Adventure Magazine Cover — page 163: what you’re looking at

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

The Way of Sinners and then, looking at the floor, he shook his head mournfully. “To say?” I rasped at him. He looked at me again. “T have naught to say, Captain,” he re- plied. ‘You are in command; what you shall decide to do is doubtless for the best. Doubtless.” ‘“‘Which is better, then,” says I, “for all of us to be hanged, or to gain alliance with Scarlatti, and rule half Italy?” “That is for you to decide,” says Bene- detto. He paused, making up his mind to speak further. “Considering that if we are hanged, we are honorable corpses, whereas in the other event—” ‘“‘Ayer In the other event?” But he would not name dishonor to my face; even in his desperation he stopped at that. “T mean that save for money, which we spend in taverns and brothels,” says he slowly, ‘‘all we gain from a life of peril and hardship, Francesco, is the right to carry a flag. Once that flag had been dragged in the mud, meseems our gain would be ex- pended.” ‘“‘And if we are hanged?” ‘We should be expended,” says Bene- detto, with a sort of stiff smile, ‘“‘but that which we have fought for, would remain.” This struck me so that I quivered, and could say no more then. | “Neatly argued, Signor Benedetto.” “It is not argued, Captain,” says he eravely. “It is but stated as it appears to me.” “Happily,” I sneered, “it is not the ap- pearances in your eyes which dictate our action.” He bowed his head. “T depart this night to seek Matteo Scarlatti; you will remain in command of the castle.”’ “Alone, Captain, or in conjunction with the Countess Anita?” There was more in his tone than the words said; he meant that Anita was to blame for this action which he did not ap- prove; that he detested her more than any human being alive, and that he would sooner have accepted a joint command with Judas Iscariot; however, it was by his words alone that he could be answered; and so I said: 157 “You will carry on the defense as it hath been carried on heretofore; it will be a short trial; for three days should see me back; if not three days, then eternity, and canst make thyself a clean new flag; I bequeath thee the troop.”’ The poor fellow’s face contorted. “Francesco!” he cried, holding out his hands. And I looked at him, cold as ice. “Well?” Alas, alas! He recovered himself, and turned the twisting of his features into a false grin, and the gesture of his arms into a salute. “Nothing, Captain,” says he; and, when I nodded his dismissal, turned smart about, and went soldierly from the room. Now I had but two ordeals to overpass— my leave-taking of Anita, and my leaving of the castle; it was to the preparations for this latter that I did first give my attention. The rope by which the messenger had ascended was still at the turret window, and I gave orders that it should be kept so. It was too late now, and ’twould have been bootless in any case, to command secrecy as to mine errand; as I returned from the tur- ret to vest myself for the venture, I per- ceived the men of the wall-guard look at me with eyes that announced their knowledge of the plan; their looks were various, as be- came the diversity of their natures, but I was in no frame of mind to be counting expressions. Only, long afterward, did I remember the eyes of one man, sentry by the cresset to the right of the main gate. He was one of the countess’ guard, and I knew him not by name; I had disciplined him somewhat severely ere that, and as I passed, his regard, reflecting the fire above him, glowed red like the ray of a ruby. Of armor, I had no need; if I were caught, armor would not avail me, if I were not, it would but hamper my speed. A leather COmiclboooks.cO©