For Love and Glory.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8195, 27 July 1906, Page 2

For Love and Glory.

CHAPTER XXXVHL—Continued

All the nflxt day was spent in recuperating aud feasting, plenty of sweet potatoes and chickens being found in the town.

When the twenty fifth arrived, the column was set in motion, and the rnarah taken up ' for the l'ttle bay of Palawan, distant six miles.

The Vicksburg arrived on times, their boats laudtni after signals were exchanged, and the whole party received on board amid muchnoiseand congratulation that alarmed the uneasy dictator. Captain Barry, his fac<3 wreathed in smiles, welcomed the pilgrims to the comforts of his iloatiug home, and presently all had assumed dry garments and were enjoying such » meal as they had teen recently only in dreams. It seemed best for Armand and McGregor to maintain their disKuise to the end, nor had ihey any "' jeoiio'J, since tha iii*. • Im-' »ow assumed the dimensions of a picnic, the danger being past.

Everybody was in high sprits on board, that, is. excepting tne three prisouers, and even they mingled with the officers aud took heart of grace. So the Island of Luzon was rounded; the launch carried a parly up the Fasig River ut Manila to the Macalanan Palace, headquarters of McAitbur, and the quiet, little hero of the daring expedition advanced toward nis commander, who met him with a grim smile of welcome, as-Funstou modestly said: "Sir, I have brought you Don Emilio!"

CHAPTER XXXIX

CONCLUSION. When Armand Kado'.iffe had ouce more transformed himself, with some difficulty, into an American gentlemau, he ate his breakfast at the hotel, and then demanded a private interview with Miss Morrison. Tessie received him eagerly; the light in her eyes spoke a language that a: man would be a fool not td understand, for his long, mysterious abaenoe had given her disquieting thoughts and aroused her to a sense of her duty.

The bold fellow immediately took her in hi* arms, as might 'one who was euro of his right. She yielded herself to his caresses willingly at first, and' then began to feebly struggle. "Oh! Armand, if any one should come in and see you,' she expostulated.

"Let 'em come," said he, blandly, doing it sorny more and stopping her utterance.

"But," when she oonlci flutter again, "you don't know—l have made up my mind—it is my privilege, my duty, to tell you how sorry I am I ever said that cruel thing." "No, you don't; on my part, I'd determined I was a brute to endeavour to foroa you to humiliate yourself. And 1 come now to entreat you to renew our old relations without a' thought of anything unpleasant. Truth to tell, Tessie daring, whea buDgry, and wet, and weary, I campea night after night with Funs ton away up in the eastern wilder ness, my thoughts were ever turning to you, and I solemnly pledged myself to end this nonsense as soon as I got baok. I oan't be happy without you, dearest, and that's the truth of it.'"

"Well, I've been pretty miserable myself, Armand; in fact, very de - jeoted. 1 began to fear my foolishness might have lost you forever. And, oh! I am so glad you've come baok shfe and sound, and that the dreadful past is forgotten. But tell me where you have been, and what has that remarkable soldier, General Punston, been doing now to startle army circles? Be reasonable, you rough boy, Hud let as be seated here. Another time, when the conditions are less public, will do for all that enthusiasm, which, of course, 1 fully appreciate, because I am very, very hapoy now." And so Armand was compelled to be 16ss demonstrative, though he declared he did not care,the first rap what any one thought, so far as he was concerned and that he only postponed taking sweet toll for her sake.

jj*"Well, Kunston has been and done it again captured Aguioaldo, though it's to be a dead secret, mind you, for the present," he said, gayly, possessing himself of one of her hands, and slipping once more upon her finger the diamond ring she had returned to bim at Yokohama.

Tessie eagerly ruised it to her lips and kissed it, which action of oourse quite satisfied her lover. "That is wonderful news, and glorious, too, if it will end this terrible wai. But, Armand, how did you come to be there—what forced you to risk your life on such a fearful expedition? You are no soldier, and could not plead duty as an excuse?" "With me it was love. I was determined to prove to;j you again that not a drop of coward's blood ran in my veins." "Ob! Armand, what a little wretch I feel like."

"A darling Jittle wretch, then. Bat there wns another reason why I wanted to reach Palanan, since I had 'heard in a roundabout way that GodaJRO Takanori had arrived at the headquarters of Agunaldo, and you know I had made a vow to leoovor that package of valuable papers of yours he he'd." She looked eagerly and mischievously into his face—how the blue eyes danced. "Did you find him, Armand?" she demanded.

"Yea. Let me tell the story briefly." For half an hour be beH her spell bound by a recital of the perils which they encountered on their

By St. George Rathborne. Author of "Dr. JacJc," " The Witch from India," '« Captain Joe," " Dr. Jack's Wife," etc., etc.

long journey through hcstil country.

As he spoke in a humorous way of the meagre fare which they enjoyed, the horrible wet and mu3 which kept them always in distressing condition, and finally how, on the sixth day, they had gone without even parched corn, a little hand stole out and cares ed his own tenderly, quito regardless of the fact thaf someone might come into the parlour at any moment. "And all this for me—ob, Armand, 1 shall have to be very good to you always to make amende," she faltered, tears in her voice. He laughed at the privations now who would not when anchored in such a snug harbour?

Then, id a graphic way, be sketched the scenes at Palanan, which possessed the dramatio elements of a stirring play. j She hong upon his words to the enn, then smiled through her tears. "How wonderful it all seems. And I am especially, pleased General Funston has won. His wife has been very uneasy all this while, and now how proud of him she will fee!. And lam proud of my cavalier, too. So you finally secured my precious papers, Armand?" ! laughing. "Yea, I have them here, just as I found them," producing the packet.

"you did not look at them at all, dearest?"

"Why should I, since it was your property?" "tint, Armand, look; they are letters."

,'Yes, 1 see that now; you prize them—that was quite enough for me." •

She laughed again. "Ohl you innooent fellow, to think you would not recognize anything familiar about them!" "Familiar—l don't understand Great Caesar! you don't mean to say " "But I certainly do. They are your letters, written to me at various timee."

"And you said they were prceious papers? "Very precious to me, Armand. 1 expect to keep them as long as 1 live."

Well, he could not , as a gentleman, such a thing to.'pass witbont expressing his sentiments again, strenuously; and by good luck no intruder brought confusion to the maid while he was thus pleasantly engaged. (The bridge was apparently completed, and the ohasm safely spanned. McGregor and the irrepressible Evangeline coming in soon afaer, discovered the situation, and congratulated the reunited lovers, nor was Colonel Morrison alow to slap Armand ou tbe back and wish him all manner of luck, as well as invite him to a little select chafing dish luncheon.

The story of Funstou's greatest exploit has been told in dry, mechaniual military Teports, and breezy magazine articles by the hero himself, whom the President, recognizing tbe great benefits to be deprived from Aguinaldo s taking the oath o£ allegiance, rewarded with an offlae as brigadier general in tbe regular army; but Armand Rad /oliffe, v»ho shared in the dangers and privations of that bold expedition, has reason to believe his reward was even greater, since it has given him n sweet companion for life in Tessie. THE HIND.