Mezzoni the Brigand — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

Vs “yw ae,> > s : >, “oe ¥ v Ad » + . oN te “ MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. 3” ‘‘By a heavy scar under his left eye, caused by a saber cut, I should say. It was an ugly wound, and in a very conspicuous place.’’ ‘Il saw that,’’ said the other. ‘I wonder if our driver was in league with the ras- cals?’’ said the colonel, in a low voice. ‘I do not think so—he was too thoroughly fright- ened. There was no pretense about that. Even when he started up again he could hardly hold his reins.”’ The reader must not think that the situation was an easy one for Colonel Bray. What could he do? If he went to the authorities and demanded their aid, and troops were sent into the mountains to hunt up the robbers, he would simply imperil his child’s life, but he could not hope to liberate her by such means. It was not a desire to punish the villains that now actuated him. It was to obtain possession of his child alive and unharmed, that he must strive. He knew enough of the system pursued by the brigands to be- lieve that Marion would be safe in all respects so long as there was a reasonable prospect of the pay- ment of the ransom. His policy was then clear. Antagonistic means were to be avoided. But the matter of the ransom was a serious one to him. He was not worth the amount of the sum de- manded, being only an officer on half pay, and of very limited means otherwise. He began at once to see the awkwardness of his situation. He would give his very life to save his child, but that would not ac- complish it. The brigands would have nothing short of the sum demanded—argument was of no avail. Let those who think it. so easy to bring the law to bear upon such a case, and to recover a lost one under such circumstances, recall the facts in the Eomicboo “S (ef)