself,
as boy, have made the ascent
more often than I should have
cared to tell my mother. In quest
of an eagles nest I have more
than once reached the little plateau
that thrusts out under the very
wall of the fortress on the south
ern side. Thence, to enter the cas-
tie, all that would be needed would
be rope and graphing hook;
for the wall is extremely low just
there mot more than twelve Feet
high"
The duke pondered the young
soldier with very thotful eyes, in
silence, for some moments.
81 shall further consider this, "
he said at length. meanwhile, I
thank you for the information.
You have heard, Della Volpe. You
will profit by what Castrocaro tells
us, encircling the base entirely
with your troops"
Della Volpe bowed, and upon
that the council rose.