Mezzoni the Brigand — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

Aw Se ag hae ee a OMe Te fe Se ee . Pa ” * « -- -_ . a ae 4 ; " . - * he » y - . ~ ‘ / - = 4 . : MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. 91 nearly starve himself, and when brought to the cave he had not tasted food for twenty-four hours. All this, of course, added to the plausibility of his story. He had carefully stained his flesh to look like that of one accustomed to great exposure, and had freely added a coat of dirt over all. His success was complete. ‘“You are growing fat and hearty,” said the lieu- tenant of the gang to him one day. ‘Ah! we were overworked on board ship and half-starved,’’ was the reply. : ‘‘And here you have nothing to do, and all day to do it in,” laughingly replied the other. ‘“One mends PALA, in the mountain air; it is bet- ter than at sea.’ “You were a very sorry sight when you first Came in,’’ said the lieutenant. . ‘Ves, I was nearly starved, and had been lost for days in the mountains.” “You were hungry enough, and ate ten men’s ra- tions on that first meal.’’ The officers and men chatted familiarly with him now. There was no longer any restraint between them. He made himself pleasant company by the stories which he told, and was really a growing favorite. ‘Where is your captain?’ he asked of the lieuten- ant, who had just been talking with him. ‘‘He doesn’t appear among us unless there is busi- ness on hand.”’ ‘‘Mezzoni they call him?” “Ves, 99 ‘“Where does he live?”’ ‘No one asks questions about Mezzoni. None know Eomicbooks.co