Smyrna times., 1900-08-08

was written, and he WAS nrrfac+lv CO..
.sneu tllat 1t would fetch the cash in
tepiy' IL was sent off by q messenger
VINO would be gone at least ten davs'
anu then We went into "retirement
II Is the rule with all brigands who
nave a prisoner ON hand to lie low and
take no chances. | thought it we'll tn
prepare this gang for disappointment
ana when the messenger had denartad
told them that he would only have
the journey for nothing.
1T cannot be for nothing" grimly re-
phed Bobetto as he brought out a knife
anu telt 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 headsw
Sentinels were posted on the hills
around to prevent surprise, and we
mad nothing to do but loaf about. Ro-
betto thought he knew the game of
poker, and it was for us to undeceive
him. In three days Gillian and l had
won every cent he had. We offered to
put up $500 against our ears. but the
brigand assured us with great dignity
that it wasn't regular. About once n
DAY l thought 1t my duty to inform
BobettO that we were mOneyless Amer.
leans and that there was nothing in II
for him, and he always replied to me
with lift of the eyebrows and shrug
OF the shoulders and the words:
Thine will tell. my lord; time will
tell. 1t has happened that l have had
to send ears and head to Athens be-
| fore"
For the first five days of our captivi-
ty we were closely guarded. and there
could be no thought of escape. Then,
as we appeared to 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 a broken leg, and the other was
acting as a nurse. Two sentinels were
always stationed at points half a mile
away, and occasionally n brigand fell
asleep during the day. think it was
on the eighth day and at about 3
o'clock in the afternoon when the bri-
gand nurse was sent for provisions.
AS two were acting as sentinels and
a third was lying helpless, this left
only two men to deal with. One of
these was Bobetto, and he sat with his
back to a rock doing with the heat
of the day. Gillian was lying on his
back, while was looking carelessly at
a Greek newspaper. All of a sudden
the artist sat up and whispered to me:
Let's end this right here and now!
You tackle the leader. and I'll go for
the other fellow
The "Other fellow" was at the fire
heaping the brands together. We rose
up in unison and made the attack.
gave old BObetto a kick on the jaw
which knocked him over and caused
doleful howls, and Gillian hit his man
such a 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 mile distant. Before de
parting | gave the leader tap on the
head to quiet his yells, and so far as
know we were not followed a rod. We
reached the highway just in time tC
get lift in passing cart and in cou
pie of hours were in Marathon. AS tC
the letter, 1t was delivered at the con
sulate, but was looked upon as a JOKE
and the messenger sent off empty
handed. We might have lost our ear!
on his return, but were not there tt
have them sliced off. Bobetto dieC
two years later, as l read in the pa
pers, and it is said that he was badl,
disfigured by a broken jaw-the on
my lord" gave him with an American
calfskin shoe. NJ. QUAD.