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I ' f â- n i A WOMAN'S LOVE \ I OR, A BROTHER'S PROHISE | CHAPTEH vri.â€" (Continued.) When the wailnr liad gone Hector went to onu of his por'tmanttiaux and ilrew out the bundle ol documents w'hicli had been given him by Queen Maddalena on the eve of liis de- parture- How often had lie read and re-read them during tlie short voy- age ! often tnough, at least. for him to know them by heart. Vet ho wishod to consult the particular on« that conveyed instructions how to act and comport liimself during the fiist days of his .stay in the island. Tliis was what he read in Bravo's angulai- handwriting : If .any one !-ho»s you a croSB-hilt- ed dagger or poniard healing- the letter R in silver, unhesitatingly ask him for the password. He should reply : 'For Palmetto, freedom.' If he does not, he has come by the sign wrongly, and you should find out who he is, so as to be able to re- port him. to oui' friends that he may be watched. On receiving the correct leply, you will say : 'Free- dom is but half.' The reply is . •Fi-eedom ami Maddalena is all.' You will then say : 'Her Majesty Queen Maddalena,' and tlie answer must be : 'Whom God preserve.' There- after you ma.y conduct the conversa- tion as you please, only having re- gard to preserve your chtu'acter ol envoy of her Majesty, and in all things to comport yourself in ac- cord with the dignity and honor of your position." Hector then turned to the Direc- tory of Persons and looked up the name of the colonel of Gastaldi's re- giment. "Don Miguel Ortona y Cajal," he read. "Kesidcs on his estate of Fri- ganeta, in tl c di.vtrict of Telde, fif- teen miles from Palm City. Believed to be a worthy man, but not vei-y enthusiastic. IJound to tho cause chiefly tluough the devotion of his daughter, tho Senorita Asunta, whos* hatred of Hispaniola and adoption of our side dates from the death of her favorite brother, Man- rico, us a Hispaniolan conscript in San Domingo. Don Miguel can be readied through his daughter. Among your documents you will find a letter of introduction to her." While Hector was debating in his mind in what way best to spend his first day in l^alm City â€" ^whether to roam about and fiunillarise himself with the town and its environs, or at once to seek out the leader in- dicated in liravo's niemoianda â€" tl-e matter was being .«ettled for him by the Orange King. That alert jier- sonage burst into tlie room as Hoo- ter was packing away his papers. "Glad to see you're up so early. Grant," he cried airily. "The early bird may not catch the worm, but at least he stands an excellent chance." He waved his hand towai'ds the window "Been taking in the view 7 What do you think of it ?" "A little bit like the scenery of a comic opera," said Hector, reverting to his first impression. "Wait. The hills will rcuiovc the Idea. They impress even meâ€" an un- Imagiiiutive business man." "It's all so dusty here." "Dust, tobacco, manana, orangesâ€" these are Palmetto'," answered Mr. Thomas Smith. "Didn't know you made epigrams" "I don't. 1 make money." "And queens." "You're too clever by half this morning, young man. Now, look here. Thi.s is what 1 came to say : These troops in camp ai-e on their vray home to Hispaniola. They are only stopping here to recruit their health alter the malarial fever of the west. The general i.s stopping In this hou.ve. 1 cjiught him this morning. He has heard of meâ€" everybody in Palm City knows mt â€" and he invited me to aceompany him to Jiarade in halt an hour. Will you come ? You'll .'JCc th.e sort of niut- eriul you've got to tackle. It'll be worth your while." "Of course I'll come." "All right. Get downstairs ns Boon as you can. I'm going to get something to cat." Hector .nte his fruit and drank his wine us he dressed, and in ten min- utes he was seated in the dining- room, oppo.sitc (Jencral Stampa, one of the Rauve--.l of Hispaniolan gen- tlemen, and «ne of the cruellest of tlic centur.v. His record as toni- niajidant-geiieral of the forces in Aruba, Hi.spaniola's chief colony in tho West Indies, whs vmenviable even among a people not particularly noted for kindliness of heart. Fire and rapine hud marke<l his progress o/ pacificationâ€" he had had the ta»k of quelling a petty rebellion, and he had transformed tin insignificant ri.s- Jng into a chronic insurrection last- ing over yearsâ€" <lenth and wholesale robbery had raged »herev»!r his tent- pegs had been driven. His muuc wa-s used by Hisjnmiolan mothers as a bogey to fright their babes, and his soldiers hated hiiu as much as they f<vired him. He was now re- turning home lailcn with the fruits of years of peculation and thievery. »ii)ili'\g and bland os a P'afcssor of morio philosophy, seeming to live only for his colTee, his cigarillo, and Uic sight of liiR home. "Ah < <«â- â€¢â- .'"â- , to the wetiry exile. what a beautiful word is home, with the Io\ed ones waiting with open arms !" If report were true, the general lived up to the maxim that tyranny, like charily, sliould begin at home. "1 sorrow over tie delay that keeps mo in durance here, even though it be a paradise. Theie is a villa in the shadow of the Siernus, where little ones aie lenging, not for the general, the soldier, no !â€" for the indulgent parent. But, thank the Holy Virgin ! duty is my watch- word â€" dutyâ€" duty." And he lit an- other cigarillo reflectively, while Hector wondered if this soft-spoken, soft-hearted gentleman were really the ogre, blood-stained and crime- staiued, common talk had made him; wondered, too, if this were the man he mi^jht have to oppose in the day of battle. •'All I yes," murmured Stampa," "duty. I have other children, the King's, ten thousand ol theiu liere. We go to Pay them a little morning visit â€" in their nursery. Come, gen- tlemien, time flies." At the door of the hotel they found three fine Andalusian barbs, at the head of each a Hispaniolan orderly. "I have token the liberty, Senor Smith " Stampa indicated the horses with a courtly wave of the hand. "You are moio than kind." said Mr. Smith, 'but " "They are as gentle as lambs. Have no fear." "Our costume " "Wc do not trouble about fasliions here. Come." They turned their horses' h(>ads to the right and rode slowly .along to the Alameda, where the General's staff, glittering with gold, awaited him. Hector, conscious of his own strength and fine physique, nurture<l among the purple hills of the Nortii, felt a certain amount ol reasonable contempt for the puny individuali- ties of the General's entourage, and to himself he commented adver.'^ely on their slovenly apiJcarance. Most of them wore beards, in no very kempt condition, while some even grew small mutton-chop whiskers. Nor was he impressed much by tlielr demeanour; some were openly ser- vile, while others had an air of bor- ed haughtiness that could be read to mean the indifTercnce of the de- generate. There was not one open, frank countenance among them; suspicion, cunning, dissipation â€" the marks of these were plentiful. Tho staff saluted perfunctorily and fell in behind the General and his friends. They came soon to the camp, a little city ol white tents, beautiful in the sun- As they passed through on their way to tfie parade-ground, a parallelogram of lava-dust. Hec- tor noted that the tents were not so beautiful as they had seemed at a distance. They were tattered and old, and had they belonged to any other nation than HLspaiiiola, would have been condemned long since. Fortunately, in the glorious, almost rainless climate ol Palmetto, tenls did not matter. Still, tiie fact made another point towards his- estiuiato of the Hispaniolan ai'my. The parade-ground was qiiile a mile long by about half a mile in breadtli. Here Hector had his first vi«-,v of the palm trees that give their soft name to the island. They enclosed the ground on three sides, their feathery grccn tops casting a grateful shadow on the hot black grit, thot to walk on was a tortiiie. -Vlong one of tho sides stretched a line of carriages, tho smart victorias and lumbering barouches of the is- l.and aristocracy, and the ricketty tartanas of the less well-to-<lo; while on the opposite side, in the full glare of the morning sun, sprawled th.e common people, with here and there a mountaineer seated on his donkey or mule. In the centre uf the space the troops stood to attention, shab- by in bleached blue and dingy white. The General turned Lis hor.'.e's head towards the line of carria);es. "Our first duty," he said, twirling his grey mou&tache with a fut hand, "is toward the fair. Beauty and Duty, the soldier's twin-stai s from time immemorial. Good rhyme in your English tongue, and most de- lightful reason in all tongue-." The Orange King grunted on Stampa's right, and on his left. Hector, remembering the man's le- cord, grew hot with disgust. "Wo have to make distinctions here, senor," went on the General. "Wo do not recognize or only dis- tantl^v, these Palmetto animals. Still there ai"e sufficient of our own coun- try-women here to make life not all ttu B'veless Eden. Ttie Palmetto wo- men are not devoid of charm, but they are â€" what shall I say ? â€" treach- erous cats. Man and woman alike are rebellious animtUs. Fire and sword " He jHiused to bow to an ovei-- dressed matron in tight purple, swelling in a vast green barouche. "Charming woman â€" wife ot our Superintendent ol Customs. Fire and sword, as I was saying, would work wonders among these rebels." "Hefcels, did you say V interrupt- ed the Orange King. "'IVaitois and rebels,** rejoined Stampa. "I only hope that th^ take it into their heads to rise while I conmiand here. I promise they shall have trhort shrift." "But I always thought the Pal- mettos were the most peaceable race ' ' "Then, my dear Senor Smith, you thought wrongly. Whj-, only yes- terday our Governor had news from our ambassador in your gay capital transmitted from Madura, that a plot is being hatched the e, a iplot to overturn the rule ol his Most Catholic Majesty." Hector stifTeiicil himsell in the sad- dle. "Myself, I place small faith in the rumour. It is nothing but one of these nmuchist scares. But if it should be true â€" well, sttvy with us a little whi'e, and I'll show you bow I deal with such cattle." He reined up beside a lojge open carriage, in which sat a dark beau- ty, radiant by the side ol a prophet- like hidalgo, with a long white beard and flowing moustache. Stam- pa bowed low. "Senorita Asunta." he said, "this is a red-letter d.-iy in my calendar. Two suns shine on me," and he made a. grantlilotjuent sweep ol his arm as if to include the heavens and tho lair lady. "Don Miguel, I greet .vou. I desiie to pi'e.sont to you my friends, .Sonor Thomas Smith and Senor Hector Grant." The senorita flashed her wonderful eyes on Hector, who for one dazzled moment sat his horse in silent ad- miration. Then he bowed and mur- mured seniething inaudible. "I go." said Stampa, "to my dutie.'J. I leave you, seuores, in hos- pitable hands. Farevvell, senorita â€" faiewell, senor." Fortune, thought Hector was be- ginning to smile upon him : nothing happier could have been destined, surely. For a moment he re.sentetl the .almost cavalier fi\shion in whicii tho Hispaniolan general had should- ered Smith and himself into the company of the Ortonas, and left them there in their moment ol sur- pri.so; and then he realized that Stampa had all unwittingly done liim a service he would have been at some troiibfe to accomplish for him- self. A moment's glance at the soft sunlit blue of .sky and sea, and he took i:ew courage between his two hands â€" he turned towards Asun- ta. Her face was surely the morning : the clear blue of sky and .sea he had just been invoking for iiLspira'tion was in her eyes; in the flash of her white teeth was the snowy sparkle ol foam that marked the surf-line; her hair â€" no. that was not morning, it was the hour of night that comes before tlie dawn. Slu; was beautiful indeed : not as Maddalena the in- comparable Queen was beautiful â€" hers was the loveliness and brooding fairness of night; but alive and quiv- ering with the life and brio ol a Palmetto morning. Why, j-ou could see her dancing as she sat smiling, half lost In the gaping depths ol the great family carriage. "Y'ou are from London, then sen- or ?" The question was a sigh â€" a curve in the silence more than a bioak. "From London last." "And you arrived " "But last night." "Y'et you niust have been afoot early. Wc take a week's sleep be- fore' coming to a morning parade. But the lOnglish are a sleepless race â€" they make a work of pleasure." "Say, rather, the.v make a pleas- ure of their work â€" that's why they succeed." "Ah ! do you also boast like all other Knglish V" "No, no. I only speak for them. I am not F.nglish. I am a Scot, and perhaps I do not love m.v brothers overmuch; yet I cannot be silent when solid virtue is attaeUod "But arc not Scot and English one ?" "Thank God, no ! Tho desire to be individual ar.d to reniuin .so. pre- serves each of tis alive and strong: like conietition between traders, the higher national rivalrj' makes us re- si^ectful of each other." "Ah ! so you are a .Scot." "Worse than that," laughed Hector, "much worse â€" I am what is called a Highlander." A little shadow of inipiiry darken- ed the wliitenos.s of her hruw . "How shall 1 e.xplaiii ? I'cihaLS you luivo the same <ii.stlnctions here, it is the dilTereiice between one born on the Monte and one bmii down in Palm Cit.v or tlie plains." She took the poiiit. "1 myself." she smiled, not a lit- tle pro!i:!ly, "wa-j born in the .Monte." "Thou tl e subtle di.-itinclion r" '•() je.", 1 feel it. r>ut lell mc and she paused as if lindiiig bor grasp of l)iigli>h irs.ifiiciei'.t to ex- press her meaning; as if, too. she knew her (piestion was abrupt. "Why aio .vou here, for pleusuie or lor work ? 1 ir>eaii. do you make holi- da.v, or arc you like Mr. Smith, on business '.'" Hector looked at her straight. She had turnetl uwa.v her e.\es. seeming intent oi\ nothing but the swaying line ol troops that filed by with a tired, halt-awake sort of plod, a slouch thai was the outcome of or- ders, not of will. "Botli," ho answered. "Work, not business. 1 know; and, 1 hope, pleas- ure too." She fla.slied on liiui again. "It is difficult to combine the two." "Duty docs that for us." "You have the last word," she cried, \ery pleo.*icd. "It pa.\s to ha\c it." said Hector, hall coiKicious that by saying it lie had spoiled her imi'lied compliment. Yet eho nodded In agreement. j Smith was doing liis best to carry I on a cunveisatiun with Don illgucl. It Was ratlier a. one-sided affair, lor Smith a knowl<;dge of tl;e Palmetto tongue was limited, and Don Miguel knew no other. But by dint of ex- preaaive genture, ho munuged to con- vey to the Oragp King a <|Uuntity of intiikrehting niis-lnfui mation. The parade was nearly over. Stam- pa and his stall liniahed their march of inspection througli the o_pei:oJ ranJis awl took up their places at the 9ulutii'.g-base, under the liui{i folds of the Hispaniolaii (lag. The troops were wheeled into long wav- ering lines lor the moi'ch past. The masee<i bands made a prema- ture da.sh at tho Hispaniolan No- tional AntI.em; but at the end of two bars a staff officer sprang at them witJi windmill arms, and they lell asleep, or lit their cigarillos again, as tho whim took them. Asunta looked up at Hector, and .smiled contemptuously. Ho sinilixi back a question. "The Anthem !" she said "Wad that one ol tho shadows "?" "Shadows 1" "Coming events, j-ou know." "Ah ! " His eyes gloomed, but he answered lightly enough. "So you read our poets, senorita." "O I we have a proverb ourselves â€" 'over the shadow is the cloud. '" Theitj was some commotion and outcry at the saluting-base that stopped Hector's ri.«ply. The His- paniolan flag drool>ed from a tall and heavy pole, fi.xed loosely in the shifty lava-du.st. Came a sudden flaw, and the silk flapped out to its lull glory. All tho morning it had hung lazily; this was its effort, and it was too great. The pole came down with a crash on a little group ol officers who scattered with strange unmanlike cries of co.n.ster- nation; and tlie flag of Hispaniola, the old oriflammc of conquast. cast a cloud of black sand to tho sun. Hector's superstition took the sign, and met a companion superstition in Asunta's eyes. She stood up in the carriage and laughed. Her father spoke to her sharply, and she gave him tho e.tplanation. He. too, stood up, and so they remained until ,a squad had raised the flag again. "The shadows gather fast," she said. "The clouds too," said He.-tor; "the clouds with the lightning." Donna Asunta lunddoU with her hand among the chiffons on her bieast. She drew forth something which she held out to Hector â€" a tiny brooch, a silver cross-hilt dagger with the signilicoiit R. He was not taken by surprise. "Give me the word." "For Palmetto, freedom." It was the merest whisper. "Freedom is but half." "Freedom and Maddalena is all." "Her Majesty Uueen Maddalena." "Who God preserve !" He gave her back the jewel. The march past was now going on to the blaie of trumpets and the clang ol cymbals and drums. "We must see j'ou soon at Frigan- eta," she said. "As soon as it is convenient for you to receive me." She whispered to her father. The old man glanced round swifll.y : there was none to sec â€" every eye was fixed on the undulating lines of sol- diery : he raised his hand, and in military fashion saluted Hector. '"I'o-mori ow," said Donna Asunta. Then silence fell, and continued until the parade was over. The troops filed off to their camping- ground, and the dark plain, dull and hot and dusty, was soon filled with the breaking crowd. Smith and Hec- tor fell in, one on each side of the Ortoua carriage. Chatter began aga iii. J ust outside the town, and at the edge of the parade-ground, a road turned off to the left. "Our way lies here," said Asunta. "For ton miles straight, through the orange gropes. The road is easy." 'â- Then till tci-morrow, farewell," said Hector. "I'ntil to-moirow," she laughed, "Hon BaldaS.s-are." "Baldassare 1 No, Hectorâ€" Ettore, as you t-d.y." he replied. "I^ttore ? Well, that ma.v come. Let it be Baldassare now. Adios ! â- '.A dies ! .'vdios !" I Hector wondered why ah* aliouldl I have called him by thut outlandish name. He was soon to know. (To be Continued.) WAS ON KIAI.ABIA. Or. Kcch Stauiped It Out on a> Austrian Island. Austria has along its Adriutto^ shores a stretch of wai'm, marshy, lands infested with malaria. The r»- Mult is tliat this coast is not so densely peopled as Uie inland regions thougii its Ikshing and othi r indu^ tries should attract a large popula- tion. About two years ago Dr. Koch, whose investigations in Africa -haxl convinced him that malaria might be overcome. expre.sEed tho opinion that the unheaLliful conditions on the Adriatic seaboard could be re- moveii. II there was an oppurtu«ity. to make the exjM'riment under the best conditions he would bo glad to do so. He desired to test Uie matter at a place so isolate*! that it could not Le invaded by swarms of the species of mosquito whi.h conveys tho oiic- rob» of malaria and communicat«a it to persons by its tting. The low lying island of Brioni, about four miles off the coast of the IstriaJi. peninsula, sixty miles south of Trieste, was well siluateil (or his work. It is so far from tho juainland that the nios<|uitOj which cannot tl.v a great dista.nce, is ujiable to reach it. unle.sB taken over on boats. Dr. Koch would ha\'c to light the insect only as it is bred in the swamps ol Brioni. Ho was told to go aliCad and fiuiida were supplied for the work. He laid out the plan of campaign a;iii eni- nloyed Prof. Fiosch :uid I'r. Biun- dau ol Berlin to execute it. His scheme included both the treat- ment ol tho sick and the cxtermina/ tion ol the came of malaiia. A) l)atieuts were treated at public ex- pens*). A force of workmen was em- ployed to drain the swamps. Tht island was placed under thorougli sanitary control, and every niudhol* or water receptacle that niigiit Eel"v€ as a breeding place received atten- tion. The work has met with remarkabU success. To all apijearances Brioni is now entirel.v free from malaria. This result has led the Austrian Government to begin an attempt to exterminate malaria on the coast of Istria. 'Ihreo stations have been established, and a sufficient force to carry out Dr. Koch's methods hat been emjiloyed. If the work of thes^* stations it successful oUier sto.tions will be es- tabli.shod in all parts of latria and Dalmatia which are infested with malarial diseases. TO HELP POOR CHILDREN. The Earl of Meatli. a somewfiat enthusiastic British hamanitarian, has suggested to the London school authorities that chiUiren of the ele- mentary grades te taken from thi city and brought up in model coun- try villages, the parents to pay only the hare cost of food, the country council footing other expenses. ll* urges that in this wa^v children of the very poor would have ,'tJi olliei- wise unobtainable chance to iirow up strong, healthy and good ciii/:ena Tn addition, many of them would probabl.v stay iii the counlay, thore- b.y 'Helping to ropoptilate tl.c ruraj districts. BIRD'S REMARKABLF, T'OWEF Mr. J. Lancaster, an American iia turalist. who spent live years on tV.« west coast ol Florida studying t.ir<.!« there, came to the conclusion that, ol all the feathered tenants of t!u air, the frigate-bird can fl.v the long- est without resting. He has seen one flying .for a whole week night and dny without repose. The frijiati bird's wings is very great, anil it can fly at a speed of niuely-.-^ij miles an hour without seeming t< flap its wings very much. There are no ent-irel.y good men; n* Miti'-eU- ^'jmI â- .•â- <nne'>. "Why, William, I'm syrprised)" "It's mutual, uia, it".'; muttiaii'^