The Irish standard., 1897-08-28
is astonishing what you can do, even

is astonishing what you can do, even
with stiff ankle, when you have
copper-colored brigand at each elbow
and nine-inch blnde within touch of
your whiskers. We came at last to
place where the path wound over Q
ridge and descended upon the other
side through thick pine trees into
valley which opened to the south. In
time of peace have little doubt that
the villains were all smugglers and
that these were the secret paths by
which they crossed the Portuguese
frontier. There were many mule
tracks. and once 1 was surprised to see
the marks of large horse where .
stream had softened the track. These
were explained upon reaching place
where there was a clearing in tho fir.
wood. | saw the animal itself battered
to fallen tree. My eyes hardly rested
upon it when l recognized the great
black limbs and the white near the
foreleg. 1t was the very horse which
had begged for in the morning.
What then had become OF Com
rnissariat Vidal? Was 1t possible that
there was another Frenchman In as
perilous a plight as myself! The
thought had hardly entered my head
when our party stopped and one of
them uttered peculiar cry. 1t was
answered from among the branbles
which lined the base of cliff at one
sido of the clearing, and an instant later
ten or dozen more briga uds came out
from amongst them and the two par
ties greeted each other. The newcom-
ers surrendered my friend OF the
bradawl with cries Of grief and sympa.
thy, and then turning upon me they
brandished their knives and howled at
me like the gang of assassins that they
were. So frantic were their gestures
that was convinced that my end had
come, and was just bracing myself to
meet it in manner which should be
worthy Of my past reputation when
one OF them gave an order, aud I
was dragged roughly across tho little
glade to the brambles from which this
new band had emerged
A narrow pathway led through them
to deep grotto in the side Of the cliff
Tho sun was already setting outside
and in the cave itself 1t would have
been quito dark but for q pair Of
torches which blazed from socket on
either side. Between them there was
sitting ut rude table q very singular.
looking person, whom saw instantly,
from the respect with which the others
addressed him, could DO none other than
the brigand chief who had received,
on account of his dreadful character,
the sinister name OF FL Cuchillo. The
v,,1o I Ind ;,,;, h,l
ried in and placed upon the top of
barrel, his helpless legs dangling about
In front Of him and his cats eyes still
darting glnnces of hatred at me. un.
dcrstood from tho snatohcs of tnlk
which could follow between the
chief and him that he WINS tho
lieutenant Of the band, and that
part OF his duties was to lilo in wait,
with his smooth tongue and his peace
full garb, for travellers like myself.
When Thought of how many gallant
officers may have boon lurcd to their
death by this monster OF Hypocrisy 1t
gave me glow of pleasure to think
that had brought his villninica to nm
end-though feared il would be ut tho
cost of a life which neither tho emperor
nor the army could we'll spare.
AS the injured man, still supported
on the bnrrcl by two comrades, was OK
plnining in Spanish all that hnd be-
fallen him, WINS held by scvcral IF
the Wilkins in front of the table Mt
which tho chief was seated. and Ind M
excellent opportunity Of observing him.
! have seldom seen my nun who WIS
less lilse my idea of Il brignnd, and cs-
pccially of a brignnd with such repu-
tatioD thnt in n land of cruelty ho had