THE KIDNAPPED PRESIDENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12027, 25 July 1902, Page 3

THE KIDNAPPED PRESIDENT.

BY GUY BOOTHBY, Author of " The Beautiful White Devil," "A Two-fold Inheritance," "Doctor ISikoia, -...;• etc., etc., etc. V, CHAPTER XIII. ' Of our voyage from the Island of Asturia to San Diaz there is little to tell. La Belle Josephine, as far as her sailing capabilities were concerned, was all that her owner and captain had described her to be. On the other hand her dirt and slovenliness was exactly what I had been led to expect it would be from my first inspection of the cabin. To sleep in it or to eat my meals there was out of the question. How the senorita would manage when she came aboard— I was able to get her away from the island— could not think. Monsieur Maxime's navigation, I soon discovered, was of the most elementary description. However, perhaps by luck, perhaps by a measure of good judgment, he managed to pick ,up the island about noon on the third day after leaving Asturia. '

Fearing that Silvestre might have someone on the look-out I bade Maximo keep the schooner away until nightfall. Then wo pot in, and brought up in a small bay some five miles from the settlement. As soon as it was dark I went ashore, bidding the hands take the boat back, and when they got there to keep a sharp ear open for my whistle. Fortunately for what I wanted to do it was a dark night, so dark indeed that I could scarcely see the boat when I had walked a dozen paces from it. What it would be like in the jungle I could not imagine. ' . .' When the boat had disappeared I set off along the beach in tho direction of the settlement. How I was going to reach the house without attracting the attention of its inmates, and what I was going to do when I got there, were two points about which I did not trouble myself very much at that time. My lucky star had so far been in thft ascendant, and I was trusting to it to continue so. I knew very well that it was a desperate enterprise I was embarking upon, for should Silvestre discover me my shrift was likely to be as short as that which Fernandez* had so obligingly arranged for me in La Gloria. At last, when, I reached the eastern side of the bay in which the yacht was anchored, ( I turned towards the jungle and prepared to enter it. I knew I was in for some hard work, but I did not imagine that it would | prove so difficult as I soon found it. The dense mass of creeper that twined from tree to tree barred my progress, at every step. ,T had to climb, "to twist, to crawl, in places unable to see more than a few inches ahead ,-;' scratched by aloes and thorny bushes, buffeted by low branches, and more than once tripped* up and thrown to the ground by logs and other obstacles. How; long it took' me to reach the plateau I cannot say, but I could scarcely have been less than an hour upon the road. ■ Yet the distance was certainly not more than a quarter of a mile. Somewhat to my astonishment the plateau was all darkness; not a light showed from the house, not a sound came from the huts. With a stealth that would have done credit to a Sioux or an Apache I crept through the bushes towards the blockhouse in which Fernandez had been confined when I left the island. A sudden fear had come over me that during my absence Silvestre might have done away with him. If no sentry stood at the door I should believe this to be the case. Closer and still closer I crept to it. At last I was only a few yards distant from it. I was about to move forward on my hands and knees in order to obtain a better view when a guttural cough reached me, coming, so it seemed, from only a few yards away. So close was it, indeed, that I sprang back, fearing lest the man who uttered it would become aware of my presence. Then the grounding of a rifle-butt on the stones before the hut door reached me, and afforded me indisputable evidence that the : general , was , still imprisoned there. At first a wild notion came into my head that I might be able to overpower the negro sentry, and, having done so, to free Fernandez. A moment's reflection, however, told me that in all probability he would prove a match for me, while he might also have time to fire his rifle and so lo ghe the alarm. More important still, even if I did have the good luck to overcome! him, I slunld not be able to get into the hut, as Silvestre kept the key.

" No," I said to myself, " I must try again to morrow night, and then I'll bring the two men with me.'

Creeping back as carefully as I had come I reached the bench once more as tired as if I ! walked a dozen miles through heavy ground. Going to the water's edge, I gave a shrill whistle, and then sat myself down to await the boat's arrival. It was not very long in coming, and in less than a quarter of an hour I was back on board the schooner. Calling up Monsieur Maxima I bade him get sail on her and put to sea once' more. He seemed a little surprised, I fancy, and was about to demur. A brief remonstrance- on my part, however, sufficed to put him on good terms with me again. The .next day was spent out of sight of the island, but as soon as darkness fell we were back once more .and anchored in the bay. By this time, as you may suppose, I had perfected my scheme as far as possible, and knew exactly what I. was going to do.

To my delight the night proved dark and stormy. When, after some difficulty, I reached the shore, with the two men who had volunteered to assist me a the wind was driving the sand upon the beach in clouds, and was howling among' the trees of the jungle. . " We couldn't have chosen a better night," I said to ray companions, as we hurried along. " But even with the elements in our favour we shall have to be very careful how we act." We made our way down the beach as I had done on the previous night, and climbed the hill as before. Neither of the men had had any previous experience of jungle-work but they were to have some now which would be sufficient to last them all their lives. More than once they followed my example and went sprawling in the darkness, while once the taller of the pair managed to get his foot entangled in a mass of creeper, and it required all my efforts and those of his companion to release him. I " Lord bless us, sir," the other whispered | in my ear, " I hope there are no snakes | about. This seems just the sort of place

to find them." "You needn't be afraid," I replied. "I have been assured that there is not a snake on the islaud."

" I'm glad of that," I heard him mutter. "I don't cotton to snakes nohow."

At last we reached the plateau, whereupon I touched both men ou the shoulder as a signal to remain where they were while I went to reconnoitre. Then, dropping on to my hands and knees, I crept forward until I was on the edge of the jungle. It was the game place from which I had watched tire sentry on. the previous night. Either he or one of his comrades was there now, for 1 could jnst see his dark figure standing at the corner of the hut. Across the plateau streamed a bright light from the sittingroom of the house, while the faint tinkling of some native instrument reached my ears from the group of huts beyond, rtaviiig taken my observations I crept hack again to my companions. . As may be supposed, I had already instructed them in their duties. In consequence, each had brought with him a hank of thin rope, while I had two or three carefully - made canvas gags in my pocket iu case their services should be required. The idea I had in my mind was that we should creep up to the hut from behind. The two men would, then take the right-hand side and make their way round the building with as little noise as possible, while I was to imitate them on the left. When 1, reached the sentry I was to saunter slowly up to him as 'if it were the most natural thing in the world for me to be there. Before he could recover from his astonishment at seeing me they were to spring upon him and make him securel obtaining possession of his rifle before he could fire it. " Come along," I whispered, " and don't make a sound as you love your lives." Scarcely daring to breathe I led them i from the jungle and across the open space : that 'separated us from the hut. Having i gained its shelter we paused to prepare for the struggle. ■'•■■ '-; ; - '

: Since I had left England I had been in some tight places, but I don't know that I had -ever felt so nervous as I did at that

moment. There was' so much to be thought of, so much to ,be provided for, and yet so much to be left to chance. ; What if the serttry did not prove as surprised as 1 hoped he would be? Suppose the men did got come up in time and gave him an opportunity of discharging his rifle, what would our fate be then? But it was bo good thinking of what might happen. I had to carry out my portion of the scheme and leave the rest to Fate. So, having seen the men ready with their ropes in their hands, I calmly strolled round the side of the hut towards the spot where the man was standing. It seemed to me that on the outcome of those few steps I was staking, all that was worth having in the world. Molly's happiness, my mother's, Fernandez' and the Senorita Dolores' lives, and in all probability my own. Then I turned the corner and the giant figure of the negro was before me. He looked up and saw me, uttered ah exclamation of sur- ( prise, and took a step forward as if to make sure of my identity. • "Have you a light for my cigar, friend?" I 'asked, as coolly as I could force myself to speak. ' • : ! As I said it the two figures of ray companions appeared round the further corner. Before the man could answer they had thrown themselves. upon him; one had clutched him by the throat, while the other pinioned his hands behind him. Springing forward,. I seized his rifle before he could get his finger, on" the trigger to fire. The man made a desperate straggle for his liberty, but we were too much for him, and almost before he ceuld realise what had happened, we had got him on the other side of the hut in the dark, where we could make him secure and do with him as we might think! best. In almost less time than it takes to tell : my two companions had lashed him bo securely that it was impossible for him to move hand or foot or, what was more im-portant-still, to cry out. ; "So for so good,' I said, rising from my knees, where I had been' kneeling beside the prostrate man. "He will give us no more trouble.' Now you, Williams, pick up his rifle and stand sentry in front of that door, while we go across to the house and see what we can do with Silvestre. We've got to find that key somehow." He picked up the rifle as he was ordered and proceeded to the front of the hut, where he stood in very much the same attitude as the negro had adopted. We, in our turn, made our way quietly back to the jungle, and through it towards the spot where it approached nearest the house. The light was still streaming from Silvestre's window, and once, a3 we waited, I heard the sound of his laugh. It was evident from this that he was not alone.

"Now, Matthews," I said, " what we have to'do is to get across to that verandah and without anyone seeing us. If we are caught remember our lives will pay the penalty." , «. "I hope we sha'n't be caught then, sir," the man replied. > ' . The night was as still as the grave; the music had ceased at the huts, ■and not a sound came from the house towards which we were making our way. At last we reached the verandah and ascended the two

steps that led up to it. Silvestre's sittingroom was now only a few yards distant. Would it be possible for us to Teach it without giving him warning of our approach? Fortunately for us, the floor of the verandah was of earth, beaten hard, and for this reason,unless we wove more than usually careless, the odds were in our favour. Keeping as close to the wail of the house as possible we approached the window which was open. As we did so, Silvestre began to speak

"Well, I have given you plenty of time to think it over," he remarked. " What have you to say?" ... , ; " Only that I refuse," the senorita replied, for she was his companion.' ''You could not expect me to do anything else." . ', "Think well what you are doing," the other, continued, and as he said it I advanced a couple of steps. " You know that when I say a thing I mean it. I tell you plainly Fernandez' life lis not worth an hour's purchase. He chose .to come between me aad my ambition, and I have tossed him aside as I should have done a straw. When he is out of the way Equinata will listen to me, and when she has . observed how I deal with such , as oppose me I don't think she will make any more mistakes. I know that you are dangerous, but I fancy I can manage you. Give me the information I require and I'll spare you and perhaps do more. Why should you bother yourself shout Fernandez?" "Do yon think I have no heart?" "I suppose you have about as much as any other woman," was the sneering reply. " Come, senorita, you must admit that my patience has held out pretty well. But you mustn't overstrain it. Give me the information I require and I, on my side, will pledge myself to send you to Europe, and also to allow Fernandez to remain here in safety, provided he passes his word never to return to Eqninata or to molest me further. I cannot make yon a fairer offer than that, and I am afraid I am foolish to do so

much." " And if I refuse to accept your terms.' — » .T-* J - -

"Then I shoot Fernandez at daybreak, and when.the yacht returns sail away, leaving you here "in Palmyra's charge. lam afraid you would find the life a trifle lonely after La Gloria." ~

(To be continued daily.)