Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-05-31

| is1ied that T. would fetch the cash in
reply. II was sent of by Il messenger,
who would be gone 1T least ten days.
and then We went into retirement"
1t is the rule with all brigands who
have i prisoner on hand to lie low and
take no chances. l thought it well TO
prepare this gang for n disappointment,
and when the messenger had departed
1 told them that he would only have
the journey for nothing.
1T cannot be for nothing grimly re-
piled Bobetto as he brought out knife
and felt of its edges IF no money
comes, then your ears go to Athensi If
they fail TO bring it, then we will send
on your headsr
Sentinels were posted on the hills
around to prevent n surprise, and we
had nothing 10 do but loaf about. b.
betto thought he knew the game of
poker, and it was for US to undeccive
him. In three days Gillian and l had
won every cent he had. We offered to
put up 5000 against our ears, but the
brigand assured us with great dignity
that it wasn't regular. About once 4
day 1 thought it my duty to inform
Bobetto that we were moncyless Amer
leans and that there was nothing in it
for him, and he always replied TO me
with lift of the eyebrows and n shrug
Of the shoulders and the words:
''Time will tell, my lord; time will
Cell. 1t has happened that 1 have had
20 send ears and head to Athens be-
fore"
For the first five days of our captivi-
ty wc'werc closely guarded, and there
Il
as we appeared 10 make ourselves at
home, the vigilance of the brigands
was relaxed. While only four had been
concerned In our capture, there were
really six in the band One of them
had broken leg, and the other was
acting'as n nurse. Two sentinclS were
always stationed at points half mile
away. and occasionally n brigand fell
asleep during the day L think it was
on the eighth day and at about 5
o'clock in the afternoon when the bri-
Cand nurse was sent for provisions.
AS two We're acting rs sentinclS and
Il third was lying helpless, this left
only two men 10 deal with. One of
these was Bobctto, and he sat with his
back to n rock doing with the heat
of the day. Gillian was lying on his
back, while 1 was looking carclessly at
Il Greek newspaper. All of Il sudden
the artist sat up and whispered to me:
Lets end this right here and now!
You tackle the leader, and I'll go for
the other fellow
The 'OthCr fellow" was ut the fire
heapinS the brands together. We rose
up in unison and made the attack. l
gave odd Bobctto a kick on the jaw
which knocked him over and caused
dolcfuls howls. and Gillian hit his man
such n blow on the neck as to render
him unconscious for half an hour.
There were two guns in camp, and we
seized them and made for the high
way, only n mile distant. Before de-
parting l gave the leader tap on the
head to quiet his yclls, and SO far as 1
know we We're not followed Il rod. We
reached the highway just in time to
get Il lift in n passing cart and in Il cOu
pie of hours We're i'll Marathon. AS to
the letter, it was delivered at the con-
sulate, but was looked upon as Il joke
and the messenger sent off empty
handed. We might have lost our ears
on his return, but were not there to |
have them sliced off. Bobetto died |
two years later, as 1 read in the pa
pers. and it is said that he was badly |
disfigured by a broken jaw-the one |
"my lord'' gave him with an American |
calfskin shoe. NJ. QUAD.