Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-12-25
LORD SOMEBODY
OR OTHER
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1913, by Associated Lit
erary Press.
BY M. QUAD

If an American wants to go abroad on
q cash capital of $500 there is no law
to prevent. When | started out with
my friend killam, who was an artist
instead of Il journalist and had $50
less capital as we'll, we took steerage
on Il 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 a long tramp 1 found
q place to take a nap.
At the end Of two hours l was
awakened by some one giving me a
smart kick on the hip, and 1 reused up
I SCC IAdI We udu OccL dhcu pI1SOu-
ers by foul brigands. The fellows had
come down off the mountains about
four miles away, having probably been
notified by a 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
Moss ryNN1yc v,rovSo,,o Tl,@rx 80
a ragged, ugly lot. The leader spoke
English fairly we'll. 1t was the leader
who had kicked me, which l have al
ways taken as a compliment, and as I
sat up he saluted me and said:
MY lord, you will please consider
yourself a prisoner and come along
without resistance
Nov. don't make any mistake on
me-" l replied. IF you are counting
on capturing a rich Englishman you
will get badly left, for I am an Amer
lean. and a poor one at that. AS near
as l 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 I never heard of
you before. You are a brigand and in
it for money. and this is your band"
"My lord is correct"
Nov. about this lord business. Let
us have al understanding. Who do
you take me for?"
can English lord. my lord. l have
been expecting you for several days.
The name 1 cannot pronounce, but I
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 I
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 q fire in front Of
them. As 500 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
l burst out laughing at this demand,
and after Il little while I said to the
leader:
'Of what use to play the fool in this
matter? AS told you before. WI 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 b.
bette.
But there are no titles in America.
If l should write to the American min
lister he would take it as a 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 u
messenger your ears will be sent him
in Il package"
| 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-
cap Then. as we appeared to make
ourselves at home, the vigilance Of the
brigands relaxed.
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. I
gave old Bobetto a kick on the jaw
which knocked him over and caused
doleful bowls. and Killam hit his man
such Il 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 q mile distant. Before departing
! gave the leader Il tap on the head to
---s- - 1911