Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-16

: riase, and my last hope died within me
as | saw him tying up the reins, I'M
buckling the straps. leading Brown Meg
free of the shafts and turning her in the
road
The Porto Ricans stood over him grim
ning-al but one. who still glowercd and
muttered.
Then suddenly, like lightning from a
clear sky. the full length OF the heavy
carriage whip. backed by Masos tense
sinews, descended OH Brown Meg's flank
Never. in all her pampered. pctted life.
bad such indignity been hers She reared.
with an almost human screech, and then,
again Heavily smitten from behind, shot
off very catapult OF wrath and terror.
down the road to IIilo.
In the instant's gaping vantage that was
his Maso wheeled OH his foes. Like a
scorpions lash the swinging whip cord
struck and struck and struck. whirl-
ing deryish. Maso spun in the dust OF
the road and every blow brought blood.
With screams of rage the men sprang at
him, striving to close upon him, to get
beneath, above, around, that awful
scourse. They could have as well with
stood the sword play of Crichton,
Five seconds-ten-and the robbers had
fed, bowling, into the cane, and Maso.
seated calmly on a fern stump, was roll
ing cigarette.
l was laughing and sobbing both At
once-the absurdity of it. and tie abso-
Lutte blind audacious courage of it. And
Tia was saying under her breath. "Saiso.
Saigo. Saigo.' Saigo is the hero of Japan.
1t had all so flashed upon us that but
for the empty shafts and that cruel knife
dropped in the road dust 1 should have
thought it some hideous dream. pulled
myself TO the seat gasping, but Maso nut
up warning hand. and | crouched again,
The danger had not passed At any mo-
ment they might return, and when they
did it would mean-murder Already the
brief tropic twilight was upon us-in a
little it would be night.
But Maso the brave was also Maso the
wise. He knew the doctors horse. car
rlaSeless and terror-stricken, would be
harbinger of ILL., In less time than seemed
possible there came the pounding OF noofs.
ana my husband. with three bury rolice-
men. had sprung from the patrol wagon
10 the carriage side
Tia and l clambered to earth then AMI
lie story was told Maso pulling calmly at
lis cigarette the while. Only once did he
peak. when koloha, hitting him on the
shoulder cried: They no get the money,
I'D boy. eh:' His thin lips relaxed into
Not one damn cent he said and that
S the only remark l ever heard from him
lnent the affair.
There was council of war: then my
husband. Tia and I went down the road a
lit in the patrol wagon, and Maso with
ne big policeman safely ambushed,
tayed by the empty carriage to bait a
rap-so successfully, that four welted
Porto Ricans medtated their sins that
light behind the pink walls of the Hilo
al.
| do not know the japanese equivalent
OF None but the brave deserves the
air. but Ishiwara learned it the next
ime he staggered into my garden. A
week later TIA appeared with her hair
n new fashion. Instead of a fat butter
ly at the back of her head, il was niIed in
marvellous fan-shaped roll on TOP She
great surprise at my Ignorance
n not perceirins at once that she was no
onger o-jo-san, but 'o-kami san" AMI
Informed me, incidentally, that she and
laso had set UP housekeeping in his
bachelor bedroom.
That was year ago, and If you doubt
MS story, come to my garden at twi-
sht and you viii find Tia serubbiry n
zee. ivory-tinted cooling under the kit
hen pump. and soothing his protestations
18th the tale of how his honorable father
hipped the robbers the OIaa road.