The Law of the Bolo

's adventure, things were very quiet in th

, during the whole of that time not a shot was fired in anger, and Captain Bush's Scouts grew so fat and soft, and got so completely out of hand, that they were hardly fit to do

People. Consequently, having the ear of the Commissioner, they lost no opportunity of relating the evil deeds of Felizardo; and when their imaginations failed them, they ascribed to him some of their own abominable doings during the rebellion. Mr Furber believed it all-were they not his Little Brown Brothers?-and he found an ally in Commissioner Gumpertz, who also ha

preliminaries to a fresh insurrection, which might be nipped in the bud if Felizardo came to hear of them, as he probably would do. So they put their heads together, smoking many cigarettes and dr

as to have their women carried off. Then there will be a long and expensive war in the mo

brother-in-law to Chief Collector Sharler, and Senor Talibat, the judge; and, after that, they dispersed, in great good-humour, feeling sure that, b

o be collected and sent to other Brown Brothers in Hong Kong, who, after taking as much as they thought would not be noticed-patriots are never greedy-handed the balance to certain discreet Chi

really important so far as this story is concerned. His appearance certainly suited his theories; but had he been gross and sensual-l

sessions, the chief of which was the doctrine of Racial Equality, which may be quite harmless when practised in a small American city, where there is no native problem, but becomes positively and actively dangerous when

o had been the loudest in their praise of the "Little Brown Brother" policy of the Governor-General. It made things awkward with their own wives, they said; whilst, as for the Army, orders were given to the porters of the Military Club that no one was to be permitted to bring Mr Sharler into the building again as a guest. The result

servedly kicked by an irate white chief assistant, suddenly remembered many instances of corruption, [143]and straightway related them to his brother-in-law and superior officer. After the enquiry, there was a considerable number of vacancies, and what was more natural and fitting than that Enrique Vagas, and those other incorruptible Brown Brothers who had helped him track the offenders, should be promoted to the posts? From that time onwards, whatever the importers might say, matter

had arranged an outing for that day. One of the large Customs launches was to convey a party, of which the Chief Collector was to be a member, to

[144]"Congratulate me," he said. "My fiancée has returned on that steamer, the Bertha Helw

distance from the shore-they passed close to the police boat, whose captain, seeing the Chief Collector in the other craft, paid no more attention to her and her doings, as was but

ght on the launch, which then made her way to the appointed landing place. The next transfer of those cases took place a couple of hours later, whilst the party was lunching in a charming little banana grove, [145]about half a mile away. This transhipment, like the other, did not take long. Two large dug-outs appeared from out of what was apparently an impenetrable mangrove swamp, t

of the officers did his best according to his lights-rather dim lights in the case of Captain Bush-but the results obtained were quite out of proportion to the trouble taken, because nineteen statements out of every twenty collected were untrue, and the twentieth was usually valueless. Practically every n

dy stored in the house of the Presidente, who was a former member of the Provisional Government, and a cousin of the wife of Chief Collector Sharler. Felizardo had forbidden his men to make an attack on any of the towns, so they were compelled to leave the

e came back to the camp, apparently calm, and gave his orders. [147]There were to be outposts all round San Francisco and its neighbourhood, and a chain of boudjon-blowers to pass any alarm back to the mountains, and another chain across the pass, up to Basil Hayle's stockade at Silang, where the last man was to have a letter ready to deliver to the Constabulary officer as soon as he heard the warning notes on the horns. Then

erfectly distinct. He put his book down quickly, and went out on to the platform of the stockade, where he found the Serjeant of the guard liste

hint of anything in the nature of hostilities they had rece

, that," the

an an attack. They would not warn us beforehand in t

up to the gate of the stockade, announced that he had a letter for the Senor in command of the Constabulario,

e said, as he got back to the little guard-house; "we shall be going out. It was from Felizardo. I recognised the messenger. He was in the fight on

hen re-read it very carefully, and i

h insurrecto army, started from the neighbourhood of San Francisco. At dawn to-morrow morning they will burn [149]Igut. They wish it to be thought in Manila that the

uickly, he may take them in the rear. His stockade

nora, who is promised to one Juan Vagas, the le

ntary note on the way in which

those insurrectos in the rear, just as they were attacking, and himself to kill Juan Vagas. He was more like a wild beast than a man when he thought of what Felizardo really meant-but a dangerously quiet wild beast, one

tockade. So far as the latter was concerned, Basil trusted to Felizardo's word. He could

ey were across the pass, where they found a solitary b

y. "There is a short cut. The la

ed and said: "Very well. Lead on;" but it was a question of tak

then it was at the suggestion of the guide. "We shall b

es about the great killing they were going to do; but Captain Basil

he ladrones all have rifles, and are dressed in blue, like Felizardo's men usually are. Possibly, however, there

would be. "He, the old chief, might be there himself," they

em back into the main road. "They have pass

they knew it was only a question of a few minutes before the attack would begin; in fact, had t

of the glory and of the loot. Consequently, Basil Hayle was quite close behind them when they entered the plaza and slew the sleeping Scout

he sudden attack from behind had paralysed the patriots, and, after the second volley from Hayle's little men, they broke and fled.

e his men-he had given the only one necessary immediately after the last volley-"No quarter"-and he knew that the fight, if fight it could be called, had passed clean out of

s the plaza. Mrs Bush gripped the balcony to steady herself. "Y

ef sentences. "I was onl

a, Constabulary and Felizardo's men in white working together

white, and the man

asil realised at once who the little [153]horseman, cal

ayle turned round quickly; they had seen one another now, as friends; and he must not know officially that the outlaw was there. When he looked round again, the killing w

, have you see

as the Scout officer came hurrying up one of the str

em. "Mighty close sha

ing here? I was in the Treasurer's-we had been playing cards late-when we heard the

cto gang. If I had been ten minutes later they would have wiped out Igut;" and he gave

left him. Already, the serjeant had reported that, though there were five dead insurrectos in the barracks, there were

gain; but Mrs Bush had disappeared. Still, he had the knowledge that he had s

ngle, without stopping to cook food. He leaned against the timbers of the belfry and beckoned to the serjeant, who was examining a small-bore rifle he had captured. "I don't se

We have left no 'rest'

him a little dazed, and, almost unconsciously, he sat down on the ground, with his shot-gun across his knees and his head forward. The thought which had kept him up so far, the memory of Mrs Bus

u must be absolutely done up after that awful march from Silang." Basil f

ind yet, then, with an effort, he pulled himself together. "I am waiting for my men, and I am afraid I

house. You will come now. You know your men can look after themselves. I have already s

dy and soda water; and then she glanced at his torn and muddy

e-they tell me-many things. Only, you must change. I w

weariness; whereupon she made a couch for him on one of the long cane sofas in the drawing-room, and then she left him. Within a couple of mi

se, accompanied by the Treasurer and the Supervisor. They were talking loudly, and did not appear to notice

[157]asked him in here." Then he was sorry he had spoken, for her answer came, cutting l

her husband began, but s

the other white heroes, who would have saved Igu

The Virginian seems to be first favourite." The Supervisor was

house, and if I want to ask

affair, sat drinking himself into a sodden state, and listening to the vile insinuations of his civilian friends. There was no gratitude to Basil Hayle for having saved the lives of all of them, only bitte

eeping places. But the serjeant and his little guard remained, for they had received those four prisoners from no less a person than Felizardo himself, who had handed them over with the words: "Tell your captain these must be hanged." And the serjeant, who had been in the Spanish Servi

said, was a good killing. And when that task was finished the Presidente chanced to notice those four trussed-up prisoners beside the belfry, and came to inspect them; but when he saw their faces he see

, why have you not handed them over to me, so that I can

ecognition between Juan Vagas and the official. "These are the prisoners of the C

ge. "I will send my police for them,"

police approaching, he nodded to his men. "Load,"

rtance for him to get possession of those prisoners, even if, as was possible, t

s revolver towards the Bushe

he was much less anxious to meet Mrs Bush; so, as a compromise, [160]he went

out of hand, to save the trouble of hanging them. Are they friends or relatives of yours?" Usually he and the Presidente were on very good terms, but t

r, whom, perhaps, he hated more than any other man living. They could not blame him for not knowing that the attack was coming, but they could, and would,

sh came in. "You look better now," she said. "You were dreadfully tired this morning. You ought to have something to eat, though, before you go out.

s. "They can wait," he said

as Felizardo who really saved you," he said, whereat she shook her head. "Yes, it wa

ry dreary?

ee--" He broke off suddenly, and for a few minutes there was silence; then he got

, the Presiden

, Captain?" the official beg

see to my men first. I'll com

in the direction of his prisoners. "I received them from-from the Chief of the Mountains himself

. He strode over to them, [162]and, when Juan Vagas saw the loo

little boy then, but I can recall how this same Felizardo, who is now in the mountains, fought the ladrones behind old Don José's warehouse, and how the old corporal of the Guardia Civil had to hurry on the hanging of those Felizardo had wounded. Without question, these ladrones here will meet Cinicio in purgatory,

d himself to take them into Manila, and fight the question out there. "I understand, serjeant," he repeated. "They are [163]to be delivered to no one without my orders. Where is Serjeant Reye

The Constabulary officer wasted no words. "I hear you have demanded

present the civil arm, Senor, and these-

ol." His tone suddenly became severe, almost fierce. "Take care, Senor. Be very careful. I am inclined to carry you along with me as a prisoner too. Probably I shall come for you later, unless

t the moment he set eyes on the document, he tore it across. "You head it 'List of Felizardo's brigands killed by the Town Police, the Scouts, and the Constabulary'!" he stormed. "How dare you! You kn

whether it would not be wiser, after all, to retire to Hong Kong. In the end, however, the official decided to stay, mainly because he knew that the

month, and after that sent for the old serjeant. "Serjeant," he said, "I am going into Manila, taking Serjeant Reyes and ten men as guard for the prisoners. You will take command of the

came to thank them for their loyal devotion of the night before, but ringing out clearly when he expressed his conviction that, during his absence, they would take every order the old serjeant gave as coming direct from himself. Two months previously, when they were just

ulario." They were all inside, wondering how they would explain matters to the girls of Igut. There was to be a fiesta

he had come to an anchor, then went off to her, calmly taking the Presidente's own boat, and explained matters to her skipper. Half an hour later the Presidente, watching from his window, saw Juan Vagas and his comrades marched down to the quay, bundled, none

or immorality of it, never occurred to him, as was but natural in a district where the Law of the Bolo was the only code which had any force. He hated the Scout officer because he knew what sort of man he was, and he would have welcomed Bush's death, because he believed it would take a [167]load of misery and humiliation off Mrs Bush's shoulders; b

? My wife will be down in a few minutes." After he had mixed the cocktails and finished his at a gulp, he seemed to get a fresh grip on his own nerves. "I'm sorry if I was a bit short this morning," he said, "but the thing upset me, the suddenness of it; and I thought at first that you might have sent me warning. Now, I hear that there was no time for anything of that sort. Eighteen hours from Silang, most o

nothing; but, so far as that point was concerned, he had gauged the man accurately. Sober or drunk, Bush was brave enough. And the real reason was ugly, horribly ugly; moreover, if it

to rush the barracks. If they ask me concerning you, I shall merely say I had no time to speak to you until it was ove

e-open eyes. "Felizardo! Felizardo

t up the insurrectos as they fled. We've got to thank him, and no one else, that Igut wasn't burned." But Captain Hay

e, in Igut!" he repeated; then a thought struck him. "Why di

u had shown a sign of being prepared, the insurrectos would have become suspicious, and w

unds all right," he began, then he was

hall go aboard now," he said-he had arranged for his men to spend the night in the Scout

nied their guest to the door. "We shal

possibly I shall go through to Silang this route. It is as short as t

d. "So it's on

revoir," he

gnal for the police launch, which presently arrive

his fellow-non-commissioned officers in the Garrison Artillery. When they w

he first was that old Felizardo had burned the place, massacred every one, except the Scout offic

d of us, and telephone up to have these fellows, Enrique Vagas and the others, watched right away. And tell them to send down a strong guard for my prisone

eard it by telephone from the police, and was dumbfounded. "Do you think it can

not in the direction of the coastguard quay. He took a carromato, which is the local libel on a cab; but, on looking back, he saw that another carromato was following his. He told the driver to tak

eaving. He slipped out of a side entrance, of the existence of which the detective, who had just arrived, did not know, got aboard the mail-boat unperceived, and from

s exposure of the treachery of his Little Brown Brothers. Any sort of concealment was practically impossible now, in view of the suicide of his secretary, of which he had just heard. The whole city had heard of it too, and had put its own construction on it. Consequently, he did not feel kindly towards Captain Basil Hayle, and sh

ould only increase the bitterness against the old chief, and lay himself open to suspicion, which would result in his [173]removal from the district. He had ample

soon as possible," the Commissioner said, after B

"And the priso

of course," the other snapped. "

," Basil answered grimly

ack for a parting shot. "How

ty-one dead ou

hem prisoners. Probably, most of them were poor misguided peasants, who thought they w

whether the door ban

urber could hear the cheers, even after he had closed the windows of his office. When Clancy of the Manila Star, and Johnson of the Herald, and Hurd of the Record, ran Basil to earth in his hotel, he found that they knew as

Clancy asked suddenly. "They sa

. "Wait for the trial," was

a formal nature. It was a matter of common knowledge that tremendous efforts had been made to save the accused at any cost, on account of their family connections; but, though the Commission would have given way gladly enough, it dare

, and one or two other little things. But the Commissioners were true to the Party, and to themselves, all through. The Chief Collector continued collecting and preaching Racial Equality; Senor Simeon Talibat continued judging, and often sentenci

he had caused. "You brought them in. They are your prisoners. You shall have the hanging of them," he snarled, looki

d calmly. "On the Luneta, in front of the ba

to Calocan; and do it very early one morning. I'll leav

urrectos, some white men who are traitors to their race, if I could," he said very quietly. Then he went to Calocan, and arranged for the building of a ne

n board a large launch, which was moored a mile from the shore, and the party of patriots, who were in ambush on the road, with the idea of rescuing their brethren

wenty more Manila Constabulary under a lieutenant, and e

despite this precaution, matters looked dangerous when they marched the prisoners ashore. They had roped in a space over night, and in that space Basil posted the Constabulary, in front of the new gallow

nteered to act as hangman, the insurrectos having roasted some of their chums to death during the war. "Be as

by his side in a moment, pressing the muzzle of his revolver against his head. "Go up the ladder," he said; then he saw another bolo being drawn, and

wd, having no such fears, struggled and fought to get forward, or to force the others forward. There were a hundred drawn bolos now. A few seconds more, and the ropes would have been down, when a boudjon brayed out with startling suddenness from the line of bush which formed

rdo himself! He has sworn they shall be hanged, because of what they had planned to do." Before the third

id justice on Juan Vagas and his fellows. Then, when it was over, for the second time in his [179]life, he raised his hand in salute to the lit

Commissioner Gumpertz and one or two other Commissioners used violent language. "The scoundrel's impertinence must be stopped at once," they said; whilst, in the Wall