Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-08-20


short struggle, and before his COM
rade could reach him his adversary
was safely pinned TO the floor. A
moment later the torches in the hands
of his friends were burning brightly
above the figure of his captive-a slen-.
der boy who choled with terror and
/ rage.
"Who are you, my young friend:'
asked Bansemer. holding the boy at
arms length.
There was no answer from the tight
~ closed lips. and Bansemer shook him
q little roughly. Then for the first time
he perceived that he was not Fill
Pine. His skin was dark. but not the
skin Of the natives. The handsome.
boyish face had regular features Eu-
i rOpean in character.
"Spaniard?" inquired Bansemer a tri-
! fie more gently. and again the boy
! flashed look of hatred into his cap
| tors eyes.
| Look here, my young spalpeen,"
said Connell gruffiy. Filipino or Span
lard. if you want to save your hide
you'd better answer questions-and no
lies. do you hear:"
/ AT this threat deep groan was
| heard TO come from somewhere back
| in the recesses of the chancel The
men were startled. Involuntarily the
| boy cast furtive glance In that direc-
ton. Connell noticed it and. leaving
/ She boy with Bansemer, hurried away
and soon was looking down into the
face of PROSTATE man, young, but
aged with emaciation.
You must not touch him! Don't you
see that he is dying?" cried the boy
piteously in broken English He can
not fight you; he's dying" and then in
a perfect frenzy of rage TO Bansemer,
Let me go-pig."
Not until afterward did Bansemer
recall that in the general excitement il
was the boy who dragged him along
to the spot. And in spite of the solen-
nifty of the scene there was something
III his manner of delivering the insult
that amused rather than angered the
American.
"Plucky little devil-' he said half
aloud.
Again the sick man groaned, tried to
rise from the blankets and speak. but
only TO fall back moaning. Council
cautioned him against eXertiOn and
promised that no harm should come to
either of them. While he reported the
discovery to Captain Groce, he had the
man carried to another part of the
church and there made comforta BILE
, For the first time now Bansemer began
to notice the pain in his arm. Some
what angrily he turned to the boy:
Come! Give an account of yourself
How came you here?"
Prisoners" was the sullen answer
"Of the Filipinos?'. Bansemer asked
, in surprise.
YES"
Then why did you try to kill me?"
, Il hate you both, We Spaniards
have we not as much to fear from You
What difference does color make il
, brutes?''
by the holy apostles! You're {
, gritty young 'un!" growled the return
, ing sergeant. who's the other chap?'
. any brother-he's dying" said the
, boy, his voice softening Holy Virgin
, save him! For weeks we've been il
: the hands of Aguinaldo's men. He:
been so Ill all the time Have you
+ doctor?"
"A surgeon viii probably be will
, us before long," was the sergeant:
evasive reply.
/ Bansemer looked searchingly at Con
, nell. What he saw in the others eye:
{ caused him sharp pang of grief
, Both men turned their faces away fol
moment, and it was with a guIp tina
, Connell continued:
"Your brother will have the best Of
: care if we get out of this mess You
, are both safe. We are not fighting the
/ Spaniards." And then pertinently
, $50 these were Aguinaldos men?"
Yes. He was here directing thu
fight the boy answered.
, "Aguinaldo herer' This and othel
CALCULATIONS of surprise and angel
burst in chorus from every throat. Blu
, as suddenly they We're followed by eX
, pressions of chagrin, for by contrasting
| the present situation with that which
: they had anticipated, this information
, had succeeded in intensifying theil
5 modification.
, But Notwithstanding his share of tn,
universal disappointment, Il hasty re
: Election of preceding events convinced
' Graydon that personally he had LITTLE
: ground for complaint against the lat,
r occupants of the convent, for uninten
: tional as undoubtedly had been th'
: act through which at the very point o
( death his existence had been pre-
o served, there was no evidence to re
flute the hypothesis that the shot which
;. had killed his assailant in the plaZ;
e had been fired by one Of the insur
o gents under cover.
Great Scottw was the exclamation
to which he gave utterance. aOnc
n more, 1 suppose, 1 owe my life to tn
r laundering craftsmanship of a Flip
+ no."
h This half hearted acknowledgment
i of his strange Indebtedness educe
+ from his companions no recognitio
o other than puzzled stare from tn
| Sarpaant and an enigma tjcal smile n