The vintage season came and went; the roses faded in the gardens of the Palazzo Sforza, and the trees put on their autumn garb of gold.

October was upon us, and with it came, at last, the fear that long ago should have spurred us into activity.

And now that it came it did not come to stimulate, but to palsy.

Terror-stricken at the conquering advance of Valentino--which was the name they now gave Cesare Borgia; a name derived from his Duchy of Valentinois--Giovanni Sforza abruptly ceased his revelling, and made a hurried appeal for help to Francesco Gonzaga, Lord of Mantua--his brother-in-law, through the Lord of Pesaro's first marriage.

The Mantuan Marquis sent him a hundred mercenaries under the command of an Albanian named Giacomo.