Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-22
To finish the phrase was too much for
Cape Maufou. He had not the gift of
making long sentences.
CHAPTER IN.
hA1 IN IN.
THE ENVIRONs OF CATANIA.

The ENNIhONS OF CArANIA.
The coast Of Sicily between Aci Reale
and Catania abounds in eapes, and reefs.
ana caves, ana cliffs, and mountains. 1t
races the Iyrrnenian sea Just where the
STRAITS OF Nessina begin. and is immedi-
ately opposite the hills Of Calabria. Such
as the straits with the hills round Etna
were in the days OF Homer so they are To-
day-superb. Ii the forest in which Fnas
received his death has disap-
peared the grotto of Galatea,
the cave Of Polyphemus, the isles
OF the Cyclops, and a little to the north
ecyila and Charybdls are still in their
historic places, and we can set foot on
the very spot where the Trojan hero
landed when he came 10 found his new
kingdom.
That the giant Polyphemus is credited
wlth exp OTIS to which our Herculean
cape Matltou could not pretend 1t NAV
perhaps be we'll to remember. But Cape
MarlIou had the advantage of being alive,
While Polyphemus had been dead some
5000 years--if he ever existed, notwita-
standing the story of Ulysses. Rechos
mas remarked that it is not unlikely that
the celebrated Cyclops was simply Etna,
"the crater Of which during eruption
glares like an immense eye at the summit
OF the mountain, and sends down from tue
top of the cliffs the rocky tringes which
become islets and reefs like the Farag-
liOnl.
These Faraglioni, situated few hun
dred yards from the shore bv the road 10
Catania, now doubled by the rilwav from
Syracuse 70 Messina, are the ancient ISL
ands OF the CyciOps. The cave OF Poly
phemus is not far off, and along the whole
coast there is heard that peculiar roar
which the sea always makes Whenit beats
against basaltic rocks.
Half way along these rocks on the even
lng OF August 70 TWO men were to be seen
quite Indifferent to the charms OF historic
associations, but conversing OF certain
matters that the Siciltan gendarmes would
not have been sorry to hear,
One OF these men was Zirone. The other.
who had just come by the Catania road,
was Carpena.
You are late" exclaimed Zirone. al
really thought that Malta had vanished
like Julia, her old neighbor. and that
you were food for the tunnes and boni-
cous at the bottom OF the Mediterranean. I"
1t was obvious that although fifteen
years had passed over the head of Sar-
cany's companion, neither his loquacitv
nor his natural effrontery had left him.
With his hat over his ear, a brownish
cape over his shoulders, leggings laced
up to the knee. he looked what ne was.
and what he had never ceased to be-
a bandit
81 could not come any sooner" answer
ed Carpena, land it was only this morn
Ing | landed at Catania."
"You and your men,"
'Yes."
s'Twelye."
us that all?''
''Yes, but good onesp
'Manderaggio teIlowsY'
"a few, and chiefly Maltese"
"GOod recruits, but not enough of them /:
the last few months times have been
rough and cOstlyl The gendarmes have
begun to swarm in Sicily, and they will
soon get as thick as-well, if your goods
are good"
81 think so Zirone, and you will see
when you try them. Besides, | have
brought with me jolly fellow, an old
acrobat from the shows, active and art
iul, of whom you can make a girl If
you like, and who will be of great use,
fancy"
"W hat was he doing at MaltaW
"Watches when he had an opportunity,
handkerchiefs when he could not get
Watches"
And his nameY
''Pescador."
''Good!' said Zirone. eve will see
how to use his talents and his intel
ligence. Where have you put your
menp'
CAT the inn at Santa Grotta above
Nicolosi''
And you are going to begin again there
as landlord?7
Tomorrow"
"No, tonight" answered Zirone,
''when have received my new orders. /
am waiting here for the train from Mes
sina. am going to get message from
ITS last carriage"
"a message from-him?v
"Yes-frOm bim-with his marriage
that never comes off ne obliges me to work
for my living! Bah! What would not
fellow do for such triendY'
AT this moment a distant roar that
could not be mistaken for the roar of the
surf was heard along the Catanlan shore.
IL was the train Zrone was waiting for,
Carpena and he then climbed up the rocks,
and ia few moments they were along
side the line.
Two whistles, as the train entered
short tunnel, told them it was near. Its
spe was nOtveey great. Soon the putting
of the engine became louder, the lamps
showed their two white lights in the dark
ness. the rails in front were rendered
visible by the long projecting glare
ZirOne attentively watched the train as
1t rolled past some three yards away from
him.
A moment before the last carriage
reached him, window was put down and
a woman put her head out OF the window
As soon as she saw the Siciian at his
post she threw him an orange, which
rolled on the ground about dozen yards
from Iirone.
The woman was Namlr, Satcany's spy.
A few seconds afterwards she had dlsap-
peared with the train in the direction Of
Aci Reale.
Zlrone picked up the orange, or rather
the two halves OF orange-skin that were
sewn together. The Spaniard and he
then hurried behind lofty rock,
and then ZirOne lit a small lantern, broke
open the 0range-skin, ana drew out a
letter which contained the following mes
sage:--
IL hope to join you at Nioolosi In five or
six days. Be particularly careful Of a
certain DR.. AntekirttW
Evidently sarcany had learnt at Ragusa
that this mysterious persons age, who had
80 much exercised public curiosity, had
twice visited Madame Bath0ry's house.
Hence "A certain uneasiuess on his part,
although he had hitherto deded every
body and everything; and hence also his
sending this message 10 ZirOne, not
through the post, but by Namir.
ZrOne put the letter in his pocket, ex-
tinguished his lantern, and, addressing
Carpena, said,-
"Have you ever heard OF DR.. Ante