The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-12

TO whom she had evidently bound herSeIf,
and making furtive efforts to warn me of
some fresh danger, when 1 was seized from
behind, pinioned, gagged. and blindfolded.
and so, utterly at the mercy of a set of
ruffians, was borne away from the spot
CHAPTER III.
az will not trouble you with the details of
my captivity" said Neave, after pause.
suffice it TO mention that the knowledge
of whose hands / had fallen into dawned
on me soon enough.
There was a remarkable brigand in Gala
bria at that time known by the name of
Lorenzo Trecchi, celebrated for having
quite recently murdered an Englishman and
an American on the failure of his eXorbitant
demands for ransom. Now, my own peO-
pie are, as you know, considerably wealthy,
so that had no immediate fear of sharing
the fate of those unhappy travellers. Still,
as several days passed without any answer
to the appeals had been compelled TO write,
my mind grew more uneasy. and Trecchfs
conduct towards me as his prisoner grew
less reassuring than it had been at first.
Had it not been for the compassion of
Teresina things would have gone very badly
| with me indeed. She was a strange woman.
full of passionate impulses. and torn by con-
which was then rather over two years old,
with the head of a cherubim Of Raphael, was
something almost frantic in devotion, and
yet the blind fatal attachment which bound
her to the outlaw often seemed to triumph
almost over maternal instinct
High up in the mountains the brigand
held a kind OF rude court; for, is we'll
known, the peasants of those wild districts
1 hox- oJr for nd nv
with man who makes war upon the rich
| and is often generous enough to the poor.
But one day 1 became aware of some I'M
usual danger threatening the lawless COM
munity Two of their number, it seemed, had
| been captured by party of soldiers sent out
| at last by the authorities to smoke this
| thieves nest, and as these two might be led
| to turn informers it was thought eXped-
| lent to remove into still more inaccessible
quarters. Once more 1 was gagged, blind
| folded and led over rough ways, then
| thrown into the further blackness of the
| cave. which was to serve as the home of
| Trecchi and Teresina until all pursuit was
over.
DAYS passed and the brigand, whose fol-
lowers had dispersed for a time, lay in sulky
| silence, his hand continually on weapon
| intended to put an end TO my existence
should L attempt an impossible escape. BY
his side was a goatskin bottle gradually
growing emptier, for like many civilized
folks down on their luck he had flown TO
its contents for consolation.
THE horror and misery of that cramped
confinement will never be effaced from my
recollection. Even poor little Tonino was
miserable, and TO stifie his wailings the
mother had continually to rock him TO sleep
within her arms. Every now and then the
wretched woman sent out by her ruff
fianly lord to reconnoiter or to fetch pro-
visions, returning completely spent by the
long roundabout distances she had Travelled
to avoid detection. But the child, whom she
always carried with her, was sportive and
Joyous from breathing the fresh air, ana
that seemed to recompense her for the
| fatigue.
'Teresina' growled the brigand, after
| two weeks of inactivity and rotations that
would have killed an ordinary Individual
| go thou to the town AM see if there is yet
a letter for the signor with news that the
| terms of his ransom have been agreed to.
for by the Holy Mother weary Of his COM
pany. and his keep is too expensive for poor
| folks like U.S. he ended, with brutal ex-
| preston Of mirth that rumbled through the
cavern and made my blood curdle-
"'Thou knowest we'll enough / cannot
co. answered Teresina. gloomily, for the
| child had suddenly fallen i'll and had all the
| appearance of being in high fever.
.Trecchi sat upright and looked at her
| with one of his compelling Glances.
THE money! he said. fiercely. I must
| have the money, 10 get away from this ac-
cursed land, where they hunt me down like
| a dog
"Teresina rose TO her feet, with smoth-
| cred shrek, both hands clasping tightly on
| her heaving bosom
And for that thy child may die; for the
/ paltry, ill-gotten gold which will purchase
| thy freedom and our desertion.
Her voice broke into sob. 1t was no
longer the proud Teresina. who bore her
| false honors like a queen among the rude
| peasantry, but the passionate. loving wom-
| an, already feeling herself helpless and be-
| trayed.
From the dark corner where 1 witnessed
| all that passed could see a crafty smile
steal over the brigand's features.
".Is not my freedom the same thine.
Terrestrial? he asked, putting on the wiles of
a lover. Thou art too beautiful to live in
| these savage places, and the cherub there,
wouldst thou not like to see him strut about
/ like little lord?' he added, shifting him.
| self nearer 10 where the child lay, so that
| he could stroke its flushed cheek with his
finger.
| "A deep sigh quivered from the womans
breast.
".Ah, Lorenzo she murmured, thou
| could'st ever do with as as thou pleased.
Then win mako thee ane lady. he