THE DARK STRANGER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 158, 7 July 1896, Page 6

THE DARK STRANGER.

BY JOHN R. MUSICK.

Anther of • The Columbian Historical \ Novel*,' ' Mysterious Mr Howard,' etc., etc.

CHAPTER XI. THE TOTAGB—TOM'S ADVENTURE. Thx bongo was compelled to go into shore for the voyagers to cook their meals, The food of the marineros consisted of long •trips of jerked beef, called by tho Americans'yard beef,'rice, plantain lt^esand Mlt, and all boiled together in a kettle. After a supper eaten from a calabash with cocoanab spoons, the passengers and crew again took their places in the bongo, •nd were once more on their voyage. It was nearly sunset when bbc meal was finished; the boab waa pushed out in the stream, and they were once more on their way. They had new come to that parb of fche river where tbe long, broad reaches eomsaence, and were slowly and almost aoiselassly moving along in the shadow of th© trees, whea saddeniy, as if by a aimultaasous impulse, the sweeps were raised, •nd each sailor revevently took off his hat. Tha bowman commenced the evening chanb, the ahorae of which was takes np by the entire crew, with • precision, with respect to cedent* and time, which could only resuit from long practice. This waa called fh» vtacion. Tb«re= was somebhing impressive fan bike apparent devotion of these tuda men,, apart frora tho melody itself, caught op as it wae by tbe echoes, and prolonged in th© forest solitudes. The improsehH- on Claude's sad httart waa indewribsilo'-. He bowed bis h«ad, and his mind seemed to revnrb to the teachings of bis: mother in his childhood. In a few brief annates he reviewed all. bis past life down to thab lasb mysterious, terrible tragedy which tent him a wand ..rer in strong* l_md__, far from' bha only befog ho Jewed- ... ,1 The hour of bh* oracum being over,, all Bands gave s shout, and, bending to the •weeps?,.for a-few minutes, pulled like madmen, and then, aa suddenly stopped again, and broke out into paroxysms of lauehter. _Bhimstrange' freak, which Tom and Claude could never folly understand, was practised- every day ab early evening. Lab*at night- they came to anchor in the middle of the stream. The sailors silently unshipped the oars and quietly prepared te pass the night with as little noise as possible, so as nob bo attract bhe mosquitoes.. Claude and Tom arranged their boxes •sd baggage under: the clutpa, which was tbeeaearesfcapproach. bo a cabin bhe vessel contained. Upon these, were spread ponchos, blankets, and whatever bboy could find that would relieve the. hard, surface ba_te»t_r T : while gutta-percha bags were used for pillows.. A stout cord was fastened ales* and*-. _ho low roof, over which was bang *• afaange of. linen and. a few necessary arbieleß ofdrsss. Here were slung, within. easy, ranch, their, rifles, pistols and knives, __o_--be.e__-.ntry'i_« which they travelled wasinfested with robbers-, and they were liable te b«. attacked afe.any time. The marineros were armed with pistols, BH_c_.etea._aQ- a short musket called zscopat. 1» wan a flint-lock gun, loaded ab the muzzle* and; though it carried a- ramrod, ib. was seldom used. The cartridge was placed in- bbc muzzla ef tbe gun, bhe butb dashed npsa the. ground or bottom of the bonga wifeh each force as bo load and. prime the weapon. An experb could load and fire teryrapidlyj but the scopai was a weapon no_> noted for accuracy. Toitt.and. Claude sat up lato watching the men, who* gathered; ia -a group near the bow Of the- boab.. each with a cigar in his mouth, a handkerchief bound round his head, and • blanket thrown over bis shoulders. There they sab foe hours, keeping up a conversation in a low tone,, and with every appearance of earnestness. 'Claude,' said Tom, after a few momenta' listening: to the low, inaudible tones of the marineros. 'who knew* bub these fellows are a lot of brigands, plotting to murder mr?

1 Whab pub thab notion in your head, Tom ?'

* I have read of such things, and ab San Joan I learned thab some brigands had bees committing depredations in this parb of the country.' * Well, Tom, you seem to be between two fires*- There are detectives ab San Joan aad brigands bore.' 'Yety I thought of that, and, as the leseb of two evils, chose the brigands. Bub ib night be a good idea for us to sleep with BfTJff eye- open-, yon know, so if they try to murder as we may be able to defend ourselvsa/

Claude suggested that they sleep one at B tiffla, and Tom amntetl. Bub tho nighb passad quietly, and tho marineros proved a harmleii «tb of follows, after all. Id a few days they reached the Eapides del Caabillo, or Castillo Rapids, commanded by eh© KttCiPßtr fort of San Juan, nowcalled the Caabillo Viejo (Old Castlo). Thef bad lofb the lowlands and were hi a wild, m«untamouß and picturesque part of the country. The old fortros*, with its mined walls and tow«» embowered isr tropical forests and Vegetation, looked nob a Htble like some baonted castle. The bongo ran in as close to shore as fckey dared, and the voyageri were carried a«bore on the shoulders of two «f the Bailor*, for Pedro declared that they musfe rest here a while and recruit their atreagtb. Claude and Tom interposed •very possible objection, but in vain. Pedro waa as unvariable in bis moods as the iud. 'I suppose, at the rate we are travelling, we shall spend oar lives in this part of the country,' Tom declared. 'Be patient Tom. We bare already learned khab there is no seed to worry our■civet over what can't be helped,' said Claude. They started ab once for the castle by a path which the garrison, nnder express orders from the government, kept dear of jbnsbes. Thare were huts aleng the path, and Tom could nob reeisb the temptation to peep iwbo one as he passed. A pro My yellow Ctrl was swinging slowly to and fro in a bamcsoek. Sh« threw aside her long black curls and, without changing her position, ftkdaidrad. : • Adios, California !' All Americans were supposed to be coming from or going to Ualiiornia. • By George, Claude, here in a pretby picture! An Indian or a Spanish girl, or both. Doesn't she look delightfully lazy as she swing* to and fro in the hammock ! Say, girl, what is your name V As the did not understand much English, Claude asked her in Spanish, to which she made answer in the same tongue: 'I am Caesa, maid of Senorifca Dona Teresa Frsdrico, visiting ab the castle.'

When the answer had been translated to Tom, he remarked that if tho mistress was as pretty as the maid, he would very much like to see her.

' Perhaps we shall when we reach the castle,' said Claudo.

As they ascended the path, they were met fey one of the officers, sent by General Gomez de Cartabona, the commandant, to invite them to his quarters. He had seen tibe Americans approaching, and sent an officer »o welcome them to Castillo Viejo *nd tender bis hospitality during their stay.

The commandant was a man of sixty, of almost pure Castilian blood. He •poke English quite fluently, and had been to Now York several times, so they could

converse with him intelligently on familiar topics, Claude passed as Mr Isaac S. K. Perkins, from Boston, and Tom told a very plausible story about their being merchants with interests to look after in California which demanded their presence. They were assigned apartments in the castle which adjoined each other. Claude slept well that night. «In his dreams he was again with Hallie, and all the dark clouds and misunderstandings had rolled away. The mystery of her father's death and his uncle's murder had all been cleared up, and he was happy. In bis dreams be feared he was dreaming, and that the fair being whom he held in his anna would vanish on waking ; and he awok« to find the sun streaming in at the deep-seb window, and beard a soft, sweet voice in the court below singing an old Spanish ballad to tha accompaniment of a guitar. The voice was one of the sweetest he had ever heard. A moment later Tom bolted into his room, half-d>"-"s|nd, and asked : t •Claude, dv you ever hear such music ? •Who is it, Tom?' • A fairy, an angel dropped down from hsaven among these infernal yellow-ekine.' 1 Have you seen her!' • Yea; my little window looks out on the court, and I caw her through it. She is a white woman, with hair and eyes black as midnighb.' Tom—plain, practical Tom—whose heart had never been stirred by a tender emotion, waa quite beiide himself with the beautiful senorita of tbe caßtle. IDo you know her name, Tom ? Claude asked.

• Wo; bub she is bo common person ; you can depend on it.' The voice had ceaead singing, the guitar became silent, and when Tom again wenb to bis high, narrow, porb-like window he could see nothing of the bright, fairy-like being wko had enchanted him but a moment before. ♦ They breakfasted with tbe commandant, and Tom felt strongly inclined to make some inquiry aboub the fair singer who had thrilled bis soul with her music, but refrained from doing so. While ab breakfast, an under-oflSeer of the garrison entered and spoke a few words with the commandant in a low tone. The face of bho labter grew dark; he asked some questions, gave some orders, and the underofiicer saluted and departed. Claude and Tom both noticed this strange conduct and ib caused them a thrill of alarm. They at once surmised thab the American Consul, aware of their presence in the country, had sent a request to the commandant to hold them, until an order could bo procured for their removal to America.

Tbe commandant, .with a sorrowful expression on his face, said : •16 is too bad, my friends. My officer haa just brought me intelligence that a great robber, who was once a terror to the country, and who, on account of his absence for some weeks, was supposed to be dead, has turned up, and is in the immediate vicinity.' ' Who ia this robber chief V asked Claude.

* Somoza! He always gathers about him a band of desperate men like himself, who bave-no regard for human life.' •Your guards will gurely drive him away.' 'He may scon have such a band of desperadees as to eve* threaten this ca'sble.' Claude and Tom were relieved to loam that ib waa only a brigand that had caused the interruption at breakfast, and an hour later they had forgotten all aboufe Somoza, the gpeaD bandit) ebief. But Tern bad not forgotten the fair singer of the morning. Her sofb, dark eyes had made an impreßeion on bis heart which time could never efface. As they walked down to tbe river, where Pedro and tho crew were, he could talk ol nothing else, . • I would give every dollar I have, though that's not much, just to know who that girl is. If Bhe isn't a princess in this country, then I don't know one when I see her.'

With a smile, Claude answered : •'Why, Tom, you must be smitten at first sight with this etrange beauty.' 'lam going to learn something of her.' ! Don't let ib interfere with our journey.'

•Oh, bother our journey. lam not in such a hurry now,' answered Tom, whose cheek flushed strangely.

Claudo, whose love affair had grown more slowly, and who supposed all atfaire of the hearb similar, regarded Tom's afection as ephemeral, and was inclined to ttligbb ib. It was nonseoee to think of hie being in lovo with one- to whom he had never spoken a [word.

' Pedro, had discovered come lDjury to the bongo, which neither Tom nor Claude could •bterve, and he declared ib would be two days, at least, before it could be repaired. Tom did not interpose a single objection to waiting, though Claude, in whom life seemed to bare been partially restored, expressed some desire to resume their journey.

About the middle of the afternoon, the two young travellers were strolling on the verdure-covered heights east of tUe castle, when they were suddenly startled by a shriek issuing from the dense thickeb just below them.

• What is that?' cried Tom. 'I dou'b know. Woman in distress, it seems. Let's run and see.'

The report of a muskeb rang onb from the thicket, followed by another shriek. Suddenly the yellow senorita, Caasa, [waa seen running up the path toward them, crying wildly in Spanish : ' Save her ! Save her !'

' 'SStap, girl! What is the trouble?'asked Claude, seizing the arm of the frightened eonorita.

Between sobs and cries, she informed him that some desperate vagabonds bad seized her mistress and were carrying her away. Ab thia moment another shriek came from the thicket from which Caesa had come. Tom waited to hear no more, bub, drawing his revolver, gave chase. Like a madman he flow down the path and was soon in Bight of a tributary of the San Juan, which was a fourth of a mile away, but could be seen through the palms after he had passed the thicket.

Three or four hundred paces before him, going toward the stream, were four or five rough-looking men, carrying in their midst a struggling girl. One glance ab thab fair face, and Tom recognised the beautiful singer of the morning. 1 Stop that I' he roared, waving his pistol in the air. * You murdering villains, release her.'

Ouo of the men dropped behind the others fc« cover thoir retreat, an£, raising bis scopat fired at Tom. The heavy ball cut off a small palm branch wiishin a foot of the daring young American's head. Tom did not make a second's halb, but rushed at the fellow, who, biting off a cartridge, placed ib in his gun, struck the breech on the ground, and was raising it, when Tom, without stopping, shob him through the body. The rascal threw up his arms aad fell. Hia cowardly companions, seeing his fate, increased their speed, without releasing the fair prisoner. Bub they could not outstrip the swiftfooted American. They glanced behind them as they ran and discovered thab he waa nob only gaining on them, but that a companion was following him. After discharging three or four scopats ab tho Americans, they released their hulf fainting captive and ran to their boab, which lay in the creek. Before they had reached their boab, Tom waa by tho side of the half insensible eenorita, and, raising her from tbe ground, asked: • Did they hurb you, young lady ?' •^No, senor,' she answered in excellent English.'

Tom was nob mistaken. He had rescued the enchanting singer of the morning, and at that) moment was the happiest) man living.

(To be .Continued.)