For Love and Glory.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8179, 11 July 1906, Page 2

For Love and Glory.

By St. George Rathbonie. Author of " Dr. Jack" The Witch from India '' Captain Tom,"l''Mynheer Joe,» 4 < !>/•. Jack's Wife," etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXVI"

ONCE MORE INTO THE BREACH

Of course, when breakfast was announced, Armand wrb pressed to go below with them, and although the colonel was very urgent in 1)53 invitation, perhaps it was more the silent one ho saw in Teesie's blue eyes than decided hiin to accept. They were very gay—Evangeline, especially, being full of spirits, aud aa usual she drew Armand out of his reserve. Such a bright intellect seemed like a keen and shining blade against which one heing pitted, he was compelled to do hia best and defend himself and avoid being cut. Tessie lapsod into occasional quiet and serious moods that were eo {unnatural for her that several times the "infaat" inquired solicitously as to the condition of hexhealth, and on each occasion the •flaming p'gDal of digress appeared in tell-tale cheeks, though why Tessie should blush i because of such a Biinple regard for" her welfare might be a mystery to anyone but an alienist, acuustomed to analysing the mind human, aud well versed in the sure signa of positive contrition and humiliation. Radelitfe might not claim such destruction, but somehow he knew deep in his soul that she loved him as much as ever, perhaps more so, and this corsciousncss gave him joy. He di'l not change his mind an iota concerning his plan o£ procedure, and was just as determined as ever Liiat Tesise must expiate her miserable ooucluot of that day on Yclfokama harbour, r When tcey landed late* on, he did the honours, and led them to the finest hotel in Manila. and that whs many times better than it had; been under the old rogime. There were many things to see. Tessie had never been in the Philippines, and to a newoomei the life presents a that wears off with custom, until with the boys in blue marrooied there, one glmpse of New York's familiar stieets, i«nd one breath of an' Ootober frosty morning would seem a treat bordering on the gates of paradise. Part of the day, was spent on sight-seeing, and doubtless it added to the pleasure of thes<3 patriotic Americans to realize that all this fair land, though thousands of miles distant from the shorep of their native country, was as much a part of *he States as Massachusetts or California. This is a now experience to people of the greatest of all republics; Englishmen have always enjoyed seeing the cros3 of St Goorgo aud St An drew barred upon ft blood-rod field, and floating over many a distant land or lonely island of the sea, or discovering it on majestic liner, oceantramp, or-grim man-o' war; but the dawn of America's grentnesswbitih mast eclipse anything ever known, is just at nand., and ere a few decades have paesed the world will recognise the new power as chief of all in commerce, the arts and military strength. The Philippines serve aa the first jewel in the cro^vn; but there are others to come, lands where free dom's torch, long dead and cold, shall flame up again with renewed vigour, and the soub of men move on undisturbed in their pursuit of happiness and peace. •'* Kadoliffe could not give'tnem his entire time, as he had business of his own to occupy some] of his attention. He was a peculiaily stubborn chap when once his mind beoame set upon a certain thing, and just now it was ooncrened with good Godiago, the oustodian of Tessie's papers, the -slippery customer whD refused to remain in the dragnet of MoArthur when the expedition was sent out against the yacht. Armand met Senor Juan on the Escolta that afternoon, proving that the Spaniard had been set at liberty. Either the Government had failed to discover any incriminating evidence against him or else despaired for tbo morals of their soldiers were ho kept in hock any length of t'me, for as lightning blasts a tree, so might the senor's sulphurous tirade, if repeated frequently enough, eurrupt the principles of even the most straight-laced Puritans. Senor Juan scowled like a pirate, and Ihen smiled broadly at sight of our friend; doubtless Armandslook | of surprise qaifce pleased the rogue. It occurred cleverly enough to Eadcliffe that the fact of the senor having his freedom might be a little game whereby greater things were expected to be accomplished —that the authorities recognise that in the senor they only held the tail of the alliance, and by allowing him to go scot-free, and keeping eeoret tab on his movements they might, sooner or later, be taken to the lair where the other chap was in hiding, the head and brains of the conspirany. gj Sure enough, at evening he received a message from his friend, the major, that something was doing, something in the wind, and that if of the same mind as on the preceding night, the young man's company would be appreciated, but for bim to come well "heeled." So Radciilfe slipped into a store and purchased another brace of good. American-made revolvers, aa well as a banting-knife with a razor edge. This made biui a walking arsenal. He had much trouble in concealing all these terrible munitions of war upon his person, and felt very foolish abont carrying them, tbonkfa"ctftlte ready to, confess that in tfafe eVent of a _ rudtiba with a crowd of "iosarreotos" they would come in mighty handy. There was onoe a mighty Nitnrod who roamed the' Pennsylvania hills; ' with .exoarsibns to'Miohigbn, New Brunswick, and Florida, a qqaiut, old banter known by the name of "JftessmuK," whose greatest

boast it was that he could manage to go into the woods and manage to live -jonifortably with less "duffle" on his back than any other man toot an Indian; yet when some of his greenhorn and misguided friends transported canned soups and such delicacies scores of miles, stocially enduring the aches that came from such martyrdom, this eccentrio indi vidual always admitted with naive oaudour that he t"ould ever bo found ready to help relieve them of their loads whea camp was made, and the savoury odours of the said canned goois awoke the glow of appetite. When RudclifTe had managed to distribute his armoury Texas fashion, one firearm down his boot, a second in a pocket, the third down his back, and the knife afc his hip, ho was ready to talk business with the major. Finding that the grim son of Mars at the palace of the military com mander he assured him first ef all how much he appreciated his kind ness, and then begged for details. What he heard was not ail lie expected; there were a many "ifs" in the way, it seemed, yet so long as a single chance of laying Godaigo by the heels remained., he felt that he had no reason to complain. It appeared that Sienor Juan had received a telegraphic message from a station up the railroad, and which begged him to come that night on the train leaving Manila. Some little particulars followed as to how he was to find - the party who wired and extreme caution was enjoined on account of hostile eyes.' The message had been signed G., but of course that stc-od forj Godiago. . a ..I When Senor Juan ei trained, he would not ba alone—half a dozen, perhaps twice that many, pair of eyes would watch bis movements, but the men who went would be dressed as Spaniards or Filipinos, and carry themselves in' such a way as to be above suspioion. Would the gentleman from New York like to join the party" Armand simply said, "You bet,''i and this expressive language, if lacking in elegance, was emphatic enough to stamp the speaker's honesty. When were they to get ready? Right away, as evening was at hand. Radcliffe had an engagement with a lady for the evening, but pleasure must give way to stern duty;the major would despatch one of his men with a note—here were papers and pens—and Armand could dine with him, afterward donning any sort of apparel that might strve to oonceal his identity from the suspicious don. It was all done with a whirl. The brevity of his note would leave much for speculation on Tessie's part; perhaps he intended it should be so, for all lovers take delight in tensing the object of their affection. It. gave an opportunity for explanations later, and that might in turn give rise to confidential conditions that were highly pleasant. Then came a dinner with the major, who could be as witty at table as he was grim in battle, or when conducting a campaign, and whom Armand liked exceedingly. After that they ruraaged through a mass of material at hand, and as fancy dictated, concealed their identity under garments that would better become the Philippine "msurrectos" than an army major and a society and olub man from Gotham. CHAPTER XXVIII. THE CANNON-BALL TRAIN FOR DAGUPAN, When RadclifEe aud the army officer had surveyed each other critically, after assuming the old garments, and exchanged a few satirical remarks concerning their personal appearance, they were ready to take to the road. The major's arrangements had all been perfected beforehand, so that they would expect to find at the station those men who had been seleoted to accompany them on this expedition, Armand, specualting on the outcome, wondered if the affair was to be a success or not, and whether the game were really worth the candle. At least this same Godiago Takanori should feel complimented because such extraordinary inducementsjjwere offered for his capture. Passing through tho streets, armand was consoious of more or less satisfaction because of the freiudly shades of evening. He could not say that he particularly fancied passing aa a Filipino insurgent officer, presumably under parole. More than once they were surveyed rather keenly by passing soldiers, and when at the station, a captain baited them abruptly, demanding to know their identity. His manner indicated that his suspicions had been aroused, and be looked as though in the hum* our to give them trouble, (To be continued).