For Love and Glory.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8188, 20 July 1906, Page 2

For Love and Glory.

•CHAPTER XXXlV.—Continued. All the lights on the Viuksburg were either put out or utterly blanked She crept silently up the bay. It was a dark and raiuy nihgt well suited for such a desperate enterprise. " Armand watched the Maoabebes embark. The scene was interesting, though, perhaps, not half so much as if a red light could have been truued upon it. Fortunately no accidents occured, and the boats weie presently filled. General Fanstou only lingered to onoe more settle the arrangements with Captain Barry regarding the coming of the Vioksburg, days hence, off Palanan Bay. Then the last goo3-byes were said, •and with the suppressed "godspeeds" of those on board to send them on ihier hazardous journej, they headed loathe sandy beaoh. History does not reoord so remarkable un exploit, at least of a similar character, as this undertaking to end a war with one bold stroke. Aramnd was more and more pleased with it the closer tbe oiisis came—it was so daring, bo wild, that no one could ever suspect such a thing could be attempted. Therein Jay their greatest chance of success, Jor one would be apt to eooff at tbe idea aa the phantasmagoria of an excited mind. Fauston was a bel ever in heroio treatment. The boats crept in doner to the shore, and made the landing without much difficulty. Then they pulled off, faded into the gloomy night, and the ooly sounds to be heard were tbe lapping of the waves upon the beach, together with the faint clank of oara in tbe rowlcoks. Even this latter presently ceased, and they knew tbe boats had reaohed the vessel. Dimly th<ay could see her white side, looking like a ghost, a phantom of the night. Then she began to steal out of the bay, ana was soon utterly lost to view. t The Americans realized this with peculiar feelings. j The were now thrown utterly upon j their own resources, stranded upon a hostile shore, and with a most desprate bit of business in handh, When, in time of old,- some Roman general landing at Carthage burned his boats behind him, it was to give bis men fair warning that they must conquer or vdie. It gave tbem such fierce courage tha nothing could withstand their impact, and they carried the hitherto impregnable city by storm. So to day the man who bums his bridges behind him goes forward •with a stern resolve to accomplish the mission ho set out to perform. That was the exaot position of the forlorn hope landed on the shore of Casiguran Bay. They were men who could not be daunted by shadows, men grimly xesolved on a "'scoop"' that woald beoome historical, and trince thus far everything had gone well, they bad no complaint coming. Upon the sandy beaoh they lay down, using their blankets for protection against the dampness of the air, and awaited the break of day. , Long boars passed. • Armand would never forget that night. He could only secure little snatches of sleep, tbe situation was so remarkable.

It seemed as though the skies were ■weeping, as though the ead waves rolling ap the strand sang dirges, so muurnful was the sound. Could it be a prophecy of evilwas this dashing soheme to be wrecked by treachery, perhaps, and either death or intolerable imprison- • ment await the bold Americans? Armaud bad a weight upon hia mind, and was compelled to take himself to tasfr severely for giving way to suoh foolishness. ft was, doabtless, the result of •conditions; he had left bright eyes behind in Manila, and that miserable night, surely it was enough to give any one the honors. A reaction came in time, and with more pleasant thought he sank asleep. It was MoGregor who shook him. At first Armand could not understand Jwhere he was. i Day was just breaking, and his first thought seemed to be that hemust be off on some hunting expedition. Then he laughed softly as she realized that this was certainly true, but the quarry n species of game in' whose chaseiho iiad had no previous experience. They were getting ready for a start up the bench. The five American officers wore dressed as ordinary soldiers, with no insignia of rank—khaki trousers, campaign hats, blue shirts, belts and a halt blanket apiece. No arms were viable upon their person, since tbey were supposed to be prisoners of war. The march began. From this time forward at all times care must be taken to carry ■out the features of thw game to the letter; not once must the Americans be treated as anything but prisoners, for fear lest some hostile eye beheld from the scrub, and suspicions were ingendered. Presently fresh water was come and here a halt was made, fires kindled with more or less difficulty, owing to dead palmetto leaves and every other inflammable thing being wet from the rain, and some lice cooked. No other food had been brought along for the Americans' comfort, lest it appear suspicious, and only enough rice to last more than fctr score men one day. They had money, and expected to purchase food for the seven days' journey at Casiguran.

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

Somewhat to his surprise, Armaad was hungry, and actually enjoyed his rioe like the native he was suppoßed to be. Mao, on the other band lamented the absence of bis usual bowl of oatmeal porridge, and avowed the rice made a poor substitute. Bui, then, he was prejudiced, for rioe is the support of millions, while oatmeal fis losing favour in even Sootland itsalf. The fires felt particularly comfortable on this rsw, misty morning, rand our friends made sure to dry their blankets before parting company with the cheerful blaze. Now oame the first step of the game. The native town was to be reaohed that day, so they girded up thenloins and set. forth. Since they were supposed to have come many weary miles in their long marob, it was important that they appeared fatigued. Armand was amused to see the varinuß ways in which this id«a pre'•entei itself to the brown soldiers, and how suooessfal they were in imitating the manner of those who were hardly able to drag one leg after the other. The iittle fellows truely entered into the spirit of the game with much zeal, rand many times the general smiled to observe ihier ardour. It was, in troth, J tired-looking company that approached the native town that evening, afler marching twenty miles. Word bad been sent ahead of their coming, and the entire community, men,' women and i"bugs," wwr<? gathered to witness the entrance. It was a gala night for Casiguran. Up to now the. good people hsd only heard tumors of the war that raged on the other side of Luzon, sinoe it bad never come near them. Nor had most of them ever set eyes on an American before, and curiosity was aroused to learn what these hard fighters, the terror of whose deeds hod been wafted olear across the island by fugitives from the soene'of action, were like. CHAPTER XXXV. MAROONED IN THE WILDER NESS. The Americans now fodnd themselves in a most singular condition As prisoners, they might be insulted, and even assaulted by some of the natives, though their guard would see to it that no injury was done. Luokily, this did not coour. The people stared at them as though they represented some new spieoes of ammal, and douhtloss made all manner of facetious remarks concerning them, in their own language; but while there was always : much curiosity, together with grins and laughter, it went no further. Not a suspicion did the good people of Casig'iran have that these parties, who had dropped down upon them as unexpectedly as though from the planet Mars, were other than they seemed. They the story with avidity, and {'during the time the members of the expedition remained with tbem, several days, in fact, the supposed Tagalog warriors must have narrated as many as s dozen different versons of the terrible conflict which they bad bad with the party of Americans whom they had surprised near Fantabangan apparently engaged in making maps; and still not a sole; notio Q d the discrepancy in their stories, for were not tiie prisoners proof of the fact, and might not the victors be allowed a little latitude in telling (he tale? The march of that day bad been very tryiug. In places the mangroves to tho 'very edge of the water, and in order to pass by without a wide de- ! tour it was necessary to wade. However, the rain kept them fairly wet, at any rate, so that a little more oounted for naught. At noon, when they baited to cook more rice, one of the men discovered a dugout oanoe hidden in the bushes, and it was deemed advisable to Bend messengers ahead with a note to the alcalde of the town explaining matters. This was done, so that the alarmed inhabitants, upon /the unannounced approach of an armed f urce, might not take to tbe woods. So the letter was written and sent under the signature of Hilario Plaoido. Two J\lacabebes, together with Cooilio Oregorio, went in the dugout, and taking a short cut across the head of the bay, reached the town in about two hours, while the main party, having to make tbe complete circuit, nevor arrived until nearly dark. It chanced that the mayor was absent, having Rone to Palanau to attend Aguinaldo's birthday. (To be Continued.)