The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-11-17
LORD SOMEBODY
OR OTHER
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1918, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

to prevent. When l started out with
my friend Killam, who was an artist
instead of journalist and had $50
less capital as well, we took steerage
on steamer and planned to do Europe
on foot and avoid all extravaganza.
AS to how we got along until we struck
Greece and a certain event happened Is
of no great consequence. We tramped
here and there, ate, slept and had a
fairly good time.
From Athens we went on a tramp
up the country, viewing tombs and
ruins by the way, and after putting in
two days at Marathon we started out
one morning for a hamlet called His
trophus. After long tramp / found
a place to take a nap.
At the end of two hours / was
awakened by some one giving me q
smart kick on the hip, and I reused up
to see that we had been taken prison
ers by four brigands. The fellows had
come down off the mountains about
four miles away, having probably been
notified by messenger from the vii
lage. | have many times read of the
picturesque Greek brigands, but the
four who gobbled us up that day must
have gone out of the picturesque bust
ness some weeks previous. They were
a ragged, ugly lot. The leader spoke
English fairly well. 1t was the leader
who had kicked me, which l have al
ways taken as compliment, and as
sat up he saluted me and said:
MY lord. you will please consider
yourself a prisoner and come along
without resistance"
"Now, don't make any mistake on
me-" l replied eff you are counting
on capturing rich Englishman you
will get badly left, for / am an Amer
lean, and poor one at that. AS near
as I can make out from this short
range, you are brigands."
81 am Bobetto,'' he said as he laid
his hand ON his heart and bowed low.
Excuse me that l never heard of
you before. You are a brigand and in
it for money, and this is your band"
"NIy lord is correct"
"Now, about this lord business. Let
US have an understanding. who do
you take me for?"
"An English lord, my lord. 1 have
been expecting you for several days.
The name l cannot pronounce, but
know you to be the gentleman. Have
no fears for your safety, as it will be a
case of ransom"
'This is kind of you. If you take me
for an English lord who do you take
this other chap to be-"
"Your companion, sir. His name
heard, but cannot give it. He will also
be held for ransom"
Then we started for the west. The
particular retreat of this band was
halfway up mountain and consisted
of two brush huts and fire in front OF
them. AS soon as we had arrived at
the huts Bobetto brought out station
cry and commanded me to write to the
English minister at Athens and obtain
the sum of $4,000. Both Killam and
/ burst out laughing at this demand
and after a little while I said to the
leader:
'Of what use to play the fool in this
matter? AS / told you before, we are
Americans and poor men at that. We
can raise about 5000 apiece, but not
another cent"
"You may be Americans, but you are
my lord just the same" replied 3D.
bette.
But there are no titles in America.
If should write to the American min
lister he would take it as joke"
But you must write" persisted the
wooden headed rascal. you must
write to the American minister that If
he does not send us $4,000 by our
messenger your ears will be sent him
in package"
l read the letter to Bobetto after it
was written. and~he was perfectly sat
isfied that it would fetch the cash in
reply. 1t was sent off by a messenger,
who would be gone at least ten days,
and then we went into retirement"
For the first five days of our cap
tivity we were closely guarded, and
there could be no thought of our es-
cape. Then. as we appeared to make
ourselves at home, the vigilance of the
brigands relaxed L.
On the eighth day came our opportu-
nifty. The artist whispered to me:
Lets 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 bowls, and Killam hit his man
such blow on the neck as to render
him unconscious for half an hour.
There were two guns in camp, and we
sieZed them and made for the highway.
only mile distant Before departing
I gave the leader tap on the head to
quiet his yells. and so far as / know
we were not followed a rod. We reach
ed the highway just in time to get Il
lift in IL passing cart and in a couple
Of hours were in Marathon. AS to the
letter it was delivered at the consu
late. but was looked upon as joke,
and the messenger was sent off empty
handed. We might have lost our ears
ON his return. but We're not there to
have them sliced off. Bobetto died
two years later, as I read in the pa
pers. and it is said that he was badly
disfgured by broken jaw-the one
"my lord gave him with an Ameri-
can talfskin shoe.
When stonpirg at a grand hotel