The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-05

he tried TO resist. He shook himself, he
bit and struck out. but he was unable
10 rise utterly exhausted, he surrcn-
dered al Las and allowed himself TO be
disarmed- IN the fury of the fight, sur
rounded by d cloud Of dust, he had sue
ceeded, by rapid movement, in put
ting the message into his mouth with
out attracting the attention OF his as
sailants. They tied his hands behind
his back and lifted him to his feet They
hurriedly hung his sword TO his neck
and attached his cloak and valise there
also. They pulled the horse behind the
hedge, and then they marched him
across tho fields, pushing him, hitting
him, swearing at and threatening him.
After half an hour, when distant
enough from the main road to have no
fear of discovery. they slackened their
pace. They had reached the mountains
side spot among the trees where
neither house nor cottage could be seen.
The soldier, bent under the weight
which he wtas carrying, showed no signs
Of terror nor anger, though his face,
pale, but unmoved, indicated that he
knew the end reserved for him, and in
his heart he was prepared for it. He did
not forget that to fall into the hands Of
the brigands in those terrible days
meant death. Therefore there was in
his features already little Of the So
lemnity of death, and he who might not
have known il needed only to look him
In the eyes TO say, THAT man is going
to diep
The brigand who preceded him turned
now and then 10 gaze at him, half
through curiosity and half through sus-
picion. The one who walked at his side
and seemed to be the chief of the band
looked now at the prisoner, now at his
companion, and exchanged with the
latter an occasional triumphant smile
''Therel" he said, suddenly hanging
his musket on the neck of the soldier.
Garry that for me. "
Garry mine, too" added the one
who marched in front, initiating his
companion. "And your" asked the
chief, turning to the third brigand who
walked behind, and who seemed the
youngest.
"I?" he answered. 81 prefer to keep
mine You never can tell.
Absurd" remarked the other, look
ing at him with contempt Then, lean
ing toward tho soldier and slapping him
on the back, my friend" he contin.
ued, ''now you will tell us where you
were going"
The soldier did not utter a sound.
"Oh, OH" exclaimed the brigand,
STOPPING to pick up stick. did you
hear me?" and he hit him ON the hands.
The carabiniere walked on without a
word. "You shall speak, my friend"
repeated the brigand, throwing the
stick away. ''They all begin like you,
and you will finish like the rest You,
too, are made of flesh, and when you
feel the cold steel you will cry, you can
rest assured of that" So saying he
pushed him in path that followed the
bed of a stream. They went straight
ahead for short while; then they passed
a small bridge, walked around a small
plateau and then began to climb mar
row path among the rocks. The soldier,
his neck bound by the straps of the mus
kets, his hands tied, almost suffocated
by his uniform. climbed unsteadily. AL
most blinded by the perspiration drip
ping from his brow, he stumbled against
the stones and fell on his knees He got
up with difficulty, only to fall again,
and the brigands hit him and abused
him. They pushed him up, with kicks,
laughing at him and crying: up, you
lazy beastl When you catch us, you tie
us to your horses! Every one has his
day, my friendW
When about half way up the noun
tain, they halted. They had reached q
place where the rocks were cut like a
wall surrounding habitable inclosure,
with punches of grass and trees here
and there. Under caved rock, rounded
like tunnel, there was a small space OF
even ground surrounded by heavy stones
half falling from above, the smaller ones
placed among the large ones as if some
one had begun to build wall. The
rocks served as roof and walls to wood
en- shed which occupied quarter of the
cave. The small caves followed from
the rocks served as storage rooms. There
was n stairway from the top of which
the surrounding country was visible.
The entrance was through an opening
not much larger than the body of a man.
From the outside no one would have
thought the place inhabited. The inside
looked like an armory. In the small
caves were glasses, tin cups, meats,
bread, knives. From the points Of the
rocks hung coats and bottles. IN one
corner were some cinders and lighted
Goals, and the rock above was blackened
by the smoke. Around this lay straw
and blankets in bundles. Looking up,
beyond the stone and behind and in
front, one could see only rock after rock,
open caves and immense stones, with a
rare tree here and there that seemed to
grow like bundle of grass. Under
meath were the cut sides of the noun
tain, beyond these the valley. and be-
yond this other mountains.
A man standing on the last step Of q
stairway, with his elbow leaning on
A. a - 4