News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1893-06-22
TERMS $I.5O.

passed in this way, and l had some
difficulty in keeping awake in the
stuffy air of the hut and the long
stretches of silence broken only by
an occasional exclamation: Seven
teenr Eighteen From time to
time / was aroused by a heavy gust
Of wind or dispute between the
players.
Suddenly there was a savage bark
from Bruccio, like a cry of alarm.
We all sprang up, and Quastana
rushed out of the door, returning an
instant later and seizing his gun.
With an exclamation of rage he dart
ed out of the door again and was gone.
Matteo and were looking at one
another in surprise, when a dozen
armed men entered and called upon
us to surrender. And in less time
than it takes to tell you we were on
the ground, bound and prisoners. In
vain l tried to make the gendarmes
understand who was. They would
not listen to me. That's all right.
You will have an opportunity of max
ing an explanation when we get to
Bastia."
They dragged us to our feet and
drove us out with the butt ends of
their carbines. Handcuffed and
pushed about by one and another,
we reached the bottom of the slope,
where prison van was waiting for
hnx 1aA
and full of vermin-into which we
were thrown and driven to Bastia,
escorted by gendarmes with drawn
swords.
A nice position for a government
official
1t was broad daylight when we
reached Bastia. The public prose
cutor, the colonel of the gendarmes
and the governor of the prison were
impatiently awaiting us. Inever saw
man look more astonished than the
corporal in charge of the escort as,
with triumphant smile, he led me
to these gentlemen and saw them
hurry toward me with all sorts of
apologies and take off the handouts.
"What Is it your" exclaimed the
public prosecutor. Have these idiots
really arrested you'll But how did it
come about-what is the meaning of
it?"
Explanations followed. On the pre-
vious day the public prosecutor had
received a telegram from Porto Vec.
C-lio, informing him of the presence
of Quastana in the locality, and Civ
ing precise details as to where and
when he could be found. The name
of Porto Vecchio opened my eyes; it
was that travelling companion of
mine who had played me this shabby
trick. He was the prosecutors dep
uty.
But, my dear sir, " said the public
prosecutor, ''who ever would have
expected to see you in shooting cos
tune in the house of brigand's cous-
in2 We have given you rather a bad
time of it, but know you will not
bear malice, and you will prove it by
coming to breakfast with me-" Then
turning to the corporal and pointing
to Matteo he said: "Take this fellow
away. We will deal with him in the
morning."
The unfortunate Matteo remained
dumb with fright. He looked ap-
pealingly at me, and l of course
could not do otherwise than explain
matters. Taking the prosecutor on
one side, told him that Matteo was
really assisting the prefect to cap
ture the brigand, but as told him
all about the matter his face assumed
hard, judicial expression.
II am sorry for the prefecture,
he said, but / have Quastana's cous-
in and ] won't let him goi He will
be tried with some peasants, who are
accused of having supplied the brig.
and with provisions. "
But / repeat that this man is real.
ly in the service of the prefecture,
protested.
80 much the worse for the pre-
lecture" said he, with a laugh. IL
am going to give the administration
a lesson it won't forget and teach it
not to meddle with what doesn't con.
eern it. There is only one brigand in
Corsica, and you want to take him
He's my game, / tell you. The pre-
feet knows that, yet he tries to fore
stall mel Now will pay him out.
Matteo shall be tried He will of
course appeal to your side. There
will be a great to do, and the brigand
will be put on his guard against his
cousin and gentlemen of the prefec
ture who so shooting"
Well, he kept his word. We had
TO appear on behalf of Matteo, and
we had a nice time of it in court. ]
was the laughing stock of the place.
Matteo was acquitted, but he could
no longer be of use to us, because
Quastana was forewarned. He had
TO quit the country.
AS to Quastana, he was never
taught. He knew the country, and
every peasant was secretly ready to
assist him, and although the soldiers
and gendarmes tried their best to
take him they could not manage it.
When l left the island, he was still
at liberty, and l never heard any
thing about lis capture since.-From
the French of Alphonse Daudet.