The Classic Mediterranean

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1910 edition. Excerpt: ... bandits had hoped to secure as his ransom. "A physician, who had been kind to a brigand when he was shot, received letters bearing his signature demanding small sums of money, and threatening his life if he did not send the money. Being obliged to go out nights, he secured the services of two men to act as his bodyguard, and he never went out in the evening without having both the men with him. As the intimidating letters kept coming with greater and still greater insistence, and with threats of immediate vengeance, he entrusted the amount asked for to one of his men and sent him off to give it to the brigand. "For a time the letters ceased; then new ones began to come, demanding more money and threatening to kill the doctor in spite of his guard if it were not sent to the place designated at a given time. In view of his having helped the brigand in a time of trouble, he failed to understand his ingratitude, and finally sent USING A BRIGAND'S NAME 129 a friend to the mountains to meet him and seek an explanation. "When the outlaw saw the letters he was extremely indignant, and declared that he had never signed them, and that some one was using his name to secure money from the physician. Acting upon the advice given by him, the friend ascertained from the guard who carried the money the name of the man to whom he gave it, and then invited the two men to the same house, neither knowing that the other was to be present. Drawing a revolver upon the man who had received the money, he threatened to kill him if he did not explain what the transaction meant The threat did not terrify the suspected man, and a knife was drawn and this fearful future outlined: 'First, I will cut you up with this knife and then I will empty the revolver into...