Mezzoni the Brigand — page 122: what you’re looking at

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

ae ~—> cod ~~ 4 rs oe rr Yee bh ks a ae a4 < a os * —~ 114 MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. | young American went on eating a hearty meal, but soon observed his companions nodding their heads, and one declared that the brandy was good, but dused strong. In fifteen minutes after partaking of the liquor the two men and the woman were sound asleep, with their heads upon the table. He made sure of this. . The morphine had done its work! Time was very precious—there was not one mo- ment to lose. Walter now hastened for the suit of clothes, and opening Marion’s door, forthe first time since her confinement there, he saw the young Eng- lish girl, and spoke to her. She instantly gave him both her hands, still pausing long enough to assure herself that it was really Walter Hammond under that strange and puzzling disguise. He kissed the hands she had given him, while tears ran down her own cheeks. He said: “Quick! Noceremony, Marion. I will leave you’ foramoment. Put these on at once.” “T will.”’ She obeyed like a child, and when Walter came back to her, a few moments afterward, she was dressed and looked like a boy. Stopping an instant to thrust some provisions into his pocket, Walter seized Marion’s arm, looked sharply at the sleepers, and together they stole away from the plateau. A momentary observation was taken, and Walter laid his course by means of the pocket compass, saw that his revolvers were in perfect order, ready for instant use, and gave the dirk-knife to Marion, Say- ing: ‘Put this in a handy place about your person, as a last resort, if the worst comes to the worst. Do not shudder; we must be prepared.”’ comicboo Se