Show t a t i W 0 Jj tL tl c f ol f tl lot II 1 a hf i t Of J i i f t 1 if ISK t tF f e d e c t ro n r h l J t t i ii 1 of l F r t rite e S I L 1 By m u Jer of S ir S OBERT fresh fr m ROBERT R college and a mEm member r of rJ a firm firmin Jn in New Orleans or of which his Uncle Nelson Is the head Is sent by this uncle to Brazil to act as private secre secretary secretary tary and confidential to Dom Dam de head of cf the tI ary at movement against Dom Pedro Dom Miguel had been R a good customer of the and be and the elder mem members hrs bers of the firm Here r fast frIends Liking the prospect or of adventure Robert consented to go goOn goOn On the voyage he encountered Vat Val Valcourt court cour a s say v sent by the Emperor of Brazil who knew that the American secretary Was vas expected This spy had decided that Robert was the person for whom he was looking and had planned to make wa way with hIm But the American threw him himoff of off the scent and reached Rio In safety There he was however arrested but buton buton on the way to the police headquarters his captor was murdered by Police Pollee Ser Sergeant Sergeant geant Marco a r and ho he was allowed to escape CONTINUED FROM FRO I LAST SuNDAY RESE the wagon slowed p UP stopping with a J jerk erk that J nearly threw me from my seat scat The sergeant alighted and S me to follow him We were at a deserted crossing and the or of the lay scattered a quarter ota of a mite mile awa away Take thIs flag senhor The engineer win will stop to let you aboard Far Farewell and kindly convey my dutiful respects to Dom Miguel As the wagon rolled away the train came gliding gilding from the town and I step stepped stepped ped between the tracks and waved the flag as directed The engineer slowed down stopped a brIef Instant and I scrambled aboard as the train recovered speed and moved swiftly awa away For the present at least I as safe Quite unobtrusively I 1 seated myself In the rear e end d of the passenger coach and gazed tram the wIndow as we rush rushed rushed ed along vainly endeavoring to stilt the nervous neno s beating of my heart and to col collect collect lect and centre my thoughts upon the thE trying situation In Which I found my myself selL self Until the last hour I 1 had been charmed wIth my mission to Brazil Im Imagining imagining much pleasure in acting as sec secretary secretary to a great political leader en engaged engaged in a struggle for tor the freedom ot of othIs hIs country The suggestion of oC dan danger danger ger my post involved had not frightened me nor did it even now but I shrank i from the knowledge that assassination was apparently of oC little moment to these conspirators In less than two hours after landing at Rio I found myself fleeIng from Crom the police pollee with a foul toul and revolting murder fast fastened fastened ened upon me In the name or of the revo revolution lution Where would It aU alt end Did Uncle Nelsen thoroughly realize the ter terrible terrible nature ot of the political plot Into which he bad so calmly thrust me Probably not But already I knew that Brazil was a dangerous country and I sheltered a hotheaded and violent people peo people It was a long and dreary rIde as 88 we mounted the grade to the table tablelands tablelands lands of the Interior Yet the country was beautifully green and peaceful un under un under der the steady glare ot of the sun and gradually my distress parsed away and left lett me more composed Neither the pas passengers engers nor trainmen paid the slightest attention to mc and although at first I 1 looked for arr st at every station where we halted was no Indication that the police pollee ot of Rio had discovered my escape and flight NIght came at last 1st and I 1 dozed fit fitfully tully fully during the long hours although still too nervous for sound sleep We e breakfasted at a way ay statIon and a couple or of hours later as I was gazing thoughtfully out the window the conductor con conductor ductor aroused me by settling into the seat at my side He was a short pUdgy individual and wheezed asthmatically with Ith every breath I 1 received a telegram at the last station he confided to tee lite choking and coughing between the words It Instructs me to te arrest an American n traveling to te Have Hae you Ou seen him himI I shivered and aDd stared back Into his 1113 dull eyes ees Ah I thought net he with a short laugh It Is n net t the arst telegram they have sent this trIp from Rio you know But I 1 caRRet find the fellow anywhere aboard Do you wonder Won Wonder der How can I e expected to di On an American from a Brazilian Bah I 1 am not lIot of the police polke T I began to breathe again The con n 1 ductor nudged Budged my ribs with his These police will perhaps be at the station is the next stop But we will slow up presently at a curve near the edge of oC the forest Were I the American and aboard this train I would get out there and walt wait am among ag the trees In the forest until Dom Dem red cart comes along alongo But at ai de mm mint the American Is 18 not here Eh Thank God for It itt But I must leave lewe sen senhor senhor hor Good day to you oa oaHe He bustled away and at once I seined my and slipped out to the back platform We Ve slowed up at the curve cUre a moment later and I sprang to the ground and entered the shade shad or of a group of oC trees that marked the edge edg of oC the little forest r And there I sat upon a fallen tree trunk for two weary hours wonder woRder wondering Ing what would happen next and wish lug with all my heart I had bad never Dever ven ventured ventured Into this country But at the end or of that tIme I heard the rattle of oC a wagon and the regular beat of So a horses feet Peering from my refuge I discerned a ared ared red cart slowly approaching over the therond road rond that wound between the railway track and the forest It was driven by bya y ya a sleepy BrazIlIan boy boj in a loose white blouse and a wide straw hat hatJI hatAe Ae JI he arrIved opposite me I stepped out and hailed him himfAr fAr Are you OU from Dom l de Eit tr trat T I asked ik He Be nodded z Z I am the AmerIcan he la Is expecting f I continued and clImbed to the seat be beside side him lie showed no surprise at mY action Indeed any gr great t In Interest Interest terest In the meeting but as soon as ir I Iwas was seated he whipped up the horse which 1 ch developed unexpected speed and andt t I STORY LOV J AND COPYRIGHT BY THE REILLY b BRITTON CO COt COI COY COI j 4 t r k i it t y yr t t 4 I r r j r r rI i I f I J q I r I I 3 N Nr r D v 1 r I Y II III I r I i J t C t I i I Ii I I i if S fr II I I Ir I i I II r TI l I I IA 10 1 i ARE A E E YOU THE AMERICAN SHE ASKED FINALLY T we were SO soon Illg g swift swiftly over ever the country d a CHAPTER IV IVr r THE CHIEFTAIN HE FIE PROVINCE of Matte Grosso T is very cry beautiful the j resi residences dences reminding one greatly or of English country estates ex cx except that their architecture Is Ison ison on the stiff stitt Portuguese order At least a separated the mattered red mansions ions from rom onea one another and the grounds were artistically planned and seemingly wen well cared for forAt forAt At this season the rich luxuriant foil foli foliage age of Brazil was at Its best and above alt all brooded a charming air of peace that was extremely comforting after aCter m my late exciting experiences We Ve mot met few tew people on the way and these wore were peat pea ants who touched their hats bats re respectfully as we passed We e had drIven some five miles when we came to an estate rather moro than Its neighbors for the hedge of ef blooming cactus cactus that divided Ute the grounds from the roadway ran in I an unbroken line as S far as the eye eO could reach However we came to a gateway at last and turned Into the grounds where trees shaded a drive ascending to the tine line old man mans s of de A reap stood the porch shading his eyes with his hand and gazing at atus atus us as We hed When Den I 1 alighted d from the e came down the steps to meet me bowing v very courteously and giving my hand a friendly pressure No Nother other ther was In sight and nd U tile e red cart had disappeared around the corner or of the house You are welcome sir he said In Ina a Quiet but most agreeable voice Y You u come from my Nelson That was as m my thought lie paused to give me a keen look and then w t winning smile iucA as I have hae seldom seen Ah Ab may you ou not be a yourself Your features seem quite familiar But pardon me sir I have not Introduced myself I am Mig l fuel el de I fe fear r I stared at him with somewhat rude jude Intentness for tor Dom Miguel was a aman aman man to arouse aroUe Interest bt ail any beholder Tan Tall spare but not ungraceful his snowwhite hall hair and beard contrast with his bronzed features His ces eyes soft and gentle genUe In expression were black IUs smile whIch was not tre fre frequent quent disclosed ar a line Une of oC even white teeth His dr dress was a suit ot of plain ng black supplemented by Irre ble linen Taken altogether Dom Miguel appeared model amodel a of oC theold school of gentility which may maj be as quickly recognIzed In Brazil as In Eng England England land France or America Indeed It seemed an ail absurdity to connect this respectable personage with revo murders murders and ue and m my rosy the moment I set eyes upon his pleasant face I 1 am Robert said I 1 an ans s the q question his politeness would TrOt not permit him to ask the son of Marshall to toA A flash asb of surprise and delight swept over Ocr his dark face ife Hc seized both my mj h hands la In his own own C What V t he cried oIson Noison h hits s sent nt me his own nephew the son son of my dish dear old friend This is Indeed a rare expression or of loyalty I 1 thought you knew a I rejoined rather for the fathomless eyes were reading me with singular eagerness eagerness erness I 1 only knew k that Nelson elson would wo d respond p promptly to my re requests quests I knew that the i Castina would bring rn my secretary to Brazil But whom he might be I 1 could not even guess Ile He paused a moment to continue in a arRer braver tone I 1 am greatly pleased i iReM ReM need JI faithful assistant I 1 hope tope I may prove proc to be both sir sirI I ret earnestly e But you ou seem not nat to te lack loyal Jo friends On my way from frem Rio de Janeiro I have been protracted more thano than ce doubtless by your orders T F Z r rYea Yea Tes Ute the cause sc h has s many true adhe adherents rents and I notified our people to ex expect expect ia American gentleman on the Ca Castina U a mill and to forward him to me In safety fety They knew therefore that you came to assist the Revolution and It w would have been strange indeed had hadt t the royalists been able to interfere re with you Your party part Is more powerful l than L of had expected I remarked thinking of m my several narrow escapes from arrest We 0 are only powerful because the weak eak answered Dom Miguel with a sigh Neither side Is ready for combat or er ev even n an open rupture It is isnow Isnow now the Ote time of intrigue of plot and counterplot of petty conspiracies and deceits dec i These would discourage any honest heart were n not t the great groat Cause behind It not the struggle for tor tr freedom om and our native land But come you are wiy w ry Let me show you to your our room Robert He dwelt upon the name with s seeming tenderness and I 1 began to understand why my father and my stern Uncle Nelson had both learned to love loye this kindly natured gentleman of oC Brazil He led me through cool and spacIous passages to a cozy room on the ground floor which he told me connected by a adoor adoor door with his study or work roomI room I 1 fear my trunks have been seized by bythe bythe the said I and then re related related to him the detaIls ot of my arrest and the assassination of the polIce Ji lieu lieutenant u I tenant lie He listened to m my w storY cal IY and d without interruption but when It was finished he said All ll will be reported to me this evening and then We will see whether your baggage caRRot be saved There were no papers that might incriminate te terou you rou None whatever Then I gave him the stOry of Val Falco o r or de Guarde and he smiled whop I re related related the manner In which the follow bud been deceived I knew that V Valcour ha had been dis dispatched dispatched patched to Inter intercept pt my secretary said he and you OU must know that this per personage Is 18 not an ordinary sp spy but at atta attacked ta tacked hed to the Emperor himself as a special dete detective tive Hereafter he con reflectively the man wi wilt l be your our bitter enemy and although you have outwitted him once he Is a foe not notto notto to be despised Indeed your post is not one of oC much security 1 If when then I have taken you ou CuU fully Into our oar cOR confidence dence you decide to link your for fortunes fortunes tunes of oC the Revolution It will willbe willbe be with the tho fun full knowledge that your o r life may be the forfeit But will speak no more ot of business until after dinner He left me th then wIth many cordial t expressions ot of friendship A seran my luncheon on n a a tray and after aCter eating it I started for a stroll stroH through the grounds enjoying the fragrance and brilliance of oC the tha bowers the beauties of the shrubbery and the stately rows of trees The quiet of the place suggested nothing ot of wars and revolutions and It was with wih real astonIshment that I reflected that this establishment was the central P point int ot of that conspiracy whose power puw r had been so vividly impressed upon me Engaged in this t thought ought I turn turned d the earner corner of a hedge and came cume ra face e t to faCe with Ith a young girl who sur suri i and met my gaze with a sweet embarrassment that caused me to drop m my own eyes In confusion Your pardon I exclaimed and stood aside for her Iter to pals pa She nodded still searching Vi y face with her clear eyes but ilia ing no movement to proceed I noted the waves of color sweeping over her tail fair face anti aritI the nervous tension or the little hands that pressed a mass of oC flowers to her ner bosom she Gras struggling for courage to address me so I 1 smiled at her reassuringly and again bowed In my best manner for I 1 was not Ili pleased at the tho encounter I have always had a profound rev reverence reverence for those fa favored ored ones to whom Nature has beauty In Iii addition to the harm of womanhood And here bere before me stood the most beautiful girt girl I ha had ever Been a type loveliness of more sweet and delightful than an any I had even een dreamed could exIst It was my fate to recognize this inthe moments that I stood watching her lips tremble In the endeavor to form torm her ber first words to me You are the American she slie asked finally Assuredly Assured I donzell Permit tee me to Introduce myself I am Robert Har ry uncle expected you she said shyly Your uncle Dom Miguel Iiguel Is not really my uncle answered the girl but he permits me meto meto to c call n him so since he be is m my guardian Yet it was not from him I learn learned l of your arrival but from Francisco who traveled from Rio on the same train My Iy face tace doubtless showed that I 1 was puzzled for tor she add d Quickly Francisco Is m my brother senhor We Ve are both devoted heart and soul to the Cause That Is wh why I 1 felt that I must speak with you why 1 must welcome you to our fellowshiP why I must Im you ou to be strong and steadfast in 1 our behalf I smiled at the vehemence that had vanquished her former hesitation and to m my delight her exquisite face lighted with an answering smile Ah you ma may laugh augh at me with Im Impunity senhor American Americano for tor I have Intuitions and thC they t tell ll me you will be faithful to the caUSe of freedom Nay ay do not |