Adventure Magazine Cover — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

The Way of Sinners It was locked. “Open!” I called. There was a pause. ‘“‘Who is there?”’ came a woman’s voice. Now I perceived clearly what was to happen; and before answering, I drew my pistolet from my belt. “The Captain Francesco di Vitali, com- manding this castle.”’ There was another pause; then: “Cosimo!” cried the countess angrily. “Sentry!” Of course there was no answer. I hoped that she would come storming to the door, and save violence, but she did not. After that call, there was silence in the room. “Will the countess open?” I asked, put- ting the muzzle of the pistolet to the door- lock. She made no reply to this; so, without further ado, I blew the bolt and its socket to the other side of the room, thrust the door open with my shoulder and entered in a cloud of smoke. The countess, at the other end of the room, was tugging at the fasten- ings of a window which looked down into the court; and at the sound of the explosion, she had hesitated in the midst of her project to call aid from her guardsmen there below— there was a group of them, most like listen- ing to what Cosimo, the late sentry, had had to tell of my message. Now she stared at me with a most strange expression of countenance—as what won- der? Doubtless, from the moment first she drew breath, this was the first time her lightest wish had been disregarded by any one save her brother. “Your pardon, lady,” I said gently. At this, which she took for a sign of weakness and of fear on my part, I saw her become pale with rage; and her hand ap- proached her bosom, as if to seek a dagger. Therefore: “T had an urgent question to ask your Ladyship, concerned with the defense of this place; and moreover, I wished to make clear who commandeth here. ’Tis I, and no other— If the countess attacks me with that stiletto, it will be taken from her and she will be placed under arrest.” She had the knife in her hand, and had already advanced one step, intending to stab me. At my words, however, she halted, and looked me in the eyes furiously; yet withal, as if measuring the earnestness of my intent. 143 “By whose order?” she asked slowly. “By mine, since I command here; by the Duke Allessandro’s in fine, since I command here by virtue of his commission.” “Then ’tis thy conceit that I am nothing in this castle?’ she demanded. “‘On the contrary, the Countess’ authority can much assist mine own. That is where- fore I do not wish it weakened before the men; as certes it will be if your Ladyship forces me to imprison her.” We stood in silence for a long time, while she convinced herself that I meant what I had said; and while she essayed, by her haughty look, to convince me that the power was on her side, not on mine. In this she failed; and, seeing she had failed, she thought a moment, smiled and threw the stiletto down upon a table. Following this, she flung herself down on a great silken couch by the window—whose armorial bla- zons in stained glass threw brilliant colors upon the white silk of her dress—and re- garded me, still smiling. “What is thine urgent question concern- ing the defense of this place, Signor Cap- tain?’ she asked; and I have no doubt she looked as beautiful at that moment as ever she did afterward; but I saw it not; she had as well smiled at a wooden man, such was then my attitude toward all women. “T would ask your Ladyship if, when counseling the seizure of this place from the count, his Highness the duke did say when he might relieve it from siege.” “When he should have troops free from his other affairs.” “Ts there any knowledge of when that may be?” “In a month’s time, belike. But why?” “Ts there any method by which the duke might be reached by a messenger, begging aid at an earlier date?”’ “Is not rather that thy business, seeing thou’rt in command, Signore Captain?” “T ask for information.” “I, too, asked for information; but I have had no reply. Why this eagerness for the raising of the siege?” “Because we have not food enough in the castle for a fortnight, much less a month.” “TI have heard of sorties to reprovision.” “There are no sorties of the kind to be made with infantry, madame,” I told her, “nor with fifty horse against ten times the number. Moreover, the Count Roberto will return to the investment, with still COMICoo <S) C©