For Love and Glory.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8166, 25 June 1906, Page 2

For Love and Glory.

CHAPTER XV.—Continued

"I admit it, and if I ever recover them, I shall bo more careful in the future," she responded, meekly. Well, sho could eat humble pie, it seemed when necessary, and acknowledge herself in error. Arruand felt mollified. At the same time, as a man possessed of sorao business taot, he wns aghast at the idea of her boing so cureless. What could the colonel bo thinking about to allow her to thus drag around from country to country documents that possessed a marketable value? She had said tbey were worth much, and he could readily imagine what manner of deeds or stocks tbey represented. "You think, then/' he went r.n, carefully weighing his words, "that the papers are now in the possession of these men, or someone on the yacht?" "I do." "And supposing these fellowa have them, what would tie their ideß of coming to Tokio?" "To see me, prehaps." "Ah! yes, to arrange for a ransom. If they were cheated about receiving it for your person, they may make the levy upon your property?" "Yes." "You say they are valuable. Have you any idea what they might demand for their return?" ( She looked away to conceal a smile. "It would be impossible to say —as large a sum as I would pay, perhaps." "Come, that is surprising. Surely the doouments must have an intrinsic face value. "No, not in this oase." "But how—you told me they were of great importance. 1 have imagined deeds and stocks and such things. 1 waa wrong, then?" "Quite wrong. In fact, no one could negotiate them for a dollar save with me." "Oh! then, if these gentlemen want to make a .pretty penny oat of their find, they must open negotiations with you? "Or my representative," demurely. "flow are these—er—dooumente to be recognised, pray?" ' "By a bit of blue silk ribbon 'which is tied about them to keep them together." "And you will not be bapry as long as they remain in alien handb." "1 should very much like to leoover them, and stand ready to pay any reasonable ransom.'' "They can't be duplicated, then?" "I—fear not," with,a little oon-

fusion. "Now, what the deuce can tbey be?" wondered the young man, whose bewilderment inoreased with N «aoh passing moment. "May 1 aek what you call a reasonable sum?" hecontinued, aloud. "Say a thousand dollars. If they demand more 1 would want to be consulted before dropping the whole business," she replied. Armand knew then Bhe set some store by them. "I shall bo curious-to see see what they aro like,' he thought as they ' sauntered on. "Will you help me? she was asking. "Most assuredly, to any extent, from scuttling the yacht to knocking the heads of those preoious conspirators together." he returned. 'Oh! I hope there will be no need of such desperate things as " that. Perhaps you could look these gentlemen up, have a quiet talk with them, and arrange for the • the delivery of the papers." "I'll try. Suppose they prove obdurate. Shall 1 have them arrested for larceny?" "Gould you?" "Well, if they confess to nolding your property, it is plausible, and 1 judge these Jap courts will ; make them disgorge. That would be the better way all around. I hate to temporize such things. It is really compounding a felony, you know." "And that, I suppose, is something very dreadful to the legal mind. Use your best judement and 1 shall be satisfied." What astonishing confidence she had in him. Ha should have been proud. Truth to tell, he only thought she was trying to make him conform to her ideas of what a man should be like, and there was rank rebellion in his heart. That was what made him cynioal, and prevented him from crossing the plank which she bad laid down to bridge the chasm between them. "Very well. Y.ou may depend upon me. Do the others know about your loss?" he inquired. Oh, no! that is between you aud myself." "Then I shall say nothing about it." "If you please." "Kefir, assured that if one of those fellows has the papers he'll disgorge." "Thanks, awfully." "Wait till I succeed. You know •a certain plaoe is said to be paved with good intentions," he said. "Oh! I feel positive you will be successful" "H'm," thought Armand, "this is really delightful. Evidently her opinion of me has undergone something of a change. Time wa"s when ahe scoffed at my lack of nerve beoanee 1 declined to jump overboard after that confounded cub she doted on. Well, there will be occasion for a still greater change before we call quits." by this time they bad caught up with the others standing on the corner. "ian't it wonderful?" gurgled Evangelinei with a sly glance at tbe twain. "Who—what?" asked Tessie, as if suddenly aroused from a dream.

By St. George RatliboraeAuthor of i( Dr. rTacJc," (t The Witch* from India," " Captain Tom," ii 3lfinJiecr Joe," '• Dr. Jack's Wife," etc., etc.

('io be Continued.)

"Why. the street, to be sure, with its thousand swinging lights. I u9ver saw any thing lika itReally, I helieve yon on re for picturesque effects any longer. Tessie," a littlo maliciously. "'Well, you see, we were discuseig eomothing very important—yes, the ihing is surprising—it looks like fairyland, or some lawn fete at home " "Only no lawn fete ever had the background of these houses and tempos and baazars, these ir.g Orioutiil!?, the "kiOßks" and "jinrikishus." 1 thnik it the most striking thing 1 ever saw." Seaie'ly, the "infant," was surveying the couple and rendering judgement worthy of Solomon. "If there waa an attempt to make up on her part, it missad fire, that's pat. Armand looks as cool as a cucumber, and there's nothing of the lover about his actions. There, he replaces 1-er shawl. I guess she let it drop purposely—and it is done as carelessly and neatly i-s a woman could. Why, Ferdinand, dear old hoy, would be purposely nlumsy, and require miuutes, I presume, to arrange my wrap halfway decently. They are stringing out the quarrel a little longer than 1 like. Tessie doesn't realize the danger of lettig a man's affections get too cold. I must give her some points later." That was what the sagacious chit of fifteen siid to herself, this precocious youngster who had inpestigated the mystic affairs of the heart when she should have been in a bearding school by rights, Armand chafed at the delay. It was galling to him to be near Tessie, now that there had been placed a sign "hands off" for him as well as the rest of mankind. He would feel easier if awa7 from her magnetic presence, since he was constantly oj the "qui vive" lest by some word or aofc he maise himself ridiculous and expose the real weakness that lay beneath that apparently strong exterior. When the ladies professed themselves satisfied with the survey, tbey sauntered back to the hotel. Armand did not fall behind this time, but kept close to the others, joining iu the general conversation. It was, of course, notioed by the maid. "He does not care to be alone with me more than is necessary. Why, I wonder? Is it a sudden dislike for my oompany, or does he fe»r lest 1 shall catch him in the net again? 1 wish I knew. Armand acts so late. I don't know that 1 like him 60 well, now that ha is a regulaVly graduated hero. He was so gay so thoaghtul of my comfort, so nice before. I'm afraid I'm to blame for spoiling him."

That was what the young lady said to herself when Badcliffe hpving persisted in saying good night and breaking away walked jauntily down the street. She was reaping where she had sown. Those who manipulate common day and fashion heroea out of it, must expect strange results, nor can they always go without disappointments. "We never miss the water until the well runs dry." And Armand also had considerable to ponder o?er, as he stalked along the Nihombashi, under the mellow glow of gorgeous" lanterns, and rubbing elbows with the hordes of good-natured Japs thronging the street. Why did she persist in selecting him to carry out her tasks? So i far as he knew, he had not per- j sonal interest in the recovery of these papers He was no longer her chevalier. | His ouriosity regarding the nature of those documents kept increasing. I She seemed to place a very J high value upon them for papers that were non negotiable, and oould do no outsider good. Could they be anything that would bring shame?—nonsense, she was far removed from such contamination as an angel. Well, he must give up the guessing oontest; it did not matter. His share in it was to make as good a bid as he could for their return. Success or failure, he would soon be beyond the spell of her sorcery, and with an ocean between, perhaps (oh, simple young man, what is an ocean, when telepathy can make heart §peak to heart from the antipodes). He might forget. ' One reason he broke away so soon was a desire to do something. Perhaps, afte* all, the two conspirators had not come to 1 Tokio with the intention of seeking to duplicate their bold attempt as laid down in Yokohama harbour. Perhaps they oame without dreamingthe others were also headed for the capital; and now they might take the alarm, fearing trouble from the police, and depart henoe. Armand though the might as well spend a little time looking them up, and for that purpose he had conceived the idea of engaging a native guide or courier well informed as to all the hotels where one would be likely to run aoross such guests.