THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 7 September 1907, Page 3

THE STORYTELLER.

THE MAMOSI OF SHL./:.uiUi£o.

Bv Clinton DangerOeld.: "Only don't be rash, Jack, dear," pleaded Miss Barrett, hying her hand lightly on Captain Tyler's arm, her grey eyes growing truubled. •Tin never rash," declared Captain "Jack," with a positiveness which, somehow; failed to convince his companion. For, ever since he bad been tirst to Teach her, on rel'uf of the Meaguered legation—a relief rapidly followed by their secret engagement—she had learned that peril sMined an clement of pleasure to Tyler. It was a pleasure heretofore indulged'in with impunity, for, in spite of his brilliant action in several campaigns, he had never sustained a scratch. "And you must leave m•■ this even ingt" she asked wistfully, looking up I into his strong, handsome face. | "But well have many other evenings," j he consoled. "And there's your friend, the Jap, coming up the walk to talk to you on th_> step. Xice little feliow. Don't flirt too h-ird with him." With this caution, Captain Tyler was gone, and the newcomer took h-- phee. j addressing a carefully phrased compliment to Miss Barrett. "Oh, good gracious!" cried the girl, j -laughing, "your flattery will totally spoil j me. All that the Attaches cm say to me will sound tarn- after you. And where on earth did you learn stfch fine English!" ( "I went to one of your honourable . Colleges. It is of the name Oxford." . "Oxford!'* mu«ed the girl. "Jaclc is

from Oxford." The mme slinped froir her unconsciously. She bl-.ished. Tte swift Intelligence of the Japanese officer caught the name, and saw ho Bnsh of colour. "Tanoshimi wa knnashimi no motoi." he muttered, sadly, to himself. ' "Yon aren't allowed to talk Japanese." pouted th? girl. "But if yon do. it wnn'f ■ave you. I know a little myself. Ton Mid, 'All joy Is the source of sorrow.'" "The name of your honourable frienS," returned the Japanese, with an acquired, though faint, echo of Occidental bluntness, 'ls Jack Tyler!" Tea, that is his name," said the girl, •urprised. Then she added, passionately: "Oh, Mr. ShinTalmro,: do keep an eye on Jack for me. He is so adventurous. If there's a nasty bit of scouting to he done, he's always in it.: Aid now he's on the scent of some horrid State papers, concealed somewhere here m Pelrin, and he goes poking nronnd in the most awful places—l know he does! And these Chinese are lying perdu—here and there, just where you least expect them, like rats in a nest. Snnnose he were to be trapped in one of their horrid cellars. Suppose " Checked hy the horror of her own fan- j ries she turned white, and sat wordless, I with clasped hands, her little "ilk fan fallen by her side. The Japanese raised the fan, and softly upread it out.

*I will be the friend of toot hnnonrj»Me companion, O flower of pure lovelilie said quietly^ An hour later the moon had climM to so sweeping an eminence that her rays flooded the whole fallen city.: Thev danced on the deserted and once sacred Imperial palace, with its fanciful architecture; they gleamed on gardens whore to recently tie feet of royal favorites had clicked to and fro in polished get a, bound to tiny ankles; they wandered orer the broad streets, and then into more secret and tortuous ways. In one of these they glimmered suddenly on the tall form and broad, resolute shoulders of an Englishman, whose kindly, bronzed face was shaded by his military hat, pulled low over his brows. A noiseless figure, which scarcely

reached to the Englishman's chin, glided up behind him, but he seemed, by some -jsubile soldier's instinct, to feel the approach, and whirled round with a drawn pistol in his hand. Then he smiled, and thrust the revolver into his belt. "Ok It's your- C*ptain Shinzaburo," he said cordially. "You are a good man to meet In one of these sneaky alleys." "I thank you for your highly gracious words," returned the Japanese, with a precision which made the Englishman ■mile. "And in return, 0 most honourable acquaintance, deign to accept this from the hands of my humble self." _ As he spoke he held ont to the Englishman a small silk bag, suspended from a narrow gold chain. Tyler took it with some curiositv. "You are awfully kind," he' said. heartily. "But what is it!" "A potent mamori, 0 honourable acquaintance." "Mamori? Well, what—oh, I remember now! It's a charm. If I were to open this I'd find a little image, boxed up in a tiny shrine—eh!" The Japanese bowed. "Oh, come now, you don't believe in that sort of stuff, after four years in England! You and I are men, Shinzaburo."

"Let no one dare call a Samaurai less than a man," answered the Japanese,: with a strange burst oi haughty fierceness. Then he added, with a certain winningness: "Wear it, 0 gracious companion, not because of your high belieis, but as a. compliment to your inferior who offers it" "Oh, the deuce!— if you put in that way, of course* I'll wear it," said tho Other, suspending the chain round his neck, and letting the charm slip down inside his shirt. "And it's very white of you, Shinzaburo, to think of me." He paused, slightly embarrassed, for he wanted to get rid of his companion, but did not know how. The exquisite perception of the latter, however, bred by intense social training, penetrated bis thoughts. With a fewmore compliments, the Japanese bowed himself away, and the relieved soldier took up his line of march again. "Glad he's gone," he muttered. "I bare a mire enough clue, and if I get those papers from that rotten little temple, there'll be something doing for me at home." He pressed on eagerly, rapidly, like a finished hound on a trail, confident, swift in bis movements, lithe in spite of his great size. "I had to pay high for that inforniatfcn," he thought, "but, by George, I believe the fellow spoke the truth. He waited revenge on the mandarin who put them there, and he will pt hi* revenge, and the money from me betides.''

Kve minute* later the seeker p.i-sed the gate of an obscure temple, and hurried through the doorway into the temple itself. A brooding Bnddha yet remained to preside over his ruined fane. Squat, far-seeing, his mouth widened by an in acrutable smile, he stared past the intruder with eye* for ever fixed on illimitable spare. Silence hung like a rcil of my-i'-ry over all. D.irkr.c— nuntled th- "]!•- webbed corner-. This silence the - .ft tread of the soldier seemed to break vividly in spite of hi" efforts to move ligh.ly. When hi- !><ti■'. touch.-! 'ie tuc&e t*"whieh he had l»vm ufret";''-.i, a* looked around him almost guiltily, athough conseinu* life lay In the *enrnfiil Buddha, intelligence able io penelrate •nd punish this intrusion. ' \ But the officer drew out in Mfety. So far so good. j. Now he hurried to the ab .->• •!. kneeling before.it, opened a lilt!- o a Yet another by before him, and u< reach it he had to lay far in, and apply Doth hand to his work. Scarcely bud he assumed this «lefenceless position, when four eauri! and yellow shadows, in Chinese garb, darted like spiders nut of the dark corners nearest, and threw themselves bodilv upon •aim.

The straggle its- a short one. Tf the soldier was tall, his opponent' uvr* l't- , tie 1-9S than giant--. They bound him ] an though he hul 'x-eii a child, and hauled him. cursing and stnigglin ". info the moonlight. A« he lay !>ef*.r* 'hem one after another of the brute- 1:1-Veil Mm sererelv. TaWnj fhi= 1= -.< <'r»nDOu» translation of "Hold your '--i ••:•<-■" he subsided, and lr- quiet. But his thou;"r.t = n-orf wry .h -•■-•'■: I for he had roe-...« : --d anion- lb'-' ■■!'■■ | lis expensive inform nit. and. '■ ■< ! r■-. i he M* lh;it it was a finipiii'jr '!■"■ '■> ■:■■■', I China of one mor" luted foreigner. | "You want nvro money. T hi..---V ! at last he said r.-.ldly. to hi- h- ■• ':-r.-H \ infn'rmant ""slate your pric and I'l • pay. if T can." "Yon pay ..Ih-e r.niee jood." r ;■.]■!• : the Chinese, with a wicked ?~> TTdrew one lend, wi'b Haw'i'o TV---. across his own th-"it. to i'ln-trr ■ \<'- meanin?. "Ton k'llee one - ti v ',l. j?l»tc man in last battle. Mm --" •Cheng T.'nii'/. v.,n r.ctfor no i-.-'-n-". _ me puttee yni n?ar the emprc-f.'" "You mean near the eninre-- 'b.w-?r- '* Oh. ehe's no ;rood. P--o V- .■..,„>. done mc. T acknowledge it. •... 1 P! n\the nriee. do you want''" The Chinese deigned no fuHb-- .-tj. |Wtr. H« and his companions lilted thy

soldier, and laid him directly in front of [tin; Buddha, on a kind of Ion" bench, •which tl.ey hud dragged there, i fo this they bound him, hard and tasi, jaml tiieu vanished as quickly as they had come. "What in the devil docs this moan?'' mut'ered the prisoner. "Does Cheng Lieug call this revenge? By Geoige, he must think I can be left here to starve! But that's not likely. They'll hunt for mo, and hunt hard, for tiifit little Jap saw me coming toward this quarter to-night. .Much good his i,tlie fool amulet has done me!" He writhed in his bonds, in a futile j lattcmpt to get into a more comfortable position; but tile clfort was unsuccessful.

"Find me—but will they find in.<» riie place is enormous, auU I had a dickns of a job in tracing this out by lm up l.ieng gave inc. There are million t such alleys." lit- laughed grimly. "Oome-I mustn't'talk lik,e 111.1+ Vlil heres life there's hope, and so fur I'n lone the worse for this business J nay l>e the Oriental idea of a joke." If it was, there was yet another par Icipant. Ahmptly there loomed up be ore the soldier the stalely proportion <f a Chinese mandarin in'full miiitar lie was as tall as any of th our h;»l lx>en, *nd added to his heigh •vas a certain cruel dignity of presence ivhir-ii sent a warning thriil through th irisoner, and told him that now, indeed lie was face to face with the yellow peri in prim earnest. He poured out an eloquent appeal t the mandarin's love of safely, of wealtl But either the newcomer kn;'\v no Kn-> lish, or he was dominated too keenly bthe bitter element of lustful revenue t' care for anything the Englishman mi«h offer. °

From an exquisitely carved ivory sheath the mandarin drew a long, slim knife With this in hand he moved to the soldier's shoulder, and. bending over Mm, laughed aloud, as he laid the cold steel against the other's throat. The touch of its icy breath sent a ehill through the soldier's breast,: Cold drops of sweat began to form on his forehead. But he looked up into the mandarin's exultant eyes with steadfast courage, and answered his captor s laugh with a grim and contemptuous smile.

Also there crossed the captive's thought that he was to endure a very simple form of death. A stab from a knife was no worse than the bayonet on the field. It was a clean death. Ho could meet it manfully. Only-back there at the legation waited a girl with gTey eyed that sometimes softened and sometimes Hashed radiantly; " a E i rl whose'lips he would never kiss again. ".Eleanor," he murmured; and the name served him as a last prayer. With slow, deliberate enjoyment, the mandarin dragged back the coat, and then his shirt, from the soldier's throat .Not even the flimsy defence of cloth should stand between his avenging knife and his victim's white chest. The JHowery Kingdom might fail to avenge herself collectively on her enemies; but he, the mandarin, was fortunate. Iu the secret places of his own despoiled city he would slay the slayer of his son, and then an underground passage would carry him to safety. But he was in no hurry over his work. He would rather see some touch of fear in this dog of a foreigner, if he might. And so he pricked the soldier's shoulder with his knife, and then, getting only a disdainful look in return, he "thrust deeper, the blood following the point freely. x

Then the mandarin withdrew his blade from the slight wound in his prisoner's shoulder, and, tearing the shirt from over the soldier's heart, made ready in earnest for a deadly thrust. Then his eye was caught bv the silkenclosed mamori at the end of the slen-J-r chain. He paused,: his countenance altered. He was manifestly disturbed, and his victim thrilled with new hone as he comprehended that the amulet, which he_ had thought so cliildish, now stood between him and death—the mandarin might not kill anv man wearing this, the saered relic from a faith corn" mon, in this case, to both Japanese and Chinese.

.Mingled rage and disappointment glittered in the Chinaman's bitter glance. Then a saving conception came to him Death he might not deal out—because of that charm. But against life-in-death ,the amulet was no protection. And so long as one keeps to the letter of the jiaw, one is safe with the gods—supposedly, at le.»t. lr

With -omething like lustc in his dignified movements, he produced from behind the altar a tiny brasier, possiblv used formerly in priestlv ceremonies. He lighted the charcoal in this bv means of a very modern box of matches. The bound man followed his movements wilh a new and unspeakable anxiety. In stopping the knife, what other evil had the charm brought down on'him?

lie was not long left iu doubt. The mandarin, iu dumi) show, let him info his intentions, lie meant to heat tlit dirk and hold the red-hot blade close to the soldier's helpless eyes. Agony beyond words, and then hopeless blindness would be the sequel. As the blade grew red, and then whitened into keener heat, the soldier called on every atom of his manhood. Hotter the searing anguish, which, should blot

out for ever a dearly loved world, than to suffer the shame of fear betrayed. When the mandarin approached, weapon in hand, the countenance upturned io hiiu wore again a disdainful smile and an aiinost superhuman courage.

It did not move the Chinaman. JSearcr and nearer yet he brought the heated dagger. More and more intolerable grew the rapidly-increasing heat, as it approached the danger line, when, like a tiger, a slender figure -leaped through the doorway, struck the knife from the mandariu's hand, and attacked him with a savage fierceness, which partly estab lished an equality between the huge Chinaman and the muscular but small Shin/aburo.

The Japanese was at too close quarters to draw his dagger, and the China-

man too wise to let him do so. But the t'l'okio man was a graduate in that islraage school of wrestling which teaches ma-lcry through yielding. Shin-

zaburo, the first attack over, save; every ounce of energy, and as the deceived mandarin, feeding his euemy relaxing, put forth a unguarded effort, the Japanese suddenly perceived and seized the chance he wauled—the mandarin's right arm was snapped like a pipe-st'-m, and down he went on the floor, the Japanese On top. Ordinarily this would have given Shinzabubro the victory, but his huge opponent had one unsuspected advantage. He was left-handed. As the Japanese drove his ]«>niard into the mandarin's che.-t, the Chinaman answered with a ci'imt'T blow from a m ml d-ig-'i rot hi- own. which bit deep intu Sliinzalmru's

Tie- Japan.-e, iu hi- lir-t exaltation arcely felt the wound as he re l»;i hi-

•'.mphin'.ly lo his feet, g.i/.ing down on the mandarin's fast-glazing eyes. Then faintness wrapped the victor like a jd'ath mantle, lie staggered and dropped by the bench.

"Life is a lamp-flame in the wind," he u : is|>cd hoarsely, through drawn lips. "lWt surrender, my gallant friend,' cried the other. "Don't give way! Just one more effort, Shinzaburo -ju-t one more! Cut my bonds, man, and I can carry you safe to camp. Just one more •<f t l-'fore those four devils return."

lirav.dy the wounded Japanese dragged himself to !,i< knees and rat loose the bemimbc.i Englishman. Then he -auk again to the floor, while his friend desp rately rubbed his limbs, for the nioinen' udess, though tMe quick pain of ;tho r-'.nrning blood current proved that h- ii- iihl lx> ready for service in a few

\ i fir-t work was to bind up the •Ti! ; ■ se's wonnH. Shiuzaburo smil-d at hi in Mintly. "'.l'bat of the mamnri?" lie questioned. •-W-- n-it its work well done?' •■>.!> ralfier it was you» gailantry—

;-eir - -nage.-' return-d the .soldisr, -V"'nerniL' as hj" remenilvred how an ">c!i i •-■:■< r approach of that heated -.-■•! .' 'lb! have undone mm. -:; •'■•'- not T. The gods, who give lis !:uiii--i. |'r"l.'.-t tie- w-arers." murmured tin- <hins Japanese. "R was „„t T." "1 f'- ii- Hie sound of a woman's geta," v.-i.t „i, t!„. w..„n.le.| man; "but nos!:- ue.nrs! „o -anrlals. She has booted hj" K and -'efs them on my heart. Ask Ji i'fo -ay it for me, 0 honourable aeiiicimtaneo."

"Tell n.e. <Jiiiiz.ihiirn-=,iy what?" He v.-.s be„dii.2 low to catcl, the last faint

•The prayer for the .'-nidi Thit-ii. And Ml |,„ r ..._» the tones gr-w almost too low for hearing , Tim sol-lbr !„.„( T ,.t i o „. pr _ "What shall T say, Shinzaburo?—and to whom*"

**ny to her."' trailer] the wavering accent,, '•cajly my own words—o Captain

Jack—the words she understood—in the broad Chinese moon—Tanoshimi \va kanashimi no niotoi.'' The voice died -lor ever. i'aptaiu Jack Tyler stood looking down on his dead ally. "I can never deliver the message," ho muttered regretfully, "because 1 don't know the girl. Some cherry blossom, likely, in Japan."