Mezzoni the Brigand — page 152: what you’re looking at

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

144 MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. white as death, and staggering to the rock for sup- port. She was being fearfully tried. “Come, let us hasten on our way,” said Walter ; ‘‘time is very precious to us.”’ ‘“‘How terrible all this is,’’ whispered the trembling girl, ‘“‘Self-defense, Marion,’’ was all he said, almost lifting her away. “T have but eight charges left,’’ he continued, as he examined his pistols. On, on they struggled, and the night was nearly come again, but they did not pause for the rest they both somuch needed. They were now just in the region where they were liable to meet friends of the banditti at any moment. | ‘‘Can you keep on, Marion?”’ ‘*T will try,” she said. ‘‘It seems cruel to urge you on,”’ he said. He looked in her face and saw that it was neces- sary to give hera brief halt, and so he sought the shelter of some rocks, and found a resting place for the foot-weary girl. Walter himself had been taxed to his utmost, for oftentimes he was compelled to assist her over dangerous and abrupt declivities by an exertion of his greatest strength. They were de- scending the mountain on the opposite side from that by which the ascent had been made, and, as we know, the path followed by them had been many times farther than that pursued by the robbers with the Sedan chair. Indeed, a Sedan chair could not have passed by the way they had come. Only a brief .rest was permitted; they dare not lose a moment of time. Walter knew not how soon the whole band might be notified and sent after them. Every moment of progress was immensely comicbooks.com —