For Love and Glory.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8156, 9 June 1906, Page 2

For Love and Glory.

CHAPTER lV.—Continued

"Tell me, what did you do, man."

"Nothing—that's the trouble. 1 suppose any other man would have accepted the challenge and sprang overboard to oblige her. I simply declined to wet my flannels, run the chances of taking oold, and possibly fill an aching void m the maw iof a hungry shark because, by Jove! my horoloving lady chose to purposely drop her plagued poodle out of the "sampan," and beseech me to save it."

The MoGiegor gasped. "I dinna keu what the lassie was thinking aboot. What happened to the poodle?"he usked, suepioious'y-

r "A shark took the ki-yi in, alnost wilhiu arm's lougfib of the boat, [t gave me a shock, 1 tell you." "It's a sair job, imie-'d and lo ;bink she would hold uny offense igainst you after that. Man. nut it gives me the creep 3 to remember ibe bairn is her sister, and that ny time may come yet." "Well, while you have the ohanoe, ;abo out a bis? accident policy, jnd you might aa well select your jvooden leg—it may eava time," joolly. The McGregor was game, how3vsr, and not to be frightened by 3hadowß. His allejiiance to the irrepressible Evaugoliue was deep 3eatod, Bud even though he expected the strangest requests and demands from ner, as an evidence of his adoration, yet would ho not falter. Perhaps Geordie should have lived in those good old days when were chivalry mad—and yot, he was a bonnie 4 lad, for all that, "And ouy refuse to share the honour of this exploit, when it might be the bridge over which yoa could once more pass to the heart and attention o£ the lady?" as keel McGregor.

"It is yours alone, and all the honour must come to you." "Bat I'm only to glad to divide with you." ' ■"Kind of you; but I must decline. * Even if I knew it would reconcile us, I should still feel too pioucl to raiaQ ft hand j?jt t9 <?oQviiice the lady she wae wrong. Shd knows what c&tißtUtttes a brave Dianj elie's ifiado a study of the mattei 1 , you see, and it appears that I don't fill the bill. Very good. Am I then fool enough to go prancing about this fair land, endeavouring to do some windmill f eat that she may be convinced of her error? Not much. I'm simply going to remain what I've always been, an ordinary, everyday gentleman, minding my own business and not treading on other's toes. She says that constitutes coward, and I am content to let it guat that." "Well, I hope it will all come out Tight. Ft:baps, should the bairn try me too far, there may b« a pair of us, and I'll go to Manila with ye, my lad. A man may mate a muukle fool out o' himsel', but there must always be a line drawn somewhar, and how long it will be before 1 reach the jumping place, I dinna ken. I never oared much for sharks, anyway." Armand was forced to laugh at his drollery. "We'd better move on. Some of these people coming out of the temple seam to watch us as though they suspected our designs were evil, and we consp'red to strip the' altar of its jewels, perhaps defile the god they worship in yonder. You know nothing can anger a Jap more unless it's the holding up the memory of his ancestors to scorn, for they swear by those." "I've been a long time in Japan, and theste people are a uever-w&ary-ing source of pleasure and (amusement to me. You've visited the capital, of course?" askedjMcQregor, as they sauntered on, arm in arm, with fresh weeds.

"Tokio? Yes, several times. It is only about twenty milea away by railroad. A big city, without the cosmopolitan aapoct of Yokohama. A 1 ways reminds me of a plain covered <vith mushrooms, with here and there a temple, in the Shiba park or some building towering above the one-storey houses. I think it has a million aud a half inhabitants." "I wager you were never thera on the night befoie New Year's, to see the wonderful fair."

"True, though I've heard something about it. Beguile our tramp back to the Bund with a description, Mao. What's the fair for, and what is done there?"

The young Soot saw that his companion desired to forget his keen troubles, have them swallowed up, as it were, injextfirior things, and with his customary good-nature, he set about accommodating hioi.

"Well, like the Chinese, our Japs, you know, ba"e a tenofc in their religion that compels each man to pay all his debts, save those owing to 'Ka-mi,' or foreign dog, before New Year comes in. The m9n who fails to do so, without leave of his creditors, is dishonoured; consequently, those who are in debt sell everything they own which will fetch money, on the last night of the year. In Tokio, especially, there 1b a huge fair held in the 'ginza,' or principal streetj on JNew Year's eve, for this purpose. The booths are spread over at leaßt a couple of miles in four long avenues, each etall being lighted with oil fiareß, in addition to the rather feeble eleatric lights. Here for a few bawbees you can make every imaginable kind of hnmble purchase. • What are curious to foreignres, and house Bold odds and ends to the natives, predominate, specially old metal, lacquer and porcelain thingd, charming little 'infos' (Japanese portemedlcina), 'netsukes, which are ornamental buttons for stringing through one's east), you know; 'miniature temple ornaments—censors, oandle-*. sticks, flower vessels; the little poiobet mirror-and-oomb oases

FORGET.

By St George RatSihorne. Author of " I)r. jack," " The Witch from India," (t Captain Tom," i( Mynheer Joe" .Dr. Jack's Wife," etc., etc.

CHAPTER V,

carried by the 'mousmees" in Iheiigraceful hanging sleeves; the fantastic haircomb and hairpin, very old, some of them that 1 have collected, more or less battered, • but of exquisite workmanship and material; the queerest little china boxes, only an inch across, holding the red or black pigments utfed for the seals, whioh, as you know every Japanese merchant: carries to impress where we give a signature; the Beals themselves generally of bra3s; exquisite little bronze and silver charms; floe old brass or bronze ends for papei lanterns; 1 ttle ivory boxes hardly bigger or thicker than a gentleman's visiting card used for the vermilion with which they brighten their lips—well in faut a host of things connected with their daily life. "You think yoa are in fairyland jostling your way among quaint and mirthful Orientals up the long avenues or toioh-lit stalls piled with outlandish wares. Most noticeable of all are the tall teahouse 3 with triple festoons of huge red paper lanterns and fluttering strings of flags; the whole of the ground floor front staoked up with tiers and tiers of 'sake' kegs, looking like half ba'Tells Bewn up in yellow matting decorated with staring red and green dragons or 'tai' fish piled up like the gabions of a redoubt. From behind these come sounds of revelry and the tinkle of the 'samisen.' Sometimes the 'samisen' playing comes from beautiful little guedha --little fariee, with shaved eyebrows and wbiteued faces, and gilt and crimsoned lips, 3ecked out like butterflies —the proper adjunct of Japanese banquet. But more often in these common tea houses, looking ont on the popular fair, the playing will be done by one of the strolling 'samisen' players belonging to the 'eta,' or pariah class. Occasionally you meet a curiously masked man 'samiaen'player, reminding one of a carnival nighfc'at .Rome.

"Bat, after all, tba main busineaa of this fair, you understand, Badoliffe, is selling, not junketing. One feels inclined to buy everything, the mats, cushions, 'kimonos,' 'obi' (the queer Japanese souks with divided toes, white for wearing with sandals blue studded underneath for wearing without); {,J)9 straw and rope sandals high wooden KCWS? i 'tukara bune' the little plaited fcraaa Bhip of weaUbwith the seven Gods of Riches seated in it; used for hnging over the bed to bring you luaky dreams; lantern boxes made of white card almost covered with a georgeous black crest the shape of a knapsack; pipecases, "hifcachis," quaint old musical instruments, very much soiled, embroideiies and swords galore. "Taken altogether, it is one of the most wonderful spectacles the human mind can conceive, and it must be a long time ere I shall forget my experience on a Tekio New Year's eve.

"I can imagine it all from what I myself have seen. But, by the way, how do you suppose those fellows mean to carry out their rascally design? Can it be those on board the yacht, one of them claiming to be a relative of *.he Marquils Ito,*are in the game? They are mighty sudden in their punishment for such things here in Japan—the sword, the headsman, and justice is done." McGregor realisnd that it was mere folly to think any little pleasant fairy story of bis could keep the otber from harping upon tne subject that lay nearest his soql. And perchance, he was not aveise to talking shop himself, since nature had fashioned him in a pugnacious mould, and like moat Highlanders, he was never really happy save when withhin hearing of the mutter of battle.

"Aweel," he drawled, for it was u sally in thii mood he wooed the muses with his picturesque dialect, "aweel, laddy, ye maun rest assured I was verra curious about that poiut meael', and gaod close to the thieving soamps to discover what vras in the wind. I am not verra sure, but this is what I have suspected righta long—that the whole gang o' them are a lot o' Filipino sympathisers and conspirators, that the story wbilk they told the old colonel is a panic o' lees, and that the yaqht means sooner or later to gang awa' to the islands and land contraband goods o' war intended for Aquinaldo and his braw insurgents. And when they sail, the mairs the peaty, they hope to carry the lady with them, perhaps both the lassies, for all we ken. But Heaven is kind; we have discovered the game, and it will be a muckle bad job if two men, armed and. equipped for battle by the power o' love that moves the warld could outwit a parcel o' de'ils like that."

ONE MAY FORGIVE BUT NOT

When Armand found himself once mure ilone, he had arrived at the hotel, and although the hour was late, he succeeded in securing some thing to eat. These temporary bodies of ours must be looked after, even though the heart writhes under 'the ; lashes ofoutrageous fortune. Armand believed he was bearing bis cross,in a truly philosophical spirit. He smiled and made himself appear as gay as usual. If occasionally a groan would well up to his lips as a sudden conviction of his loss forced itself upon his attention, amused, it might be, by the swish of silken petticoats near by, or a glimpse' di a pretty face, he crushed this feeling of weakness in the bud, and laughed, the more heartily at come humourous remark made by an acquaintance. To be Oontinued.