Adventure, June 1911 — page 69: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

sir John Hawkwood: and will come to such an end as will make you envy the traitor Cagliari!” “That is as may be,” I answered, shrug- ging. ‘Whatever my fate proves, I shall never envy you, my Lord Ranucio. But here is Madonna Violante returned to bear witness that I have not cut the Princess’ throat or robbed her of her jewels!” Della Torre’s wife paused beside us, as calm and composed as ever. ‘The Princess is unhurt,” she said to her husband, “and has met with no injury save the outrage of the seizure, for which this man must an- swer to the Prince. Come, we have done our errand; let us get back to Verona.” Della Torre helped her to her horse, mounted his own, and made me a low and mocking bow. OF arewell, Sir John,” he sneered. . ‘We give you thanks for your courtesy. When we meet again, I think we Shall’stand on a very different footing!” “Since truthfulness and plain-speaking are a soldier’s virtues,” I answered coolly, ’“T must tell you with all frankness that it would not greatly displease me were we never to meet again.’ “TI believe it!” he cried, with a mocking laugh. “‘But*the Prince desires otherwise . —and the Prince’s will be done, say I!” Again he saluted me, and they moved slowly out of*the court-yard. Iturned to O’Meara. ‘‘She did not come here ito pass the time of day with the Prin- cess,” I said, knitting my brows. “What have they got in their minds?” He shook his head. “I’ve no power to read thoughts, but it’s mischief,’’ he said. ““Ah, I hate her—that woman! Were I Della Torre, I would have cut her throat the day after the wedding, except for the fact that I would never have wedded her at all!” CHAPTER XXI THE WAITING ef HE day passed uneventfully, and the night, and the next day. Under this inactivity lay something that menaced me —something that I would learn when it was too late. Madonna Violante’s coming had one visi- ble result—it wrought a change in the Prin- cess’ behavior. Hardly had the little troop ridden away from the castle when she sent for me. “You are shrewd enough to know, Sir John, that two helpless girls can not fly 255 across a moat,” she said, with some scorn, “and therefore you surely need not fear to let us go where we please within the castle walls. J am not accustomed to imprison- ment, and it wearies me. As for Madonna Francesca, she is pining likea bird in a cage.” I was willing enough to grant her request, for, now that my men believed they-were to gain a rich reward for taking her to Padua, she was quite safe at their hands. ‘Surely, Princess, go where you please,” I answered. “T would have given you the freedom of the castle sooner had I guessed you would care to.wander about it.” She shrugged slightly. good in moping over what can not be helped,’’ she said coldly. ‘Come, Francesca, we will go on the battlements and breathe Spring air again, since our jailer is pleased to be merciful.” After that they roamed the castle at their will. More than once I found her ques- tioning one of my men in her haughty fashion, and getting answers that were roughly civil. Most of the time she sat on the battlements gazing off in the direction of _ Verona. O’Meara was often with them, for the sight of Francesca seemed to draw him like a magnet; and though «the Princess treated him very coldly at first, I think she ended by liking him, as indeed few people in the world could have failed to do after a brief acquaintance. As for me, I held to myself and spent my time in solitude. If there were hours when I longed to join the group, if at times the Princess’ proud pale face beckoned me even as Francesca’s merry mocking eyes drew the Irishman, I was too proud to yield. She scorned and distrusted me when I was freely risking my life to help her. Very good, she should not have my hateful company to endure. I preferred to pass lonely hours in the castle hall, thinking of many things, wishing vaguely that I might wipe out ten years of my life and live them over in a different fashion. Oh, I was not too happy, and if there were sins in my life I think I paid the price of them in those days when I held the Princess prisoner for the sake of her own good. IT WAS near nightfall of the second } day, and for hours I had been strug- gling fiercely with the longing to see the Princess. I cursed myself angrily for a fool. Far better to stay alone, to save at GomicdooksEeo ‘There is small |