Mezzoni the Brigand — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

38 MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. abduction of the Ross child, which took place even in the very streets of a populous American city, and they will realize how difficult it is for Justice, at times, to thwart intelligent and organized villainy. Colonel Bray commenced immediately to look about him on his return to Naples. He exerted him- self to his utmost, but he found that the prospect was not encouraging. It was next to impossible for him to raise the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars for the ransom. People sympathized freely with the situation of the father, but when it came to putting one’s hand into one’s pocket, oh! that was quite another thing. People shook their heads. If he had been at home in England it might have been an easier matter to bring about. Where he was known and respected he might be trusted with a loan, especially for such a peculiar and imperative object. He soon saw that here in Italy he could do nothing, or at least not of sufficient amount to be of any real service. In this condition of affairs he turned for advice to his young American friend, Walter Hammond. He could only offer the anxious father one thousand dollars, that being the extent of the letter of credit which he held for personal expenses during his ab- sence from home. He had a long and sympathizing conversation with the colonel. He was himself very grave in this emergency, for he had that day received a cable dispatch summoning him to. America, and bidding him to start on the very hour that the vessel should sail, to freight which he had been sent to Naples. ‘Read this, Colonel Bray,’ he said, showing him the telegram. ‘I would remain and try to assist you if it were not for this peremptory recall.” Eomichbooks.co