The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-03-05
.ou when poor Pippo fell, and he heard

the natives. HE seemed surprised that
he could not brighten me the other night.
Tell him he was much more in my power
than / was in his. dear vaieria," l added,
looking tenderly into her eyes. Il didn't
want to alarm you. that was the reason
l let him off so easily: but may not be
so merciful next time. Now, sweetest.
that kiss you owe me. and which the wall
prevented your giving me the other
night She held up her face with the
innocence OF a child. as l stopped from
my saddle.
81 shall never see you again. Signor
Inglese." she said, with n sigh: for
Croppo says it is not safe. after what
happened the night before last. to stay
another hour. Indeed he went off yester-
day. leaving me orders to follow to-day:
but l went first to put your sketch-bOok
under the bush where the donkey fell,
and where you will find it."
1t took us another minute or two to
part after this: and when l had ridden
away l turned to look back, and there
was Valcra gazing after me. Positive
ly,' I reflected. Il am over head and ears
in love with the girl. and I believe she
is with me. | ought to have nipped my
feelings in the bud when she told me she
was his wife: but then he is a brigand.
who threatened both my ears and my
tongue. to say nothing of my life. 10
what extent is the domestic happiness OF
such rufiian to be respected!" and
went on splitting the moral straws sug-
gested by this train of thought. until had
recovered my sketcll-bOOk and overtaken
my escort with whom i rode triumphantly
back into Ascoli, where my absence had
been the cause of much anxiety, and my
fate was even then being eagerly dis
cussed. My friends with whom l usually
sat around the chemists door. were much
exercised by the reserve which l mani
tested in reply to the fire of cross-eXami-
nation to which l was subjected for the
next few days: and English eccentricity,
which was proverbial even in this seclud-
ed town. received Il fresh illustration in
the light and airy manner with which
treated capture and escape from bri-
gands, which l regarded with such indif-
ference that l could not be induced even
to condescend to details. ut was a mere
an Englishman. l polished them all off
with the box and l closed my fist.
and struck scientific attitude Of self
defence, branching off into learned dis
QUESTION on the pugilistic art. which filled
my hearers with respect and amazement.
From this time forward the sentiment
with which I regarded my air-gun under
went a change. When friend had made
me a present of it year before, / re-
resented the gift as too Juvenile. / won
der he did not give me kite or hoop.
l mentally reflected. Then l had found
it useful among Italians. who are a tri-
fling people. and like playthings: but now
that it had saved my life. and sent bull
let through mans heart. ] no longer
entertained the same feeling of contempt
for it. Not again would l make light of
it-this potent engine of destruction
III, hA <t,n ofn Of
being n magician. ] would hide it from
human gaze. and. cherish it as a sort of
fetish. So l bought walking stick and
umbrella, and strapped it up with them,
wrapped in my plaid; and when shortly
after, an unexpected remittance from an
aunt supplied me with money enough to
buy horse from one of the officers of
my friends regiment. which soon after
arrived. | accepted their invitation to ac-
company them on their brigand-hunting
expeditions: not one of them knew that
1 had such weapon as an air-gun in
my possession.
Our modus Operandi ON these occasions
was as follows: On receiving informa-
ton from some proprietor that the bril-
gands were threatening his property-it
was impossible to get intelligence from
the peasantry, for they were all in league
with the brigands: indeed they all took
band for few weeks from time to
time-we proceeded, with force suffl-
GENTLY strong to cope with the supposed
strength of the band, to the farm in
question. The bands were all mounted,
and averaged from 200 to 400 men each.
1t was calculated that upwards of 1000
men were thus engaged in marrying the
country. and this enabled the Neri to talk
Of the Kings forces engaged in lesiti-
.far snSt of
Emmanuel. Riding over the vast plains
of the Capitanata. we would discern
against the sky-Outline the figure of soil
tary horseman. This we knew to be n
picket. Then there was no time to be
lost. and away we would go for him
helter-skelter across the plain: he would
instantly gallOp in on the main body.
probably occupying a masseria. If they
thought they were strong enough, they
take to their heels in the direction of the
mountains. with us in full cry after them.
If they were hardly pressed they would
scatter. and we were obliged to do the
same. and the result would be that the
swiftest hOrsemen might possibly effect
few captures. 1t was an exciting spe-
cies of warfare, partaking good deal
more of the character of hunting-feld
than of cavalry skirmishing. Sometimes,
saglieri with us; and as the brigands
took to the mountains. the warfare as
sumed different character. Sometimes,
in default of these active little troops, We
took local volunteers. whom we found
n very poor substitute. On more than
one occasion when we came upon the bri-
gands in farm. they thought themselves
sufficiently strong to hold it against us,
and once the cOwardice of the volunteers
was amusingly illustrated. The band
was estimated at about 200, and we
had 100 volunteers and detachment of
50 cavalry. On coming under the fire of
the brigands, the cavalry Captain. who
was in command. ordered the volunteers
to charge. intending when they had dis
lodged the enemy to ride him down on
the open; but the volunteer officer did not
repeat the word, and stood stock-still, his
men all initiating his example.
"Charge! I say" shouted the cavalry
Captain: why don't you charge? l be-
lieve you're afraid"
sc vero," said the Captain Of volun-
teers. struggling his shoulders.
Here, take my hOrse-you're only fit
to he groom; and you. men, dismOunt
and let these towards hold your horses.
while you follow me and jumping
from his horse, the gallant fellow. fol-
lowed by his men, charged the building.
from which hot fire was playing upon
them. sword in hand. In less than a
quarter of an hour the brigands were
scampering, some on foot and some on
horseback. out of the farm-buildings, fol-
lowed by a few and harmless shots from
such of the volunteers as had their hands