Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-10-23
A WOMAN
BRlGAND
By SAMUEL E. BRANT

There lived in medieval times In
Florence. Italy. a nobleman, one of the
Conda family, who fell under the dis
pleasure of Lorenzo de Medici and was
obliged to fy for his life. He found
his way to the island of Sicily and
took up his abode on the foothills be-
low Mount Etna. where he was Joined
by his wife and children.
Those were troublous times. and the
dividing line between making a living
honestly and by plumber was not so
well marked as now. Giuseppe Con
da, having been a mar of action, nat
urally fell TO levying tribute from
travellers for a living. He passed years
supporting his family In this way and
was at last shot by the police and
killed, leaving a daughter twenty years
old to care for several younger chill
dren.
Blanca Conda. having been brought
up without a knowledge Of any way
Of making a livelihood than that adopt
ed by her father, saw no other way to
support the little ones intrusted to
her care than by turning brigand.
Adopting mans attire. she would go
out to some spot favorable for ambus-
cade on a thoroughfares and lie in
wait for some luckless traveller. order
him to leave his v%aluables on a rock.
and when he had done 70 she would
hermit him TO pass on.
But Blanca had a very sweet, wo-
manly voice which she could not dis
guise. Indeed. shes did not attempt
to do so. She would say in her own
natural tones: "Signor, l have you COW
cred with my carbine. Place what
valuables you have with you on that
rock beside the road and proceed on
your way. II you refuse l shall kill
you"
Some submitted through fear, but a
number were Influenced rather by be-
ing commanded by a woman with a
sweet voice. Perhaps there were per-
sons robbed who were well armed and
would have resisted had 1t not been
for this consideration. At any rate.
Blanca did not have to hurt any one.
But so averse was she to her calling
that whenever she took in valuables
from a traveller she never robbed an
other till the plumber was all gone.
Blanca was pitied by the people who
dwelt in her section of the island. and
the story Of her method of supporting
her brothers and sister spread abroad.
The young Count Tarantola. a Floren-
tine who was visiting Sicily, heard of
her while ~sojourning at Palermo. He
knew of her connections In his native
city and had heard of the treatment
her father had received at the hands
Of Lorenzo de- Medici. He resolved 20
make the ascent Of Mount Etna and
on the way attempt to secure an inter
view with the woman bandit.
He purposely travelled alone on a
road on which he was told that Blanca
levied tribute. He heard that the night
before she had levied upon two differ.
emit travellers. from neither of whom
she had secured more than a pittance
Therefore he calculated she would try
it again the next night.
At the point where be expected to be
robbed he heard Blanca demanding the
tribute In her accustomed voice.
"Signorina." he replied, II have moth
ing to give you except the signet ring
of my family. leave it for you on
the rock, begging that you will not
turn it into money. but yea it for the
sake Of one who knows of your fathers
treatment at the hands Of the Medici
family and pities you sincerely"
Blanca heard this request given in a
voice no less attractive for a man than
hers was for a woman. She readily
made the promise. The count then beg
ged that she would permit him to see
her, but she refused his request. So
there was nothing for himAto do but
pass on.
Count Tarantola assembled Mount Eft
ma, but he was oblivious to what he
saw, for the voice Of Blanca Conda
was ever sounding in his ears. Re
turning to Florence he went to- court.
where he had great influence. became
an advocate for Blanca Conda and her
young charges and succeeded in re
moving the ban against them and Sc
curing a restoration Of their estates.
But before they we're recalled he ex
acted from the government a promise
to keep secret the fact that he had
been Instrumental in their change of
fortunes.
One night after Bianca's arrival in
Florence she was attending a ball.
Suddenly she started A voice behind
her was saying: Good evening, signo-
ra. When did you return from Rome?'
The words were spoken in the voice
she had heard the night she had rob
bed Count TarantoIa of his signet ring.
She had it On her finger at that very
moment She turned and saw the
young count. whose eyes met hers.
The lady to whom he had spoken
moved on. and, approaching Blanca.
ha sold.