The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-08-05

lOF Tie CLIIu Lille, ne lSlC d CeICait
pity for the soldier whose spirit
he must inevitably liberate from
its earthly prison-house that night
He uncoiled the rope from his
body, stood back, and swung the
graphing hook moment, taking
aim, then hurled it upwards. 1t
scared above the wall, and fell be-
You'd, between two merlons, then
thudded softly against the mason
ry, the straw in which he had the
foresight to swathe it muffling
the sound of the metal.
He pulled gently on the rope,
hoping that the hooks would fasten
upon some projection in the stone
or lodge within some crevice. But
neither happened. The hooks came
to the summit of the wall, and
toppled back, falling at his feet
Again he repeated the operation,
with like result; but at the third
attempt the hooks took hold. lie
swung his entire weight upon the
rope to test the grip, and found
that it held firmly.
But now the sentry's return
warned him that the moment was
unpropitious. So he waited, intent
ly listening, crouching at the wallis
foot, until the man had passed
and his footsteps were once more
receding in the distance.
Then he began the ascent in
sailor fashion, hauling himself up
hand over hand, his feet against
the masonry to tighten the labor
OF his arms. Thus he came swiftly
to the top of the wall, and kneit
there, between two merlons, peer
ing down into the black courtyard.
All was silent. Save for the tramp
OF the sentry, who was now turn.
ing the northwestern angle of the
ramparts, as Messer Lorenzo right
~ judged, no sound disturbed the
stiffness of the place.
He loosed the hooks from TIE
crevice in which they had fastened.
lie flung them wide, the rope with
them, and sent them hurting over
the precipice, that there might be
no evidence of the manner of his
coming. Then he dropped SOFTLY
down upon the parapet. exultino
to realize that his journey was ac-
complished, and that he was with
in the fortress.
His mission was all but ended
Inc rest was easy. Within a few
moments the Borgia troops would
De pouring into San Leo and the
soldlers OF the garrison, surprised
In their beds, would make a very
ready surrender. It no longer APP
peared even necessary to Messer
Lorenzo to butcher that single SEN
try. If he but wisely chose his
for the unbarring of the
gates, the whole thing might be
done without the mans susnicions
beng aroused until it was too late
indeed, it was the safer course.
Tor, after all, if he came to grapple
with the soldier, there was always
the chance that the fellow might
cry out and give the alarm before
Castrocaro could dispatch him.
RESOLVED thus upon that score.
ne moved forward swiftly yet very
cautiously, and gained a flight of
stone steps that wound down into
the inner bailie. This he descended
and so reached the quadrangle.
Round this vast square he moved
keeping well within the shadows,
until he came to the gateway OPP
enlng upon passage that ran
past the guard room on one side
and the chapel upon the other,
into the outer bailie of the fort
ress.
In the gateway he crouched, and
waited until the sentry, who was
coming around again, should have
passed once more to the castl.'s
northern side. No window over
looking the courtyard showed a
single light; the place was wrap
pedN in slumber.
Messer Lorenzo waited calmly,
his pulse quite regular. Should the
door be locked, then he must return
deal with the sentry, and make
his way to the main gates by the
battlements. But it was unlikely
that such such would be the case.
High up, Immediately before
him upon the ramparts, he saw
the sentry, passing slowly. pike
on shoulder, black shadow dim
~ outlined against the blue-black,
star-flecked dome of sky. He
watched him as he passed on and
around all unsuspicious, and so
vanished once more. Then, very
softly, Messer Lorenzo tried the
latch of that big door. It yielded
silently to his pressure and a black
tunnel gaped before him. He en-
tered it, and very softly closed the
door again on the inside. Then he
paused, reflecting that were he to
go straight forward and pass out
into the northern court he must
risk detection by the sentry, who
was now on the northern battle
ments. Therefore he must. wait un-
til the fellow should come around
again.
Interminable seemed his wait
this time, and once he fancied that