FOR LOVE AND GLORY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8160, 18 June 1906, Page 2

FOR LOVE AND GLORY.

* " CHAPTER X.~Continued. Tessie said not a word; perhaps, poor giil, her own accusation against him came back to her own heart with redoubled force now, since she experienced qualms that ■were quite new. Not so the "infant." She seenid to rise to meet the emergency. There wbb that in her rollioking deposition to glory in tomboy deeds, land this was a piece of business just to her mind. With a cheery laugh she drupped down and vanished over the side. Armand held his breath in suspense. Then he beard ber callng out for Tessie to follow suit; that she was snugly seated in the "sampan," and that it was a very nice article of a boat, tar preferable to the ugly old yacht; that there was do danger, everything as easy as falling off a log; all she had to do was to press the button, swing down the yacht side by the rope, and the faithful Japs below would manage the rest. No doubt this was all entertaining to Theresa wbo bad never been a snadoap like her sist r but that hanging down with darkness below, possibly the cruel waters of the harbour eager to engulf her—that ■was where the shoe pinched. It may be she could not erase from her mind the horrible sight of poor unordered Fido, snatched in by those hideous jaws of a hungry shark for knowing herself guilty, the ghost of the wretohed ki-yi must haunt her with reproaches. And whill'e she shuddered and hesitated, ty chance she looked towards Arrnand. He was observing her with deep interest, and she could imagine \»hat fancios were running rict in his brain. Somehow, the shot went home and ene dropped her eyes utterly confused; after all it was not so easy as she had imagined to be bold and fearless in the faae of danger. She had built up beaujfciful theories with regard to what ought to be done under certain desperate conditions but when the time pame the real thing was so different tnafe she had no means of subduing her ' womanly fears. In shame thereforo and actual deßperatou she bent down took hold of the rope and swung off jost'as sheghad seen Evangeline do. And willing hands caught her as she slipped down the rope, Raiding her into the boat. Armand experienced a brief period of terrible suspense, and then, bearing the cheery voices of his Jap boatmen, knew success vias assured. "You nest, Radcliffe," shouted the McGregor. "Never, if I slay here forever. Give me your pistol, aud I'll keep them at bay," was the reply of the sooety man In the coolest of tones. And with the great asasuranoe in the world be actually plucked the revolver - from his companion's hand. Gordie gave in. He saw that precious time would he wasted if they entered into a silly dispute. Besides, he had some business with his hostage,. "Catch this!" he bellowed, giving the "second iu command a toss over the side. is no splash followed, it might fce assumed that he landed deoently in the boat, and his condition therefore v»B3 much better than that of the wretched Spaniard still floundering and shrieking on the other side of the yacht. Gordie went down the rope after the manner of a true athlete. When he stood up below, his hands we*e not a very great distance below the deck. Armand alone was left. Even then the tigerous crew did not leap, although closing in more and more, inch by inch, their hungry eyes fastened upon the quarry—if" foolish Godaigo bad but remembered that men care not to risk neck and limb for mere glory, and have declared a dividend to the individuals who made a rush, the result might have been different. Armand knew he had a ticklish job *.o get his person into the boat. He was almost tempted to jump boldly over into the sea, and trust to his f'riouda to pick him up. Perhaps he disiais-edtbis sohome because it fiaahod upon him what disreput-able-looking object a man must always fce who baa been soused in the drirK. Then, again, those flannels—rosily, there was no actual need for such a sacrifice; it would Tender hia weapons useless,'too,, and he could not Eiford to dispense lest perchanoß the Japs pursued them and the game was fought out in the harbour. So he thrust one iu his pooket and held the other while he knelt at the yacht's side ready to drop His attitude was so suggestive that even then uo man among the crew found courage to leap upon him. From welled up some Japanese words aud he knew they were ready. "Drop!" sang out McGregor; "all's clear here!" With that Armand caught hiß pistol by the trigger guard with hs teeth, eeized hold of the rope with both hands, and tumbled over the side. His disappearance was the signal for a general forward movement above. Like a paok of hounds released, the sailor-men launched themselves towad the spot where their enemy bad so lately harooured. Reaching the side, they threw themselves down flat and endeavoured to discover what was going on below, although the lights on board were of small assistance in this reappct. The high admiral was bawling quite a different key. It was a boat he wanted won, aud gallant lads ,to man it. The game might yet be won if tbey could overtake the others ere'they reached a landing. By eoine acoidont he chanced to mention that in case of success a handful of yen would go to every Jack Tar taking part in the chase, and this electrified the crew, so that a rush was immediately made for the boate,' which, of course, were not at all in' a sadly dilapidated condition,6o aptly descriped to the girls. " „.,;., (To be Continued),