The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-08

looked down the Size of the mountain
he gave a slight start, bent farther for
ward and remained thus, silent and look
ing axedly down the mountain slope
The chief of the brigands did not notice
this, however, but turned TO his victim.
He was white, and he ground his teeth
and trembled with rage. Even his com
panions looked at him with fear. He
laid one Of his large hands on the head
of the soldier, raised the other with his
finger turned up, as though TO menace
him, and looking at him sideways, with
bloodshot eyes, he murmured in hoarse
voice:
''Listen! 1t is bad idea Of yours 10
be obstinate with me- You do not know
me. i have made the hair Of others,
who had more pluck than you, fairly
stand mp on their heads. You have no
idea Of what can make You suffer.
ran keep digging "a shletto INTO you un-
oil morning without killing you. j can
torture you until you will have no more
any human shape j might pull the eyes
out Of your head. You know what has
happened to others. Do not dare me.
Say what you must before the blood
goes 10 my head. ="
With these last words he withdrew
his hands from the prisoners head. lie
looked at IT, There were hairs on It,
Enraged hs threw them In the soldiers
face. and a hair stuck TO his mouth. To
free himself OF this he spat The brig
ands, taking this act to be one OF con-
Tempt, Were unable TO restrain them
selves any longer. All three together,
with a CRY of rage fell on him like wild
beasts and began quickly and silently
Go torture him with the points OF their
daggers with their nails, their teeth,
their knees and their feet
Now and then one or the other stop
eed a moment to take breath, saying,
Slowly" +" in order 10 keep one another
from killing him. There was no sound
except the heavy breathing of the three
murderers, the clashing Of the daggers
and the dry sobs OF the victiE They
were blind, drunken animals. They did
not look any more like three men, but
like q monster with three bodies in
twined around helpless victim. They
represented the worst conceivable COM
bination of fiendish cowardice and fe-
rooity.
"Do no. kill him yet, began again
the young man on guard, turning quick
Iy first toward the brigands and then to-
ward the valley below and crying loud
er and louder, as though he wished to
cover an approaching noise: "Do not
kill him yeti Watt He will speak He
will tell all, but if you kill him you will
not know anythingl Try again He has
motioned that he wants 10 speak, But
YOU will kill him i shall stab him
with my dagger if you don't! Down
with your daggersl Hit him with your
dstl Don't you see that he is dylng!
Without ceasing TO scream ont sem
tences like these he threw n look out
toward the foot Of the plateau, and then
he Jumped in the middle OF the cave.
He changed all OF sudden his tone of
voice, and with an accent of contempt
he continued: "Ah, towards! Three
against dying manV'
'sFoolp' cried the chief, throwing
himself with uplifted dagger against
him.
"Too later' replied the latter, with
an expression Of JOY and pointing to-
ward the door. Look"
At the same moment, while the other
brigands, admonished by the young
man, threw mantle over their victim,
and while the chief grasped a musket 6
noise OF arms and steps was heard, anc
bayonets cleaned in the sunshine II
front OF the caves entrance From the
top Of the rock mass of soldiers invad
ed the stronghold, and in second sur
rounded, overcame, disarmed and threw
TO the ground al! those they found II
the cave A few moments Of silence
followed, during which nothing could
be heard except the painting of the sol
diers, who were out Of breath.
"Help the dying!' cried, all of sud
den, the young brigand, who, like th'
rest, knelt with his hands to tho grounC
under the musket of carabiniere
"Who is dying?" asked the captain
coming forward, dusty and painting.
.'There in tho corner, answered th
young man. pointing.
All turned. No one could distinguish
anything.
under the cloak" continued tn
brigand.
The captain, Followed by the q es
ALL walked to the corner, seized TN
mantle and tore it away. A general CT.
of horror rose at the sickening sigh
which was thus revealed. The misera
bio prisoner on his knees, with hi
hands braided behind his back and hi
head falling on his chest, was entirel
covered with cuts and blood, so that u
seemed To have been scalped. He trie
60 look up
Unite him immediately" cried th
captain "Give him waterP'
Three soldiers came forward, unite
him, seated him and began to examin
his wounds. The others. maddened q
the sight, hit the brigands with tn
stock of their muskots.
Down with your armsl" ordered th
captain, and turning To the younges