The National tribune., 1901-10-17

"oNCE- THEY PREPARED TO SHOOT !
the refres1ment had been disposed of he
was calling her Maria" as famiiarly as
though their bans had been called in
church, and in an equally caressing voice
she was addressing him as Ricardo"
Richard Bulger had forgotten that he
was Corporal in the United States army
and engaged to marry a trusting girl in
Colorado, until he was suddenly reminded
of the former fact b. hearing q bugle a
few blocks away sound the assembly. He
made dash for his hat and excusing him
self volubly in the Indifferent Spanish he
had acquired, he FASTENED to join his COM
pany and march back to quarters.
From that time the Corporal spent all
his spare time not covered by "cutoffs' at
the house of his mestiZo charmer, who, as
soon as she felt sure of him, began to sound
him on the subject of joining the Insurgent
army with Captains commission. Her
countrymen were brave, oh, so very brave,
and wonderful fighters, but they needed
some one like this grande Americana to
drill them to fight all together like the
Americanos, and especially to teach them
to shoot. Would not the brave and noble
soldier do this. He would become great
man with her people and hold a high Of
fee when they had gained their indie
pendence and had made friends with the
Americanos again: and better than all
to illustrate this special feature of the re-
ward she clasped her arms around his neck
and kissed him passionately. In this, per-
haps, she made a mistake, for why should
he turn traitor to his country when the
only reward she held out to him that was
at all alluring she was bestowing upon him
in advance? So Bulger accepted the
caresses and returned them with interest,
but he was immoveable on the matter of
earning their perpetuatiOn on the terms
offered. He simply laughed whenever the
subject was alluded to, and said:
mo quere insurrecto. No quere COM
bate Americanos," and this was all she
could get out of him besides the hug that
accompanied it.
Somewhat deceived by his iollity and
lack of Indignation at the suggestion that
he become a renegade, for she had not yet
fathomed the peculiarities Of the Amerl-
can character, she still cherished hopes of
success. Her i,cs.t was In the work for
q double reason. She loved the insurgent
cause, and this joyial, brave, strong, great
hearted American had conquered her affec>
tons completely, and she realized that the
only way to gain possession of him as her
very own was to get him committed to an
act that would cut him off from his own
people. She had no sure hold upon him
otherwise. AS soon as the volunteers re-
turned home, and she heard rumors Of
leave her and sail away for that myster-
iouS America so many, many miles across
the ocean.
In desperation she made violent love to
him and pleaded with him to come with
her and win honor and fame among her
people and her own love forever. But it
was all in vain. He only laughed and
said, "Insurrectos mucho malo" and shook
his head. The first spell of the girls won
derful beauty had been broken, and his
sense Of loyalty to the girl at home had
been aroused by the necessity of asserting
his loyalty to his country. From that time
Maria's hold upon him was gone though
he continued to visit her, and bask in the
sunshine of her smile, listen to the sweet
purring of her voice and be thrilled with
the love glances Of her melting eyes.
At last the charming and baffied Maria
resolved to play a desperate game. Her
friends were impatient because she had
not secured the American drill-master she
had promised them. Still ignorant of the
American character, she thought, in her
infatuation, that if she could only get him
into her possession and among her friends,
their threats and promises and her own
Establishments would prevail upon him to
do as they desired. So Corporal Bulger
was surprised one evening, while absorbed
in the pleasures of his Dulcinea's COM
partnership, by the sudden entry into the
room of half dozen Filipinos, one of
whom held a revolver pointed at his
breast. Now this was the first time the
Corporal had ever had n revolver pointed
at him in the way of business, and he OBJ
jected.
Looking quickly at the girl, he saw from
the expression on her face that she knew
of the intended assault upon him, and he
grasped the situation at once. He also
grasped a bamboo stool with his right
hand and the arm of the man who held
the revolver with his left, and there was
trouble in that room Immediately.
In half n minute the Filipinos realized
that the odds of six to one were not
enough. A stalwart American with the
battle rage upon him is more than a match
for six ordinary Filipinos when using
nothing but natures weapons. AS they
| flung themselves upon him Bulger threw
them right and left as n terrier would
throw as many rats, and the condition of
those insurgents would soon have been
| lamentable, had not one Of them stolen up
/ behind him and struck him upon the head