For Love and Glory.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8171, 29 June 1906, Page 2

For Love and Glory.

CHAPTER XVlll—Continued. ~ It amused, Armnud, with his oireutnaorib«d knowledge of the Japanese language, to hoar tbe quaint remarks inude with reforonce to his object. So tar aa ho could make ont, it seemed to be tbe consensus of opinion that the furious journey must be the result of a wager between Rome of the pagans, who were always doing remarkable thinus, siuco tbey bad no respect tor tbe srare3 of tboir fathers, and oven dared attempt feats that could never have oooared to their ancestors. It is the solemn otligatiou of an ordinary Japanese to follow . closely in the footstepa of hie forefathers. What was pood enough tor them suite him first rate, and hud the little kingdom not been broken into by Americana yearn ago, with the consequent destruction of this foolish idea, would not be the world-power to-day, for she has learned that what pleased these old-time worthies is obsolete to day, aud not juiitablu for proves sive peoplo. Presently ' up" uama the weary ,! rikisba" runners, with a couple of others of their ilk, who profesged themselves both ready and eager to undertake tbe latter hulf of the journey on the sumo liberul terms granted to tho«o who came from Tokio, although tbe worst part of the trip over the mountains, remained to be done. Now, Armatid did not profess to be a keen student of human nature —he had many a time been a soft mark for shrewd swindlers in London and New York, arid had on such occasions taken the loss with his usual good-nature. Least of all, did he feel able to judge the honesty of purpose as contained in a Jap. Hence, he accepted tne new ranneru for what they appeared to be, sinewy, strong fellows, apparently capable of much endurance. He paid the other two the number of yen agreed upon, greatly to the awe of those who observed the transaction, and who immediately concluded the traveller must oe some foreign potentate or banker fairly rolling in wealth.

•Armand realized afterwards that he Lad been more free in the display of bis money than a stern regard for discretion would diotate. We often Hhcw more wisdom after the thing has been done that foresight. He might have known cupidity would be aroused in more than one native breast, for though the Japanese are remarkable peaceable people, and crime ib severely punished, still robberies do ooour, and the demon of avarice rules in many a heart. They loft the village in good shape. Kadoliffe knew the good points in a horse all well and good, but he was not quite so positive with reagrd to hia own kind. Nevertheless, he endeavoured to study the ways of his new runner, and slthougb comparisons might be deemed odious, he was_soon of the opinion that the fellow was at least the equal of the Tokio chap, and that was saying a good bit. For some little time all went on as merry as the marriage bell. Then Armand began to notice a disposition on th«j part of hia "rikieha" man to loiter. Knowing he could not be tired yet, he prodded him with what Ja panese words he could command, and in this way forced him along until several more miles had been passed over. Then another thing struck the traveller as odd. His man was constantly twisting his neck around as if endeavouring to see something in the rear, something that he appeared to consider as being about duo. Armand tuok a turn himself, and discovered that the other "rikisba" was out of sight, somewhere behind. Was it this fact that interested the barelegged runner or some other feature of the conditions? Armand began to grow suspicious. There were still some miles to pass over before they might reach the outskirts of great Yokohama. The surroundings were lonely, almost dismal at this dead hour of night. Around them lay the bUls* through which the tortuous white road wound its way. Par above towered mighty Fugi-yama, once arbiter of the peaceful valleys, now laughing with vegetation at the feet of the long extinct volcanic dome. Yes, Arinand was of the opinion that it was just an elegant spot for a hold-up, such as was wont to be the usual style in California miningdays, olny that a "jirikisha" took the place of a lumbering stagecoach.

He thought so seriously of the matter, remembering now the unprepossessing appearance of the village crowd, and their cries when the yen were paid, that he even carelessly took out the weapon that had been so snugly reposing in a back pocket all this time, and investigated, as well as the darkness allowed, to make sure it was in serviceable condition.

Armand, too, became interested in the rear. What did the runner, again lagging at his task, anticipate would come out of the darkness? i It yielded up its seoyets Slowly enough, and the traveller, who had began to feel drowsyi even wished matters might come to a crisis, if anything did mean to take place, so as to keep him from going to sleep. It oame, all right enough. He suspected from the altered aotions of the ooolie between the shafts that the crisis had arrived, for the fellow dropped into a dogged walk, although they were at the time upon the level of a little valley, nor could he be moved -with entreaties or objurgations to

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

inorease his paoa. "Stop["said Radcliffe, suddenly, ns he beard certain suspicious sounds from behinl. "1 imagine this is a s good a snot ns any to settle matters. Stop! Hold up, I say." Ihe coolie must have been thinking something of the same kind himself, for he suddenly dropped his light harness and sprang out of the shafts. At the same time Armand was oonsoious of a rush of feet from behind, that sounded very like the sweep of wind proceeding a storm; and it was a storm that threatened, as he well knew, even with the stars gloaming from the uncluwded sky. believing he could better bis condition, he immediately sprang from the "rikisba" to the ground, and then awaited the crash. CHAPTER XIX. WHAT HAPPENED UNDER FUOI-YAMA. It may be safely assumed that Arumand did not feel any traces of drowsiness now, as, crouching there beside the "jinrikisha," stranded on the road to Yokohama, he awaited the coming of those whose footfall* were plainly heard. Instead, he could truly declare he had never been more fully awake in his life. There had been even time for him to escape from the spot, had ne bo chosen, by a quick movement; but somehow this did not occur to him until enough of the precious seconds had flipped by to render it futila. Besides, he really did not know that be wished to eaoape in such a manner—he was loaded for bear, and if these fellows who had galloped after him all the way from the village would have their medicine he felt in duty bound to administer it in homeopathio doses—pill« of lead. They were coming all right, urged on by rosy visions of unlimited yen to spend, coming with a hearty vim that spoke well for their powers of loaomotion, severely taxed of late. Now, he was a man who had never aa yet been compelled by stern necessity to injure in a bodily way his fellows, oalled upon to defend himself against highbinders, thugs, footpads, and the charming manner in which he prepared to give the boys a waim reception most, have delighted the heart of an oIJ campaigner.

At least Armand was no novice in the handling of firearms—he had done more or less of hunting in African wilds, as well as at home, along the Atlantic coast, and the Rocky Mountain region, so that he could depend upon his ability to put a ball where it would give a good account of itself. He may have even wondered at times in the past what it felt like to be under Are, engaged with an enemy, but the experience was now upon him sure enough.

The darkness was not so intense in the valley that a pair of good eyes could not discover dark objects advancing with leaps and bounds, objects that took the outlines of hucian beings, aud whioh gesticulated wildly as they closed in upon the lone traveller. No one but e fool could mistake their motive, and Kadoliffe, under the circumstanes, did not deem it at all necessary to bail the advancing figures, to warn them of danger. There was really no time for that, so speedily did they loona up. He tried to imagine that these dim creations were the movable targets in a gallery, and he had entered to qualify as an expert by ringing them up in double quick fashion. The sound of his fjxst shot startled him, and it must have done even more than that for the oncoming, expectant looters, for the fellow in the lead gave a shriek and doubled up like a hinge. Instead of demoralizing Armand, this drawing of first blood seemed to give bim more nerve for what lay before him. When a man's own life is in dancer, he is capable of astonishing feats, and many such a desperate individual has achieved fame when in reality it was thrust upon him of a neoessity. Another—and this, fellow exoelled his chief in the shrill nature of his language, as well as by means of the impromptu hornpipe he danced driven frantio by the pain of his wound. Really, it began to look as though they would not get possession of the yen, after all. An evil spirit, the "oni" of old Fugi-yama, must be protecting the "Ka mi" of the rikisha.

All was confusion; men were shouting, shrieking and giving orders; where all assume the posit* on of commander, none are left to obey, and consequently JRadoliffe's game was in his own hands. (To be oontinued.)