Mezzoni the Brigand — page 156: what you’re looking at

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

148 MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. ‘You are only too brave and daring, Walter, > she added, nestling to his side like a child. They now found to their great satisfaction that they were coming down much nearer to the city than they had anticipated, and could see the lights dis- tinctly in the distance. Both felt elated, though they knew that they were by no means out of danger. Every step they advanced brought them, they felt, nearer and nearer to final safety. — ‘‘Hark,’’ said Walter, ‘“‘I hear some one in ad- vance of us, 1am confident.”’ “Yes, a rough and scuffling tread.’’ “That is just it.”’ ‘There, I hear it again.’’ ‘‘It is close ahead.”’ Now came another trying experiencein this gant- let of dangers. A shadow was seen in the path be- fore them, and soon the figure of the man who caused it. Walter thought instantly that he recog- nized that burly and rough form. Could it be? Yes, it was the brigand Vecchio, with whom he had been engaged in the stand-up fight, and whom he had so thoroughly whipped at the mountain stronghold. The gang must have returned sooner than had been expected, and were probably already dispersed in search of the fugitives. Both men recognized each other instantly, and both knew that one or the other must now pay the forfeit of his life. Not a word was spoken by either for more than a minute, during which the two looked each other sternly in the face. ‘“‘Do you surrender?” said the brigand. ‘Never.’ “Then die!’? said Vecchio, with a look of hate a ot. . oa? 2 ae comicbooks.co