Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-04-15
rascal had the cheek to have his por,rait

taken last year at Porto Vecchio.n
While we were looking at the photo
the peasant drew near and saw his eyes
flash vengefully; but the look quickly
vanished and his face assumed It's usual
stolid appearance.
- Are you not afraid that the presence
of stranger will brighten your cousin
and make him stay away on the following
Sunday" we asked.
"Nol" replied the man. "He is too
fond of cards. Besides, there are many
new faces about here now on account of
the shooting. I'll say that this gentle
man has come for me to show him where
the game is to be found"
Thereupon we made an appointment
for the next Sunday, and the fellow
walked off without the least conjunction
for his dirty trick When he was gone
the Project impressed upon me the ne
cessity for keeping the matter very quiet,
because he intended that nobody else
should share the credit of the capture.
| assured him that | would not breathe a
word, thanked him for his kindness in
asking me to assist him, and we sepa-
rated to go to our work and dream of
promotion.
The next morning I set out in full
shooting costume, and took the coach
which does the journey from Aiaccio to
Bastia. For those who love nature there
is no better ride in the world, but | was
too busy with my castles in the air to
notice any of the beauties of the land
scape.
At Bonifacio we stopped for dinner.
When | got in the coach again, just a
little elevated by the contents of good
sized bottle, found that | had fresh
travelling companion, who had taken a
seat next to me. He was an official at
Bastia, and | had already met him; a
man about my own age, and native of
Paris like myself. A decent sort of a
fellow.
You are probably aware that the Adj
ministration, as represented by the Pre-
feet, etc., and the magistrature never got
on we'll together; in Corsica it is worse
than elsewhere. The seat of the admin
istration is at Ajaccio that of the magis-
trature az Bastia; we two, therefore, be-
longed to hostile parties. But when you
are a long way from home and meet
some one from your native place, you for
get all else, and talk of the old coun-
try.
We were fast friends in less than no
time, and were consoling each other for
being in 'exie" as he termed it. Tho bot
tie of wine had loosened my tongue, and
| soon told him, in strict confidence
that l was looking forward to going
back to France to take up some good
post as reward for my share in the
capture of Quastana, whom we hoped to
arrest at his cousins house one Sunday
evening. When my companion got Oft
the coach at Porto Vecchio, we felt as
though we had known each other for
years.
| arrived at Solenzara between four and
five o'clock. The place is populated 10
winter by workmen, fishermen and Gus
tom officials, but in summer every one
who can shifts his quarters up in the noun
tains on account of fever. The village,
therefore, was nearly deserted when
reached it that Sunday afternoon.
| entered a small inn and had some
thing to eat while waiting for Matteo.
Time went on and the fellow did not put
in an appearance; the innkeeper began
to look at me suspiciously and | felt
rather uncomfortable At last there
came a knock. and Matteo entered.
&" He has come to my house, he said,
raising his hat. "Will you follow me
theref'
We went outside 1t was very dark
and windy; we stumbled along a stony
path for about three miles-a narrow
path, full of small stones and oyergrowr
with luxuriant vegetation. which pre-
vented US from going quickly.
That's my house, said Matteo
pointing among the bushes to a light
which was Pickering at a short distance
from us.
A minute later we were confronted by
big dog, who barked furiously at us.
One would have imagined that he meant
to stop us going farther along the road,
"Here, Bruccio, Brucciow cried ny
guide-then, leaning toward me, he said
"That's Quastana's dog. A ferocious
animal. He has no equll for keeping
r watch" Turning to the dog again, he
called out: THAT'S all right old fell
low-do you take us for policemen"
The enormous animal quoted down
and came and shifted around our legs.
1t was a splendid Newfoundland dog
with thick, white, woody coat, which
had obtained for him the name Of Bruc-
clio white cheese He ran out in front
of us to the house--a kind Of stone hut
with large hole in the roof, which did
duty for both chimney and window.
In the centre of the room stood a rough
table, around which were several seats
made of portions of trunks Of trees
hacked into shape with a chopper. A
torch stuck in piece Of wood gave q
Pickering light, around which flew q
swarm of moths and other insects.
At the table sat man who looked like
an Indian or Provincial fishermen, with
a shrewd. sunburnt, clean shaver face
He was leaning over a pack Of cards anC
was enyeloped in a cloud Of tobacco
smoke.
"Cousin Quastana said Matteo as W,
went IN, "this is a gentleman who is 90
ing shooting with me in the morning
, He will sleep here tonight. so as 20 b.
IL 4