For Love and Glory.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8177, 9 July 1906, Page 2

For Love and Glory.

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

CHAPTER XXV. Continued

Doubtless ther<* was incriminating evidence of some aoi-fc aboard the boat that might causa him to be sent out iu charge of a corporal's filo some fkio n:orniiJg under the wall of the ol i convent, and he was of opiion that uder auoh conditions it was aa Well he made a flcht for his lite. It was not policy on Armand's part to stand thero and allow the fellow a chance to pot him. That was not his objoct at all in coming aboard with the soldier guard. Instinct usually takes'tbe place of reason at such times, and as it occurred to him that he uiuat rush upon the fellow before he could send another—perhaps more successful—shot, -he blazed away almost at random with his pistol and lunged furward. '.! he major was with him, sword and all, and bin appearance was so i rci>, ao like an epitomo .if &v ou 1 'r>. dsl.ed beut, that it would no be iu the least surprising if it utterly demoralized any one upon whose vision such a spectacle was so sud denly thrust. •At least, Godaigo knew too much to risk his precious body in close personal contact with that eager American steel—he had seen fowls trussed before now, aud perhaps even indulged in pig sticking in India, so that he yearned for no experience wherein he himself must supply the same. 'lbe Jajj was tricuy. He knew how to take advantage of tho slightest opportuojt3 at band. So •su'm Armand and the major pouncod eagerly upon the spot where the shoit figure of Takanorl had just been seen they came slam up against the woodwork with such violence as the haste shown in their advance woulrJ promise. Godaigo had dodged nimbly into bis stateroom and shut the doDr. The major promptly seized hold of the knob, but even in that brief interval there had been time for the other to shoot a bolt home. He shook the door furiously—the bump ou his head had visibly diatrubed the inajur'e serenity. • "Open herei" he shouted. Someone laughed on the other The major turned him about and beckoned to a soldier just looming up, probably the Colossus upon whoso" shoulders some of the boarders had mouuted when reaching for the deck of the yacbt. Words were almost superfluous, since the mau immediately saw what waa needed. He rushed forward to put bis stout shoulder up against the door. However stout this barrier might be, it could not long withstand the power of the Titan. Armand knew the door must soon crash in. ! Would they find the Jap there? He bad an idea—a sudd n suspicion had come flashing into his J 33 ' 113 ' , „ L € At once ho turned and flew out of the saloon, without least explanation of his strange conduct; there was not the time for such a thing, and tho sagacious ma jor would have to hazard a guess. Straight on Radcliffe. The confusion thero was gradually cooling down, for as the sailors, one by one, fell into the bands of the boarding party, and realized that theso fellows represented the sovereignty of the great republic aoross the Pacific, they ceased to howl, and allowed their captors to hold k tbem -without so much as a struggle. So that Armand was in his wild rush on deok, and then 4 to the stern of the craft, where he could look over and command the bull's-eye windows connected with the staterooms beyond the saloon. Taken in all, he was able to a« ■complish this meteoiro flight in not much over a dozen seconds, which was as remarkable a sprint as ht could ever remember attempting. That those in the cabin were meanwhile not neglecting their pail of the work he had ample assurance, for a loud crash came to his ears from below, that could only emanati from tne collison Of some furiouslj impelled body with a door; beinj unable t<* push a way into, the state xoom, the big soldier had hnrlet himself bodily against the barrier wh'cli had, of course, been totall; demolished. If the Filipino conspirator had re mained at bay within the precinct of his cubby hole, he must ere thi have had the point of the major'i aword up against his breast, am heard the stern summons: "Surrender." But Godaigo know too much fo that. He was not the nature to give ii easily while the faintest loophole o escape remained open. Juet as Armand suspected, am which idea had been the means o his flight, from cabin to deck wit such moredibile swiftness, the fel low had conceived the ' bold plai of slipping through the £open port hole, or bull's eye, dropping int the bay, and endeavouring to giv those who hunted for him th grand laugh. Probably he only waited a fe secouds to kick off his shoes throw his coat to one side. Then, feet first, he pushet through. It was not a iob that would hav appealed to every ono; even an oi djnarily bold heart might have aj. pealed by the risks tbnt became part of the undertaking;, but thi man believed his life was at stake iiud un-ler such conditions wt ready lor anything. He went through all right. * When Armand sprang to the ra above, after his hurried passage b deck, he Knew he bad arrived to lata, for a splash in tho water tol of some heavy body's immersioi arjd it needed not the cries of em orise and disappointment welling u .from the deserted stateroom to te

him who and what this falling obj ict might bo. i Eagerly bp strained his eyes, seeking for some sign; he believed he saw au object like the head of a fiwimmer disturbing the jewel-capped wavelets between the yacht and the shore, but it was. gone ere he could make sure. Uuce again bo had been near reachjug results, and yet fate persistently held him at bay, so that he conld not repor; anything gained. And yet ho was not discouraged, knowing it is a loog lane that nas uo turning, aud that if he only kept everlastingly at it, sucoess would in all probability crown his efforts. CHAPTER XXVI. THE LADY RELENTS. The grizzled major was a pbiloso pher aa well as a soldier ot long experience. "He wasted no tears over tiro, escntie of Gadaiga Taksno . r rested satisfied in the conviction that at least he lad done his full duty iu the premises, and exhausted every effort to capture the member for Hong-Kong. Both boats had been sent tortd witft ordfers to thoroughly search the aurface of the bay between yacht and shore. They were even supplied with lanterns, so that each could illumi nate the immediate surroundings aud apparently add to the, chances ,of discovering the bold swimmer. Perhaps this very fact, which was intended to render them so much assistance, was the reason of their undoing, the glow of these lanterns constantly revealed the presence of the boats, and con-, sequently warned the swimmer. If the Jap were as completely at home in the water as many of his countrymen, be woald have little difficulty in avoiding the seaching oraft. He might even show his audaoity by coming up behind one of the boats, where they were no*; looking for him, and securing a hold, allow himself to be dragged nearer the shore. That would be just like him. Armaudwas willing to wager five to one the fellow would not be caught, but he could find no takers; the major felt that way himself, and as for Don Juan, he was too much wrapped in his own woes to bother about external things, for he had aotually run the entire gamut of pll the hard words in his vooabulary, and it being against his principles to repeat on the same occasion, he suffered torture, boiling within, yet destitute of vent. Keally, he was to be pitied. And yet it was only what might have been expected of a man who would be so reckless as to tumble his pet swear words out in such a furious torrent, Hkb water rushing over Niagara, iastead of carefully husbanding his resources, and making them go as far as possible. Finally, the signal was given for the boats to return. Godaigo had won hia freedom. Armand felt bound to admire the very boldness of the fellow in taking oriances —bravery always gains the respect of an honest foe. A guard was left in oharge of the yacht, after the major's search for papers ended. Whether ho was successful for not in finding incriminating evidence, Radcliffe did not know, nor was he caring iD tbo least, since the particular person against whom bis anger was aroused bad given them the slip. Once ashore, he said good-night to the major, and laughed softly to himself as he contemplated the entainmeut about to be afforded the soldier,, for tho Spanish oavalier, deeming a sufficient interval had elapsed, was just starting afresh on the last of his repertoire and he had tho happy faoulty of beginning at either end, like u sailor "boxing the compass," nothing ever disconcerted him, once he got fully under way. The major would have a new and more exalted opinion of Spanish depravity when through with Don Juan. Armand sought his hotel. He felt in need of sleep, and, besides, it was his desire to be up early in the gmorniug, to go aboard the steamer, and ascertain, ahem, whether old Colon9l Morrison were a passenger. Really, he felt a strange yearning in his heart, a desire to have the time fly swiftly, and, manlike, tried to deceive himself by declaring, with great, poeitivenesa, that of course it was only natural he shoald want to see one who had played Jonathan to bis David, Damon to bis Pythias which, of course, was the McGregor. 1 Nevertheless, it would be quite i safe to wager that during his hours of slumber the face that appealed to him in dreams was not that of • freckled countenance ut the Calei donian giant—well, hardly, i Radcliffe waa up betimes. > (To be continued.)