The Iola register., 1891-04-24

fore proceeding further. Between these
armed and watchful guards, with his
legs strapped to sturdy mule, his arms
tied fast behind hin, and his hands
heavily manacled, was the notorious
Neri. as dark and fierce as mountain
thunderstorm. His head was uncovered,
his thick hair. long and unkempt,
hung in matted locks upon his shoulders,
his heavy moustachies and beard were
so black and bushy that they almost con-
cealed his coarse and fOrbidding features,
though l could see the tiger-like gilt
ter of his sharp white teeth as he bit
and gnawed his under-lip in impotent
fury and dispair, ,---and his eyes, like
leaping flames, blazed with a
wrathful ferocity from under
his shaggy brows, lie was huge,
heavy man, broad and muscular, his
two great hands clenched, tied and man.
acied behind him, looked like formtd-
able hammers capable of striking man
down dead at one blow. his whole aspect
was repulsive and terrible-there was
no redeeming point about him-for even
the apparent fortitude he assumed was
mere bravado-meretricious courage,
which the first week Of the galleys would
crush out of him as easily as one crushes
the juice out of ripe grape. He wore
nondescript costume OF vari-colored
linen. arranged in folds that would have
been the admiration of an artist 1t was
gathered about him by means Of a bril-
liant scarlet sash negligently tied. His
brawny arms were bare to the shoulder,
his vest was open, and displayed his
strong brown throat and chest heaving
with the pent-up anger and fear that
ragged within him. His dark grim figure
was set off by curious effect
Of color in the sky,-a long white band
of crimson cloud, as though the sun-god
had thrown down a goblet Of ruby wine
and left it 10 trickle along the smoth
blue fairness of his palace-floor,-a deep
after-glow, which burned redly on the
olive-tinted eager faces of the multitude
that were everywhere upturned in won
der and ill-judged admiration to the bru-
tai black face of the notorious murderer
and thief. whose name had for years
been the terror OF Sicily. I pressed
through the crowd TO obtain a nearer
view, and as / did so sudden savage
movement of Neri's bound body caused
the gcndaFmes 10 croSt their swords in
front Of his eyes with warning clash.
The brigand laughed hoarselp.
"Corpo di Christo" he muttered-
'think you a man tied hand and foot can
run like deer? am trapped,-I know
it! But tell him." and he indicated 9ome
person in the throug by a nod of his
head, "tell him to come hither,-I have
message for him."
The gendarms looked at one another,
and then at the swaying crowd about
them in perplexity-they die not under
stand.
Carmelo, without wasting more words
upon them, raised himself cS uprightiy
as he could in his strained and bound
position, and called aloud:
Luigi Biscardi Capitano! Oh he
you thought that l could not see you!
Dio! should know you in hell Come
near,-I have a parting word for you"
At the sound of his strong harsh voice,
silence half of terror, half of awe, fell
upon the chatteripg multitude. There
was a sudden stir as the people made
way for young man to pass through
their ranks,-a slight, tall, rathershand-
some fellow, with pale face and cold
sueering eyes. He was dressed with
faStidious care and neatness in
the uniform of the Bersaglieri,
and he elbowed his way