Mezzoni the Brigand — page 157: what you’re looking at

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

eA | MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. 149 upon his face, and firing the pistol square at Wal- ter’s breast. But quick as the robber had been in his move- ments, he was no more prompt than was the young American, who pulled the trigger of his revolver at the same instant. The men were so near together that the concussion of the two weapons would have been sufficient, or nearly so, to throw them .to the ground. At any rate both fell, with this difference, that the bandit did not rise again, while Walter Hammond was.on his feet in an instant. He felt the blood trickling down his arm, though he said noth- ing about it, but hastened past the dying Vecchio, only urging his frightened companion to greater speed. As he passed the robber’s body, the man who had been shot through the breast and lungs, fal- tered out: ‘‘T believe you are the devil!”’ But Walter did not pause to bandy words, saying only to himself, as he pushed forward: | ‘‘T have seven shots left.’’ 5 “This I take to be the outskirts of Resina,”’ said he, amoment later. “Ifso, and we can hire a con- veyance, we may reach Naples by midnight.”’ Marion’s face brightened with hope. Fortune seemed to favor them entirely, for a few moments later they found a market man, with a light vehicle and a small tub of vegetables, on his way to the city, driving leisurely along, knowing very well that he had ample time to reach his destination be- fore the dawn of day. The moon was now dazzlingly bright, rendering every object more than distinctly visible. Walter stopped the man, and told him that it was Soe | | comicbooks.co