For Love and Glory.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8154, 8 June 1906, Page 2

For Love and Glory.

CHAPTER 111.—Continued. Well, Armaud's pulse aotually quickeuol at the possibility, and ho found hituaelf wishing ho could have a baud in the game, which was rather quick reformation for a man who bad so lately resolved to absolutely eschew all that pertained to silken petticoats. lie began to move along the wall, where the fiorni-shndow lay densest. Having long since giving over smoking, ho had nothing to distract his attention and wa? nolo to rivet it upon the delicato task now in hana

Cocstderiug thai; he was but an amateur in this sort of thing Armand did remarkably well. His hunting oxperieucoa stood him in good s'oad, perhaps. Slowly ho covered some of the ground, and no oue appoured to notice. Ah! now he could catch more words and to his ear floated such phrases, in Spanish, of course, which he fairly understood, as ! "a glorious chance for fortune," "a bold stroke, then, und (he gamo is ours," "hidden on her p*oraon, swear it by the saints, ' "'more than oue hundred thousand dollars," "to the death, 'camarados.' " Those little Boraps did not serve to make the mind of Armand any easier, for ho was now sure a plan must bo on foot to kidnap the young lady oud hold her lor a mighty ransom. Fo tune was most unkind, as frequently hnr-penf, for just when be had reached a pi ice where it seemed a though ho might catch a drift of

their conversation, bleaa yon, if the conspirators didn't take it into their beads to ruovu away, leaving a much chagrined and disconsolate disciple of Sherlock Holmes flattened oat agniDst the rough temrle well.

Hia first thought was to more after them, bnt tho frilly of this quickly became apparent, since be could not hope to get close enough to hear, and must run the constant risk of discovery. While ho stood time, muttering his dismay and growling at the hard luck, behold, a figure came round a pillar that stood near where tb<3 conference had taken place, a figure Armnnd instantly recognised instantly, and With more than a little pleasure. "Jovel t!ie McGregor, and 1 lieve be must have been all the while within arm's lentgh of the beggars. Forhapa Evangeline also demands heroics from her gentle Ferdinand. But 1 must hail him, or he'll be off." At the sound of hiß voice, the other turned, ard there in front of the Shinto temple with its wierd Strains of music floating out into the night to mingle with the thousand noises of the street, the Yankee clasped hands with the Soot. "You h ard?" <was what Arrnand oried. I

"Man, but it vtas a braw rnuckle job the gilliea de'il take thorn, set up. A rearsoms sioht ttraC will stir your blood and give ye unco' shivers when ye hear me laab. It ia veira curious to And you here, my Yankee friend. I could ha' wished for tetter Juok. Listen, tbeD, and hauld your broath for aweel, its about Miss Therese," was the rather staggering way the McGregor bui; it aa he drew Armaud onoe more aside.

CHAPTER IV,

"DEAR LIITLB FERDINAND." Any conception of the McGregor which tho fond rhapsodies of lovesick Evengclino might arouse, were apt to bo misleading, and a sight of the original must spoedily dissipate them. Gordon Ferdinand McGregor was an exceedingly stnlwait and brawny young sou of Scotia, with tho form of a giant. His hair was fiery red, bis face very frockled, but there was something about him that won friends wherever he wont, and which " had apparently created a volcanic disturbance in the gentle breast of the volatile "infant."

"Geordie," ho was usually called, though Evansoliuo persisted musing his middle name, because ifc struck her fancy. He possessed many Stirling qualities, and a goodly rent roll, besides beiuis connected with some Scottish duke like Argylo, or a descendant, of Bruce, Armand had .forgotten whioh. Mcureaor, besides being a very genial young chap, waoacomplished in the musical line, being gifted with a remarkable basso voice of rptund strength and exceedingly

sympathetic qualities. Ho could alao play creditably on almost any instrument from a negro banjo to a street hurdy-gurdy, flia prime favourito, of ooursu,

was the pibrooh of bia native land, and wherever he went a green bag always accompanied him, in which slept tbo remarkabJw shrill-voiced devil, the bagpipes, whose oerie skirling and soreeohiug had erenow oome near paralyiziug scowling Afghan, fleroe swarthy Kurd and bland heathen Chinee.

Geordie had a peculiarity. Though possessed of as fine au education as Edinburgh University can bestow upon her favourite sons, he delighted at times to drop into the idioms of his shepherd countryman au.l "hoot awa" in a fashion to r lease a lover of the picturesque in lanugage.

Armaud had conceived .quite a fancy for the young Scotch giant, though more or less amused at the «nabnehed manner in which little Miss Flirt led him around as the ancient Romans used to do with their captives.

By St. George-Rathborne* Author of " Dr. Jack," " The Witch from India," " Captain Tom," "3lifnheer Joe," " Dr. Jack's Wife." etc., etc.

Ho was pleased, therefore, to know that while himself debarred from playing the eavesdropper, be might got tho gist of the conspirators 1 converaation secondhand. As the whim seised McGregor, he talked plain. English, always with tho Caledonian twirl to his r's and euoh other marks us may distinguish thotongue of a ttuo Highlander, anon dropping for a bit into bis broard dialect that in bis mind added to the force as well as the flavour of the thing. "1 p refill mo, laddio, there's no use tryiug to keep it from ye, for, unless I'm groviousdy niistakon, yo are on something of the same mission—yes, love sot mo to watching our suave acquaintances, Godaigo Takauori, becauso my angel, who is a very suspicious little body, it eoemt', thought there was mischief brewing, when, yestoreen sho saw that worthy gentleman riding in a 'rikisha with one whom the Morrisons knew in old Spain. "Aweel, the pretty lassie would not tell me all, and dinna ken the relation (his gallant tore toward ber sister; but nae doubt he was >•■ suitor for bor band, an «be gaefl him the mitten. i

"I rnigbt string out the story, telling you bow I watched the Filipino this night, and by what good grace 1 managed to hide just where the three rogues drew in to discuss their deviltry, tut what's the uso? You want facis, hard, knotty facts, aud hore they are, my lad, here tbey are. "It is a plot to carry off a girlthink of it, man, in this twentieth centuy, too, uarry ber off, hold her for ransom, or secure some preoioas jewels she always carries ou her person." "Meaning Miss Therese?" observed Armand, with a calmness that surprised bimself; "but I never knew her to wear any jewels of extraordinary value—it must be a. mistake." "They believe in it—she carries them secreted on her person—they seemed to lay particular stress upon this point although I am unable to positively state that the word 'obi' which means jewel in Japanese, you know, was used with references to her valuables, or tho face that her possession aa a ransom-paying property would be a jewel to them. At any rate, tbey are bound together in a league, the pri me object of whioh ia tho abduction of Miss Theresß," "Of course, our duty in the premises is to warn the young lady's ,guardian, who will see to surrounding her with such safeguards as may be found in Yokohama, and which may serve aa obstacles to even the valor of a brave and chivalrous Spanish grandee." McGregor looked quickly into the face of the other, as though it struck him the American failed to exhibit each enthusaism as the merits of the case would (Seem to warrant.

"You take it very coolly, friend," be remarked. "1 see no reason to excite oneself to fever heat. The young lady is, well, a friend of mine, and I would do auything possible to spaie her trouble; anything, that is n save to try and appear heroic in ber sight. Was there more—did you chance to hear any particulars of this beastly job, ibat might give us pointers?"

The McGregor made no further reference to the astonishing change that had come over the man, who, when last met, was only too eager to expatiate upon the charms of tho elder' Miss Morrison.

Perhaps Geordie knew, experience ia a sad, teacher, and a few weeks in the company of that bright young creature Evangeline would bo quite sufficient to post even the veriest neophyte in all tho various moods connected with lovemaking. "Ouly iu a general way. Their plans have already been arranged, it appears. They spoke of a yacht," he said, slowiy •\miand uttered an exolamation.

"1 'remember that to-morrow they are to dine with u Japanese nobleman on hoard his yacht. We passed it in our "sampan" and Thereso told me that it belonged to the Marquis lto, who had leased it to some relative whom Morrison met recently. It must be the kidnapping is to be carried out then. Well, forewarned, is forearmed. You will see that they do not go aboard." "Why not use your influence too?"

"Alas 1 fear it is nil just now. Miss Therese looks upon me as sadly lacking in those qualities of manliness which sho deems essential to the make-up of a cavalier, in plain words, I'm a coward." "I don't believe it—never," cried tho McGregor. "Thanks awfully," with a pressure ou the arm of the sturdy Soot that spoke volumes, "but she has said it, and until she revokes her sentence, it stands," with a grim sense of giving Miss Therese her ull dues. To be Continued.