For Love and Glory.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8189, 24 July 1906, Page 2

For Love and Glory.

By St. George Rathborsie. Author of " Dr. Jack," "The Witch from India," " Captain Tom," "Mynheer Joe," ** Dr. Jack's Wife," etc., etc.

CUAPTUR XXXVl.—Continued. There was inspiration in the sight, doubt took immediate wings and flew awav, the clouded sky no longer had terrors for him, but hope once more knooued loudly at the portals of his heart. Strange what a* influenoe the i magnetism of a presence may exert. There was Napoleon, the grandest example of thiti personal magnetic power the world has probably ever seen; a study of his career is always nrofifcable to one who delights in tracing results from their sources. So the result of this adventure almost wholly depended upon Fred Funston: the,master mind that conceived must also be the one to carry the project to completion. Every hour those who were in hie company found new faith in onntact with this never-flinching resolution; if deep duwn in hit. heart he entertained dismal fears, brought about by the faariul conditions by which they were surrounded, fs well «s bis own rjodiiy sufferings?, he never allowed them to be Seen by his comrades in exile. i They found bim steadily reliant, hopeful, full of quiet cheer, and ready to do all in his power to. alleviate the sufferings of his subordi nates.

These, then, are the qualities that constitute a born leader of men, these the elements that render him an idol among the rank and file; others may be brave to the point of recklessness, and yet allow a selfish spirit to crop out; but Funston shared the hunger, and fatigue, and exposure, faring no better than the meanest of his men. T * . CHAPTER XXXVII. STARVING FOR GLOUY. The night of day wore on. ZTzp- , Once more it was morning. To take up the march without e decent breakfast required no little grit; still, the affair bad not reached a desperate phase, when their only hope was to go on, for to turn back meant death. What lay beyond? The silent woods and hills, the mysterious sea that moaned at times, or whose waves lashed the beach anc: drenched them in their staggering advance. Ah! there was need of hearts of oak to continue the forward progress. It was hoped that at any time now they might greet messengers sent from Palanan to give them greeting, provided the couriers had arrived at their destination all right, and everything went well. Mingled with this were \ fears lest treachery had betrayed their ambition, and Don Emilio, the dictator, set one of his customary little trap in the shape of an ambuscade; ■ , There were dpportunities galore for such a thing. Indeed, Ar'mand never thought it worth while ajl that gloomy day to oast a single glance of admiration upon the scenery which kept cropping up as they pushed farther north—his sole thought was in connection with an ambuscade, and he narrowly eyed cliff and fen* with the idea of discovering any signs of such a thing. What if it occurred? Would the Maoabebes hold firm? They could not be trusted like so many American regulars, and the ohances were that, should a deadly fire open unexpectedly, the survivors would fall into a panic and fly from the spot. As to the five Americans, unarmed, they-oould not make any desperate resistance, so that the ohances were, instead of capturing Aguinaldo, they would find themselves prisonera of war in his hands, providing they were lucky enough to emerge from the melee with their lives. It was not a very cheerful thought. Still, it haunted them unmercifully. Few men have gone through so terrible an experience to win a sweetheart. Tessie would never know one half 'the tortures thoy endured—indeed, no one might , for that matter, since these resolute men, who took their lives in their hands so coolly and placed them in the balance for the credit of their country, would never unseal their lips to proclaim their sufferings. Imagination alone may taKe the warp and woof of faots, and fashion the complete fabric. Thank God, the day was near an end. The guides .'till said Palanan was something like eight miles further, enough to make another day's jouruoy if the trail were as bad as that over which they had come. Hunger by that time would border on actual starvation, and men in suoh a condition would be in a wretched condition to carry out the gigantic scheme they laboured on. Surely, by this time they should have met with some response to their m.essages. All hands were feeling decidedly blue, for it is the hardest thine in the w-rld to keep up courage upon a poorly nourished body. It lacked but an hour or so of dark. The Macabebes, under the direotiou of Pedro and Armand, had managed to pick up a few little bits that might, through the agency of a flr°, be moulded in to what courtesy would term a meagre meal, and although this at another time would have possessed no attractions for their pampered appetites, just now they were eager, and ravenous, and could hardly wait until the time came to halt. . : . Just then shouts arose ahead. The leading pi|grmahad discovered something. j At first, Arnfeud feared it meant

the ambuscade he had been torturing himself thinking about all the day, but on second thought he detected a joyous ring jibout the cries of the Macabebes". "Thank God! they're coming, he heard Fanston say, and looking tar along the beach, he saw the flgureß of two men approaching, Talk about your wretched mariners sighting a sail, or wanderers upon a desert difoovering a green oasis where water might be found, their joy could hardly exceed that of the adventurers upon s eing this twain coming toward them, and making signals with their arms. It meant a resoue—it meant even more—that their bold game gave promise of success. In that moment Armand realized as never before the truth of that old Bible saying, "weeping and sorrow may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Although a little cautious, the men soon fraternized with the advance guard, and Segvia sent back word that all was well. That lightened the hearts of the Americans.

Gone was their feelings of fatigue —no longer did the blue devils hmint tbem ;succesß was now something more than an alluring phantom sent to mock their misery. All was well. That must mean rhe game had worked, the forged letters had been believed at headquarters, and preparations were being made for their expected arrival and entertainment. Strangely enough, the one predominant thought in every mind just then was an eager anticipation concerning food. Arruond was positive the anterior wall of his stomach was nearer his backbone than ever before in his existence—at least, he had a very disagreeable feeling of "goneness" in that region that was alarming. What made the thing seem better, these messengers oarried a letter to the supposed commander of the expedition from ;Aguinaido's chief of staff, which Armandsaw in the uourse of the evening, atter it had been smuggled to the general. IS was as follows, written in Tagalo, of coarse: "Lieutenant Colonel Hilario Plaoido: "Un account of the cirjumstances please arrange to leave the /meri cau nhioh you have at the place called Dinundungan, where this will be delivered to you. Under no circumstances must they be brought here. For a proper guard, please leave at Dinundungan until further orders, ten armed men, under a sergeant or corporal. You should communicate to them the orders regarding the prisoners. "This 1 communicate to you by order of the honourable captain general. "May God guard you many years. "SIMEON VILLA, ' "Oulouel and Chief of Staff. •'Palanan, Maroh 21st 1901." (To be Continued.)