The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-03-28
Official City and County Paper
From the Protector.
MY ONE ADV ENTURE WITH
THE BRIGANDS.
BY FRANK VAUGHAN.
Concluded

Had Archie been person upon whose
prudence and discretion [ could rely, |
should have proposed to Rocca to leave
him as a hostage and go myself to Naples,
estensibly to negotiate loans for the SUN
required, but really to get the benefit Of
sIrJohn Murray address and experience
ment's reflection convinced me that it
would be unsafe to leave Archie alone in
position of so much risk especially now,
when the complication of woman s
presence vas added to the other dangers.
[ was so absorbed in my own thoughts
during the entire day, that | scarcely no.
siced what direction we took; but as
night drew on we halted, and [ observed
that we were in the midst of dense for
est, and that the sun was going down in
bed of angry. lurid clouds which to a
sailors eye threatened tempest before
many hours should pass. | looked around
for Archie, who had been frequently absent
from Eay side during the afternoon. and
to my surprise saw him at some little dis
lance, in close and serious conversation
with the robber chief
AS L approached the spot where they
stood, he said in his best Italian, but
with twinkle in his eye, which | knew
meant mischief, and which in our boyish
escapades together he had often used as
a signal to me not to oppose him for the
moment. Il have been telling the Sig
nor Capitano, AMIGO MIC, he sal that
this matter of the ransom can be very
easily arranged if he will permit you to
go back to Naples in order TO communi
cate with our friends in England [ will
remain here, where the band can halt for
the necessary time, and in few days you
can rejoin US with the gold
But for the warning conveyed by Arch
les eye, and the certainty that there was
something more intended than met the
ear, should have vetoed the plan at
once.
As it was, l replied that it might be
done If the Signor Capitano would come
to better terms, but se34, 000-it was i'm
possible.
Rocca scowled angrily at me as he turn
ed away, and Archie, as we walked back
to where the huge cauldorn was sending
up its unsavory steam-for one of the
band had captured wandering sheep
that orBing-startled me by saying, in
a quiet. indifferent tone, don't sleep
wink tonight, and be prepared for any
emergency
Meanwhile the clouds had mustered
dark and angry from every quarter Of the
heavens, and the wind, beginning with
9 low wailing moan over the far dis
tant sea, and gathering force and power
as it swept up the mountain gorges, tore
and ragged in the giant trees above US
until they bent like rushes under It's over
whelming might. In a few moments
more the clouds burst, and then deluge
Of rain came pelting down, extinguishing
the fires and swelling the little mountain
streamlets until they swept. like huge
cataracts down the sides of the precipices,
hurrying earth. stones and Ioots Of trees
VITA them as they came.
The brigands made no efforts to pro-
tect themselves against the fury of the
storm, except by laying fat on their faces
with their ''capotes' drawn over their
heads, and had just settled myself in
the same position when Arches voice,
close to my ear, whispered, Come,
quick. there's chance to escape" and
the next moment l was on my feet, my
hand held in strong firm grasp, and
flying, as it seemed to me. on the wings
of tie wind, over brush, brake, and
scaur," headlong, | thought, to certain
death.
On we went, driven at lightning speed
before the wind. in inpenetrablc darkness
and with a noise as of whole legions of
demons and furies bowling above US,
stumbling and falling at one moment and
scrambllng to our feet again the next
now almost buried in AN avalanche of
earth and stones, and again up to our
waists in roaring, rushing stream.
How we lived through it, what devils
or angels brought us through the perils
of that night, God only knows. / have
only an imperfect recollection of being
hurled along, beaten almost 10 q jelly,an
at times nearly stranglcd by the driving
tempest; but still going on, on, on, and
always guided, directed and supported
by the small firm hand which hello mine
IN its iron grasp. At last, after what
seemed to me to be hours of race with
death, there was lull in the tempest, and
/ perceived that the darkness lad yield
ed to dim gray light 1.-The harbinger Of
coming day"
At the same moment We stopped SIM
ultsneousiy, and rubbing the dirt and
stones from my eyes and hair, l perceiv-
ed, to my unuttcrable establishment, that
the guide and director of our mad flight
was the girl whom l had seen in the
morning, the beautiful wife of the robber
chieftain.
A thrill of horror ran through me as |
thought what would be our Inevitable
fate should we be pursued and captured,
and | checked the shout of exhaustion
that was rising to Archie's lips when he
glanced around aud saw that we were free.
flush, hush! signor," said the girl,
her sharp, clear eyes peering upward as
she spoke, 'Roeca knows of our flight by