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j rO-DAY'S SHORT STORY.]i…

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j rO-DAY'S SHORT STORY.] i, Ponsonby's Comrade, I ii. BY HAROLD BINDLOSS. (ALL RIGHTt RESERVED.) Far up a South. A tnexicau river stands he city of San Jose, vhich might serve as j .n object-lesson to those who talk too loudly bout the benefits of modiern cÙi1is ation for > ,11 that is good in it is the result of Moorish i ?a<hing &ve hundred years ago, Of course, \'1 ? boasts a cathedral, built wben the faithful •j ;ere either more devout or richer than they I ( ? re to-day, and this is a rWlnous, second-rate .:1 opy of an ancient Cord?va mosque. For he rest, it resembles a t?nck-kiln, with a imilar temperature, and its inhabitants- compound of CastiLian, Indian, and negoro -live in half-dressed content ment, practising very vice except drunken nesa. This is strange, considering its ohid industry is he shipment of spirits. A rusty, sun-blistered steametr lay there I ne scorching dny, as she had done a good aany, loading cana barrels, because in that egion no one is ever in a hurry. Her cap- ain. who spoke English. or thou ght he did. aid to Henry Povsonby, as he pointed owards the swamp hore; "Where eet is your companero go to every ay? This pTa-ce is no good for any mans- auch like the inflerno." Ponsonby smiled as he answered: "I was rondaring the same thing. He's a man who las his'-own ways; but I think perhaps I tad better go after him and see. Sonehow, vhen Kir-g- is too quiet there's tr-oiible not ar away. So he was pulled by negro rowers across he yellow current which was thick with the lebris of the tropical forest, and in due ime wandered into Ban Jose. He saw a few hings t,-3 wonder at as he paced its swel- ering streets, some of which resembled ewers, aud only for the dry heat would lave brc-d a pestilence. Half the houses irere ruins overgrown with bug-anvil la and vild vines, and the rest were dazziingly whitewashed to the fiat azotea roofs. Here ind there a cof.Tee-coloured grardia lay vsleeo in the dust, flies buzzing about him and a ruety rifle at his-side. MoJattoes ,rouebod in the doorways, as they did all lay, staring round dreajnily, and laddies of mixed ancestry, attired in only two gar- nents, of which the outer one resembled a Ires sin g-^own, wjutobed him th'rough the unglazed oasements. Keat, dust, flies, and unells, and drowsiness everywhere, a people who live without working, and this is the IBual atmosphere oi" .many a similar toQ,-n. Then Ponsonby entered the yallow-wanhed 1welling of a German naturalist, whorti he lad fftet pmviously in a distant forest, and found him sitting in a room filled with orchids a,nd snakes in boxes. He did not ike t,he prevalent o-dcur which he breathed i>efore o-le memorable night in the heart of i mountain, but it was scarcely worse than the boquet of the town. In reply to his questions the naturalist said: "Ah! der Herr Osmundt? Come here, I show him vo you," and led the way to the balcony. Then in a second stroet Ponsonby saw his com ra-de seated under the awning of a little wipe shop, discoursing pleasantly with a. sable .damsel in a dirty travesty of i Parisian flnery. though he seemed to keep his eyes fixed 0\1 the building opposite, over which there floated sundry rags of bunting doing duty as a flag. In the door of the wine shop stood. another lady in rudimen- 'tary attire, aid she al-ternately smiled at King and scowled at the other. "Confound himsaid Ponsonby; "what madness ia he engaged in now? Still. I shouldn't think ti'iey would take his fancy alfter the Donna (jrraciosa. Any colour and a.ny language, they always flock round him." Then the naturalist grinned as he answered: "You mistakes do make; Herr Osmundt he follow der science, and they give informations. He watch dot gustoms g-olleotor urtd sit in der sun all day, because i. dot man he gonrflscat*. der rubbishy speci- mens. He can't get into do gustom-house, but der collector he can't come out." Ponsonby whistled. I thought as much," he said. Those everlasting beetles to the fore again. King, aren't you ashamed of yourself? Come up her. at once!" The big man sent a merry laugh ringing acress the street, wave-i his hand to the waitress, and came bounding up the stair- way, but, disregarding th e cooler room, per- sisted iin, seating himself out on the balcony. "Now, perhaps you'll e:cplain," said Pon- gonby. "What are you d'oing here?" And King laughed again as he ,nswer-ed: I might refer you to a dot to to be found in the Royal arms. It's aJl very simple. That moddle-iheaded colleCltor chose to confis- cate my -collection because he couldn't find preserved insects in the schedule of things which might be imported inro this wretched country. He took my bribes with both hands, but wouldn't give them up, so I'm trying to get them by threats of violence. Already I fancy he's badly frightened of me. The Com- miaOOant clcx^n't like him, so he won't assist with the standing army." Here the nataralist interposed: "Herr Osmundt is an ingenious man. He borrow im,idolit asking my big snake, and let him in by der window of der gustom-house, but dot Yerdamdt g-olle-tor he only kill the snake." Po-nsonby gnaa-ned as he answered: "I know it's no use my talking, and I wish those blamed bi3etles were at the bottom of the sea. You'll have to get through with it to-day, bom-u.oe--if she doesn't blow up in the Tneantime—the steamer goes oat to-morrow morning." Then he took himself away, and spent the afternoon drinking in beauty along the edge of the pria oeva.1 forest. He had dwelt in it 'and knew its de-ldliness, but there was some- thing in its silttnce and the untrammelled strengtlh of nar.ure rioting triumphtuntly there which never fa-iled to strangely impress him. It was dark: when he re-entered San Jose, and was entertained by the naturalist to a dinner which lie could not help fancying t-asted suspiciously of snake. Then he sat out on the balcony in the light of the rising moon. From an ill-kept garden opposite rose the acent of dew-da imped flowers, the little breeze that cooled San Jose sprinkled the dust with the snowy petala of orange blos- som, and many fire-flies sparkled among the wet grasses. A tinkle of guitars commenced somewhere below, soft Latin voices reached them chanting a song of Arragon, and then from a lighted wine-shop came the plucking of a banjo, and a deep-throated chanty with a martial ring. Thereujvon Ponsonby nodded, for he had last heard that refrain beside a thundering African beaoh more than a thou- sand leagues away. and he knew the eongs of the fever-land have been handed down through centuries from long-forgotten days. 80 they lounged aDd chatted, Ponsonby hoping it would end peacefully after all, until with an evelamcition King sprang to his feet and bolted down 'the stairway into the patio. A man with two attendants came out of the custom-house, loofeed about him suspic- iously, and then Married down the steps. Bat with a bound like th-at of a panther a tall figure in white dtuck cleared the moonlit gtreet, and fell upcm the group. Next, and and almost before Ponsonby realised' what had happened, the ii-wo assistants were rolling in the dust, and their master was being rudely bundled baiok aga-in into the house. "Ach!" said the naturalist stolidly. "He baf him now, uoo. I think dot goltector be get, what you &ay, fits." Oh, hang the c ollootor and that mad com- rade of mine!J' said Ponsonby. "As if we hadn't had trouble enough without this last P nonsense. V ell, I'vE, got to help him and run the risk of being stubbed." Just as, followed by his host, he ran into the street, two men grappling each other reeled forth filom the custom-house, and the taller held aloft in one hand a tin case which Ponsonby hated. They fell grovelling at his feet, and while King with » his free hand proceeded to bump his victim's t head savagely into the .dust. startled voices rang down the street, and men of many colours poured out of the doorways. "Where are my good ten dollars and 4' ",here's' the big spifier? Oh, you rascally thief gapped Kmg, and the unfortunate official's shoulders were driven once more with violence against a jutting, stone. "dtop it before you kill the man," shouted Ponsonby, grabbing the other's arm. "You seem to have got the most part of your miserable specimens, and you're not engaged in starting a revolution here. There's a tllgh class tumult starting already." Another bump foaowed, and tL\en King sat up covered with dust and glory, and it was time he did, for a shouting mob was last surrounding them. The mixed population hattd all Kinds of labour, but, true to their southern nature, revelled in excitement. Also, their favourite amusement wa plot- ting insurrections, so howLs of approval mingled with the cries of wrath. Further, the. men of negro stock disliked those of Latin blood, and thus there were materi.xls ready for ft brilliant fracas. "Stand by for a rush," said King with tightening lips. "Knock down the foremost, and if v?e maive a good show some will j?,iu in with* us. If you get up without my per- mission you will be badly hurt, senor"; and the customs collector lay stin, as he was told. The rush came, and next moment Ponsonby wa,, fighting in the centre of a yelling crowd. while what became of the collector he never knew, because a mob of negroes shouting encouragement swarmed about them and forced them away. Down that street and the next they went, windows flung up above them, hoarse voices applauding and threatening, while olive-skinned men fell staggering under King's sledge-hammer ( blows. Then the front of the crowd grew thinner, and, aided by dusky partisans, they t somehow broke through, and Ponsonby remembered bolting at topmost sipeed across a ous-ty square. Fresh uproar rose behind them, and he guessed the meI'(rial citizens were either starting another rebellion or settling racia,l questions among themselves, because for several minutes they were little molested. Neither was there an armed guard to be seen, these having discreetly hidden themselves away, knowing that in times of excitement a mo'b with revolutionary ten- dvnciea occasionally found diversion in hang- ing a soldier or two. So they pressed on towards the river, King casting wistful glances over his shoulder, as though he were sorry the matter seemed over. 11 such was the case he must have been gratified, for when close to the water's edge another band of citizens poured out of a shadowy street, and a roar told them that the pursuers were still behifcd. "All you have to do is to go right straight through," said King breathlessly. "Judging by the row they're making, some patriots must be there. Ola, vi\a la libertad! Atie- lante los heros!" and he quickened his pace to a charge. He swang a p;ece of old bronze railing, and Ponscoiib-y clutched the pillar of some broken balcony, but just how lie got it he could not remember, because under such circumstances men do tilings mechanically. A few knives glinted before them among the struggling mass, stones began to liurtle unpleasantly past his head, go, tightening his grip on the timber and hailing the negroes behind him, he followed his com- rade. Then the previous scene was repeated. with interest this time. Curiously assorted weapons from knives to empty bottles were { plied about him, but the pi ess preven ted them doing much damage. Also, part of the mob seem-ed friendly, and when King, driv- ing through th-m like a battering-ram, opened a passage, Ponsonby, staring straight in front of him, made for the river. A minute later he ran along the ricketty barge-wharf, while some of those beside him leapt into the water. There was a hurried splash of oar-blades, and a man he could not see, apparently with good intentions, thrust him over the wharf. edge j-ust above a boat. He landed with a thud upon the Mulattoes below, someone oame down heavily upon his head, and when he had struggled from under the weight the craft was already ahootkig out into the river. "Turn back; I want the other English- mall Round with the boat!" he shouted ill indifferent Castiliaii, but the dusky oars- men j-efused to return at any price, and though Ponsomby fumed and threatened, held on indifferently towards the steamer. He hoped his companion might be in some of the other craft which followed them, but when he reached the vessed there was uo sign of King. The skipper started when he saw him, and this was not surprising, for Ponsonby had lost his sun-hat, and his jacket was tóm. across. There was a nasty out on his upper arm, and one on his shoulder, a swollen lump on one temple, while every bone in his body seemed aching. C,.t.-ram ba! said the former; "more politico ashore. This people is fond of the politico, and they often make such esoan- dalos. No, they come not here, senor; this ship is of another state. Ra,yo! that would he insult the matron. And where your gal- lant companero is he get him to?" "I don't knew," said Ponsonby, grimly, "but, judging fram experience, he'll get out of that place somehow or turn it upside down. He's a, ma,re of misapplied abilities, if you know what that means." Ponsonby maiiaged to clean himself in a basin-like saucer of muddy water, and with stripe of plaster about him sat on deck the whole riarht, waiting while the uproar in the town died away. But the big adventurer never came, and, in spite of his belief in his companion's capacity for taking care of himself, Ponsonby grew anxious about him when in the early morning the skipper 9tated he must sail in half-an hour. Then, even as he asked for a boat to go ashore, a barge with rum barrels and bags of sugar tame sliding towards the steamer with heavy-splashing sweeps. When it grated alongside the negro boatmen grinned from ear to as one with unusual caution adjusted tbe sliag-s round a barrel, and then shouted, Ola, arriba! Con muchissimo cuidao!" Ponsonby knew that meant "Heave up very carefully," and a laugh broke from him when as the ca,;k swang through the gang- way a muffled voice said, "For heaven's sake, knock the head in and take me out of this!" It wa.s done, and, amid a roar of delight from the passengers, King, smelling like a distillery, crawled out from the cask, his torn garments soaked in mother of wine. "How on earth did you get there?" said Ponsonby; and King chuckled aa he answered: "It's well to make friends with the ladies. and the fair keeper of the wine-shop evolved this idea. It was probably the only way I could have got out alive, because it seems I had the misfortune to damage some popu- lar favourite. Whew! I feel as though I should never straighten my limbs again; but I've got the collection safe, after all." Then the winch commenced to clatter, and when the last sugar-bag was hove on board the steamer dropped down stream.

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