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Show .... - - v .... i ' ' t 1 6' ' j t r , :t ; " t : i . ; - ' c - ; ' t 1 ; t , r ; i r. 1 1.; 2 ' v - r & l C " '" ' ' -lit.'.. t c c-.. -at l.t.-t. Jaccro, t -s . t f j own vi jlc- t exertions, ' I to; t. -.. .. ,ia t..:a exhau 1 - ett )::. tre; tojan to W. t.r. 1 1 a hni to trr.t!. Thn t-. '-r f : rar? fwr-ard, and atuckel 1- : i in h.a turn, vith the light cf a, e-uJ-n anl terrllle gladness upon tls tea!j:..-l fice, which mae the hardest t;c; 3 tar (' iJJer as they saw It. T:e X,..or.l da. -,ed aside the point J:;t as It rfjche-i Llm, but the second" time an orr.lr.ous stain cf crimson on Ms white vest si.owel that the parry had. con: all but too late. They closed a third tl.e there was a quick tramp- -l:r..r ct ft-et, a cla?h of steel, a hoars,! ch-Xrr curse and the destroyer of d rrar.y lives lay dead at the straoger'a feet, flerced through the heart. .The momentary pause of silent stuped faction was tu.lweJ by long-continue--' thur.ifrs of applause, whlls the 1. - QUt-ss Ci Eo&la, Sceo-.lnsly much plg held out to the conqueror the hf purse containing: the stakes; but t latter, to every one's surprise, . wav It haughtily away. ' -Jloney that Is stained with bl?. J ' shall never toe touched by my hana,"f : he said. In a tone of such commanding, dignity as to impress even the proui old noble to whom he spoke. "Give It to the widows and the orphan children of the men whom this wretch hath slain." "And who art thou, fair sir, I pray thee?" asked the marquesa looking: af him wondertcgly. . "I am from Scotland,' answered th victorious youth, "and jny came, Is i James Crichton! - -The Admirable Criehtonr ehoatef the throng-, with one role haniruj th ' renowned Scot by the title which he bait already made famous throughout ali Europe. . "Ay, Admirable Crichton, ia coool sooth," cried the Marquess Jt Seals, "and never more truly admirable than when he thus risks his life to punish) the g-uilty. and rives up hia well yroxt (rains to relieve the distressed." "C . r !! ha-,? j 1 '! At i 1 s C'i f 1 ' ' ' 1 i' . ; r f Jd ; t ' " ' Tl 'j : .. uri. ' t, i ; . ' ( I til. 1 s'-i T 1 . , a f J s- : ' -r i)vrr.:r.? lit :t j cf tie rlxtetr.th r : . ry. ' 4 j fu.IU lent to a i her an t 1 ' i rcur.1 the si-eakcr t' - I . -t 3 Uttered it; fur Jaco; I 11 i ; . J" larly known as "Jaioio tl. 1 ' c ! w man," from his deadly Fl.ill in f. :. !" was wlJt-ly renownej a- tl 1 r t formidable ptlze-f.ghter i.i all It'.y, althoughaccording al-thoughaccording to the cu-tjrti it those times he fought, not vUh 1.13 Csts, but with his sword. The redoubtable Jaco;o ha 1 e'.-r.i.y killed three or four fencers cf re. wn, who had ventured to enc-our.ter. l.i:n; and then, finding that people a; s eared to be getting rsther shy of tesun? Ms prowess, he had lately issued a formal ! challence to all, comers, and had offered to stake a pretty large sum of money upon the result. This challenge, however, had already been thrice repeated without any one appearing particularly anxious to accept ac-cept it; and therefore it was no great wonder that, the announcement quoted above should have been received with looks and exclamations of doubt, and even of flat disbelief. "It is Impossible, Maso! (Tom.) No man living would be bo mad." "It must be a Jest and a sorry one, too." "Or else Maso is lying. Confess that thou art- lying, according to thy custom, brother Maso, and we will forgive thee." "Laugh if you will, my friends, said Maso, slightly, affronted, "but I lie not. It stands writ out In the market place, full fair to we, that there is a man ready to meet Jacopo on the seventh morning from today." "Then there is one more fool in town than I thought." grunted a stout armorer, "and there will soon be one less." "Who is the man? Me must be a stranger here, or he would know better." bet-ter." "I cannot tell," said Maso; "for. although al-though his challenge Is fairly writ, there Is no name signed to it." "Then it must needs be a Jeet, growled a sturdy butcher beside him. "No Jest, i'faith." crjed Maso; "for he hath staked one thousand five hundred pistoles on the event." Incredible as Maso's news appeared, however, it was speedily and surely confirmed, and .the tidings of the expected ex-pected combat flew abroad like wild fire, kindling a universal excitement. When the day appointed for the fight came, not only all Florence, but all the country round, seemed to have gathered gath-ered to watch the sport, and In the ranks of the spectators were to be seen young nobles from all the, greatest families in northern Italy. The stage upon which the two champions were to meet was a large platform of smooth planking thickly strewn with sawdust to keep their feet from slipping which, being full thirty feet in length by at least twenty in 'treadth,'gave' ample space for all their movements. At either end of the stage waa a smaller platform, on which stood a tent of white canvas; and upon these tents all eyes were fixed tn eager expectation, ex-pectation, for they hid from sight the heroes. Presently one of the tents was seen to open, and forth stepped the famous Jacopo Bellonl himself, bowing condescendingly conde-scendingly In acknowledgment of the thundering cheers that greeted his appearance. ap-pearance. The renowned swordsman's tall, active, ac-tive, sinewy figure was a perfect model of well-trained agility and strength; but his dark, lean, wolfish face, with, Its hooked nose, sloping forehead, bristly black mustache, sharp white teeth, and fierce, restlesa gray eye which was turned hungrily upon the opposite tent were unpleasantly suggestive sug-gestive of some ferocious beast of prey. And now the other tent opened In its turn, and a long cry of astonishment broke from every lip. The man who was about to encounter the dreaded Bellonl was seen to be a slim, handsome youth, barely 20 years old. so slender In frame, and so smooth and delicate in face. that, but for his lofty stature and the silky mustache on his upper lip, he might have been mistaken for a The bravo snruggea nis Droaa shoulders with a disdainful laugh, and muttered some coarse Jest about "whipping "whip-ping the child back to its mother"; but the young man took no heed of him. Then up rose a fine-looking old man, in a richly embroidered suit of crimson velvet, the Marquess dl Scala, who. as a warden of the Market Place, had charge of the day's proceedings. He announced that this young man staked one thousand five hundred pistoles (nearly one thousand three hundred pounds) against one thousand wagered by Jacopo, adding that, as there was no personal enmity between the two combatants, com-batants, the first wound received by either might fairly end the fight. But here the younger stranger interposed. inter-posed. - "Let me entreat your worship." said he, with stern emphasis, "not to defeat the sole purpose which could have made me stoop to encounter yon cutthroat. cut-throat. It is full time that his murderous murder-ous hand were -stayed from shedding more blood; and with the help of heaven, mine shall be the arm to stay it. Ere I leave this spot, he or I shall lie dead." In the dead hush of universal amassment, amass-ment, those clear, stern, menacing tones rang out like the summons of a destroying angel. The spectator stood aghast, and looked at each other In si-, lence; and even the savage Bellonl seemed cowed, for the scornful smile faded from his lips, and a faint uneasiness un-easiness made Itself visible for the first time through the swaggering Impudence Impu-dence of his look. These signs of wavering waver-ing did not pass unnoticed by the watching crowd, some of whom taunted him with his changed look; on which, stung to the quick, the buUy fiercely shook off his momentary hesitation, and advanced upon his foe with uplifted up-lifted aword. The latter met him with equal readiness, and a deep and solemn hush settled down upon that great multitude as the shininS' blades were seen to croee. $ellonl pressed furiously forward, his sword flickering, like lightning as he deslt thrust after thrust, with a quickness which no eye could follow.- He appeared to be bent upon bearing down his young opponent by sheer strength; but. to his own surprise, sur-prise, and that of every one else, he seemed to have met his match at last. Lunnre after lunge did he make, with seerXnKly irresistible force, and again and a sain did the bystanders draw in their breath as they watched to see the stranger fall; but the thirsty point was |