CAPTAIN ALTEN'S Torpedo Expedition.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2540, 20 October 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

CAPTAIN ALTEN'S Torpedo Expedition.

—• — AN INCIDENT OF THE WAR IN 1891 BY MRS W. RATTRAY. CHAPTER 11. "Hullo! what's all this? Cables cut? Nonsense, man, impossible ! " and Howard Alton looked not a little perturbed. " Fact, I assure you ! I've just been down to the post-office myself. It's fearfully awkward, but I suppose you've heard the rumours ? " "No, Ronayne, I've only just come down to the city. We were so awfully late last night. This constant going out is frightfully wearing to a fellow who has as much business on his hands as I have ? " "You should leave more to your clerks!" said Ronayne. "What's the use of slaving as you do ?" Alten laughed. " I've got used to it, and there's a good deal I couldn't let any one manage but myself. Well ! what are these rumours ? " Ronayne lowered his voice. " I don't wish to cause a panic, but if there's any shadow of truth in. what people are saying, there's trouble in store for Auckland !"

"Go on ( Ronayne!" said his companion impatiently, " you needn't try to break the news gently to me!'' "The fact is that somo fellow has been cruising about in a yacht, and declares he saw a Russian man-of-war hovering about outside." " How ciin you be so foolish, Ronayne, as to believe all the ridiculous yarns that people have been spreading lately about the possibility of a Russian invasiou! The thing is simply preposterous !" "All right!" answered Mr Ronayne, turning away, " glad you know so much more than "other people about what's going to happen. Good day !" " Wait a moment, old fellow!" cried Howard," who says the cable was cut? It's my belief its some fellow who wants to cause a panic and lower the price of stocks for his own purpose, who is floating these absurd storie-?!" Ronayne laughed, "I trust it may be so. Some of us have certainly cried " Wolf " so often that we can hardly be believed when now we cry " Bear !" At this moment they were joined by another gentlemen, who exclaimed excitedly : " I say, Alten, they are calling out the volunteers ! aren't you a captain or something?'' " Yes, I am, but who says bo ?" "Oh ! everybody ! Hark ! there's the bugle !" " Well! I suppose I must got into my uniform," said Howard, " but I believe the whole affair will end in smoke." " That's exactly what we think !'' laughed Ronayne, who was very fond of anything like a joke, and was delighted to SBC Mr Alten rather annoyed with himself in his unintentional play upon words. He made his way with his friend to the Volunteer Depot—a large nnd commodious building which had been recently erected, as the number of volunteers had greatly increased of late. There had been many war scares previous to this one on the 4th of August, and several times the volunteers had been drilled into their correct attitude in case of an invasion. But Mr Alten reflected that just there, two, if not more of the great guns at Fort Cantley were decidedly unusable, and that the amount of ammunition available for the above city was far below tho quantity required to be in band t>y Government. More was expected daily from the factory, but that might not arrive in time. Mr Alten received his orders from head-quarters, and hurried home, Clemence was not in, and he had no time to seek her, but he scribbled a hasty note, and left it to await her return. His post was at Fort Cautley, and he told her he would try and come back to see her before dark. If he was unable to do so, she was te go to her father's house, and he would let them know what to do. Then he returned, not as a private citizen, but as Captain Alten. He found the whole city in a state of most indescribable confusion.

No one knew, or seemed to know, at anyrate, exactly how the information had been acquired, but it was generally circulated that some Russian vessels were expected to attack the town immediately, in consequence of war being declared between Russia and England; that the cables had been purposely cut, to prevent the transmission of the important news ; and, finally, that the Czar had resolved to take up China's quarrel with the colonies, and establish a tribe of Mongolians in New Zealand and Australia.

But large posters were speedily put up, imploring' the people to be calm, and wait for definite news, and telling thera that the whole thing was, most likely, perfectly untrue, and only a bogus report. But Mr Ronayne believed he had grounds for thinking otherwise. He had now no particular occupation, was a great hand at gossip, either in a gentleman's club, or at a lady's afternoon tea in her drawing room. He, therefore, knew most of the idlers about town, and his attention had lately been much attracted to two very busy specimens of the great do-nothing class." Both were frequenters of Clubland, for our fair city of Auckland had greatly added to the number of these gossip houses for men, and there were also two for the gentler sex. It was not at all an uncommon thing to hear a lady say to her footman as he olosecl her carriage door, "Tell Peters to drive to the Gentle Savage Club," which belonged to ladies, while the men had been obliged to accept the title of "the uncouth savage." At the "Gentle Savage" there was a waiting-room for gentlemen, who might have received orders from their fair rulers to " call for me at five, and I will drive yon home;" or have been asked by eome sweet, maiden, "if you are going to the La Crosse ground, do look in at the ' Gentle Savage' for me first. Now, Mr Ronayne had frequently called for his wife at this club, and had noticed a fair, seriqus-looking giri, with

large, observant eyes, who was visiting one of the grandes (himes of tho suburbs, but who seemed to spend a good deal of her time at the club. At one time Mr Ronayne had thought her übiquitous, as she appeared at every afternoon tea, dinner party, or other entertainment possible, and yet was so frequent in her visits to town. He had somehow come to the conclusion that she was a Russian spy, and that she had a male coadjutor in the person of a rather good-looking, gentlemanly, middle-aged individual, who haunted the male clubs, and seemed to gather news as a honey bee. Ronayne discovered these two one day in a secluded spot in the domain. Ho had followed the gentleman, and overheard a few words of Russian spoken by the lady. They had not perceived him, and as he had no actual proof that there was any political spying being done by either, he could not in honour listen to their conversation. So he stole off to some distance, aud some time after saw them leave the domain by separate paths. He went straight down to the post office, and waited until, as he expected, the gentleman came in to despatch a cablegram. Ronayne found he had to telegraph to a friend of his, and as it took him a long time to concoct his message, which he was writing next to the supposed spy, he had an opportunity of following him to the receiving counter, and seeing the clerk's puzzled face as he counted the words and named the cost of transmission.

Beyond this Ronayne personally could not go. But he immediately sought an interview with the Inspector of Police, and laid his suspicions before him. That individual had a very sufficieut reason for laughing at the Mare's nest, he declared Ronayne to havo discovered, and the reason was merely this : The Inspector of Police had not made these amusing little investigations himself, nor had he the remotest idea that anything of the kind had been going on. Therefore in his best professional manner he 'my dear sired' Mr Ronayne, and pooh poohed his supositious. Somewhat disgusted the amateur detective left the police office, and, for a time, gave up his researches. But now, all this talk of a RussianChinese invasion roused his former suspicions. He was not at all surprised to meet the lady, spy as he privately called her, but who was knowu to Auckland society as Mademoiselle Millefleurs, in the street. She looked unmistakeably anxious, and would have passed Mr Rouayne with a slight bow, but he arrested her progress by standing just in front of her. "Good morning," he said with a pleasant smile that effectually masked his real feelings, " Yon seem in great haste, Mdlle. Millefleura; can I be of any service to you ?" "Many thanks indeed, Monsieur, but I do not need that I should avail myself of your kindness." " Where is Monsieur Lson?" suddenly demanded Rnn-iyne.

The girl looked at him keenly nnd answered : " And I do not know ; ma foi, I do not-. I do see Mr Leon at Mrs Satters ; it is three, four days ago, bet lie s.iy no word of going.'' Mr Ronayne smiled. "I did not say he had gone anywhere," ho answered, and Mrtlle. Millefleurs coloured with vexation at the slip she had made. " Were you going to the post-office P " pursued her tormentor ; "for I am just returning there again, and shall be most happy to mail your letters, though I don't fancy they have much chance of their going just now." " I thank you much," she said, " but I send one little telegram to let my mother know I am still safe." " You will not be able to do that I fear, Mdlle; the wires are down all over." The young lady succeeded in looking extremely disconcerted; again thanked him, and appeared to make her way up Queen-street instead of down. "What on earth is she doing?" murmured Mr Ronayne. "By Jove, that fellow, Leon, as he calls himself, though I could swear he has somo fearful breakjaw Russian appolation tacked on to it—has gone off somehow, and she wants to communicate with him ! How on earth will she do it ? Her pigeons of course ! Why should she pet and fuss about a few stupid pigeons all this time, as she has done, unless she wanted to send them as messengers?" He tore off onoe more to the Police Office, and succeeded in getting n detective told off instantly to watch Mdlle. Millefleurs. She was observed to attach a little note to one of the pigeons she had brought to Auckland with her, and let the bird loose. A shot brought the winged messenger to earth, and the note was taken from it. The cipher was unfortunately undecipherable at that moment, and an expert was vainly sought for amongst the unsettled inhabitants, vrho had flocked out of private houses, shops, and offices to gather all the information possible, and render what assistance they could to the puzzled authorities by blocking up the streets, and effectually preventing any traffic. Captain Alten, as he should now bo called, though he would not assume the title except when he donned the corresponding costume, speedily collected his troop, and marched them down Quoenstreet with a joyous band of music, partly to clear the way a little, and partly to encourage the populace. But the sight of the volunteers actually called out, and paradinj* in their midst, had the very reverse effect. Then there was something in the rumours, they agreed; and many people went home, and began preparations for fleeing from the city. Meantime definite news came, brought by the same means that the Russian spy had intended to employ in communicating with the enemy. A swift steamer had left Sydney telling of the outbreak of war and the threatened attack on colonial ports. But her captain, fearing he would not arrive in time, despatched a well-trained carrier pigeon to a gentleman whose house it knew in Auckland. This gentleman, fortunately, had just returned home to allay the fears of his wife and children. He immediately took the unwelcomo message to the Mayor, who, luckily, was an ahlo man, and quick to decide in cases of emergency. He immediately issued a proclamation, Baying that trains would at once be put on to convey the women and children from the city, and calling on all males between twenty and forty to enroll themselves as special volunteers in the defence of the city. He assured the people that if it were possible no blood should be shed; that they would endeavour to make terms with Russia. But that, if it were true, as he was officially informed, that the object of the enemy was to force a number of Chinese on the country, then they would resist to the last. "If we can," he mentally added. The Major was loudly cheered, and the work of arming and enrolling the civilians began forthwith. Suddenly Captain Alten seized the arms of the Colonel-Commandant, and said, "Excuse me, sir; I must speak to you one moment." They were in the officer's private room at the depot, and, leaving the others, Captain Alten took the Colonel aside. " Sir," he said, in an eager undertone ; " who is seeing about the torpedos?" "Bless me!" cried his superior officer, ''I don't know, surely that is someone's special duty? Who knows how they are laid in the harbour ?" Captain Alten named the three' gentle-

men who alone had been entrusted with the important secret. " Send one of them at once to see mo !'' cried the Colonpl, and, saluting, Captain Allen hurried off. (To be Continued.)