The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-05

had given way. Quickly turning, ne rushed to give his aid and just in time caught the arm of a native about to slash him with huge knife. With the two gripped hands high in the air struggling for mastery the adversaries became separated bit from the rest of the chaotic mass of friend and foe, swaying out to one side of the plaza and under the walls of a convent Bansemer was facing it, and just at the moment that he felt his strength giving way and could see a grin of triumph on the fiendish face there came a flash and report, and his ad- versary fell at his feet. G1ancing up to ascertain who had fired the shot that had saved his life, he thought he saw figure disappearing from one of the windows. The incident acted as an inspiration. Gathering together a few men, he reached the captains side and communicated his plan. The opportu- nifty was not to be lost. Groce gave an order; Cornell repeated it. Then in- terpreting temporary lull in the mur- derous struggle as their vantage, the
 
 field piece broke for the building and by bayoneting and clubbing the insur- gents out of the way accomplished the dash with slight loss. The soldiers hurled themselves against the stoutly barred door. 1t fell with a crash.
 Guards were tationed and all open ings and windows manned. Singularly enough, these defensive actions seem ed at least temporarily unnecessary. for the watchers peering out of the win dows reported that the dead alone oc- cupied the recent field of battle Not a single Filipino was to be seen on the plaza
 Every village has its convent or bar rios. Generally speaking. their size corresponds in a certain ratio with the population. But this particular build ing was an exception. Dimly lighted. it gave the impression of ranking in size with many of those in far larger villages. Immediately the thought came to the invaders that the church might have sheltered the insurgent leaders. Aguinaldo or Pillar might have directed the attack from inside these walls. Orders were given to search every corner and crevice to ferret out concealed foes. A rear win dow was open, proving that flight could have been by that means of egress. Bansemer was almost posi- tive that the bullet which had killed his assailant had come from one of the upper windows. but whether from friend or foe was undeterminable. Were they not in a cunningly planned trap of some kind?
 Considerably perplexed, Bansemer decided to keep on his guard He was ruthlessly searching the chancel when a deep groan caught his attention. Presently, as he paused to listen, a dark figure leaped toward him from a recess back of the altar. The flash of B pistol blinded him and momentarily a sharp pain shot through his arm, but he recovered in time to throw his tall frame forward upon the slight, almost figure. There was a short struggle, and before his con- 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- Ter boy who choked 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 1 y closed lips. and Bansemer shook him l little roughly. Then for the first time le perceived that he was not a FiM- oino. His skin was dark. but not the skin of the natives. The handsome. ooyish face had regular features Eu- 'opean in character.
 'Spaniard?' inquired Bansemer a tri- ie more gently. and again the boy flashed look of hatred into his cap OTIS eyes.