Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-06-11
ZIRONE'S BAND OF BANDITS.

surf was heard along the Catanian shore.
1t was the train Zirone was waiting for.
Carpena and he then climbed up the
rocks and in few moments they were
alongside the line.
Two whistles az the train entered
short tunnel, told them it was near. It's
speed was not very great. Soon tho
putting of the engine became louder,
the lamps showed their two white lights
III the darkness the rails IN front were
rendered visible by the long projecting
glare.
Zirone attentively watched the train
rs it rolled past some three yards away
from him.
4 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 Sicilian
at lis post she thew him an orange,
which rolled on the ground about
dozen yards from Zirone.
The woman was Namir, Sarcany's spy.
A few seconds afterwards she had dis
appeared with the train in the direction
of Aci Reale.
Zironc picked mp the orange, or rather
the two halves of orange-skin that we're
sewn together. The Spaniard and he
then hurried behind n lofty rock, and
then Zlrone lit small lantern, broke
open the oran ge-skin. and drew out q
letter which contained tho following
message:
Il hope to join you at Nicolosi in five
or six days. BE particularly careful of
"A certain Doctor Antekirtt!"
Evidently Sarcany had learned at
Ragusa that this mysterious parsonage,
who had so much exercised public Curl
osity, had twice visited Madame Bath
DRY house. Hence n certain unensiness
on his part, although he had hitherto
defiet, everybody and everything and
hence also, his sending this message to
Zirone, not through the post, but by
Namir.
Zirone put the letter in his pocket,
extinguished his lantern, and, addressing
Carpena, said
Have YOU ever heard of Doctor
Antekirtt =
No, answered the Spaniard, "but
perhaps PcscGlor has; that little beg
gar knows everything"
I've shall see about it then, said
Zirone; There is no danger in going
out at night, is there ?"
LESS than in going out during the
day !"
"Yes-in the day there are the gend-
armes who are so thoughtless! Come on !!
J T. L. i,
place ut Santa Grotta y
And, crossing the railway, they took
to the footpaths well know to Zirone,
and were soon lost to sight "a they
crossed the lower buttresses of Htna.
For eighteen years there had existed
in Sicily, and principally Mt Palermo, its
capital, q formidable association of male
factors. Bound together by n sort of
freemasonry, their adherents were to he
counted in thousands. Theft and fraud
by every possible means were the objects
OF the Society Of Malta, to which num-
Der of shopkeepers and working people
paid a sort of annual 1.-THE to be allowed
to carry on their trade without molesta-
ton.
At this time Sarcany and Zirone- this
was before the Trieste conspiracy
amongst the chiefs OF the Malta, and
none were more jealous than they.
However with the general progress,
with better administration of the towns
if not of the country round them, this
association became somewhat interfered
with in its proceedings. The tithes and
black mail fell off and most of the
members separated and tried to get u
more lucrative means of existence by
brigandage. The government of Italy
then underwent change, owing to the
unifcation, and Sicily. like the other
provinces, had to submit to the common
lot, to accept other laws, and especially
TO receive the yoke of CONSUMPTION.
Rebels who would not conform TO the
new laws, and fugtives who refused to
serve i'll the army, then betook them
selves to the maffissi" and other
INSCRIPTIONS ruffians, and formed them
selves into gangs to scour the country.
Zirone was at the head of one of these
gangs, and when the share of Count
Sandorfs possessions which had fallen
TO Sarcany had been run through. he
and his friend had returned to their old
life and waited till another opportunity
offered to acquire fortune. The oppor-
tunity came-the marriage of Sarcany
with Toronthal's daughter We know
how that had failed up to the present,
and the reasons for tho failure.