Mezzoni the Brigand — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

MEZZONI THE BRIGAND. 85 CHAPTER IX. A SPY IN CAMP, We will return with the reader to the robbers’ cave in the mountains where we left Marion Bray impatiently awaiting her deliverance. This stronghold in the nearly inaccessible hills had been well chosen, for the locality was a hidden mystery to those who did not know the secret paths among the rocks and the volcanic soil which formed the mountains. The cave, aS we have already signified, was formed partly by nature and partly by the hand of man. It was sufficiently spacious to afford various rooms or divisions for domestic purposes, for the storage of such booty as it was desirable to keep there, and also affording safe keeping for the confine- ment of prisoners held for ransom, as in the case of the English girl. The stewardess, of whom we have had occasion to speak as waiting upon Marion Bray, had charge of inside matters, and it was surprising to see how very neat and clean every thing was kept. This was so obvious that Marion had more than once compli- mented the patient and industrious woman. The cave was not floored, all lived upon the stones or earth, as chanced to be the case, and it was all the more difficult to keep them cleanly. There were a first and second lieutenant in charge of the cave and the men, and the respect paid to their orders and position was a marked feature of Eomicbooks