The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-04-03
A DESPERATE
BANDIT
Bv MARGARET BARRY

This hrigand I.apptti who has been
terroriZlnG the nl1HntalIis must De cap
tur"d / have sent out Il spy. who
says that in Il ravilIe back or Sorrento
be came upon the band. lie WAS
halted and told to turn about He
could see 10 one hut remarked the
position and says that if they remain
there long enough for a competent
force 70 attack them they must all De
captured Take fifty men. GO ut once
and bring Lanetti here dead or alive.
II you can bring the others do so. but
do not fail to capture their leader"
Have You "A description of him.
asked the lieutenant.
NO. Nor have | found any one who
has seen him. He has but recently
begun his depredations aud thus far
we have not been able to get any in
~, .-.>,,,:,i i GcG;:t -, Persons who
have been captured by his band and
held for ransom have not been brought
before him.
Lieutenant Griolano with his men
went by train as near to the point they
Intended to attack as possible. then at
nightfnll followed road leading up
into the mountains:
AS soon as it grew lighter the police,
all armed with rifles. advanced. turn
ing bend in the ravine. which led
| them face to face with a barricade Of
stones the bandits had erected across
it. Grioano halted his men and stood
looking up at the barrier. All was ST.
, lent Not a living thing was to be
seen.
The bird has Town." he remarked
in disappointed tone.
No sooner had the words been ut
tered than bullet sang close to his
ear
! The hravest man will duck at being
thus surprised. for the nerves do not
! give the brain time to reason that the
| danger has already passed. Grioiano
| involuntarily ducked. then ordered his
| men to lie down under cover till he
! could determine upon the best method
| of attack He stood upright himself,
! taking in the defense before him. He
| was handsome man. twenty-fv
| years old and brave While he was
| looking for an opening by which to
| make a flank attack upon the position
another bullet sang few inches above
his head This time he was prepared
and did not finch.
! On both sides Of the ravine where
the barrier had been erected there was
a wall of rock. which the lieutenant
! saw no way of passing. Indeed. the
nuSitinn the bandits had taken could
Only ne captured from the front. and
| this could not he done without conSid-
cradle loss Of life The young officer
was at loss how to proceed While
tdeliheratiny another rife cracked, and
another bullet whiZZed past him. this
time Knocking off the uniform Napo-
| lennir hat worn by the national police,
For heavens sake. iieutenant"'
cried a sergeant. Cease To expose
Yourself In that way. The next shot
will surely bring you down"
Those shots have come from diff
ferent parts Of the barrier replied
the lieutenant without needing the
| warming There must he half our
| number behind it. and If We attempt
to carry il by storm we shall lose the
| greater part of our men. must find
a way to get 1T them from
Ping. Another bullet graZed the Off
GERS shoulder.
Il neg of you. lieutenant" reiterated
the sergeant. ITO get behind rock
Why the villains nave missed you fOui
times | cannot understand"
Nor l.. replied Grioiano. "Howev
er. there is Nothing for it but to carry
the place toy assault"
Given the order to advance the mer
moved up the ravine. each man getting
| over the rockS in his own way. Every
moment all expected to receive vol
ley that would thin their ranks, bu
| they made half the distance and not &
shot had GENE from the barrier Every
neck was stretched. every eye bent or
the impr0viSed fort. looking for a burs
| of fame and SMOKE and n naiIStOrm OF
bullets. Halt the remaining distance
was covered and yet no sign OF de
Tense
They are waiting said the ser
geant. It'll we get right before them
then each bandit will aim at one ct us
ana they will fire all at once"
| But in a few moments more they
were at the base OF the barrlcade
then on and over it. all unnurt
In the farthest corner crouched the
garrison. a girl some seventeen years
Old. No other living being was there
GrioIano stood i'm Amusement
Where is I.anetti?" he asked.
Il am l.anetti."
'You I.anptti?''
yes. signor
Where are your men?"
They are towards. they nave de
serted me-
After Drier silence. during which
the officer was lost in Wonder. ne said:
why did you miss me SO many
times Are you SO poor InarkSmany
NO. signor. l can hit bird on the
wing
/ "WeIly'
| .You looked so handsome in your
beautiful uniform I could not kill
| yon'
The police went back TO Naples and
/ reported that the brigands had disap-
peared. But this Is not the last of the