Mezzoni the Brigand — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. CHAPTER I. KING OF THE MOUNTAINS, Until quite lately the mountain region nearest to Naples, in the neighborhood of Salerno, Amalfi, and beyond, has been:the most famous resort for brig- ands anywhere out of Spain. It is less than six months since a rich inglishinee was seized, between Salerno and the plains of: Pes- turn, and held for ransom in a heavy’sum, which was finally paid according to the terms dictated by these | Italian banditti. The government has been com- pelled for years to virtually admit its inability. to cope with these active and dangerous mountaineers, whose guerilla warfare baffles all legitimate military operations. The local peasantry of the dangerous. districts are nearly always in league with the rob- bers, and being faithful to their interests, form in one sense part*of the organization, It is almost impossible to obtain any information as to the haunts of the brigands, or to procure the services of capable guides to lead any expedition against them. _Were the poor peasants inclined to (ao) comicbooks