The Siege of Sydney. The War of Tomorrow.

Henry Fletcher

The Siege of Sydney. The War of Tomorrow.

Item

Title of Story: The Siege of Sydney. The War of Tomorrow.
Critical Introduction: While it could be argued that any story set in the future is science fiction it could also be argued that if there's nothing else in the story but a future time, and everything else is contemporary, it's more speculative fiction than science fiction.

The Siege of Sydney is here to represent one of the outliers or origin points of the impending integration of invention opera and invasion narratives. With newspapers full of potential future wars as predictive news reports, this is more of a purposive agenda setting story, building on news and previous future war stories. Even the electric lamp and steel hull ships of the Japanese landing at Sydney in the story all existed by 1901 so there's no new science or technology or invention, just complex fighting in a different place.

While Fletcher's ends with the predicted wedding, as many future war fiction stories do, there is a distinct Australian-ness that comes through, along with a certain larrikin nature. At this point in time, Fletcher had already written colonial fiction with a laconic style, and became somewhat of a success. Later, in 2016, his colonial stories were written into theatrical plays. However, The Siege of Sydney was forgotten.
Story Summary: Predicts Japan invasion with fighting in Hornsby junction with guns and cannons. Story ends with the communication cable being reconnected to Australia, and everyone finding out that the rest of the world had been at war, too.
Science Fiction Subgenres: Future War
Future Year Set: Between 1901 and 1909 A.D.
Inventions: All inventions in the story already existed by 1901
Related Newspaper Fiction: The Battle of Dorking
How this Story was Identified: Using a classifier trained to recognise early 20th century fiction genres, it labelled this as invention opera, then planetary, making it worth investigating.
KeyClouds: Later identified again using: "stars surface machine source revolve powerful steer construct advanced instrument vessel supply pilot electric rocket" however, this was along with 41 other stories, half of which were not science fiction.
Date Details Added to IA: 2023
Historical Context: Increasing fear of an invasion in the UK by Germany was spreading to Australia with fear of Russians and Japanese on this side of the world.
Additional Information: For the "REFEREE"
Advertisement in the Sunday Times: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125883202
"The Siege of Sydney,"
AN AUSTRALIAN WAR STORY
by HENRY FLETCHER
Author of
"The Waybacks,"
"the North Shore Mystery"
&c., &c.,
WILL COMMENCE IN
"THE REFEREE"
On Wednesday
April 17.
Sub. to "Referee"-3/ per quarter.
Order now.
Attributed Author: Henry Fletcher
Nationality: Australian
Biographical and Other Sources: https://www.apfa.esrc.unimelb.edu.au/biogs/E000062b.htm
Other Works by the Author Listed in the Newspaper: The Waybacks; The North Shore Mystery
Single or Serialised: Serialised
First Published Date of Last Installment: 1901-07-17
Year For Sorting: 1901
Date Range: 1901-04-24-1901-07-17
Number of Installments: 36 chapters
Complete or Supplemented: Supplemented
Estimated Word Count: 48,000
Length: Novel
Links in To Be Continued: The Siege of Sydney: The War of Tomorrow
Links to Trove: Chapter I:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/121793409
...
Chapter XXXV and Chapter XXXVI
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/121806783
Newspaper Publisher Citation: The Referee
Newspaper Name Location Years: The Referee Sydney 1886-1939
Location Town City: Sydney
Location State Territory: New South Wales
Provincial or Metro: Metropolitan
First Republished on InfiniteAnthologies.com: YES
General Subjects: War; Romance
Language: English
Infinite Anthologies Identifier: IA003
Edition Publisher: InfiniteAnthologies.com
Apply for Access to Any Media Held by IA: To access the associated media with this item, please register / login as a guest researcher via the menu.
Content Advisory: These items are historical texts digitised from their original publication, and reflects the social attitudes, cultural values, and language of the time in which they were created. Some content may include depictions or references that are racist, sexist, ableist, colonialist, or otherwise offensive by contemporary standards. This material is presented uncensored for scholarly, archival, and educational purposes. It serves as a record of past cultural attitudes and is preserved here to support critical engagement, historical reflection, and the advancement of inclusive scholarship. Reader discretion is advised.
Edition Creator: Neil Hogan
OCR from TBC and Trove: The Siege of Sydney. The War of To-Morrow by Henry Fletcher

I the Siege of Sydney [[[ 16 THE WAR OF TO-MORROW. cD I - ? ~*- ? I FOK THE 'REFaREE'-By HENRY FLETCHER. I CHAPTER I.— WAR ! ^Hh^EVER, perhaps, In the history of Sydney ^HU-' journalism was there mich a wild rush ^H|br news on tho part of the public as on tho ?m of November, 190—. W^M Every paper had published a 'Special ^Bptraordlnary' at 11 a.m., whon the oablo ^H|( sci'h vital Interest had flashed over tho ^H«|rrs; but tho ROncral demand was only I^Bciiettcd. Hundreds crowded round Ihcofllces ^H|ad shops at nows a.CTnla; edition after ^^?idltion was rapuuy Daugni up; uusidcbs m :.^|all klnd3 was practically su3pcndiil, and '^?.Ilthat day and far Into the night the raaia :JjM|tri-cts of the city wera thronged by an '?rtSer, cxrlted multitude. ,-H Many seemeJ fairly crazed with excltc Bsent. One band of cn-thuslastH had Iinpres ? Kd the scn'icen of a German baud of musi cian', and to the sound of 'Rule Britannia' jurched In a disorderly procession up and iown George and Pitt streets. The windows of a French restaurant were ur.ashed with blue metal. A Japanese cook lad to run for his life from a band of Xewtown larrikins. The oQlces of the TOluntiXT regiments were besieged by »ould-bo recruits. The public houses did I roaring trade, and on this day It seemed (o tAko the very smallest amount of grog to make men drunk. It was n memorable day — a day without counterpart in tho experience of all the jounger people. In cold, unemotional words tho cable had announced that war had been declared between Great Britain and the combined Powers of Ifussia, Franco, and Japan. ? Although tbe vital announcement camo Kith smrllins surprise to Che many, It could not lx: said tl'at to those who had itiiilittl tho political situation there was much astonlsherceut. Kor years previously the l.ind 'hunger of the Towers, and tho competition or their exploiters and eapiia lls'.s. had continually raised a friction of In terests and Jealousies that had made an outbreak to open violence sooner or later Inevitable. The pc.rtlt.ion of Africa had led to all hut war. and though hostilities were for the time avoided, a rancour was left that todrd ill for the peaceful consumma tion of the division of the loot of the Celes tial Empire. For China was the last RToat territory left on the earth's surface open for the game of pub. Its teeming millions promised to bo a joiJ mine to the manufacturers of tho Power lucky enoujjh to dominate them. Its fertile soil and thrifty cultivators mado the nouths of financiers water, as they thought o! the taxes that might bo Imposed and the monopolies granted. The dread of China's Csbtias power had passed with tho easy success of Japan. And nov,\ like a group of thieves, without honor even aracngsi themselves, the crcat Powers of the world stood round the spoil hungrily striving to snatch tho biggest tllce. From the first England had taken a hand Kith conslderablo disadvantage. Gorged' with territory herself, her policy had been to preserve the Chinese Empire Intact, and simply open up the country to the free commerce of the world. Such a policy seemed to her natural and Just, and. It may le added, profitable, because by Freotrade In China she expected to gain the lion's tbare of proHt with a minimum of risk and eipense. Uut the other Powers, In tho slang of the fiay. 'were not taking any.' It Is true, Germany and the United States were not unsympathetic; they had already felt their u-ay to beat England In some of her own narkets; but the other Powers were all for a partition of the sick maa of the East, and Freedom of Commerce was privately scouted by diplomats a3 'British hum tiiB.' and a secret federation of the spoilers took place. Yet, even then, if England had not slum btrod In fancied security, sho might have leld her own. The interests of the United Stales were identical with her3. At the time of the America-Spanish war there had been much talk of a defensive alliance of tie two Powers; but this idea, so vital to Ihfir mutual interest, had been drovmed In ulk; and had such an alliance taken place, Japan bad asked no better than to mako one cf it. She was naturally indignant at ter treatment by the Powers who had used her as tho catspaw to pull the Chinese chestnuLs from the fire; but finding England ?'?ould take no steps to meet her wishes. she had in despair Joined her natural eaerny, Russia, as the only means open to obtain that accession of territory for which fbo longed. Too late England saw her own folly. Still unyielding la her demands, however, Ehe challenged the federation with bulldoc temerity, and, naturally, the result wns irar— the great war; tho war for her exist ence and supremacy, and nowhere did the tidinis fall with greater thunderclap than in Sydney. Yet 'the man in the street' was far from being dismayed. A foiv greybeards talked dismally, but the great multltudo Kelcorued the news with delicious Joy. The public appetite had been whetted for war by the late conquest of the Transvaal, in which tho Australian volunteers had borne them selves with dignity and valor. The now appetite for fighting had grown with the firs: taste of blood, as it Is apt to do, and the combative spirit of the rac\ ilrmwit for over a hundred years on this distant ihore, woke with a startling and luiiKb.. Grcssfd fire. Vast schemes of warlike preparation and wristance for the mother country were pro posed. It was reckoned that a hundred thousand soldiers could be raised in Aus tralia alone. Warliko Implements of a new mi wonderful kind were mooted, and every Tehran who had seen active service in Africa becamo the centre of a crowd of en quiring enthusiast.1!. Such was the temper of the Sydney people oa that memorable 7th of November.
CHAPTER II.— WHAT GIPSY THOUGHT. In one of those mansions dear to the acart of tho ambitious medical man, a ter raco house In ..Macquarle-streot, -on the verandah overlooking the harbor and Public Gardens, a young man lay stretched In a lounge chair smoking the 'after-breakfast' cigarette. A girl, her hair cut short, and ninnlshly dressed, had Just stepped out from tho sitting-room, and was looking to wards the bay. 'Can you oblige me with a match, Glp ?' ?aid the young man. languidly. 'Well I never. Tod ! I believe you'd stop the Governor himself If you wanted a light.' 'Why not ?' Tho e!rl, without replying, went Into the room asain, and returned with a box of the Oslred matches. 'Why over don't you carry a box, Tod ?' . 'It's such a load !' 'Poor darling,' said Glp, turning frith assumed tenderness towards tho speaker. 'However does he manage to hold up his cigarette without assistance. You must bo badly knocked up ?' 'That tired feeling,' responded tho young nan, laconically, as ho struck one ot tho (resented matches. 'Well, I should bo ashamed,' said dip, taking a serious tone, 'if I were a. man, to Ho about idling my time away day otter day, and so many things to be done.' 'What things ?' 'A career. Suroly you mean to do somo lalng 7' 'I don't know. That depends. There Is I lot to be said for a life of contemplation, Hiil I Incline to the opinion tbat thin rush Itout dogma has been over-rated. Most People aro very busy doing things ot no consequence, and tho lucky -voncs leave Perishable names engraved In toud. If I bad. a motive 'now I might Join the fools' Came; but, lacking that ? ' 'Well, got a motiTe.' 'That Is wfcat I havo tried. I have ?ought as a motlvo a young lady of your dose acquaintance. I have laid my hand, IM heart and cigarette at her feet, and she hat declined tbe offer.' ' 'Ot course «ho did. Who can take such » being as you seriously ? A woman llkea * man to be strong and masterful, to bo ?omebody; to have done something. Sho feet not want to mvtT mother firl la all tot name C*~^ 'Thanlts, awfully, thanks '.' «nd Tod stood up from tho lounge and made a mock ing bow. Ilut the girl took no further hoed of her companion, for sho Was surprised at tho night of a very stout young gentleman hurrying along the pavement at a great bat. 'What can be tho matter ? Here comes Bunny, long beforo lunch time, as though a mad bull were after him !' Here the fat young mnn looked up, and seeing the loungers on tho balcony, shouted out in excited tones, as he waved a news paper: 'Wur ! War ! War Is declared !' and, without pausing, rushed up tho steps, open ed tho front door with a latch-key, bounded up the. stairs, and, panting with exertion nnd excitement, greeted his frlendB. 'Take a scxla and milk, my hoy,' said Tod to (he now arrival, with niook solici tude. 'Your violent exercise makes me tired to contemplate.' 'Ilut it's war, I tell you. England, Has sle, France and Japan are at war ! It's In the paper ! ilvcrj one's off his head ! I'm going lo be a volunteer— everyone's golug to bo a volunteer— Join tho navalB, you iiuow — undcrslacd. Totfy lot ol chaps In the navals. Uon't you think I'll look stun ning In tho toga, eh, Glp ?' 'If you are only halt as active with your riflo on the enemy us you nre with tho knlfo and fork at inealr,, there will bo great slaughter,' oald his sister. 'Give me the paper.' 'They say they are putting down torpo docs between tho Heads. I thluk the bluo uniform looks flr3t-rato, don't you. ToJ ?.' 'As food to bo killed In as any oilier,' slid Tod. 'Oil, but there won't be any killing, not our fellows, 1 mean. Ot courso, tho Rus sians and the others would uever dare to lRud in Australia. There nre too many of us,' and lluntiy stroked his fat chest, 'and our lice: would send them all to Davy Jones' locker long before they did land, even If they came. So, being a volun teer, Is Just a sort o' spree, you know — a Jolly good time. Not but what we'd like a few nusslnns. Just far sport, you know.' 'Listen to the modest fire-eater, Gip,' said Tod. 'He only wants a few Russians to begin with. How will he talk when he has learned the goose-step and can fire oil his rifle without shutting both eyes.' 'I don't see anything to laugh at,' said Glp, seriously, as she read tho paper. 'It seems it U going to bo a dreadful- war. Tho Allies have nearly ilve millions ot trained men, while England has hardly half a uill'ilon; the fleets arc about the same, and lighting Is expected all over the world. 1 think Bunny Is qujtc right. Every ciau who has a spark of manhood ought to vo lunteer.' 'Is that said seriously, Glp V 'Very seriously, Tod.' 'Then, If there Is- any chance of actual fighting, I'll go. In the meantime, Bunni, could you oblige me with a match ?'
CHAPTER III.— THE MACQUADE HOUSEHOLD. Gipsy Macqunde was the only daughter of Mrs. Macqunde, a well-known society darao of years goao by, who, by a turn of Fot tune's wheel, had suffered losses, and who. to retain something of her old grandeur, had decided to take boarders in the line house tbat was still her own. Gipsy, or Clip, as sho was called for shortness, was a girl of strong opinions and passions; strong, that Is, while they lasted Every new craze sho adopted with enthu siasm — roller skating, me bicycle, lawn tennis, and golf each had their turn. So had painting, singing, and pianotorte play ing. But, perhaps, her greutC3t enthu siasm had been for violin playing, born ot a visit to a concert where a young profes sional lady had fascinated her by tho exe cution of an erudite concerto on that in strument: this passion was also cherished l-y the active opposition It met with from all members of the household. Quietly, but tlrrnly, the boarders Intimated that the sound of Sp'hr's exercises played on the fiddle from daylight till dark was not con ducive to their comfort, even though the player souaht the topmost garret. And, much as it grieved them, they would reallv bo obliged, &c. Tho trouble ended by Miss Macquade renting a deserted studio at tho top cf some buildings used as stores, and bore she was accustomed to attend dally, violin box in hand. Hut what her family had failed to do by persuasion, an unknown larrikin achieved by other means. Following Glp and he black box In the street one morning Lhla sportive urchin enquired: 'Going to bury the kid, missus ? Mind yer don'i eet run in; there's a coptuaD round The cornor.' After this Incident Glp's cathuslasm for tho violin seemed to cool, and, skirt danc ing coming into vogue, sho took to the new fad. Without doubt Olp was a pretty girl, sho had had lovers in pjenty, and It they had not proposed it was from sheer want of en couragement. But twelve months ago a Captain Sorronson, a Dane, in spite of all discouragement, had ventured on e. formal declaration. It Is true ho was only a sail ing captain, commanding a steamer on the North Coast, but in manner and education ?he was a gentleman, and his passion was evidently sincere. He spoke half a dozen languages fluently, and appeared to have monetary means far beyond what his mere pay as captain of a coaster would bring Yet Glp had refused him at the first word Sorrcnson had taken tho rebuff in bad parl. ilo lookixl very wicked, Gip thought, as ho had left her, vowing to make her change her mind some day. Ho had looked a littlo crazed. Tod had 'thought, when he Inter viewed that young man, and told him ta melodramatic language, 'that Miss Gipsy v.a3 his heart's love, and woe to the scoun drel who dared to rob him; that ho would Ijo revenged.' aad much more incoherence to a like effect. At ''.he time, this outburst of the in fatuated forcl2ner caused no more than passing merriment, but later a time CRmo when it was remembered In a very different spirit, and even Tod looked crave at tho came of Captain Sorrcnson. Ernesc Todhunter wa3 a boarder and an old friend of tho Mncqundo family. Pos sessed of ample means/left by his parents, he had found no better occupation for his tlmo than to loaf It away In reading and smoking, with spasmodic intervals when ho tried, in a lackadaisical way, to woo tho energetic and flint-hearted Glp. Bunny was Glp's brother, a young man of vast appetite, whose days were measured by meal time, and who waa supposed to be on 'OJianeo' when divested of a napkin. Dunny did not sleep on bis proposal to eo soldiering. Taking only time to swallow three plates of Boup.-half a Bcbnapper, a chicken, a Bmall assortment of confec tionery, ho dashed out of tho house again to sec his tailor about the uniform, and in terview the military authorities, with his application. As for Tod^he wandered off to tho club to seek, as he said: 'Someone who had not got war fever on the brain.' Glp had gone to tho library to borrow medical books relating to wounds and nur sing, for Bho had already determined to toin tho first ambulance corps raised as an army nurse. She pictured herself In the nurse's uniform, with Bomo of Dunny's satisfaction, and welcomed tho excitement of tho now prospective vocation with un mixed Joy.
CHAPTER IV.— THE CABLE CUT. Tbo clahtb of November found Sydney still boiling with excitement. The news papers wcro ruBhcd wltb expectant ardor, as though accounts of gory battles were a certainty. But tho cable column gave littlo stimulus to tho fighting Instincts of readers. Numerous captures of tho ene my's merchant vcsscIb found In British ports were announced, also a statement of the Marquis of Salisbury In the House of Lords that a first credit of £100,000,000 would bo asked for war expenses. The army reserves were called up. Tbe rolun teeri called into camp* (or training, And last purchases of itor«i m«de Ml ov«r tb* Kingdom, It wa» expected that the United States would take aides wltb Eng land, A naval attack was talked of In the Ualtlc, and. an entire blockade ot tbe French ports. Thcro was a rumor of a French expedition to invado Kent and Sussex, and a wholo list of otber projects born in the tortile brains ot Fleet-street newspaper men. This excerpt from tho London 'Times' headed tho cables: — 'In tho grave crisis tbat has arisen, perhaps the most serious In the history of the Umpire, Britain counts with con fidence on the loyal support of her colonies beyond tbo seas. But, even with this valuable help, of which wo havo had an earnest In the late African campnlen, It would, be criminal to dls uulso the gravity of the situation. A3 is usual, and In Bplto of warning, this country has only food supplies In storo HUlllclcnt to feed its hungry millions for Ihrco weeks, and, should tbo enemy, by fast cruiscra, succeed In capturing our grain cargoes, wo shall bo practi cally at their mercy. Our artillery that proved so antiquated in Africa, Is not yet provided by tho now quick firer. Half of our best troops aro still locked up In tho Transvaal, and the new army Lchenie is mill on paper. Our onu hope Is our fleet, aa to whoso efficiency thero appears no doubt; but the reports re garding the power of tho new French submarine boats cause a misgiving nllko foolish to nlilo or mintmlce.' Not to bo outdone, tho local newspapers, Ir. their comments on the situation, pointed out that what had happened wa3 Just what might havo been expected. 'That Japan had openly and for years past, been col lecting a fleet ot cruisers and transports that wns evidently meant, from tho hurry of purchase, for prompt use. That Franco, with a rotten internal Government, and helpless ai; Rgulnst Gormnuy. had seized thla pretext tu rcvlvo her fading military glory. Without doubt Britain might suffer some temporary revorso In the cotnnionceuiont of hostilities — this had always been her fato in a con test with a first-class Power — but tho grit and energy and capital of tho English peo ple would pull them throug-h, aided, ns sb« would be, by j.he millions of loyal subject all over her vast Empire.' This was tho tenor ot nil tho leading articles in tho morning and evening papers, putting in words, as It were, the refrain of 'Rule Britannia' that tho crowd sang so Joyously in the streets outside. ?An announcement appeared : 'In conse quence of tho grave outlook created by the declaration of war, Parliament, now In ro cess. Is summoned to a special session.' On .such items the reading pu'blic was forced to content Itself. Nevertheless they still crowded round tho ncwsnoiicr offices expectantly, nnd It so fell out that tho crowd about the office of t'ho 'Dally Lino type' caught sight, in an upper window of the building, of tho form of tho Pre mier. Immediately there were loud shouts of 'Give us a speech '.' And without more ado the leader of the Ministry stepped ou the balcony. 'Ladles and Gentlemen, — Moved by your spontaneous invitation, I feel that at the present moment I can do no less than voice the sentiments of the Government In the grave crisis that has arisen. As represent ing tho citizens of I'his groat State, I felt, when tho message came that war was de clared, that I should only voice your senti ment's when I cabled at onco to the Secre tary of State for the Colonies -that N.S.W. was loyal to tho backbone, and was pre pared to furnish her last man and her last tlMHIng in support of tho Empire. (Great cheering.) Gentlemen, I went further. After communicating with the Victorian Proaler, the two colonies made a Joint otter tcf the Home Government to furnish Immediately 10,000 men, fully armed and equipped, and to forward them to that scat ot war deemed most suitable. (Frantic cheers, and cries of 'Good for you !' 'Geod boy!' 'Rule Britannia !') As you all know, Parliament is summoned, and on its meeting we are propared to submit such a programme for tho defence and security of thl3 country as we hope will meet with your hearty ap proval. I feel I need not use any eloquence 1 may poesess to call on every patriot, not L-arrcd by age, infirmity, or the pressing claims of 'those dependent on him, to at ?onco enrol himself in our defence forces, and show the world that-N.S.W. does not lag behind the mot'her land in the loyalty of Its citizens, and the courage of Its men. Three cheers for his Majesty the King !' The cheers were given, and to the loud chant of 'Rule Britannia,' 'Sons of tho Sea,' 'Soldiers of the King,' from tho crowd, fiic Premier, bowing and smiling, bobbed his head and disappeared. ? So there was a general simmer of satis faction. It was felt that England might breathe more easily and Australia sleep In security while such vigorous counsels pre vailed. On the third day the cable stated 'that both tbo United States and Germany bad proclaimed their neutrality.' Faces gene rally were not so cheerful. A vague feeling arose In many minds that England had n contract a llttln bigger than she had bar gained for. Tho sound of 'Rule Britannia' was not qulto so loud or frequent In tho streets. Perhaps the first enthusiasm had cooled, or, may be, the slngerB wero simply hoarse from continuous shouting. On the fourth day no cable news, but a message from Port Darwin tbat th6 line was broken. Thenceforth, and until the end of the war, Australia was entirely cut oft from all news of the outsido .world, except- by the old process of the tedious mail service. During tho subsequent days of wonder and suspense many were the regrets ex pressed that the Pacific cable, so long mooted, had not been laid. It wa3 felt that from its great depth In the ocean and dis tance from possible bostilo ports it would have been comparatively safe from Inter ruption; wlille the old line so ran as to offer a positive temptation to its seizure and destruction. Tho colony, however, was not Idle. Vo lunteers came forward In hundreds to Join the ranks and ? undergo tbo preliminary drill. Unfortunately it was discovered that there were not arms In the country to fur nish one in ten of those that ottered, and such arms as there were wore antiquated. Even our small regular force wns only r'artly furnished with masu zino rifles, an arm considered .ab solutely essential in modern war, ?and for tho limited number of breech loaders available It was found 'there was not fifty rounds of ammunition per gun; nor wap there a factory capable of making any. One dls?ustod critic publicly proposed that the newly raised troops should learn lo throw the boomerang 'as it was the only weapon of defence available.' A general hope wns expressed that tho warlike supplies cabled for by the Federal Government before that means of commu nication -was interrupted, would bo promptly attended to ; also that any pro posed warlike demonstration on our coasts would be deferred until these supplies ar rived. Tbe Premier assured the doubting public from his place In Parliament that every precaution wns taken; tho stock of ammu nition was abundant for every cvcntunllty; our rifles were first-class, and, In the opinion of ono military authority, whose name be could quote It necessary, wero superior for practical use to tbe dellcato meotejilfim of the magazine gun. Never theless ho was told tho Federal Govern ment had ordered 20,000 stand of tho latest magazlno rifle, so tbat all cavillers might bo Bllcnccd; and he had not tho slightest doubt that, within a few week!), ho might almost say a few days, they would be here. In tho meantime let drilling go on, end ho had not the slightest doubt that should the enemy appear 'our boys' would give a good account of themselves. Tho day after what was now called 'the cutting of the cable' another disturbing In cident arose Without word or sign of warning the Australian Fleet that had boen gathered together In Sydney Hnrbor, steamed to sea and disappeared. A few dayB later it was reported by wire as having stopped to coal at Thursday Island, on Its ?way northward. Doubtless a cable from Uhe Home Naval authorities had directed this prompt movement on tho part of tee local Admiral. All tbe somo, the public mind was much disturbed. 'Was it for this,' It was gald, 'that tto have paid our thousands for a local fleet for local protection, to have It leave our shores on tho very first occasion It Is likely to bo wanted ?' Ono Incident that troubled tho public mind during tlhoM long days of suspense was the sudden disappearance from many of our coasting craft ot their captains and chief officers, and tho difficulty that the owners experienced in replacing them. By ? gradual and continuous proceii It wm found that foreign muwa ma officer' hal obtained something like a monopoly In manning our shipping, fln.l had g.ilticd a knowledge of our coast and Intricate har bors known to few besides. How this bad been brought nbo'ut no one seemed to know. Danes, Germans, Swedes, and Italians, for purposes of their own, hnd mnnuetl our f hips, oven our wharves, Australians had been passed by, and now, In tho hour of danger and difficulty tho allons had dc Bcrtcd .their post. Why they had bo deserted gave rlso to tbe most dismal forebodings. ? (To bo Continued.) ?
CHART E?l IV.iCONTINUED)-THE CABLE CUT. Tue lirst mnu nc.iu to nrnvu ullui ui« cutting of tie cable, ns Tias antirlpato.l. *rou£Sht!no nets ; but tlio second mail boat reported that, \itc:i leaving Colombo, it itog announced by cablo :hnt the S.ie/. Canal ?n-as blocltol, the work, it was supposed, of the employees ot the company-rwho were mostly rrcuch— by secret order of their Government. This 'meant to Australia a probable delay la the ne.\t mail of ten or fourteen days. - rtf V/ii»*Tw*i n tiflniB1' wn«t- nipnrro. 'Thp French coa3t''was blockaded, a further Ions list of the onemios' merchant shipo had been cap tured without firing' it shot ; vast propara .ilons.were in progress, and a Rrcai naval ensngement v,'as expected in the Chinese Seas. ? ' Early In December an Eastern mail boat tirriied at Thursday Island, and the llrsi EOIious news was n'lied from there jll over Australia: — 'One of the greatest naval' battles' on record has taken place In the Gulf of (fechilee. The combined British, Eastern, and ' Australian' tleet3 had atlucked tile .'combined French and Russian Heels, and wficr an oasageaient laotlug all day, in ?w'.iich eleven of tho enemies' ships had Ibcen sunk and the remainder so crippled Ithat they -with .ditlieulty. Teacheil the shelter-' b( Port Arthur, the victory hnij. Tcnifiined with' the British Fleet.. But the -cost -was (heavy. Seven ot our ov.-r, Fhlpa had gone to the bottom, and ot tht remainder it W.-.3 calculated that it woult1 take two months' repair in . tho doska ot Hongkong before -they could- put to sen again.' Thl3 was the substance of tho report Whle'h was Teceivod by 'the public at ilrst -s-.th exuberant delight. Sydney- was Illu minated. Tho crowd asaln sang.,,'Ruio Bri-. tlmiia,' 'with something ot the original Tim. There were torchlight processions and many speeches. But ver/ soon the voice of tho, croaker was heard. It was pointed oil t 'that while it might _bo' true -that-' 'the Russian and French, fleets were cleared from tho sea, and need cause no anxiety, and that tho British- roDairs without .doubt Would be most quickly effected, it wa3 most ominous that, iii the1 report of thi3 great conllic:, not a word was saldof'tho formidable Japanese fleet, which, now sound and 'untouched, had practically the entire Eastern sor.s at com mand for -weeks to come.' This tfcoujrht troubled reflective persons far more than they carcJ to openly state, ondnnr.ther disturbing item of iufcrma tlon IcahcS out. It seemed' that by the last iriall steamer a reply., frbm the niamifiic lurara had reached our Federal Premier re garding his ord«r for magazine rifles. It said that 'owlas to pressure oC war crdOTS, de livery a.t.shi? in London i.-ould uot ,ia jruaranleed under three months.' It vmi Xelt. even by tho most sansulne, that arms .that iv«re t& arrive four'.sind n half months tifter tho declaralion et war-' might well be too late. 'Uu!o Britannia' was sung lo.-is o'ten in the Ktrnals, .and., murmurs ivero loud and deep at tho Ineptitude uf the Government.
CHAPTER V.-THE INVASION, Sydney. was astounded. It did hot 'know ?what to say. Its Ideal of probable events were eo overset -that' ordinarily smart- busl ncss men ran about from one to tho ot'her ?like foolish ghcun. A spesial oilltion of tho -lail.- paperu had nnnounccd 'that during tbo night, and without preliminary warn ing of- any kind, a number, of Japanese chips had entered Jervla Day, landed an unknown number of troops, who now oc cupied an inpresnablo position on tho road to. Novvra. So far not a shot And 'boon. fired, not ii. man or a gun had opposed the lund ing. The situation v:as o£ the -.grR'vost character.' , What a, day that was In Sydney ! People: ?were rushing hero'and there, and many of tbo chops v,-ero closed, for the employees hod been 'sun!n:o:-ed' to ? Join tholr1 regl mcnU. The Rojnl Australian Artillery ivero- galloping down the streets at a sharp trot,, tho Iian'cors following; and making a bravo shon. Men In ur.Ifoim were march ing at the double to-i arris Rcdfora Station, nad tiic.nholo was a wild hurry scurry that boded ill for our pfospoct3 of succoej Minute by minnic bulletins uero posted un-fct'C tho newspaper ofllcG3. 'The b'ridges on tho Illawarra llnu had been Kov.-n up. Fl\c thousand regular and liar.tlally paid troops were on thnlr way to the 'front. aJie enemy could be neon in forcn occupylnc the hclchts, but so far had mn/Ja lio further advance. No Immediate jlj.nge' nai expected to Sjdhej ns It was tliouclit Jcrvls Bay had been occupied ai a coiling station for tho supply of the Jipinc3c fleec Th'ls'lleot was reported by «' coaster enter ing tho Ilcadi to conHidt of bI\ ?? ?ai.Bports oca.'-ihree men of war. ?.Onitho/postlng of this latest Item mon ?negan 'to 'brcatho more freclv They felt that the local force i oak is It \ as chould (hivo no trauhlo In holilins, tho imalors In cheek, even If tihej did i at speedily (Jrlvt, them l'nto.thpisea .Toivnrds noon, tho boom of guns could be distinctly heard from tho direction of rh- South Coast. Men who had been depressed In. tho morning roso In spirits H ejelo parties wcro made up to to out and aio ihe fun.' Work hart slickonetl at Rcdfoni Station for tho simple reason that i^ery I avalljiblo soldier, nfter providing- for1 tlio manning of our fortifications, had been de spatched to the' front. Night' catne; and . tho crowda ''remained unulminlsho.l round '' luo frbnlu of the revvspnper offices. 'Tho troops wero In position faclnc tho enemy. A heavy artillery duel had tnlien place without much apparent loss on either sldo. It was Dimply imposislblo to make a frontal attack with hope of success . This was the far from reassuring' news that Sydney citizens took home to their sleepless beds. They tried to cheer them selves .with talk cf a flank attack to tako placp on, tho morrow, and it waa hoped tae Japanese fleet would try to onter tho Heads, when it was confidently exseeted ? \-\ . ?-:- ??'???- ?,. .. . our ?torts -would give a good account of themselves. Many persons, as they lay nwnko. exspcted, moment by momuni, to ?hear.lho thunder of ourvhnrbpr guns. Dut, for reasons IjcbI known to thbmnelvcs, hot one of tho .enemy's ships put In an nppear unco. ' ? ' / . ? The next day men rushed to tlio city with a ; ueriornl i foreboding that events of vital moment were to' happen. They began to remember that the Japanese military sys tem was modelled on that of Oormnny, In which campaigns'. Id tho iiilnutcst.dotaUtiro mapped out years boforohaiid. They recnllnl thp not distant Chlncso Invasion by Japan, which, from start to finish, had been ot clock-liko rcEUlnrlty and sortltudo, and they bcenn to speculate unratlly on tho possibility of a perfected plan for tho 'In- vasion of. Australia,' having lain, perhaps, for years In the military portfolio of Japan. Tho wonderero wore soon to bo enlight ened. This was. the bulletin that tcok away their breath: 'A fresh lauding by the Japanese' In. the Hawkcsbury. Or.cupntlon or- New- port and Plttwnter. ISxpcctcd march on SUinly. The soimiro of tho Hawkcsbury Bridge. Uornsby Station in posses sion of tho enemy.' T'I'.o detailed reports in the papers were not very coherent. Excited correspondents, unused to 'numbering troops, had wlro.i accounts ct tho numbers of the Inndlng enemy quite beyond credence. 'Tens' ot thousands' wero spoken of as being nt. the different points. On one subject thero was goncrnl agreement: The fleet in tho mouth of the Hawkeslmry numbered forty three mon-of-wiir and transports. Not a Ghat .tad been fir«l at the landing ot the' toe, who, as previously at Jorvls Bay, hnd approached tho coast finder cover of dark ness, and, piloted by 'men who evidently knew their business well, had chosen their anchorage, and with machine like precision disembarked and landed thoir troops nm! miiDltibns.- . Ono- party had 'gone up tho rl\rr in btv-.ts. taken Prat's. Ferry Station from the affrighted officials, and then, in a number variously estimated, had marched along tho railway to Hornsby, a freight' train being seized ni:d utilised to con\o/ their stores and artillery. From' Pitlu*atcr and' Xoiv^ort reports wero less ilcflnllc and reliable; but. with out doubt, a large force of tho enemy had effected a landing there. Men looked aghast, quo at the other, os they read tlionows; nnd they, .tocsnn. to up-'icrstand how absurd was the fan«!e*l security of tho city they lovol.. True, htm dnMls ot thousands of pounds 'had been ?sprnt on its defence; huge guns lined the harNw where- any properly-minded enemy would i^jkc his attai'k; but tho back ways of approach had been carefully left open ami unprotected, actl n«w 'these cursqd Japanese had taken ' tUIvcintngc of them, further, b'y making whtit was doubtless a sham,' hut safe, demonstration at Jervis Bay, dry had oauicl .ill the local iroops to bn uialnc.-! on in lha.; direction. With prac tically «h open read before them, they hud' then- loaded in force within ensy march 'of th-.- city itself. Withotrt dou'-bt these men wore veterans, 'In'nurrd. and trained in the Chlncso- campaign, and armed with the latest suns and implements of. war. 'What was thero to oppose them ? A rev tboiisand hastily-enrolled civilian*, tvlth three weeks', drill, only partly armed. and v.:;h ti:e ' ob'iolctc Mortlni-Uenry; no artillery, for the limited local force was all ft! Jervis. Bay; r.o transport; ,nb trained offlcers— a'miob of clerks »nd artisans full of courasr, eo -louht; but. in the words of an old military man, v,-ho rjadssorioiiiiu; com ment: 'It would he sliver hopeless butchery to l^ad surh a force against trained troops.'.1 ' Such was ino melancholy state of aflai'rs. It.-' was .currently rcc-ort«l:;tro;n mouth to mouth t'hat a number oi Japanese officers had by-wire cneagc-d ronrns at tho loading hotels, and such was tho general panic that, had tho enemy marthed, straight on from Hoi'nsty, even to the number ot a.tcwhun rtreds only, Ohey might have occupied the city without a hand being raised 'against thorn. Not from one and ot-tho town to the other was a no to sounded of the erstwhile popular 'Jlulo Brroa-n-nia.' ' The singers wore silent. The 'Dally Linotype' voiced popular sen timent: — 'In the grave situation which has now urisrai by tho landing of the enemy oh our shores, the most gloomy prognosticatic-ns have been fulfilled. In spite of repeated I warning, tk:s community has delayed to | provide itself with the elementary moans of defence, .and 'now 'finds Itself, In the moment of direst danger, practically helpless before an invading host of lai nlohcrt barbarians. .That; our soldier boys will give the last drop of their blood rocs without Baying. The enemy must be resisted to' tho last man, and the kistbul 1-st. Dut What a task lays before bur scanty' aiid 111-nrmed dotendcra 1 and for. ?vfcat cpinilnal uegllg-rn«d on our part -they will have to suffer and die!- Details are yet wanting as' to the number and arma ment of tho enemy; but sulliqient is l-.town to suggcot lhafthe present lindlng is part, of a carefully-proparetl scheme, In M'hich, without doubt, our .'-.wdakness liiis been measured, ami such resistance as we can make fully provided for. Now Is the moment for our Ministry and mili tary comniandcis to Ehi^ the motal they are '.Tindo of. Let tliem act -at .'once, in- | itanUy, vigorously, and bo. sure' that' no demands' they may make on. our persons qr our;pocke£3 but «111 bo cheerfully aa swerod. At all costs tihese Asiatic troops oust be driven into tho sea.'
CHAPTER VI.-THE LARRIKIN REGIMENT. 'When Todhunter stroilcdj down to the club lie found .tho members present -congre- gn'tcd In tho smoklng-rcom,: and.- thoyi' if possible, iwcrn more excited acout the w«r r,r-l its protrpocU than Bunny lilmsclf. To-l made bis way to tho library; to be, out of '?liio. row,' as. ho 'termed it, when ;]io was stoppo'l in the hall by Colonel iiambrldge. 'Good day, Todhunter, a word with you.' They stepped 'Into the deserted library and sat down. '1 want you to fcako -a command, Tod hunter. Matters are far more serious fhan the crowd lrniastno, end I fancy you arc not onb who Would;shirk,hls duty.' , 'Oh, draw it mild, Dambrldgo. Of course, If .It' ever camo to our! lighting, wlhich looks verv U7illkely, 1 nould rhlp in with the rest; hut n.11 tho frill and gold lace Is quite off ms'-'beat. I.hopo I'm eatno to' 1« shot In tho ranks with any cf iliiia, but to wear a lituffy uniform tills WMitlier, a-nd go pranc ing round in this hot Btin Klvlng ordors anj m-uking myself hoarse la not to be thought o(. Besides, smoking is forbidden on duty, I hcimr Bj Uie wiv could you 'oblige me wltft a match ' ' There s i llgnt but, for God's sake, don't bo a fool Todhunter 'I tell you, between oiinohcs that 1 ha\c tho best ot reasons for thhklns, mo are. likelv to' have sharp work on this continent beforo long. Not Jiat I flhouid -n-mrj If no ncra only de oontl} prepared but tho fact of the matter li not ono State in tho seven has followed the' advice of 'tho Imperial pfucfers who have ; be-r special!) 'sent from time to time to ad\lso t'icni Tlie trained force is. a 'hand- ful -arid the partially paid little better than n rabble; while,. not only that,' the arms are, ffvi in number and nearly as obcoleto as I ho bow ind anow and of our very limited rupplj ot ammunition much is known to be bid This ivir has long been hatching. Its sudden outbroik is only what might havo; been o\poat'd and ?will deceive no one who lias .watched. oyt'Bts. I have my' own rea sons for thinking, -wiilch I can stato If ne cessary, that a descent on this continent In almost certain; Now I ask you, wltn your knowledge of our coast lino, and what Is worth taking there, which Is the richest and most tempting nrlyo ' 'Wily, I suppose Sydney is.' 'Exactly. Not only is our city tho wealthiest, but owing to the stupendous folly of those in authority, nnd its situa tion close to t'ho sea, it is the easiest to attack. Land me with ten thousand men on mis coast at a spot to be Indicated by myself, and I would undertako to occupy Sydney lu 21 hours. And do you think 1 am the only person to have perceived this poa slWIIty 7 I am not flo'roiicelted. It Hill bo done, my boy. Mark my words, nnd within two months 1 promise you a ncruin that will lako the iurk of the devil hlin3elt to pull us out of with a sound skin.' ','If you gunranteo a fight, of course that's a different matter, nut why put mo In a command ? I could do my little bit Just an well In. thn rankH, iind, besides, 1 should have to order peoplu about — which Is a nulaancp— and Koncr.'illy porform the nn Eora nnd make myaelf hot mid. absurd.' 'Now, stow thntj Todhunter, . Allow mo to know best. 1 know you nrotty well, nnd 1'vo. msdo up ?my mind that you have got the head for tills sort of .thing. Only oven now 'you do not think It is serious. Put that 'thought on one- side. In my opinion you.aro- ono of i'ho fow I. kimw who havo the making of a first-class officer. You hnvn got the head, small thanks to you, for you nro damnhbly lazy at .present. But undfrstand this: The fools who are babbling around us want 'men to lead thonf. You are n man, Wake up ! Give me you 'hand. on it, now.' 'lUght you arc, ;Bnntbrldgo,' Bald- Tod, standing up smartly and casting his clga rotto away. 'There's my 'hand; now let's make a start, and put me on the track right away !' Thus it came about1 that Gipsy and the Macnuado family; generally saw -a wonderful transformation tako. place in Tod's .habits. He was up beforo daylight; then to the bar racks drilling, or being drilled. Ills few hours In the house, even those spent in bed, aecmed to bo occupied by tho study of the military books that littered his room. He also assumed a uniform; but, unlike Bunny, who had brand, new regimentals, his was an old suit, bogged' from his friend Bambridgo, for'one of tho ldlosyncraclos of Todhunter viia a dlsllko to' new clothing and all that was stiff, - formal, und symmetrical. In u few days 'rod commenced to raise a rcKliiif-mt out of the crowds of volunteers offering. It Chanced, 'either by nccldent or Inten t'lon, that tho greater part of his men came from the larrikin pushes o( tho city and suburbs. : Such a rowdy lot were novor gathered together before.'' Tod was pri vately nosured.by sovcnil othls fellow offi cers tb.it he would havo his brains kicked out before ho hud Tjeen a week in command. Tod smiled, ami went on his way 'to or ganise arid drill his very raw material. Ho 'had ironic' strango' methods .with his men. Mice, all persons ot an educated and sensi tive- nnturc 'ho lin-! a dislike to blasphemy, yet, in adircssi-is his soldiers, he 'habitually Biirnlshcd his words with paths. Ho was a pel feet devil for discipline once they wero In the ranks.liut off duty he did not exact the slightest resnosi to himself. lie worked to make every man efficient in the practi cal part of the profession, and had ii blind eye for a soiled uniform, or slouching de POTtraoht. Hc'guv-e'a pound out of his pocket to every one of 'his 500 when they could hit the stulTed dummy of a man once out ot thico bbets at 300yds. Ho 'had also a sitfcl' spade' mods. with. a point to screw on each rllle in pKvce of the biiyonetto, and ho practised the man days together in digging little shelter trenches, so that they speedily became 50 export t'hat on o. slope off open ground .the M'hol'o regiment were timed as able 10 concent themselves in, three minutes. To celebrate this success, ho . ordered a wfcggon load of beer on the fleld, and. told fhft boys 'to getblnnky well drunk,' -which they did. The 'talent,' as his soldiers called thnm sehes, or 'the Larrikin Heglment,' asxltcy were known to tho general public, Idoilsed him, .and from h!& Koll-knonn habit namtrt him Clsarette, and Colonel; Bambridgo when he inspected tttem'-'was falu to admit that Uhey presented a more soldier-liko appear ance by 'far than any other of tho nonde script regiments, of recruits that had been h-jstlly called together. /'What dldi tell you, Todhunter. You are a bntn comniandet. No other lean In tho country could have licked that material into the shApe you haio~in tho time. I should not vom'.er if they stop und hght when tho music begins, which is moie t'han I would' c&ri} 10 say of some of the others.' 'Vcb, I thmk 'they'll fight,' said Tod, ?refloctl\ely. 'It tlhe enemy only wore blue, jumpers and poHcomcn's'helmetsV'and'our ammunition was blue metal, I would swear to it.'' Sunny had joined the Naval Brigade, as ho hn.l proi-csed. rjlpcy v.'ai. euiolled In a newly-formed aml/ulanc- corps of the lied Cross Society. All were as busy as bees, or thought they were, and this was the portion of the Mao quade tslubllchraent on tho memorable De cember day, w'aen the landing ot the Japa nese in the Hawkcsbuiy was announced. (To be Continued.) ,
1 I ? ^^^ '? . . , . . . . , A3 /THE WAR OF TO-MORROW. 0) ,'. FOR, THE 'REFEREE '-By HENRY FLETCHER. XJHAPTER VII.— THE MARCH TO THE I ...; i ' FRONT. !Tt Mil foot ixsoH thought advlnttblo t-y 1ho Booal military authorities to send tho nowly rnteed regiments t-o tho front. TtniB It hap pened that while Bunny had gono south ?with his comrades of tho Naval Brigade, TTodtamter still remained In Sydnoy. It won |6 o'clock in t'ho morning when ho waB rung 'TodTiutttor, are you there ?' p 'Righto ! Is that you, Bamlbrldjfe 1' ' 'Yes ! Como up to the barracks at once, prgeht !' ? In less than three minutes Tod was In a ilransom bowling along nt furious speed to ) ward's Paddlngton. The Colonel was waiting for him, and drew him to hla own den and carefully closed the door. I 'Wo nro in a devil o£ «. mess, Tod; worse toven Shan I expected. Word oamo through an ihour ago that tho Japanese have landed In force in tho Havrkostoury — just the spot I should havo picked myself If I had been in their place. This Jcrvls Bay business Is evidently only a demonstration. So our General thinks. He carabixick on an engino in re6ord time, and overy nivin we can niuis tor must bo pushed forward to check tho advarico till 'holp'comes from Melbourne and Queensland. Tho Lancers nro on tho road track again, and lialf our artillery. Wo shall only leave -i small part of our force down thero-to'hold Hue enemy In check. Agsros Biya'mo.vomont for tlio timo being is put of the question. You are -wanted to go up tho Northern lino at onco as fnr as you can; got,, nnd make 'Uilng3 ns .lively -as you 'canvtlll rolnforfemcnts arrive. Your '??'; chaps' ,;iVwlll probably bo out to ilttlo pieces if:,th'ey,- stop' to seo/it out. I: hardly .expept'.to.seoyouibr;' them again if you dp your.'diity. ?:apod--bye,*. old chap ! Good-byo I' -!and; Mio..- Colonel' gripped Tod.-Tv-ith. onohanajwhllo'he brush-' ©dhis^eyes with theothehl;^,^-^; -''?'?:-;-V.-V'.'.-'-ji'J'' In less 'than 'an hour: the; tai-rtklri.Roglr;; mont had boarded a train\at. Mlls6n:s:.Ppint,' and were bowling lotho front ns- fast, as two puffing, engines could:.drag H'hehiViip '^tlie. steep,- curves of the Nortliorn :}. line.;?- 1 They : were- very- nulet. for.:'sueh;'a''icre\\y--vThelr!, captain did: not eecni to llko it;?for?ho,v\vone. rapidly from-- carriage, ;1: to ^''?'caJT^se^i^'l; ehouted to ?them : ;? ,:- ?:?;.'.':'- ???:;? .-'-i';- ??'::,Y!'Jr, ^WrC;'* 'Sing, -you. .?blanlry-cowa;!'.;.: Sins,! 's; »t«rt; tho band-!' ?-' '????'?:..? ; .?;?:'. ???'-.' -'-i ??W'Vi'J''''''1,''' ????.''V'f ':'??'.: In prompt responso sundry; ?'tin^-vY'hlstleS; 'were1 pulled -from . Inside' pockets,1, ah decor-, aipn'' unslung,' an-l,tho:flrst iiotos dt.VScms of tho Soa' broke the, stillness1. ,.,;??;: . ;.',',; y,'.' Then suc!i'a riot of unholy sound followed} from tho- speeding train «3 ;mado nervous resident's; by ?the-line-sldo'imasino;tbat tho enemy'werd' already upon them. /,.-. ,; But''Ttio Larrikin' was not tho only.re giment hastening' to tho scene of .aotion.; Clp^o befhind -thorn, in «i' second train, fol lowed another, regiment, known 'to ; the crowd as 'The Toffs,' for it was composed chiehy o£. members of tho leading city' clubs, the' uniform -resplendent.' but tho men ' mostly meaty and: puffy, ? oa overfed gentlemen,' usually are. ' . ' -: ? Tho trains drew up at the platform. ol Turramurra, discharged their freight, and lurried back for fresh loading. The engi neers' gave a' cock-o-doodlc-do -with;, tho steam whistle,' which was quickly responded to by an answering -whlstlo from tho main lino at Thornlelgli, indicating that some, at least, of the Illawarra trcops had 'also arrived on the scene. . . .-?-..?. Reports from residents informed the commanding ofneers that tho -.Japanese troops held Hprr.sby Junction, and appeared ; to bo forming there a temporary camp,, ?which was being continually reinforced by. fre'ifh arrivals, -Who oamo up the: line from the . Ha;wke6bury. .... ?? . ... .- , Without a. minute's delay Todhunter and his men -wero on the rood, and marobod, ?without interruption,; till within Bulf-a_m- to. of Ilornsby--.itiT!lf.- llprp-.*he..upi\t...ot,.Uie, column saw a littlo brown man in uniform standing. sentry in.tho road-way. . --.; v^^J Ho wheeled About, and was evldentlr about to retreat on' his supports -when, rod, Ehotitod to his front rank: ??.:,:;:? 'Pot that bloke.' .,-, . . :,' ; Immediately there were six riflo cracks,' «nd lihe sentry, giving. a littlo run, -throw ?unhis arms and fell Dnt on the road. V.-, ?There was a wild cheer from the Larri Wob. 'Who showed every sign of -wanting to ?break rank andrush on the fallen man like eo^any terriers. But. acting on instruc tions Tod'nww. checked tho advance, and, turning off tho road ' tfhroufch an orchard, lined his- men in .open formation on the, ?brow of a rldgo fronting Hornsby.^ Before them lay a steep, wooded gully, and on the furSer side, 'rising still higher, than, their owa -were cleared and fenced orchard; lands.; Here they could see little groups ...of ^Japa nese soldiers camped, among tho;: orange, trees and Summer fruits. ., As: sopn_as. they. ?w4& in position the Larrikins. brpught-.their &cs into play, and inJlvo minutes.. the onemv must toy^J 'Had kecin eyea i to ?have eeen.onc-.of Aem, \al ways- ^P^^^ ?who stondlng.over-slx. feet, -an'd dressed In - a. conspicuous ??whlto:,,driU/coat,, walked, up; and ' down unprotected. :. ' . -V .??'.'., ' ? ??? \ ?'. -:_? ', ?Paft of thoir front -sv-as- open, ;. ground,; planted with ybuiig passion -vines ,, and; the, 'Larrikins' wore hardly in position when *lio ToK .Regimbnit raarcihed ; up . -to^ ;^ tako, position further along 'Wie ^f^?^1^.' thought their commander ' fooi.WU.iy .? rash .to cxpoie-Ws mon in close .formation ^qn so opin a spot in view of. the :enomyjf but,- of; cmirsq, kept his, thoughts to^hhnself.^ ? v.|; At that particular momentGenoral Yamse- ; yam, the Commander of the Japanoso in, ?SiS forces, was standing.: with Ills .BtaiJ. nilrveyins tho development ot.hls; fi-ojit, tSh flcldiglasses. . Yamseyam v wlth.hls. etaturo of 5ft. 31n. andereetcarrlago, Jook-, ed tall and commanding, in -that-ci'owd-ot, lTttio men, few of whom :ir.imchcd;,'BfU-,lnJ height -T.vo Europeans must ;po oxcopted,. one a-falr-beardcd man.'.liko a ..Swede ?' the ? othe?- unml^taka-bly. from his . clothes'; and; manner a* frenchman. ,'? ??.-?'.'?',? ???-.'?:- :?/? _2:: ?'?? J!l thoiieht.y.ou told, .mo^Monslour.k.Co-; ahon,' said tho General.',: .'.'that^ a l.-.-the troops wore down the South Coast'?,. jv ?;:,,,..; 'Quite true, mon General,: These ypu;see are- vat tlvev.-call ihp. yolun'teors.j.ragrtag. tiTb-talls. .You make yonq .little pom. pom with .tho .bis gun and they yos^ouo-avay.. I.seo-'toem yesterday in tho. Sydney,, which. 1 '%XTb -nHfrseo. how your -recipb: works,' said tho General, -laughing., and speaking DTsKnglisTiAvlth gnrat corrwtacss.Is.ito I. -. ? ho called' to an orderly, 'tell tho artillery to lav me a fow eggs in tot (lock of oWp iomJ1 and ho pointed with his finger, at the distant ridgo, where the bright uniforms of tho Torfs could bo seen grouped in mass. With tho promptitude of ported discip line tho -command .was hardly uttered be foro t'he guns wero run . out, elevated, Biehted, and a heavy boom ! boom ! boom ! rang out, sharp and monaclng. The Gunners had made excollont prac tice Tho group Of officers through their glasses could see Che shells fall fairly In She pnsniou-vlue orchard, onofiholl right in tho crowd of marching raon, ? 'Vat did I 'teU you, raon General T cried ?Che excitod Frenchman, dancing. 'See ! They run, run, run, as though tou thousand dovils 'Woro after them. Mon dlou ! It la not var: it is tho children's play.' 'Baa ! You'ro right, Monsieur Cochon,' sa'id thoGprieral, smiling and shutting up his glass. 'I do not think ivonoed trouble ourselves, about uheso amateur soldiers.' Then, turning to an oiucer newly ai-rlvod : 'Havo you brought your force up from *ho trudge ;»???? Tho officer bowed. 'You'iard punctual within flvo mlnutea, taking a watch from his poekot. 'It is good, but it might havo boon -Tjclttor. In tlhreo hours sovontuon minutes our main forco, from Nowport ahould bo horo ; till ithen.,iot tiho mon rost for tho march on Sydnoy 'to-night.' With that Qonoral Yamsoyara, with some lhalf-dbzon ofllbors, rotlrod to tho room of a cottaso close at hand. Horo ho Jiad spread out on a, table- tho latest Lands Oinco map of, Sydney and tho County of Cumborloiul, and ,not for tho, first timo ho explained to thorn certain details of procedure with its assistance, - - . 'Some of you, liko myself, havo ~ beon over, this sround on our visit to Sydnoy two years ago-; but it Is ?well' to niako suro of , ovory detail. Havo you obtained from tho orohnnlista tho full complement of horses for t'ho. artillery, Yeddo ?' .'Yea, your lOxcolloucy ; and somo of them woro much surprised to find wo know os much about fchoir llvo stock as they did themselves. The requisition for saddle tacks for our mounted Infantry Is also nearly completed. The last fifty from Dural should arrive within 'half an hour.' 'Good ! Good !' «ald tho General. 'You see, I-orrenson,' nnd 'the speaker turned to tho tall, fair man, 'the vnluo of method nnd system. Hero is a splondld territory capable of tho most cosy defonco, and tho fools of English havo allowed us to prac tically- take possession without striking a blow. Wo shall teach them better now wo arc masters.' 'And my position as Governor of Sydney Is assured, Goncral — you have no doubt of that. ?' 'Not .the slightest, Captain Sorrenson. Your services havo beon of the utmost value to us In piloting the fleet to a safe anchor age. That there has not been tho slightest mishap la owing largely to your skilful navigation and knowledge of tho coast. I am confident the Emperor will endorse my nomination, and confirm you in a position you are well fitted to hold.
CHAPTER VIII.— THE BATTLE OF , HORNSBY JUNCTION. Just as Tod had feared: When tho Toff Roglmcnt was-.. fairly mossed in tho open, six puffs of smoke roso from the Hornsby Rldgb with a sinister .whlstlo and shriok, and ao many shells descended from over head..; . Crnck ! Crack ! Crack ! Tho shells exploded, and dying and maimed mon shrieked in, agony. It was horrible. Men thorn wero torn to shapeless pieces, tho hlllsldo Hko a shambles with core and bloodand human limbs. In a moment, tho survivors, - possessed with demon fear, had turned back; and In headlong rush dlsap .poarod.iu.tho neighboring buBh. ; As was natural, tho loss had boon almost britlrbly,wlth'Tlio' Toftsi' and it was they who led thostanipedo; but three of tho Larrikins had been badly wounded with the fragment of a sholl,- nnil their comrades, catcliingitho 'fever of. flight with sponta neous contagion, spranK'from thoir conccal moritaiuVran as though for their lives. ? But, quickly bb' they rani Tod's long legs ;took him faster still, and wielding a enno i walking-stick; ;pir their backs and bodies llko a. flail,, ho -'yelled' to -thorn: ?;, 'Back, yoii blahky cows, back I Do you want tho; Sydney girls 'to laugh at us 1' '?':.''? Round tho mob he went, as a colllo round his sheep, .pursing and swehrlng at them, and: belting with his stick, like one pos sessed. :-IIp' had -wealed ono man across tho ifacc— Saridy/Dave he was called — when tho' man, .smarting.: with pain,, raised his rlflb to iclub'his' agsressor. In a moment Sandy, lay stretched on the ' ground [ram a blow on ' tho jaw slven by. his own mate, 'Coaloy.' '-.-?'.' ',; i':' ?''?.': ~y~,: ;' .?'?'':. ' '??' -: . V ':No:yerdon;t',, Sandy ! Cigarette's cr plum,7 that's -what 'e'!s I1' '::Thoh''hb.' shouted'; in, .stentorian voice: 'Righto, Cigarette '.You go on nnd thor blbkos'll. follow., -My;oath !M . .' t ; With'. that siidflcn '.'? ehango of -plan that only imon iii mobs, are .subject to,; n wild shout of aesontcamb from tho fleeing mon, and, .with oho: accord. :thoy faced 'about, :.'and with; throe*; cheers, fbr',Clgarettp;; formPd.'in spmothin'glikb.order 'and followed him. ' : bnco'morb-the Larrikins' wer.p in position. Tho wourided-'wero carried to the rear; men Svho -had thrown : away i thoir.. rifles , founds them ??? aj:a;ln,':and .each 'went.'ba'ck to his post:, .: A :.fewv:pf' them- woro, ;slill ..missing. but 'mbstiof these' came back one by. one,, trying tb,;.sneak. into'.ithelr',, .? places;./ unpb'r sbrvod.,.vV''Captaln .;;To(V'., was:. , cbnyonicntly,: blind to' thesp..{mpvomb'nts.,, '-,-;S''i''^:r:-'.. '/;? ;' :]i'hr-.'a'itlmo''no ;rabro ': shells ; camo; nor .was: :tlicre;ariyrbftenglYp;ra6-efedntpcxthSjpa^ the 'o'n Shy'. jTho'-Larrfkins : hau?pb°thl ng . to' do ? Jiui^llo 6tili;:!.arid'1walt.'r: /This '. inaction mas ir.alrlng'thcm nor.voits and low-eplrlted when. To(l'paEa:ed.a'ma-slo',word;a.lpnE tho ranks::, , ^VLishtiuj'; ;smokb 'ho !'?;?;; ;,-.?? ?.??';?'.?'.??.''..? '.And tho'Capialnoven wcint so far. as.fi- '? luvnd oho of his own cigarettes to thoso'who ohanced to lack a pipe or smoko of their onvii: It was surprising what a- difference the granting at this small boon made. The, Idle* thoughts had, at. least for . a fow. minutes, some'thing to occupy tlicm, and Toil's open contempt for danger, as ho walked unsheltered up and down amongst them, shtuned the failntest hearts' to some-: thing HUo courage. : '. .:. - Eo : tihey lay. .on tho ground and smoked andyarnc-d tor about two hours. They could soo-ftho.Tnfr Reglmonit, now In open forma-., tlbh on Wieir right, nnd shelteral by an orango grove. ? . ????? :-' ' ?-.':'. It drew .on towards midday, and Captain Tovth'unter,. though outwardly calm, ; was nervously waiting tor tho next item on. the pragnammp. lie had recolved an urKcnt messaRQ from his General to hold his- posi- tion 'at all (hazards, and a regiment of tho: partially-paid- had joined hands .with him further aloivg the rldgo, taking the:.vacated position noxt ito Tho Toffs. How far he had. other support '.he did^not lthowPaii'd .looking' to tho disposition of his own forob.lie had great ?misgivings;., but ho had .-been told to stop, nndstop 1hb-wpu]d.-;-'.-':-L '? 'I'ing^'pl'n'g'! ping ! A sharp, rattling cmok liko a' multitude of fireworks as tho magazine';rifl«5,r ln'thehandsof 'the enemy, ripened, fire. '?'.-;? .???;? ,.??.. 'f.ThWbullcts 'whizzed; by, making a dull spUtlrjg'nolBo' as -they burled in the earth; raining In a continuous stream from the hill In-front;' and .^'tJip. tiitfhcred : gully below. Tliefo i: was 'inqi '?''?' prdiriptlng . to ; run now. Rather thbr men', crouahod close to their cover) and only, tho Captain stood up un VholteredintJip leaden Storm, walking up nrid: down. briskly as he encouraged his men to' iip'cioso'and reserve their fire. '; But?: t'ho; tsvrrtldnsgo't uneasy, not for 'themselves, 'but their leader. At' last one voleM1 tho; general sentiment hy shouting biit: 'i'Get' behind the treo, Clsarobte; get be/hlnd the tree.' ? :-Ttie. speaker ?alluded to a dead stringy bark tint. stood well in front of the posi tion,' A't first Tod took no notice; but the cry- was' taken- up with accompanying cat palls si-nil whistles. nko a crowd in a theatre gallei-y' onebr'lng a favorite, and to quiet 'tlipV'rpw ho stood facing his men, but with his back 'to tho proposed sheltor. .': TUp 'Jripanoso force, embbldoned apparent ly by their silent reception; began to come out of cover and form- In- skirmishing order at: tho foot of the slope. They cajn-a, as. though on parade, slowly, steadily, support ing, lines- fornilnB as tho ] first advanced. Thore iniglit have' been flvo' hundred of them in view when they woro half-way up tho slope, partly sheltered by- tho passion- vine. 'Give it them, boys !'? Tod sang out. There was a raittlo as of sheet. iron clang ing on -m metal floor, that volleyed and vol leyed without Intermission for fully five minutes, as fast as Wio cartridges would clink into tho chambers of tho breech loaders; yet after the first, discharge It was more random shooting, for. the cloud of smoke given forth by tho old black powder spoilt all aim. 'Cease flrlnc 1' . As tho smoko lifted no standing enemy could .bo eoon; but thirty or forty of thn littlo brown mon wero stretched upon the ground. . ' Tho Larrikins gavo a great cheer. They thought they had won. , Not so Captain Tod. Ho porcolved ait onco that tho checked advanco had been but a 'temporary blundor, caused by overcon fidence. Ho noticed ntow that tho enemy woro gutherlng in force, not only in front, but on 'his two wines, and were gradually drawing near. He know Mb position was nof tenable, properly attacked, and that It was siilcido 'to attempt to hold tho ground. But tbo order had beon 'stay,' and hla re solve Bovor -\\idvered. Soon a frosh rifle flro was opened, thls tlmo from threo sides. Several of tho men worn hlt-r-thelr cover afforded little or no aide protection. They began to flro wildly in the direction of tho foe. Thla disregard of orders had one good, effect, tl'- smoke from thoir own irregular fire hung over them as a screen, making lino Japanese flro nearly as Ineffective as thoir own. While this duel proceeded Tod could hear like sounds for a mllo or moro away to his loft, mingled with t'ho bcoin of cannon and the rattle or machine guns. 'Tho General,' ho said to 'himself, 'has got his wvrk cut oirL It looks a cold day for Now South Wales.' Wo hnvo said th'a't the Larrikins were Sta tioned an the slope of a high ridge, and wore gradually being hemmed in on threo sides. Now, suddenly, through tho smoke, a lino of yellow faces could bb seen, gleam ing rlfle3 in hand, looking down on them from the ridge itself. Tiho Larrikins had boon outflanked; and woro now encircled by a wall of steel. Ping ! Ping ! came tho bullets raining down on thorn ifrom clo3o quarters with deadly olfoct. A mighty wail from tho men. They wanted to run again, but knew not whero to turn. 'Fall in I Fix bayonets I Charge 1' It -was Tod's voice, screeched above tho din. He Hounded along tho ranks, alter nately coaxing and threatening. 'Now, boys; now, boys, stoush these blanky Ohows,' and with his stick held up in his hand, hn led them at a smart run up and ovor tho ridge. Tho liitlo brown men hold ground gal lantly. For a raomcat thero was a doubt, but tho larrikins raged llko devils amongat them, using their rifles as clubs, and fairly mowing the Japanese down. No moa are so daring cut thoso 'full of fear, and 'Tho Talent' .had all tho courage of despair. Following tho tall, whito figure of Tod nnd Ms waving stick, they, by mere weight and impetus, broko the enemy's column, and drovo them helter-skelter down the further slope liko a llook ot sheep. Then Tod Wow a whistio. It was a whlstlo such ns umpires use in football matches, 'Tho Talent' stopped the chase, and drew up in irregular column on tho rldgo lop. To avoid shooting their own men the onomy had ceased ilring for tho moment. Tho smoke had lifted, and as Tod's eyo ran over his band at followers, ?lie saw 'Chat of the gallant live hundred who bad followed him in tho morning from Sydney not two hundred romalned. Tho lire from too magazine guns had boon pitiless, and as it this was not enough to damp lib] ardor, he could -see that tho force they had Juat defeated was reforming at the foot of 'tho hill with frosh supports to back them, and beyond thom again still more columns could bo seen .through the trees, advancing machlne-llko to tho attack, so tira't tho po sition was encircled oa overy side. He did not hesitate. Jumping on to a tree stump, ho shouted out to his men : ' 'I?oj-s ! AVo are bound to be killed, every Manky man jack of us I Let us show the girls at homo how Australians can die I' . There ' was , a chber-liko yell; tho Larri kins, were drunk jvith blood rind tho fever of war. tho eneniy half-way up thp hill Again, firing as they came with deadly execution. Without ,: piiuso, Tod bounded from tho stump, and dashed towards the Japs. Ward lhg-off.: 'the. bayonet thrust of tho first one, ho met, ho knocked him down with a blow of ;tho, fist, ..seized the rifle, and following the previous. example of his own men, began to' uso.it like 'a, '.club. Into the ranks ho pressed, bashing and smashing,' his height and-length of reach affording him at least aitcmporaTyi'proteatlbn, and whero Tod led, r thsiljarri!iins; tollpwed,'. curijiDg, 'fiwearrrfg; ' tholr clotlies red with blood, mouths foam ing, and eyes glaring llko so many manioca.' ;i Like a wedge. they drovo Into tho yellow .men's ranks,' pushing on, on, with mad des pair; but tihls tlniotho enemy did not run; rather, tboy closed in round them with bull ! (log tenacity.' ', -'Forward; boys ! Forward 1' shouted Tod, Pooling, without looking back, that his piippor.ters wore falling him. At that in :ntanta Ja'panesp bayonet came straight for his own throat' Llko a flash. -the stock of a rifle swung over Tod's shoulder and brought his assailant and Tod himself to the ground, and tho gigantic form of Coaley.stood above ? thorn;:-'.-,-, ?-., ;?*'. ???:. ? '?? '???.'??. \ 'Cpmpvcri ! ''.Como on .'.' cried Tod, scrambling. to ; his -feet, ^and hot pausing to thank:'hls . -preserver. ?.- .. ' ? :;.'No,;ybai;doh't;ViEald Coaley, gripping tho upraisod'arm.'^'Wo-blbkes have dono our llLtlOjbltj.'.'/.andj-with; that he'' snntdhed a .white', handkerchief from Tod's pocket, and r'wavodiit.'hig'h above hlsihend. [v,Tod was:frantic;vperhaps, a't tho moment, :n-;HttIe'.-'nsad;.,.bu}t' os'r-ho- turned to look at tho.ribw sllon't1 combatants, and saw that of his: own followers' not fifty r.tood behind him,!'. he felt a 'sudden ohiil of sickening horror.: In a way, ho had comb to love these rough diamonds of manhood, and' his soul trem'blodait the sight of their mangled bodies ? bent and contorted in death, or death's agony. ' By a sudden transition of emotion, ho lelt weak as a child, holding on to Coaloy for support. ? On tho waving of tho ha-ndkorchlef arms had beon lowered, each side had drawn a llt'tlo back, -and now a Japaheso officer stopped forward to receive tho arms of tho surrendered soldlers^-a polite and suavo Wttlo man, who bowed to Tod with great ceremony. 'A splendid fight, sir, magnificent; but I' you will pardon tho reflection, very foolish: You were defeated without (tope over an hour ago. This fighting has huta-i sheer wasto of valuable lives.' 'I know,' said Tod', 'but an officer has to obey orders.' 'Just so. Allow me to shake you by the hand. You aro a bravo man. If all your comrades gavo us 'tho same trouble, wo should not enter Sydnoy to-night.' 'What ! Is tho battle lost .7' 'Your General is now being conducted V our General's headquarters. Your troops are either destroyed or Boattercd. Will you please follow me ?'.' Disarmed, and surrounded by a guard, tho remnant ot tho Larrikins was conducted over tho Held of battle. Tod tad not taken a dozen steps when a .voice almost at his feet arrested him: . 'Cigarette, I want to speak to yer.' ' Ho stopped, and bent down. H was Sandy Dave, his spine broken, and not an hour to llvo. ' ' 'It's all up, boas. I didn't mean to do it- this morning, so help mo ! Will yor tell 'tho Talent' down there, Cisaretto,' and the dying lad pointed towards Sydney, '-that I died game— gaino to the last ?' Tod nodded assent. Ho could not speak, and the little band of prisoners that had paused a minuto, moved on. ... (To be Continued.
Er, ? 1 k- '11 I Y . THE WA!* PP TO-MORROW. G) I FOK .THE 'REFEREE '-By HENRY FLETCHER. ? ? ^ I 'CHAPTER IX-THE PREMIER I . , IS CONFIDENT. I It may bo well to explain at1 greater I length, what foad befallen tho Stato forces I In this momoroblu fight for tho Uofenco' of I Bydnoy. By ruahliig nil nvallablo men to I tho frottt 'the. General's forco consisted at. I Itho moat of not more than four, thousand I men. Of theso at least halt wcro newly' I xaisod rcglmcntn of little value. ' Tho one I object to bo sained was time. Time, tor fche. iutor-Statu traops that hiul booh tele graphed for to arrive on t.he scene. „ ?..;?,? ?But what was happen Ing In tlio State I camp bad been carefully calculated on by I ?tho Japanese strategist. While their I Hornsbv forco. broueht un from Peat's I Ferry, made n. frontal aittack on the Stato ! I»sitlon, thoir largo Newport forco, acting on tha Hank, cruahed all oppooitlou by over whelming numbers, and rolled up tho local troops alons 'their extended front . lilto a skein, re-wound. And, to. 'the amazement of their onoiulea, tho Japanese showed a fami liarity with tho roads and by-ways of the Cumberland fruit district far exceeding that of the Sydney officers, several of whom; from sheer ignorance of the topography of tho country, either got bushed With their followers, or led them like Bheep into tho fold of the enemy. ( . . . The actual loss in killed and wounded -was not^ so greatly disproportionate on the two Bides as tho superior arms ottho Japanese mould seem to have justified, for some of our -troops had fought with magnificent cou rage, r-nd when it came to hand-to-hand conflict their track had been -| strewn '.'.with, itbc little brown men. . .... -.';...? But these partial successes In places wore without result. Everywhere suporior forces and generalship crushed oppositioni in do ?tail, and the history of the defence mado.by tho LarriUln Regiment was that of practi cally tho whole Stato force that, dared to stand their cround. Shells from cannon, tho'dum dum bullets from Maxima, and magajlno rifles were rained' on each pbsl~ tion. and then the remnant of 'defenders ?were' surrounded on all sides by an un breakable wall of steel. . ??.. The; local artillery was captured, 'every' prominent officer killed or mado prisoner, end nothing but a scattered mob of ''fleolri'e., Bpldiers lay between tho Japanese troops' End' the Queen City of the South. V In. Sydney there followed ' the greatest consternation', growing. in;lntenslty.aV.tho morning hours.passed by, ahd«the continued:' boom of guns could be hoard' from 'over the heights of North Shore. , It was .known that assistance bad been despatched from Mel bourne, that trains full of troops were, on the way. ' Tho passage of these' trains, passing tho interventnc stations 'was an-; jioun'ced by jvlre on the Post-office *hoard-; ing, and people began to calculate the dis-' tanco -to bo traversed, tho rate of speed, und tho time of arrival. ' .-'?'.?? . 'Would they, be too late ?' 'Y.'ould they find Sydney in tho hands of tho JSpaf neso ?' These were the questions ?; that passed from mouth to mouth. ' ; , I.1. '* At - o cjock ]n me auernoon u aenuta tion of liiEhly-excited citizens waited on the Premier to urge that fhrtln'er measures should be taken for the defence of Sydney.' The leader of the Government, though ' Ms . lace cave some token of uneasiness, and his valfce'had hardly the old ring of confi dent omnipotence, yet-received his1 visitors ?with tho stereotyped bland smile of a popu lar favorite, and listened beriignantly to all thoy.had to say before he replied:' , . 'Gentlemen, — I need hardly say. that any matter brought bofore me by such a re presentative body as yourselves -will receive, the moat earnest consideration, of. tho;Go Yernmerit. ' Our . military advisers assure/ us that every precaution has been' takonV and while we are not doubtful of the Ibsub: of the struggle now pending, we have made assurance doubly sure- The Victorian' Con- tingent is at band, the Queensland boys are .on their way, and. tie South Australian Premier wires that he will come in person, at the head of throb thousand men. Gentle men, let me assure you your fears are for tunately groundless; every precau- — -' :'?? At this moment there came a, .violent ring -ox the telephone bell In tho Ministerial, lobby, and an usher entered to say the Pre mier was wanted at once. . '.', Instinctively the deputation followed the; premier as ho walked to the speaking in strument and raised tho receiver ; to f- his ; ears. ? ? ?' ' -;: ?'':';??'?,? 'The Premier— are you thero ?'?'. ! ? * ? 'Highto. Who speaks ?' .^v ,''..; 'I am Colonel Bainbridgo, speaking from' Gordon. The State troops are defeated all along *he line. -The General and his staff are prisoners. Every gun is captured; So far as I know I- am the Only officer wiio Was escaped. You may expeo't'oceupatlon of the city'by the enemy 'bcfore'nighitfall.. .1 would suggest that any show of resistance: at. the present moment would cause useless blood shed. I must hasten; ttjis place will 'be oc cupied in ten minutes.' ' ' ,'??' A's this messaco reached his oars, the sudden and varying expression in'the Pre mier's face would have given a pleasing study in physiognomy to thbso skilled in the science. Tho mouth opened like a round O, tho eyes expanded to 'their fullest, and Ithe lower' jaw fell like a trap-door. For a ntoment, and for a moment only, the Pre-: raier looked tho pioture of iroo-begone des pair. ? Then, with sudden revulsion to the optimism of his sanguine nature, ho faced' about io his expeciUuH guests with per ennial smile. ''?'-.' 'Goatlemen, I regrat to inform you that, supposing tho message just received to be authentic, a ? slight disarrangement of our plans bos taken place. -It may be even ne cessary to make temporary terms with Cho Japanese, who are, let me add, according to tho evidence of a well-known K.C., a most, civilised and polite, people. But you may. Test assured 'that, ample precautions will bo taken to protect your 'interests and tho in terests of tho country generally. Good ;day,j goatlemon.' ?? \ ? : And the Premier' bowed thorn to tho door. 'Well, 'I'm - — 1' said one' prominent citizen as they descended -the steps. V: r 'Ditto, ditto, ditto!' camo In heartfelt echo all down the steps. . . : . .-'??. ?: ? -V .. v ?-. ?Already in the streets the newsboys wore rushing alopg, shouting as they ran: 'War , edition! War edLtlonl. Great defeat., of; the Stato troops i Tho Japs marching on Sydney !' ??' ' -.- '?'.; .??-.?':? ';''? Eagerly tho citizens opened tho '.'Dally Unotypc,' and read: — - ? - J „ - ' ' Wo grieve to staito we have the Bad- : flest duty .to perform tha-t ever, fell to; : the lot of an Australian* 'Journal... Our . Ibravc soldiers' at tho front,' alter a des perate resistance, have either been anni hilated or taken .prisoners. All our re gular officers that hurried to Horntiby ?floights this morning are now either .killed or in tho hands of tho enomy. Exact dotalls aro yet minitlng, but so much Is certain. A't tho moment of going to press 'the Victorian troops coming by express are no- nearer than Wagga Wagga, tho Qucenalanders at lArmldale, nnd the ahancp of either body arriving in tlmo to afford material help 4b very remote. Tho enemy Is reported to. show great kindness to Uio wounded pind .to respect tho persons and property of all non-comlxitants. They are now reported as holding Gordon and tho Jhoights round Pymble in great forco.
CHAPTER X.-ASTRANGE LETTER. That day seemed to Gipsy Mncqundo tno Oongeet Bhe had ever known. Only surgeons Qind been sent to the front. Nurses wore dottriried in tho temporary hospitals estab lished 1n Sydney Tor tho reception of tho ?woundCil, or allowed to return to their foOraos If connected by ?tclcphono. Bo Ciipny «at In tho -ho:iac, hour after tiour, waitlni; Mr tho tlng-tinK of tlio instrument to sum mon her to work. From tlio North Wild could hear the Ixjom of big (tiiiiii and tho fainter rat'.lo of small m-iii.i In one con tinuous thunder all day lone. And still no mc«sji^o cniuf for her. At last sflie coul'l bear tho Hunpriino no lonri'r, nnd blddiric a fcn'.'int t.iko hrr nlaco by tti« instrument went out Into tho Htrcut. lly so Invlnelbln attraction »ho walkfl townrdj Olrcul&r Quay. A boat waa cominc in. anxious .groups waiting arid watching. She saw on it. tho centre of n crowd of eager and oxcitoii people, a. young man, his head tlod up. ilnd wearing tho uniform of 'The Larrlkina.' '' Hardly 'waiting for tho landing, shn pushal her way through the crowd and nc costcd the man as he stepped on tlio wharf. ..'Why have you come back ? What lias become of tho regiment ? Whe're Is Cap tain Todhunter ? Oh, tell mo, quick ! Tell mo quick ! Please do tell me.' 'I'll tell ycr all 1 knows, Miss, but not all at once like. By cripes ! Tho skipper 'U a dnisy, you make no bloomin' error. Tho bullets caino lihat thick you could tihovel 'em — my oath ! We was all luckcU away ?snug an' comfortaolo In our trenches, and there waa 'c walking about 03 cool as you nleaso ; but they got tho boat of us — got behind us — and laid out a lot o' thcr blokes aforo they could turn round. Then Clgarotte — that's tho skipper — 'e gots on a stump and slng3 out, 'Boys, we a-rc all going to be laid out, every blanky man-jack of us. Lot us show tho glrl3 at homo how Australians can die !' Then he runs for ward on those Japs -waving his stick, and wo after him shouting blue murder. And ?wasn't it a scrap ! My oath I I knows 1 downed n dozen o' the brown devils before I got dawned myself with a hash on tho crown;' ??.?'. ????'?' 'Butthe skipper, as you call him 1' In terrupted Gipsy, 'what becamo of him ?' 'As far as I I:now3 ho nnd tlho ro3t of ther Wolre3 was all laid out. When I comes to myself I sees nothing but a lot o1 stiffs —our blokes and the Japs, you know— so I just creeps- off In the nush till 'I came to a placo they call Pj-mblo. I sees a bike In n house thero, so I sneolcs It, you bet er crown, and I was down on tho Shore in record, and as far as I knows I'm the only one o' tlhor 'talent' that got clear, so help mo 1' ? ' ' ' ? . A: surrounding throng eagerly listened to theso nnd other details related by the re turned volunteer, and as Gipsy turned to walk away a groat giddiness overcame her. Surroundings swam before her eyes, and bist for the friendly arm of a gentleman by her sldo she -would have fallen insensible on tie pontoon wharf. She 'was token to the waiting-room, -water sprinkled In Iher face, and in a few minutes her senses came to her again. And. with, life' came memory of -what slio had hoard.. Ni-w,..for, the. first time, she Toallscd'all'. that Tod had Deen' to her — lazy; Indolent Tod, that she used to ohafTso unmercifully. Tot. low her sore heart wormed at his forayory ! 'Let the 'elrls' at homo. see how Australians can die I' Sho'felt it to bo:,a message to- hersolf, and she Inigged her arm'3 to ier hrcast with a cruoljqy.l She could not cry, but she wished sho could,: though her sorrow was joined to a madden ing despair of ..vain, regrets that now sho could never Say what 'It was In Tier heart to say ; never tell him how she loved him, had always loved him, and -would love llm to the end. Yes, he ftad done bis duty to ?tho death like a bravo mnn, and sne felt ?proud of him, and tine thought brought to her mind recollection of her- own position, and her new. -duties, and sho hurried home ?ward. as. fast as ?trembling steps 'would allow. ? . -i .. ' ?? : '?-.?? ; No mossago had arrived over the wire, the maid said, tut a strange man had Just left a letter for her. G-ipsy opened tho mis sive .wonderingly. Who could bo 'writing at suclh a.'time? ? She read in a handwriting no longer 'familiar ~to her : .:?/;'; 'Gordon, N.S.W., 'Headquarters of tho Commander-in-Chle.' ?? '.-.::.' .'????' ,;'of .the Japanoso Army. . ' ?: 'Dcar: Miss . Macquado, — When, months ago, you refused; my proposal, I seemcl : to .he only a poor captain in the merchant' Bcrv!co,:;an&1houg'h\I.1ani- confident your} v.Soart spoke dlff erohtly; you sent me from' . you a disappointed man. But I promised ?to roturn, and I am coming. Soon after ; receiving this I Shall lhave the honor of ^waltlne on you ; nnd, let me' add, I can ' now offer a -wife tho 'hig'heart position in ?this land. ? As tho confidant of General Yamseyom, I am offered the Governor - sfoip , of Sydney, with suitable appoint ments. We lhave come to stop, you can '.' be sure of that. That Insidious man Tod--' : hunter is now in our safe keeping. Ho iwas captured two loura ago by our In vincible troops, and' I will see that ho . -troubles you no. more. .-'?'; ? ?-?';:-'Your loving and Tespeetful friend, A-''-i '-'?? -'??? .... ...'KARL.SORRENSBN/''' 'What aslgh of relief. Gipsy gave as she road. this strange .pplstlo.1 'Tod was not dead !? Tod wan not dead '.'. and she jump ed about the room like one possessed. Wnat did It matter in eomparlson ttat the army was dpfrated; Sydney to be occupied by the ei'cmy,..:uid 'unknown indignities to be en dured by them all 1 'Tod ires not dead !' As for this Sorrei.'sen, ho waa clearly mart, and her first impulse was to order the ser vant to slhut the door In- his face should ho call;'' but, 'on second 'thought, she rcmem ?bcred that Tod -vvos in ills power, and that by him and through him she might hope to hear of and liberate him.
CHAPTER XI.-THE SURRENDER OF SYDNEY. ' General Yamscyam stood at the door of the cctitnge as tho fresn , bai ih of prisoners' ivore brought hef ere1 lilm. ? ' '; ,' ' ; , ''You are 25 mintitea over allowed time, Captain Klto,' he said to Dho . officer who was' conducting1' Tod and his companions. 'You are last; every one else bas reported on time,' . ,-? -i ?' }:? ' '? : ' 'I crave parilori, your Excellency. '. This rfiglmcnt did 'not know when they wore bcitcn. They have caused us heavy loss.' 'More pluck' than brains; eh ?' said the General, laughing,^ for he was In great ?gbod- humor. 'Well,- take tho 'officers to the roll way-Btatlon, : and send, them ',wHb tho others down to the troopships , for tho present. As for the soldiers, you can. liberate them: I don't think after their little lesson they will trouble us again,' and with a, smiling wavo of the hand' the' . Commander -'dls-i missed the group. .;;??; ; ' ! ,',.'-. '?'-?-?'.' \~;'Si:p~'-''-\: ''.:*? ' Two hcurs''arterrecelvlnjr, tho. deputation1 tia Premier was on his :\wiy to the resi dence of. Dr. Hay, North Sydney, whichi for tho.timo was the temporary headquarters of 'theMapaneEe. Commander. ... .???-.,'? :? ; ; Coming; to the. sentinels, posted at , tho gate', ho was conducted by an orderly to the hall of the house, and allowed to cool his heels in silent contemplation for half an hour while ? uniformed -men- brushed past him,: in and out, .with quiet celerity. At last ho was summoned to enterthe august presence. General Yamseyam strode about the room whllo two secretaries: wrote. at desks at his dictation. On the Premier's entrance no turned abruptly, and glancing at the- oard In his hand, said: . 'Ah I I Dollevo'-you aro tho late Chief Minister of this. Colony 7' .. .' :; :. .. ? :.'' -. ' 'I am, and I- beg you ' to excuse the ab sence of our Govornor, who would:. have been pleased to wait on you; hut who hap pens to bo away on a visit 'to Melbourne at present.' ? 'Just so; It's of no consequence. You, I understand, aro tho practical head of af fairs. You did well to come to me. Thero Is our preaont list of requlromenta. Hand this gentleman tho lint, Sojar. 1 glvo you flvo minutes to accept.' Tho Premier glanced throusb tho formid able list of lloms passoti to htm, and even his fr.co took a certain sickly huo as ho read:— ' 'FIRST REQUISITION OP THE IMPE RIAL JAPAN'KSE FORCES IN OCCUPA TION OF THE TERRITORY OF NEW SOUTH WALES : 'All tho harbor fortifications, barracks, girns, and munitions of war within tho County of Cumberland to be delivered up In twelve bourn. 'Tho local form now bpfore Jervln Buy Io bo mulled and surrendered to the Im perial Iroups unconditionally. 'Oovcniiiiint Huns.' to bo prepared for tho occupation of IIIh Excellency Craerul Yamsujyiini within three hours. 'A rAfh naymrnt nltlilii four hours Io the TiTJisuror of the Imperial forces of two million pounds In sold. 'Within twenty-four hourn tho follon-ln.t r.tores to bo delivered to tho storolte*pCT ot' tho Imccrlnl Aruu.' Horo followed a list of tho names and addresses of tho stores, bonds, and ware houses whoro tho goods were to bo found. Some hundrud names, embracing the chief morcfliants of Sydnoy, and showing nn ap parent knowledge of t'helr stocks on hand, amazed the Premier. The total was some thing formidable: yet what disturbed him most of all was the amount of tho cash in domnlty. 'Pardon me, your Excellency, with tho best will In tho world I cannot do Impossi bilities.' 'How'3 'that ? What's Mio matter ?' said the General, turning sharply round. 'You ask for a cash payment within four hours of two million pounds, and I have not that In the Treasury.' 'TuhIi, man I' snld the General. 'Tho b*nks of Sydney hold seven million. Thank our clemency that we have not demanded the whole sum. That Is a more bagatelle. I rpust remind you that you are a conquered mitlon: that your duty is to obey orders— my orders !' ?'With tho best will In tho world to re snoct your wishes,'1 sold tho humbled Min ister,' 1 must havo tlmo and tho vote ot Parliament. I am a representative not a despotic power.' 'Ah !— I see,' continued the General, after further Ineffectual protests from tho Premier, 'it is high time this line country had rational people to look after it. I will allow you till to-morrow at noon, Mr. Pre mier,' to raise tho sum named, only I shall want another half-million for tho delay. You will find delays expensive, or perhaps you have already. Ha, ha ! Good day.' That nlsht, In strict accord with the Japanese programme, tho harbor ferries wcro engaged for hours transporting the llttlo yellow men, and Sydney waa occupied. A camp at Flagstaff Hill, another at Pad dlngton, and a third at Government House, commanded the city. Tho posts, tele graphs, and police were placed under tho Invaders' control, nnd a curt noto delivered nt each newspaper offlco informed the pro prietors that any statement appearing In | their papers derogatory to tlio dignity nnd i peace of tho Itnpcrlr.l authorities, or In ! any way Inciting to revolt or conflict., would bo mot by prompt suppression and confis cation. For tho rest, to tho surprise of most people, tho city resumed ita customnry habits; trade and buolncss was in no way Interrupted. The enemies' soldiers moved about tho streets, it Id true, with a provok- j Ing air of conceited pride, but always with decorum and sobriety. Order was mnln tnlncd, nnd tho ordinary course of justice allowed to take Its course. Tho official noto of warning to tho news papers seemed to havo a most salutory effect. In Its leader tho following morn Ing, 'The Daily Linotype' reviewed tho situation In qulto cheerful terms:— 'There is n rift In tho clouds during the deepest gloom; a bright side to tho darkest moment. Our honor and courage as a people was fully demon strated yesterday In tho dlro conflict that will bo found reported at length in other columns; and It Is now timo to look facts In the fact, and gratefully acknowledge tho clemency nnd hu manity of the invading forco. Citizens are assured that a quiet acceptance of the inevitable will find our conquerors disposed to treat us with the forbear- ? mice that thoir reputation' as a civilised and humanitarian power warrants. An indemnity must bo paid. We must do our best to shoulder the burden; levies in money and kind will bo made on municipalities; but that private pro ? pcrty of all kinds will bo jealously re spected we have on tho very highest authority. Tho trial, at tho best. Is hard to bear^ but the' only policy Is a cheerful submission.' (To bo Continued.)
Che Siege of Sydney | ..v9 THE WAR OF TO-MORROW. ' cD ? ; ? ?-*-»« ? * ?FOX THE 'REFEREE '-By HENRY FLETCHER. ? , ? . ? . ? ?^- ? (JHAPTER XII.-THE 'ESCAPE, Only two officers were, loft of the Lnrrl lln Regiment to go to the confinement of the troopship, ns Indicated by tho Japanese General— Captain Todhunter, otuerwlso 'Cigarette,' and - Lieutenant Croft, other wise 'Caaley.' Tain latter gentleman' fol lowed the occupation of a conl-lumper, u-henca his title. Ho ntood full Bl.tfeet tbrco In baro feet, despite n hump-llko bend in tlio shoulders, hatchet faced, lean, wiry, bony and muiiculnr, and of a strength hid ?touching gait gavo no indication. Tod. as no ana 'Lcaley' noro comuicteil to a tr.ilnt could not help admiring tho or der and method of his conquerors. Kvcry nan seemed to know Ills business, and 10 be doing It without the sllghte3t confusion or excitement. Once seated In tho vrnltlni; train, with a military suard on each sldo of them, the guard's whistle sounded, the train steamed oat of the station, and they were moving down tho steep grade- to Peat's Ferry. They had noticed In walking the pb'.form Hat In other compartments of tho same train were '-he face- and uniform of tho State General, and. so far as a quick glance could tell, nearly his entire staff of field officers. So that. In one load, the military talent of the colony was bolng quietly put away under lock and key. 'Very neatly done,' Tod could not help taylng, half aloud. 'What's that, skipper 7' enquired 'Coaley.' . 'This capture of all our r-(Tlcor3 In one land. It's worthy of Moltke.' ?Wo! tea bad,' raid Coaley. 'I wonder If these blokes (nodding at llic soldiers In the compartment) understand what w* say ?' .Not a blink of comprehension illumined '! ran't say I care for a voyage to Japan, or teins mixed io In one of their ships.' continued Coaley, reflectively. 'Rico and chop-sticks, I suppose,' and the coal hsnrer spread out his chest disdainfully. 'Wll! yc':i hoip me make a break-away ?' rtUprrcd Tod. 'Will 1 c.i: a tart !' '.Then r.t tha f.r^L chance it's agreed. ' Coaley ncddc.l. During the railway Journey, and on ar rival at real's Fern', uowovcr. no occasion presented itself fnr the proposed attempt at csc-ipe. They, with the other prisoners, Tere drafted into ship's boats and taken In tow by. a small steam lnunch. Fortunately Coaley nnd Tod were together In the same trat, sitting with a guard on each sldo of them. The 'boa: wn3 the last of a lino of four. . I; was getting dusk. The little launch puffed down th? llan'kesbury ton-Ing its lcuvl of boats at a s-xxl speed. They were ncarinc. a jutting point of land, were v/ithln fifty yards of it, when Tod, making a sud den grab with either arm at two of t'he pmrds. cried: 'Now !' As though ho had jraessed the moment, Cailey was not loss quick. Ills long arms sbet out and embraced four of tho soldiers la frcm oi him, throwing himself and them Tlth a sudden jerk on the raH'of'tbo boat. wak'a immediately filled with water.- throw ing tho occupants Into the river. There was a loud outcry, a surge of water and much rptashins. The men in the river chmz or scrambled to the overturned craft. The 'ms stepped. Tho guard In tho forward toils brought their rl(le3 to the shoulder, tut in the first confusion dared nor fire for fur of killing their comrades. Only when tioy snw tlie two prisoners scrambling up I the bank of the river did their rifles re Kf.ind. rer!Mp3 tho excitement cud their sitting position In the boat was not favor zblo to good dhootlng; certain it Is that, In the Eton run made by Ted and Coaley from the shlnglo to the bush, ucirht-r was hit. And when, a fr-.v minutes later, a landing firty followed r.'n;l commenced volley flrlrii; lato tho scrub they were safer from present Tnc-Sv wttufd'.jh'aS'e1 f 6't '' moi-to' secure had ihcy'rl'i-t ^i-'en1 oh' 'itie- south' 'sH'do of fhe HayU.C2burv, buj. Tod hrf-i'a''ptan. Coming alo3g-|ri.'thQ'tfa.ln.(i6'rLadta(l this particu lar' point In his . :mfnrt,'- rememberlns that, duf'.ni* a ' lisblnK exCurslch, he- had once oanirW there.' So pushlliit on through the Unffled undcrgrowl'h he led the way along the' bank, yet somo distance from tho river, till they were stopped Ly one of the nu merous crocks that hero cm-.ity themselves into tho main stream. T.-aI looked about, and presently rcoos nlml certain landmarks. They were only ]U£t in tlm.-;, for ihe romini; darknc33 soon na'lo dU'tnnt objerts undistinguishable. . 'There jheuld he a Blab humpy not far from here,' Mid Tod. 'I think it Is the Summer residence of some Sydney man.' ?Here you are. skipper,' cried Coaley, almost in re-ply, for his eyesight seemed as ke?n us that of n cat. '1 seo a bark roof Jus; underneath us.' I: was, Indcod, the hut Tod remembered low, as he tad before seen R, locked up and1 descried. They climbed In through a window, made n fire on tho hearth, and dried (heir cloches. They -were also lucky In finding a little tea and a billy stowed nay. but of eatables there was no trace. Two stretchers gave them rest. Coaley had a plus cf tobacco, and for once lu his life Ted consented to smoke a pipe. Two hours ross-:0, and they were dry and oa tihelr foot again. C-roping In the dark In a remembered spot, Tod found, aa ho expected, an old boat drawn ,up from the water and roughly. -hidden u:;dcr hushes. The pair of sculls they brought from the Bouse. \ To tboso unacquainted with the country It mlgirt have seemed more natural for tho two men to have tried to walk overland to more settled parta. of the country, and then, by byways, to Sydney. But t'his part of. tho Kawkesbury i= r'f frlghttul niKsedncsa, and. to one unacquainted with its bush paths. lmpMHttble at night. So Tod had foreseen, aaif to remain where they were till th» morning was to invlto capture. ? Thl3- Is why. tho two men hastily hunched tho boat. and with Toil steering and Coaley with the sculls, paddled ilov.n tho- creek. The water waa low, they were quickly aground on a mud bank, and no sooner Rushed off than they -wero fast on another. Here Cc-aley had a lucky ln ? tnlratlon. 'I will polo her down,' ho said; and jraiplng on shore bo secured a long straight sapling' that had mot his eye. After 'Chat they, had no further trouble la reaching tho. river, and at Tod's sugges tion the sapling, instead of being cast aside, was retained la the boat. It was fortu nate. They stole to the north sldo of tho Kawkesbury, seeking -the shallow of tho mangrovo banks, and hoped, with tho aid cf darkness, to ascend tho river and pass tho bridge unobserved. They hud not collated on tho vigilance cf tho en tray. Approaching one Off the vast spans of tho Brooklyn viaduct they were sharply chal lenged by a voice from a boat that shot out from tho uhadow of one of the pler3. 'Vt'i.'o goe3 thcro 1' 'Two fishermen,' cried Tod, with ready Rrtf-Tjiosscsalon. 'Halt 1 I must examine you.' They could see the glisten of an offlcor'B uniform aa tho boat, rowed -with machlnc Mko precision of men-of-war sailors, ap proaohed. They wore In dlro extremity. On ono side tho river -with the apprcaflh lng enemy, on tho other tho bank, not far, It Is true, but a vast slough and morass of tidal mud. Tod's mltfd -was culekly made up. 'Grip the sapling, Coaley, and when I toy- 'now' knock mo over lhO30 soldiers In tho front of tho boat.' 'Righto,' Baltl tho lumper. 'Do you think you could semi some of tbem clean ovcrlioard t' 'Could I eat a tart 1' It Trill be seen that Oho coal lumper's Toparteca wero not very varied. As ho Mid of himself, 'Hard graft -was his dnrt,' asd perhaps, like many other specialism, he paid for his advantages. 'Where are your nets or lines,' raid tho Japanese officer, sarcastically, aa, drawing near, lantern In hand, lie saiwtho uniforms of the- two men in the boat 'Hore they are. Examine them. 'Now,' ' cried Tod, as the boats touched. There -was si Trb'lrl In tho air, a gufldea outcry In foreign toncuo 03 tho sapllds caught, the olllcor and two of hln standing nohllors a resounding thud and sent them wlnh irresistible forco over Into tho river. Yet another lightning stroke, and four sallora on ono sido of tho beat wero so crippled that the oara dropped from their hands. Then dropping his uapllng and poizing t'he soulls. Coaley begnn to pull as though In a race for the World's Chnmplon sihin. Hut they had not cpenpnl yet. Tho boat did not at once follow them, for It wa3'do- layed by picking up tho men overboard; but a few rl(!c shots from tho soldiers In tho stern followed In their wake.- Thcso reporU seomer lo Btart Into sudden life ft steamer at the further end of tho bridge, for it began to churn tho water and come towards them at tho same time, turning nn electric searchlight that swopt the sur face of tho water -wit'h gradual, but piercing, raj-e. 'This is the very devil.' sold Tod, as the light lit up tho boat, 'your sapling will hardly settle the steamer. Coaley ?' 'It's a.' little -big,' said the lumper, with a i/hado of doufbt as the hundred-ton craft ploughed Its way towards them, 'I'm afraid that ere sapling would not s!;i:nl it.' Luckily there -was a narrow opening In tho mangroves, a thin fork of water run ning ui-. They followed It with nil speed till they grounded in tine mud under over hanging branches. There they stopped and rested. They raw tho steamer approach and pass tlit-jnoiith of their hiding place. There was a moment of sus^enso as t5ic light passed over their place cf conceal ment, but apparently tho enemy saw nothing suspicious, for the steamer passoct up the river out of ciEht, and In come hours' time returned and went to its old station by tho bridge. Then t!ho two men canjo from their biding. pu?hod oft tho boat into tho stream, nnd tho tldo having turned, pulled at a rapid paco uu tie river.
CHAPTER XIII.-TODHUNTER FINDS SOMETHING TO DO. Early In the morning of tho following day Miss Macquado was summoned to the tele phono. Sho was surprised by being saluted In a familiar voice. 'la thnt you Glp?' 'Yes, Tod; wherever aro you ?' 'So one afcout?' 'Not a soul but tbo cat.' 'At Pitt Town, near Windsor. I escaped from the Jap3 last night, and mean to lead them a dance. I hear they have occupied Sydney and Parrnmatta ?' 'Don't do anything rash, Tod, for — for ? I am so glad you escaped. Yes; the Japs .?are here, and that horded Sorrensen with ?fhem, iho asks to come and see me to-day. What ehnll I do ?' 'I ibffirght as much. I saw him in the suite of Yamscyam. Ho told me a lot of -high falutlng foolishness. Ho seems off Ms head v.1t!h pride and conceit. No doubt ho has been a useful tool to our enemies; it would bo only right to make uso of him ourselves if we can do so. If you could swallow tho repugnance I know you feel for him, and pump blm dry of Information likely to be useful to us, you might do a Great service. I am forming a plan to save tho country, of which you will hear later, nnd I depend on jt-u and the intelligence you ran uain and forward as tho basis of success.' 'I irill Co my be3t, Totl,' whispered Gipsy. 'First, I have a commission for you. Go to tho desk In my rcqm, and you will find a signed blank cheque. Take it at once to my old school-fellow Koberteon, tho miller, la York-street. Tell him from, me to. quiet- ly boy up every Winchester rifle nnd all the '?m-munitlon for . &xmc to bo procured In Sydney, conceal th flour sacks an flour, and consist to J,.:.T.:' Smith, Coulburn. And, If ho «m do tTio-Eajno In Nowcastlo, it would be TV-:ll. An embargo may bo placed on prlvafo weipons at any tlmo, so he must hurry. Now ro 'at once; whan you have dcrno ring mo up. as Smith, Pitt Town.' In less than- an hour Tod was called to the -lndtrumont. -? 'It is nil rl-jl»l, Tod; the flour goes to right. Robertson expects seven hundred and fifty.' . ' 'Cood girl, Oip ! I am off to Ooulburn at once. I will liberate my country or die In the attempt. Write me. tliern as Smith, with all news to date, especially tho move ments of the Japanese troops. Uso guarded language in oaoo of accident. I have found something Ho do at last, Clip. Cood-'byo !'
CHAPTER XIV.-A VISIT FROM CAPTAIN SORRENSEN. Doubllcs3 the Dane meant to make his visit to the house in Macquarle-s-rcet duly Impressive, for he wa3 mounted on a grey cavalry ior3e,' richly saddled and bridled, and himself decked with gold lace till the color of Ills tunic 'Tras hardly perceptible, and behind him, to add further dignity, rode two orderlies. Tile Captain pulled up ivith a sudden jerk, and, accompanied by a dank-Ing owcrd nnd Jingling spurs, mounted the steps to the doorway. Gipsy, on rising to rneot her guest, was far frcin fccTlns tho unconcern sho as sumed; no', that she was Impressed with the vain show and swagger of tho man, hi3 concoltcd lone of voice, or hl3 evident con fldenco of a warm greeting; but she had .' deep policy to follow, and as yet tho way ?was rot clear to her. 'How do you do, Mls3 Macquado: charm ed and delighted to see you. We meet under very different clrciimaianscs to those you remember. Now, at last. I am la my right ful position. I was -born to rule— there must ho rulers, you know; masters, 03 there must bo servants. Thcro la only waiting the conflnimtloa of. tho Emperor, os to ?v.'hich there Is no doubt, and I take flr3t position In '.his country now about to bo ?added to t'ho Japanese Empire. They are a fine people, a brave people, and appreciate merit.' 'You aro very fortunate. Captain Sorren i;en. I wonder you d'elen to recognise r,uch humble people a3 ourselves. You know, Mamma and : never vi3lt at Government House. — and doufc'.ltS3 you will bo very. ex- clusive 7' 'Of course proper distinctions will bo made. There will bo no open house for tho rag-W; and bob-tall. I will put a stop to thnt, but, believe me. yourself and family will always bo welcome, and more than welcomo,' replied Sorronacn, with a satis fled 'twirl cf his long, fair moustache. 'This Is the moment I have counted on, dear Miss Macquado, all these month.1*.; the moment when, as conqueror of this country, 1 could lay untold wealth and the highest position In the land at your feet, and Invite you to pharo with mo t'lio responsibilities nnd honors of regal power. For, bo assured, I shall be a kins In all but name. Japan lc far away, much, I may say nil tho respon sibility o' government of this vast con tinent -will re3t with mo ? ' tho speaker paused as ho saw tbo look of astonishment on M!s3 Mncquade's faco, and added, 03 though In answer to tho silent Interroga tion, 'Not/ South Wales Is only our first step to a goneril conquest. Our plans are surely made and certain of fulfilment; Vic toria, Queensland, South Australia, and laltar Tasmania and West Australia Will bo ours. And the vast surplus population of Japan, at prcBont cramped for room, will develop ''.ho inarvollous resources of this flno country. And they who object will havo to deal wltii Tno.' In tho hurry and bravado of tho final bonst ho liad 'momentarily forgotten hiB first appeal, and Gipsy was quick to tako advan togo of tho respite. 'But surely, Captain Sorrensen, tho other States will resist 7 They t/111 have bad more tlmo to prepare than' ourselves, and may make a far better defen. e 7' 'All that has been -foreseei considered, and prepared for. This camrraVn has been thoufrht out months, years, ago; And our conquest of tho entlro States Is' arranged to die mlnu-lc3t detail, and tho pi. ns and particulars are gathered togothel In a volurmo called 'The Purple Book:' rr that ail our officers hav« to do li to Mioi;_ the i direction! there laid down, And Australia Is ours. Our Biicocss Is as cortaln as that of a thip at «ca provided with chart and compoas, In competition with Another with out guldo of any kind.' 'And thla wonderful Purple Book,' laid Cllpsy, with apparent doubt, 'havo you atien It 7' 'I havo done more, Miss Mocquado; I hove read much of It. Why, It telln of oil tbo storeB In the State, tho stocks they Keep, tho homes, roads, railways, and even tho charootor of tho leading Inhabitant-).' kiy.'n, ouii-i,-, v-iii/wuii, juu Kit] UAU44bc~ rating. No book in tho world could go so far or 'hold so much as that. You won't to mako out thnt your Japanese, clover ns they may be, aro altogether superhuman.' 'Not a bit of It, not a bit Tho book Is ns I tell you, and printed In German. It Is the couiMncd work of scores of people, and constantly revised and posted up to date. Our wnr authorities h-avo onu for every country they are ever HUoly to light. Thoy had n Purple Book for China, nnd followed K with Unbroken success to the last word.' nut Olpsy was Incredulous, shaking licr head provoklngly. 'Of course 1 must accept your word, Cap tain Sorrensen; tnrt you must admit that your statement borders on romanco.' 'Well,' exclaimed that gontlcnian, Ills vanity piqued beyond discretion, 'I will prove what I say. You shall seo tho book.' 'It la vory oasy to promise, Captalu Eor renson.' 'My word Is passed,' answered tbo Dano, with a big wavo of tho hand, tho word of ?Sorronscn, Governor of Australasia,' and ho drew himself up with theatrical dignity. 'I em-alt your decision, Miss Macquade. 1 offer you my hand, my heart, my for til no. Will you bo my wrfo aild queen 7' There -was no Immediate rcspouse to tho ifpeakcr, an ho advanced tragically holding out Hln hands. Olpsy seemed to be deep In thought. 'Keally; Captain Sorrouaon, 1 am qulto unprepared for this honor. I must have time. 1 must think; besldoo, now Is tho moment of humiliation and distress of near ly nil my friends; remember my brother fouglit against you; It would look 111 for mo to openly Join tho enemy. And, Ihon, I must ask Mnroma, but not now. It Is not to be dhoughl of. I must wait. Oh, yes! .wait,'.1 and s-ho waived him back. 'As you will,' salil Sorrenson, with a look of ruffled dignity, 'I will wait. Your wlsheo aro my commands.' IIo stayed somo HtUo tlmo In tho house talking without restraint of the future operations of the nrmy. Gipsy was careful to noto all tiro fadto, and obtain eicplaua tlon on matters not dear to her. Lot It bo hero started that with regard to 'Tho Purplo Cook,' Captain. Sorrensen's vanity had allowed him to overstep tlio truth. It was a fact that the volunio con talnnd the details ho had stated, but neither ho nor any dther ofllcer, but the immediate '.idvlsem of tha Commandcr-ln-Ohlcf, woro ever allowed to read it. Only 'extracts and lists from Ha pnscs were mado from tlmo to time, and handed over to tho olllcers do tailled to execute certain orders. That nlglit a lcttor was despatched to Mr. Emllh, Coulburn, oontnlnlng nil this Infor mation to tbo lant detail. ? (To bo Continued.) ?

II Cfte Siege of Sydney 1 to THE WAR OF TO-MORROW. CD ' . ' ' . »|A|. . FOR' THE 'REPnREn'-By HENRY FLETCHER. CHAPTER XV-THE BIRTH OF THE ARMY FOR NATIONAL DEFENCE. Captain Todhunter and Lieutenant Conley ?wrlvcil In Goulburn In civilian costume and unannounced. Tho townspeople ol tho Weak ami brccry city wcro In u st.itu of jianlc and hourly expectation of tho ni-- Tioaranci* of the enemy. Durlm; tlio long hours of tholr journey, and tho tlmo r.aasei! slnco thc-ir escape, tho travellers hud been formulnllni; u plan of campaign; nml Tcdliuntcr'H first step on arrival nt Cloulbuni was to call on the Mayor and other !n;id!r.rr citizens, and in vlto them to private conference. Ho there unfoldc.l part of Ma Hcheuio, hopes, and , conclusion-: — .'He.nieuilicr, the colcuy wan taken by surprise. Wei were unpruparcd. To occupy our chief city vas an easy matter irlth the' baelc-door v.ldo open, but the effective) occupation of. tho entire colony la quite, another thing. Our country is In great part wild and rugRcd, and off tho main road3 and rr.ll often dinicult of access. Thousands of bushmen are expert shots, learned by kangaroo and wallaby shooting, anil, on their own ground, pro perly organised ami equipped, 1 have llttln fear but they would slvo a i;ood account of themselves. I propose to arm and drill tttoso men. and for the tlmo make Goul burn my headquarters. Will you tuppcrt me, and opcu a subscription for national defence In this and other towns ? That b what I ask.' There was no immediate response to this Invitation. It seemed a folly to the prac tical business minds for amateur soldiers to slrlvo to effect what trained authority had utterly failed In dolns. 'Besides,' eaid one, 'you have no guns.' '1 will get them. A thousand Winches ters have already arrived.' 'No cannon ?' 'I will make them.' 'No officers ?' ??I will drill -them.' 'You have an answer for everything; but I am afraid you arc too sanguine. And re member that the Japanese have announced that, should any provincial town show re sistance, It will l.o rajcil to the ground. This has to be considered. If Goulburn Is occupied by tho Japs, the worst wo have to {ear is the levy of a few thousands and tho cost of keeping a body of their troops; whllo defiance in a cause without promise — how- ever much it may havo our sympathy — will lead to the total ruin of our interests In tho city. We are sure you aro brave aad capable. Captain Todhunter — we read of your gallant defence nt Hornsby with pride — and In any way we can servo you person ally we shall only bo too glad to meet your wishes; but in this matter It seems to us your enthusiasm overruns your Judgment.' Thus, and in like manner, spoko tho ma jority, and it was resolved that ofTielaJly the town should make no show of ? opposition. Hut after the meeting n minority of those present, who had early ceased to urge their views when they' found the trend ot gene ral opinion, came privately to Todhunter. who was uov.f somcwhut disconsolate, and assured him of their hearty support. Ono rough-looking man, who, from his appear ance, might have been a farm laborer, thrust a cheque for £10,00(1 Into Tod's hands, telling him, at the same time, to ask again when ho wanted more. It seemed ho was a wealthy landholder of those parts, known Generally as Money Mathers. 'I tell you what 11 Is, Captain Todhun- ter,' he said; 'Just Rive the word and I'll have a few hundred chaps I know of mount ed and armed for you In no tlmo.' The word asked for was given, with other necessary directions, and ten minutes later Mathers was at tho telegraph oliice sending off urgent messages by the score, for ho was a .man who knew. the country ami its people from the' Queensland border right down to the Murray, anil tho same day, by night fall, mounted bushmen by the score, many with rifles over their shoulders, began to pour into tho streets of Goulburn. But Mathers was not alone In tho pro paganda; Following his lead, many an dctlvo sympathiser started on horseback, or bicycle to call and muster men In lonely plr.ces. and hurry them to tho common aiecting-placc. And on their arrival not n moment was lost in sending these recruits to the- drill ground. Todhunter hnd un earthed quite a dozen of old army men, and theso, as instructors, he Ttept bard nt work Irom dawn till far into the night. Unannounced by tho I'rcss, the news of the new movement spread far and near with lightning-like rapidity. On tho cecom! day men were announced as on their way from tho adjoining States, with hundreds to follow. Many were men with past training in the Imperial service, and were at once promoted to positions of command and ac tive work. lily of men. The problem was to feed, arm. and train them. For small arms, Todhun- ter had chosen sporting rifles, nn arm to tho use of which man:' of his men wcro accustomed, and, besides, they were prac tically the only kind procurable In num ber with proportionate supply of ammuni tion, and, by telegraphic order, ho had raked the Inter-State towns of all available supplies. For cannon. Tod had cast his eye on a Stack of now iron watcrpipes. Then.1, ?with' tho aid of numerous local blacksmith*, he-rapidly adapted to n rudo form of crd nance. The process was to close ono end and bind tho pipe round with several layers of heated fencing-wire, mount them on axles from which cpring-carta had been dis mounted, and, with carts to follow holding tho ammunition, tho artillery took crude dhapo. 'A local foundry cast him grape Shot ; as . for ' shells and time fuse, they wcro otrt of tho question. Nlsbt and day tho preparations continued, and on tho third nleht Todhunter found himself at tho head of live thousand po tential troops. Ho hnd como to one rapid conclusion: That the speediest way to make eoMlera was to lot them actually light; to give them a baotlsm of fire, not on the parade ground, but before tho enemy. This, he thought,, would be more potent than a month's drill; it mlrht mean casual loss, but tho time to be gained and saved was ererytlilng.'
CHAPTER XVI.-EERRIMA. 'After tho first crcat success there bad fceen a pause in tho Japanese movements. They had tho hnrbor and other forts to occupy, possession to tako of a number of small town3 In tho surrounding country, and their whole position to consolidate. With a view doubtless of gaining, as far BS possible, the goodwill of the people, they had Interfered as little as necessary In public affairs; only a tribute was levied without remorse on all municipalities com ing under their control. So far they. had occupied the country up lo the dividing range without further re sistance. It was an open secret that a great advance, en tho Southern State Mia preparation, no thought of further opposi tion In this Stato being entertained. As for the Victorian troops spoken of that were In transit for Sydney, they, on hearing by wlro of Its surrender, had been ordered to return, and now formed part of on army that was being rapidly mobilised 3n tho neighborhood of Melbourne, it had been thought good policy by the Victorian ?authorities to await the enemy close to their own' baso, if he cams ovorland — a ^matter of doubt— and to keep near their capital in caso any other plan of attack might develop. ' ' ? They wero confident that in tholr coie there would bo no repetition of tho Sydney military fiasco;' further, South' Australia tad joined hands with them, and proposed, In tho words of Us Premier: 'To defend ^Adelaide on Victorian soil.' Cool, military authorities wcro by no tneans sanguine of results. The Japancno, with 30,000 men, armed with tho I latest weapons, drilled to machino-llko precision, end trained in tho Chinese campaign to all tho difficulties of actual war; should bo a Jaard nut to crack for twlco or thrice tholr punjber of hastily levied, Ill-nrmcd men. It is truo tho Japs wore physically small, but this was a doubtful disability In tho uys of magazine rifles and uiachlno guns. To nay tho least, they offerol a flmnllcr mark, whllo equally effectlvo na holders of a rlllo, and the days when tho Eword and bayonolto woro of practical valuo wore Bono. On nil theso matters Todhunter was in formed, and bo know much of tho enemy's movements and Intentions unknown out side their own hcudtiuartern, (or Olpsy, In a dally letter to Mr. Smith, nt Ooulburn, kept him Informed of all tho llttlo details gleaned from tho talk of the lntntuntcil Captain SorreiiBcn. Nor had rhe forgotten to mention tho l'urplo Book, and Todhun- ter had realised at once tho nrcat Import ance attaching to thu volume: 'Oet It by all means,' ho wrote by return; 'get It by nny moann, If necessary, only set It, and forward nt onco by sure couveynnco. It may be of vital importance, aud bt the saving of our country.' From me of Mlsn Mncquadc's letters ho learned that Ihe Japs proposed to move on llerrlma. and occupy it In considerable force, the troops going by three special trains, the tlmo of departure of which was given. An hour after tho receipt of this letter Todhunter left Goulburn Dy the Sydney road at tho head of n thousand of hla ber.t men. All wire mounted on hiirvly bush horses, and armed with Winchesters, and they escorted four of tho cuiiotta water pipe cannon that had been lately mndo. For uniform they had the figure of a red kan raroo sown on their coats; no banners, no music; all orders, when not by word of mouth, being sounded, as ou a man-of-war, by whistle. They looked a motley throng, but hard nnd wiry bushr.icn, every ono of them browned and tanned by exposure, who Enid llttlo nnd wero.canablo oi doing much. And, above nil. theso man had absolute confldonco In their lender. The reputation or 'Cigarette' nnd his gallant stand at. Hornsby had spread as tho one bright epet In tho cloud of disaster. Hhi name had become a rallying cry for young Australia. They scorned to feel Instinctively that here wna a man who would do or die, who might lend to victory but never to dishonor. Some little distance from Berrlma, whore the railway line passes through rough' country, nnd plunges through a steep cut ting, n halt was called. Hy bush tracks they had avoided the township, and In nllcnco and starlight ranged themselves on top of the high bank, placing the rude guns so that they could give a plaguing fire all along tho deep opening. Tho spot and district was well known to several of their number who, nctlni: as guides, prevented all confusion aud mis carriage. Tho absence of moonlight fa vored tholr purpose. There was enough, and Just enough, light for these expert bushmen to find their stations and take their places. So well had l!ho arrival been timed lhat after n few mlnutra' wait they could hear tho rattle of a coming train over a distant oulveit. On it came, its red light gleaming like a great bloodshot eye. A nisi over the embankment, a paoaln-g whistle from the engine. £Ci«3 *was abreast of them, past thorn, then on strictly round tho curve into darkii£3S. , ' 'Now !' rang out Todhunter's voice-, and a hundred men rolled huge logn down tho slopes of the cutting and stocked them on tho rails. In a few minutes there rose an Impassible wooden tarrier, and all was Btill nr-.Jin. A silent watt of half an hour, and nKoln they heard the rattlo of a coming train as It came nant'.ng up the incline into the cut ting. The train slowed. They heard the breaks applied, for, to the surprise of the white engineer and stoker, a red signal light waved on tho lluo ahead, nor had these men tlmo to Jump from tho onglnc and ascertain tho cause, for before the tratn had stopped they felt themselves srccped by firm, but friendly, hands, who whispered: 'Climb the banks for your lives. Wo arc going to stoush the Chows.' 'What Is the mer.nli:g of this stoppage ?' cried Major I.aro, the oluccr commanding tho Japanese troops, as ho stooped to open the carriage doer. Tho answer war, a volley of grape-shot fired at short range that raked t'lie train fore and aft, leaving the carriages a shape less wreck. With strange yells and streams scores ot little brown men came leaping from the carriage doors, but tho Kanjravoos were good shots, aad at that shcrt raugo not a man loft a carriage ox ccpt to find a bullet and a grave. It v.-as a massacre. In less than five minutes 'tho battle, If such it could' be called, was over; In another five t&e dead, divested of their arms and accoutrements, were oast In hundreds In the dltdh by tho rail side, nnd the wounded roughly, tendsd and carried to shelter. ? Again thero waa silence, cavo the faint moaning of tho wounded men In the distant birsh. Again tho sound of an advancing train, coming more slowly than tho others. Heads wore projected from tho window, nnd every face locked forward as though they sought to find sonic explanation in the darkness ahead. .Evidently the scund of the previous firing had travelled far, and caused unensrncEH, for before the train en tert-1 the cutting it stopped, and, troops (ll.tmounting on either side, advanced as it ram-Kl forward at slowest speed. Tho silent watchers up above could hear 'file suddnn and astounded exclamations in a jlbberlng and unknown tongue an tho front rank of tho now arrivals caucht slslit ot the rtutionary train. Now they ad vanced, if possible with greater caution, wondering,, doubtless, at tho stillness an.1 ?the .itacncc of tholr comrade.-,, or any s!nn of them. So In much wonderment and blrd-llke clatter of tonjruo thoy came forward, swinging lamps — came till they stoai right ?by the ditch where their comrades Ho. There was one grea't Shout. It was their last. Wi'Bh a boom, as of ono detonation, tho four cannon enfiladed Uhem, and on« thousand rifles ?ourod down a merciless fire. It may be that dUTlng thla attack some ono or two of tho laggards behind the train escaped. Bo that as it may. What is Kure Is ?'.hat, excepting two score wounded and a bare- dozen of prisoners, who by oomc mira culous means escaped the hall ot lead, the whnie of that train of men were destroyed. Not a moment could be lost to 'tend the dead and dying, or Fhlft 'the wounded lying there In agony, for all could hear tho sound ef a train coming, as It seemed, from Ber rbna. Surely como mad infatuation possessed the commanders of the llttlo brown men tlvat fatal night. Terhaps their so far easy conquest, and tho cqncslt onjendcrcj by un broken success had lulled io eleop' tholr na tural caution. Certain It Is tfmt tho chief officer oh tho first train, hearing on his ar rival at Dorrlma, tho loud roporto of volley firing In hln roar tolcsrnphfld back along tho lluo for lnslruuUonn. Ho was told to return with his men, and, If posalblo, ascav tnln the cause. i Thus, as Toithuntor had hoped and foru socn, tho first train returned to the trap ho had prepared, and, unliko tho last, ciiuo at f;ood speed till pullod tip hy tho danger signal. Again the guard and enclnocrs woro huatied off tho train and the butchery ot hclplebs men \ros repeated. Hy tho light of lanlorns that cutting wnn a vast shambles. Tod felt sick to vomiting, nnd turned away unable to boar the slnht. Hut thorn wero others thero of coarser fibre, nnd ?with wonderful celerity the gains and losses worn examined. Most Important of tholr Bitlnn wero 1150 magazine fillet), with nil nccesenrlc-s, nnj ample storo ot nhimunl'Moii, ind two M.ixlm guns with all accessories. Of tho enemy 7(10 odd wore dead, 200 wounded, nnd 43 prisoners. Reasoning from a well-consldercd policy, Todhunter hud one mnvublo train prepared from tho throe wrecks, ubIii2 tho nenrest siding for tho purpoao, and In ono part placed tho wound e.l an carefully as could bo managed, and In thn other carriages piled up tho dead, stack Ing them into herrings one above tho other, and ordered tho train to proceed to Sydney. But tho rescued railway officials wore In no nay willing :'or tho task, nnd Tod reluctant to force t'hem, when ono of tho prisoner), seeming to understand what was wanted, claimed a fitness for tho task. Eo he and another wore shown tho inauagoment of tho cEglno for extra surety, and staTted on tho Journey. W.h«.t had happened and what tho_ train carried was made known to Gonoral Vamse j-am a few minutes attor its arrival at l'lc Ion, but, with strange want ot judgment, ho allowed it to como straight ou to tho metro polis only ordering ouch medical attendance ?r. wns procurable to ?beard the train at passing atntlons. By some unknown means a rumor of what was coming spread about the city, and crowds of tTio idle and curious lined tho roads to Uedfern Station ; so that, when tho wounded were tr.kcn lwnt ill «m bulMnco after ambulance, nnd, later, the dead followed In wagrons that scemc-d ?without number, thoro arose In the minis of tho spectators a revulsion of feeling- 1 ho invincibility ot the Jnpa dissolved ns an nrticlo of faith. They could bo beaton as others woro beaten, and far away in the busl thoro wero brothers of tholr own who j woro commencing to pay with interest tho j '1o d'AwVlt to see dcKl men nnd j hoar simply of i-he dend-and tho imroo of Cigarette fas whlapwed ns r£o lwulor v ,Jio tol done tWo deed,' and men s ''^ watered with hope— for tho Bight ol t.oaU , rriv brins joy R3 -well as -sorrow— and Uo crowd nodded to each other with inora heart than for many days. '
CHAPTER XV1I-A DISGUSTED GENERAL. Tho news ot the train's arrival camo to General Yamseyam at tho moment when he Jiad called a council of his offloorc. Ilo.was. furious This check was the more cxas pcratlnL- as being uncxpo=tod, and the heavy oss in men and material was without com pensation ot nny kind ; it was a loss cnua to their entire 'casualties. In tho coal let rniini Svdnov and hl3 anger was tho grcafer ai he Vomeinberod that tho loss wa, Swing to carelessness and a want of attcn l vl'?o the elementary rules ot military pre cauUon, on which ho prided himself. ' Nor wbb his anger In any way appeased Uy ths vcce'Dt of a letter addressed to himself brought by this same train. It road: To His Excellency the OencrallnCom lnnnd of the Japaneao Troops in N.S.W. . S1r ^To prevent. .mlsundfrstondlnB, or the supposition tbnt irregular and un civilised warfare lias commenced asalnsl von this Is to Inform 'thoso whom it may concern that the attack on your 'roops was by my order: all wounded' were as carefully treated aa circumstan ces would permit, and all prisoners taken will bo-huimancly dealt with. (Signed) ERNEST TODHUNTER. Commnmlf.r ot tho Now South Wales Army ot Defence. / 'What damned impertinence ? is -this-?' roared tho General. 'Who Is this Todhun- ter and where has he scraped up his so called nrmy that can annihilate a thousand ot my best troops. e-h, Sorrensan ? Answer me that ! You. who profess to know this country so thoroughly I' 'Your Excellency, I know tho man. It was hu you captured at Hornsby. You may remember he woro a white coat, and made a desperate light Uiero. Your men care lessly allowed him to escape from their beat' in tuc Hawkcabury. As for 'The Army of Defence.' Ill at Is something quite now, probably some crowd of lawless neamps ho has got losother, and by cun ning and surprise took our men at greut disadvantage.' 'So that Is the moa !' Bald Uhc General. 'I remember him. I am afraid . It will prove an expensive day's work for us when' we allowed him to slip through our fin Kcrs. The«! people here wero as quiet as sheep In n meadow. Now, unless he Is I crushed at once, ho may make rngins wolves cA them. Quick and suddenly must tho Mow bo answered. There is another mat ter of serious moment that must bo sifted till solved. This ambuscade was evidently prcpr.red; our 'trains wero expected. How v.us illhat ?' 'The General locked at his officers with stern interrogation. They looked at each other, for they all knew that tills informa tion should bo known to themselves alone, nml they were sworn on pain of death to secrocy cm all projoctttl military movo mcii'in. Captain SoiTenaen looked as in nocent and anxious as anyone present; not for a moment did Iio dream t'hat the in formation h'acl como from himself. 'This accident mortifies our plans,' con tinued tho General. , 'It Is no longer pos sible 'to push on without delay to tho Southern capital. These rag-tag must bo wiped out and such an example made of them on will effectually ellence all futuro a-ttompta. Unfortunately, a delay will glvo tho Victorians greater tlmo for prepara tion, and It may even bo nccessnry for us to abandon the overland Journey and first at tack that Siat..- by sea. Let us see what tho Purplo Books says.' The volume waB produced hy a secretary. Evidently it gained Its namo from the color of Its binding, and was pored over and discussed by the aaseirfblcd officers with ab sorbing and animated interest. Apparently they found a formula suited to their case, for, with a r,lgh of relief as though an oraclo had spoken, they rose from the table with the light-hearted Japanese laugh characte ristic of Choir nation. (To bo Continued.)
I Ok Siege of Sydney [| & THE WAR OF TO-MORROW. © . , V PO« THE 'REFEREE '-By HENRY FLETCHER. ? ..??. . n ? — ? , ,^y CHAPTER XVIII.-THE PURPLE ?.! , ..BOOK CHANGES HANDS. -. The noise of the victory nt Borrlma tra velled far, and tho JnpanoBe nuthorltle3, not.' furnishing a truo version of tho conllloli. . reports as mend: loiiii -u their own got abroad, and for thoso who doubted wiu* there not half Sydney to witness tno thousands of dead and wounded Japs carted , ?through tho city. 1 . ?? , Ttus Tod's policy boro fruit. Bat ho j ?llmself was tar from . juDiiating. it was one thing to spring a surpriso on an ovcr conOdont* enemy; quite another to meet him trhon warned and prepared. Sucb a blow as ho had delivered would dorhaud another, and a quick one, In reply. There were those about him v\ho urged an ? lin zncdlcte advance. Men were now- to' bo had in, thousands, but Tod shook his boad. He had no'mlnd to hurl an undisciplined crowd of enthusiasts against a machine. .. : 'No,t' he said, 'drill, drill;' and ho kept ?them at It without mercy night and day. With the guns captured ho was able to arm a thousand of his best men, and, tho Maxim guns niado a notablo addition to his ordin ance. ' . ;. .By hl3 mounted scouts, who v.rero now spread out all over tho country .in''evcry direction, Tod had learned that a small, foody of [if ty. of tho enemy held IMcton, and the night after Berrima light, ho surrounded that township, and with tho loss o£ three of Ills men and teu of. tho garrison,. inado tho rest- prisoners. Todi counted it a matter, of small conifcriuencc— a blooding of his troops — and ho was far fr,om occupying the valloy town himself, promptly evacuating it, hilt thi-, i'ttlo fnnress trilled 'tn hit. renown. gMng hoar* to the 'nej Besides, there had been 1'ttle actual fighting, and the brown men had onlj jlelded after a stub born resistance. In S-dnc- ainisy had not been idle \l his dn'lj visit she had pressed Ciiptaln Sor renson foi a sight of t'10 Ptiiple Book, and he was no less importumto for that answer to hl3 question that w.is neir his heart 'All I have I laj ut jour feet,' bo' re- peated, agiln and ngaln 'Then, vvheio Is jour wonderful Purple Book ' I do not believe thoro la such a thing, and jou tiid }OU would shon it me, nr.d you have not* Not that it matton, only 1 should liito to see It I can rely on jou— - a pool g'll Is so curtly deceived Pel haps the General will not trust you with it Say If ho will not trust jou v 1th It, and I will not ask jou any more ' But Rlpi/' ltncv very acII that to own ho was not held in the very highest esteem hv 'General Yimseyam was the \ery last thing Captain Sorrensen would admit Ills ?uinlcy was touched, and with sudden im pulse of hurt pride, ho answered '?iou sLall'see it in an houi, Mls3 Mac quade I- shall bo in jour hand,, then -ou can judge it I am a man of my worJ ' GipBv smiled at him moro sweetly than evur'before, but it w.is a conditlonill -smile, and wa3 so undustood, for tho captilu loft the house hurriedly ('etormlnod to earn tho thanks he promised himself Now the Pur.)Io Boon Tin kept In tBo private npnrtmont of tho Gonoril at Go ?vernment Hoi'oe, and the room was guarded Tjy a sentry always on duty It wfij a rule that no ono but the Geneial or his chief secretary bhould over touch ? the volume, and only they and Captain Sorron-son had free ontroe Into tho loom It ho had asked for the lour of the book, even for a mo ment, the Captain was certain enough ho should be refused, jot, his judgment cloud ed by his conceit and love, ho hopurt to take the book secretly, and In like manner ro Btoro it, continent tint even It discovered his pro\Ious great cervices -would conaono tho irrogularltj , _. . ..«-., Fortune scemc,d to favor nim that daj On reaching tho General's apartments ho ?found that gontlemaii ? and his ? socrotary both absent Tho sentrv saluted and passe.] !hlm in as Ubual By a second hazard ho liad not hoped for, ho had not even to searph.-for. tho voluirio. It lay open on the General's desk, as though ho. had just been consulting ' it, ? and had probably forgotten to put. if away.- It was ? tho. work of a inoiriont to conceal' ttio vol.umo under, his tunic, a.nd In loss than ten minutes ho was In Mrs M-actjuade's sitting room again, smiling, triumphant, and bringing forth his prl70 with a flourish 'Is, that tho book, Captain Sorrcnson Aro jou su.ro '' 'You may look at it, but only for a mlnuto, not that I would not trust you with my life/but this Is moro-than life— it IB my honor 1I» word Is pabsed no\cr to reveal ?what this volumo contains— — At th/it moment tl-ore was a loud clatter of horsemen in the load outside tho win dow, and a loud lap at tho door below In stinctively the Captain -went to tho window and: looked out. A hod/ of Japr-nesc troops wero draw'n up hetoro'tho houte 'A gentleman wishes to seo Captain Sor rensen Immcdiatelj ' A servant entering tho rooms brought tho message. 'Dent ue a minute,' ctlcd Gipsy, -Rita quick anpieb.ens.Ion, 'and I will go and show IL13 to Mama,' and in a moment, Lefoio SorronEen had tlmo to think, sbo had skipped, laughing, from tho room So, malting a virtue of necessity, ho followed tho' servant to the hall.' bolow; It was Kanghow,- the confidential aido ele-ramp of tho General who impatiently awaited him 'His K\ocllency demands tho Purple Book which you must have just taken -with vou ' The tono used v\a3 such as tho Captain had never bad used to him before 'Certainly,' said Sorrenson, with as sumed calmness 'Tou shall have It in a momfent,' and ho darted upstniis, but not Qulrkei than the aide-de-camp, who fol lowed at his. hech They entered tho slt tlns-ioom It was deserted They rang tho boll After nomo delay tho sonant appeared 'Whero is Miss Macquade '' 'tf 'think sho: is with her mamma.' 'Call her at once, It lb important '' After a delay that made tho two men stamp' and fume impatiently, the maid re turned with tho message that sho could not find her young mlstioss anywhcio, from top to bottom of tho house ' 'Is that tho ease '' cried the officer, sceptically, 'then I must try,' and going to' the balcony of the room' Hi motioned to his men to enter 'below.' : And quickly u sco-e or more of activo little men woro lon cacklug ycry nook and corner of the Mac quade ma.nsi.on.
CHAPTER XIX. -THE FLIGHT. When slid ran so lightly away'from Cap tain Sorreusch, Gipsy did not go to her mother's room, as isho had said; but, taking only time to put on u hat and conceal tho book .under her dress, , oho ;hurrled down a back stairway, meaning to pass through tho yard and out by tho back entrance. Fortunately, olio glanced as sbo passed out of tho landing window, and caught a glimpso of uniformed mon in tho lano nt tho rear. For n moment only sho was i dis concerted, than, with rapid change of plan, rqiraccd her stops, mounting to tho top floor with iv run. . Without a knock sho was in her' brother's room, who was iimokliig after a most substantial lunch, 'Jump up, Bunny ! Quick ! -Help mo to' ollcnAtho trapdoor.' Bunny, helped hor to unbolt and lift the soldoin-uscd door In tho roof. 'Now', eoino alons, and cloao tho door carofiil]y.' ''??'? Even as tho'trap ohut-to they could hear tho measured tread of many men ascending .tho stairs' bolow. 'What'3 up, Clip? What's the game now?' enquired Runny, wondorlngly, as they two crouched 4n tho valloy of a roof surrounded by chljnnbys. 'I've -got a book hero, Bun,' and Gipsy touched her dross,, 'that Tod must havo. I havo-got it from, tho Japs through that etwpid Captain Sorrensen, and I suppose they have found out and aro after it. Look Jn front.' Bunny -raised his head carefully and lopkea'down.' r ,'!W.hy tho street is lull. o£ soldiers !' 'Wok behind.'- . . , 'And they are in tho lano. Wo are nicely caught !' 'Not if tho Eavensos' havo not fastened their' trap.. Don't you roniemibor, Bunny, that once, whoa wo wero children, -wo climbed up hero, and walked along to tho cornor house, and got inside and gavo the people '.such a fright, and Mama gave us a beating ? Now, lot us try again.' They crept along on hands and knees. They had six roofs to pass over in tho ter race, and It seemed harder and longer to them now than when thoy had been chil dren. They found tho door as thoy remem bered it. At first it seemed to bo fastened, but It was only tho fust and stiffness of the hinges. 'Good gracious !' cried a servant, mak ing beds, as they climbed down from the roof to tho floor. 'Murder ! Thieves !' 'Shut up !' cried Bunny sharply. 'Can't you soo it in Miss Macquado ? Wo have, got the Japs after us. Now, bo a good girl and lot us out by tho side door.' Recovering from her fright, the servant recognised tihem as respected neighbors, and with a baker's dozen ot (luestions and apologies, which they did not pau^e to answor, conducted them to a door lending to a. side street. 'What next, Dip ?' enquired Bunny. '.'Wo must get bikes.' 'But our own are in tho house.' 'Wo will 'borrow Alfords1. Thoy will lend them to 1I3.' Their friends tho Altords wore not nt home, but 'Hheir 1)lcyclcs wore, and Oho ser vant did not ivant twice asking to let them take them. In less than a quarter ot an hour tlhey were mounted and speeding to wards Ilodforn „ 'Aro -you.. going to send it by parcel .nofft ?'v cmriiiirnd Jlimnv. 'Are you mad ?' replied his sister, dis dainfully 'If this book is what thoy pre tend, 'iand, tho rush to our house. looks like it, tho J-ips -will do overything to obtain Tecovery. -,Tho ehance.of a parcel going to Gotilburn:;.1ust now would bo very Blim , oven our chance of get'tinc tfoero is not too good ' 'You don't mean to say wo aro going all I1 o -way ?' 'I am ??? 'Then' I suppose I must, but this road racing business was always off my boat. But there,. I daresay wo nhall get some tihliig passablo to cat in tho towns going along ' v '\Yo shall. not stop in tho towns. It will not ho 'safe.' 'Oh;lor !',' and Bunny conjured up pron pects. of stomach crave too grievous to ba borne They Wheeled along through Burwood, Strathfleld, ?Homcbush ?without interrup tion, or cause for fear. Onco or twlco mounted Japs rodo'nost them as though In ..pressed haste, but GIp rightly judged that w;Hh. tho innln roads thronged with tra vollers of. nil kinds thoy woro not likely to he singled out for nncst They enterd Porramatta without Inci dent, and to Bunny's satisfaction were en abled to command a tea' ot ample propor ?tiocfl. i1: GIp bad ftnlsheil while hor brother hadistlll only, fairly commoncod, nnd bid ding ?hlni -wait for her, eho wont out into lihe toivn and made sundry purchases, the nature o-f which for tho tlmo &he kept secret. Itwas doTlc when' they remounted to talco tho Llverpool-rotd They wrre just jjoins undor Ino railwrj lincl&e outside line to\/n ?wlien Gip's quick eye's caught sight ot 1 cordon of troops drawn across Uie roadway, i 'Turn quick, Bnnny,'Eho cried in aloud whisper, 03 srho bore round to a road on the right-hand. 'Halt, there!' cried a voice behind tihem in ovcllont nnKllnh -v ~ — - 'We'd better pull up, don't yoil' think *' said' BUnuy. 'Tho 'bengarB aro running after us, and like as not. they'll pot us, with their guna ' Evon as 'ho spoke a coirplo of rifles went Crack !? crack ! ono after tho other. 'Come on. Bunny !' cried Gip; sprinting owny at :v threo-mlhuto gait. 'It's all very wpll for you,' salt! Bunny, puffing aa-i blowing. 'You'vo no Weight to carry. Hark at Wiat ! They- are. firing again. Thank goodness wo are round' the cornor.' 'I c.i 11 that pretty smart,' continued Bunny; when they wore safo in the: shadow of some trees down a byo street. 'Luoky I saw fr-oso fellows and turned about, or jou would have run straight into them' Thoy nero in tho Parramalta Park No ono appeared to be about Thev looked akmg Uio railway: lino and could .boo noth ing but signal llght.3. Then tlhoy crossed over, carrying their bicycles, and so across fields and vacant allotments till they came to.what Bunny recognised as the Elverpabl rond. 'Here they remounted; arid with their ; lamps uhllfpodallod on 'WlheroaroTvo going to Bloop, Qlp ? You know, too-much of this sort o' 'thing makes a fellow tired ' 'Not to-u1ght, dear boy. liako jour mind easy ' 'Oh, I say 1 But how about supper, you know '' 'That's all settled. I've got somo hero.' Bunny looked at tho parcel alluded to suspiciously. It looked absurdly small, but; with the hope of reaching. LIvorpdol before all. tho stores woro shut iho ploughed on vigorously, 'Wo might, got some of thoso tinned things,' ho explained. 'They aro not too bad at a pinch.' They -welcomed tho lights of Liverpool In the distance with a sigh ot relief.
CHAPTER XX.-THE FLIGHT CONTINUED. ''VVOio soed thero '' Tho' Vdico cumo with slartllng suddon neh's',' as a mounted soldleT- coming from the darkness , pulled up his' horse right across tho road. , 'We arc out for a. holiday spin,' replied GIp, putting her hand on Bunny's mouth to keep. him. .'quiet. 'That , .may, . bo, , but orders havo. boon grven to-daj thit no Ira; oilers are to pass licrc.atler nightfall. You will ploaso fol low mo.' 'Most cortalnlj',' replied. GIp, who'.had eradually edged by tho soldier whilo they woro ' speaking. 'Now, Bunny !' and at thoword sho had mounted- and- dashed forward-up the main streotof Liverpool, Bunny behind 'her, and tho Jap galloping his horso and shouting to following soldiers. Tho now regulation as' to all traffic being stopped at nightfall was in liheir favor. The road was.cleur. After tholr first start, galnoi by eun-rlse,, tho horseman seemed to gain on them, and they could toll by tho Wnid of hoofs that ho was joined by oliers They flow through tho town In a whirl, no ono barring tholr ?way. In a mlnuto they were on tho dark road again wliih its mono tonous order of pout-aml-rall fences. Still, sprint as they would, they could not shako off the noises of tho 'horses that galloped behind with a sharp rattle of Iron shoes on tho metalled road, 'Oh I 1 say, GIp,' groaned Bunny, 'lot us drop it. They arc bound to natch us on the load. - Let's get over tho feuco and clear across tho ptuhlcck. Thon we can lie qulot for a bit or sneak off somo orher -way.' 'Another mile or two,' said Gipsy. 'Thoy must soon get tire-l. Their1 liorsos will not stnud gulloplug very long, and every mluuto takes us nearer to Goullmrn.' Sho did not say 'and to Captain Todhunter.' Even as sho s;ioko thoy could hear somo of tho hoof tramps grow slackor, nnd but two horsemen, by their measured and near ing click, click, click, seemed to be press ing tho Chase. They had come to rising ground and a bend in the road. 'Stop. hero,' cried Gip, dismounting. Tlioy crawled behind a treo stump l-y the road side, Bunny protesting all the tlmo It would bo far bettor to take to tho fields. Gipsy had taken something Hhinlng and bright from her pbckot.'and rested it on tho top of tho stump. Eunny oponcd his mouth and oyes to their fullest oxtent. 'By crlkoy, Crip., you'vo got u rovolver; mind, it's dangerous; it might go oft and shoot you, or somebody. I never heard ot girls with such things.' At that moment two horsemen arrived. and wero galloping «by, when 'crack,' 'crack,' thero wore flvo sharp pot,ty de tonations from tho stump — Gipsy afterwards related that after levelling tho barrel on tho stump at a likely angle, she had waited for tho passing horses, closed her oyes, and fired in darkness. Ono horso tumbled over with such suddenness as to throw his rider over his head yards away. As for tho second soldier, ho turned rein and galloped bnck to his companions without a moment's stoppage ,'By Jove ! I never would havo thought it of j-ou !' was Bunny's wondering saluto to ,hl3 siBtor'n powers. 'How you did pot that fellow ! I oaw you take aim. Now wd had better clear, or thoy will make it hot for us.' 'Go nnd got his gun and ammunition, and nee if he is dead.' 'That's a dashed good idea.' Bunny quickly, found what ho sought, and, much to Gipsy's rellpf, reported that the Jap. only appeared to no stunned by 'his fall; but the horso was dead -us a door nail. ? ' . . A troop ot mounted mon could now bo discerned approaching at a canter In tho bend of the road. . ? 'It's j'our turn, %Bunny,' said GIp. 'Givo them a fow shot3 from tho rifle.' Bimny did not want twlco telling, and, finding tho horse's body a convenient breastwork, ho knelt down behind it and emptied the whole magazine in a sweeping fire on tho onomy. ' . 'I potted two of them, Gip. ? Shall I givo them somo .more ?'? 'No; bring the rlflo and come along at once. They will wasto time now; but we will not.' ? Tho, surmise scorned to prove correct, for no echoing hoofs followed In- tholr wako, as after a flrBt npriht they eased their pace. 'I'm deuced sorry,' said'- Bunny, 'wo could not sto^ In Liverpool. I meant to got a tin or two of those sheep's, tongues that, with a bottle of wino.ahd -a loaf of bread, would keepa fellow in-heart n bit.1; 'Did you sec how I potted throe of Ihbsn chaps' With a rlllc ?'It'was a great idea of mine, that of sneaking the gun. You would havo boon in a pretty fix vvlthoutme.' 'If you are very hungry, Bunny,- 1 'think wo might stop hero a/ little while. 'That looks to bo a watcrhole, anil' I am- sure ' I w int a diink, thero Is some supper here ' When they had drunk of tho water,' and wore comfortably seated ; on a log, Gipsy displayed tho eatables. Two rolls of breaij and one tin of sardines. 'Good Loid, Ulp , do you think I'm a ennary '' 'But I'm not hungrj, Bunnj— roallj and truly I'm not— a ; crust will do did. .-.'Now, jou eat all }ou can, tbcics a good boy' Though he made a wry face, ' Bunny did Hot. want twlco telling. Tho tin of ilsh nnu ono and three-quarter rolls ot bread dls oppoiiod in a twinkling 'Not a bad llUldrsnack, but devilish things, thoso sardines, 'to givo you an ap petite I'll make a note of It and cit some when I foel off-coloi Did jou notico, GIp, how I iiottod four,; or .was, it Jive, of those fellows * Did you count them ' By Jpve, the- seemed to be falling off tholi horses like skittles. : What awful funks they are. I'm game to, meet a hundred of them here At he spoke tho . clatter of hoorf3 was hoami on thu road again; but thl3 time coming ,; from 'the direction' of- Campbell town. 'Now, don't .you think we'd better climb Iho fence, Gip '' said Bunnj, an\ioiiBly 'T-hoM! Liverpool fellows lur\o, no tloubt, telegraphod ahead, of ; us, and ,wo (shall ilnd tho road alive with troops A few hundred I don't mind, but an ontlrc army is too much'' 'Lot's got under 'the bridge, ;wn3 Gipsy's reply, as ;sho crept under tho culvert that carried ' tho road over tho water-hole .where they were camped. They were hardly housed when the. clatter of hoofs over their head, end a few*, niuttorod words in the Japanese language informed thorn that a troop of soldiers' had' passed, them by while, lio doubt,1 searching for them'. They lost ho' tiiubin coming from their hiding place, and taking to: the road again. Soon they saw the llghtsot Campbelltown', but now.at last, on-, the. urgent solicitation of Bunny,:, they took to tho fields, making, -a detour rounj by tho outskirts of bush and paddock A .-lpg_Uari;ed.jii them furjouslj' -ai., they passed near a house This was~tn& only unfriendly. demonstration. thoy mot in that plaeo It was a long, tedious walk wheel ing; tholr machines, and lif tins .them' and themselves over ninny places, but, cuidsd by Bunny's instinct— ta- had fortunately been the road bdfore on ;a. tour, with friends — thoyfinallj' struck the inalu road. Toi the first time during the rldo Gipsy declared horself 'a little tired,' and they wheeled slowly along towards Caraden A late moon had just risen and lit u;- Iho sleeping village. On near approach, Bunny was for taking to the fields ngiln, and circling thus lound tho township, but Glpay owned herself too tired. She could still plod v,earlly along on the bike, but to expect her to climb anothcr'scrles of fences aud-,walk a ;mile:of fields, stumbling over Stumps .and sticks, was moro than sho was equal to So, dismounting from their ma chines, . they sought the shadow ' of . tho nearest houses, and from- under tho' shade, of ' verandahs , looked nil tho main ' street; And as they looked carefully, Gipsy gavo a little cry, raising her hand and pointing out what looked like a lino stretched across tho road. 'Bj Jove '' said Bunny, 'It looks like a rrpe, so they mean to &top us that naj, do thoy '' On approaching nearer, their first view v as conflrracd It was Indeed a ropo, not sti etched over tight, for it vb; sagged In the middle A littlo moie and it would havo ssrved for; skipping 'Don't you think!' whispered Gipsy, 'that vvo could no along slowly, botL to getUcr, rnd lift I1 ovei our heads ' Wo could duck, :ou kaow, and -bon racu avvav There does not seen to be unyono about ' Bunny thought the idea first-rate: :?; Thoy mounted their machines 'in' tho shadow, and at a good pace lode up to the line As they did so they heard nn .exultant shout from tho open door, and a score ot mon run out as though sure of a capture The EOldiers, foi such they could seo the} wore by theii uniforms, had, running at right angles; nearly reached them;' with ?'- lvuda raised to grasp the blcjclcs, iilion, with simultaneous bend, the two lldors lifted ll'c ropo nnd dashed on Thcic was a wall, ns Bunny described it, us ot forty cato on a hoUBo top, followed presently by Iho ping, ping ot mnny rillo shot, sending erratic bullets to tho moon 'By Jove1 that \mb a isplondldi idoa ot mine,' said Bunnv, as thoj ploughed along Hid vou Bee me It nook over two of those chaps as wo went under Iho lope * I gavo ono a regular Larry Foley.Vpntho' point. If he doosn't sec twenty million- stars ' I'm' d Dutchman. I suppose; you haven't got any moro of those sardines, GIp '' Gipsy shook- her head; Only tho oxcltb mont was keeping her going, Bho being ovl dontly no read-record maker, but had a. big heart in her littlo body. Before thorn on tho straight road ahead loomed skyward a vast dark mass. Gipsy asked what- it woe. 'That 1b Ilazorback Mountain,' said Bunny. 'Wo havo got to go over that to got to Elcton. What a lucky thing .thero were no horso soldiers at Camden; thoso fellows did not oven run after us.' As thouch In-answor, they could hear away behind them tho rattio of carrlngo wheels and tho clatter of galloping horses 'You spokq too soon,' said GIp, 'they aro nftcr us again.' (To bo Continued.)

If the Siege, of Sydney |l & THE WAR OF* TO-MORROW. O) - ♦ ?;? » » FOR THE 'REFEREE '-By HENRY FLETCHER. 'CHAPTER XXI.-RAZORBACK. The .two riders hurried ? tholr pace, and Icopt oasliy ahead o£ what thoy, took to bo tholr pursuers, till they camo to tho' flrat rlso In tho mountain road. Thcro they had to dismount and push their machines, and now thoy could understand on what. tho. liopea of tho soldiers in their roar. might 1)0 based: They had doubtioss remembered tho mountains, and tho Impossibility of tho cyclists mnlting rapid progress up tho stoop nscent, and had Impressed all avallnblo ve hicles to take them in chase. Sounds seemed. to confirm this view, for tho travellers were not half-way up the slope, panting and struggling, when thoy heard what sounded like a procession of vehicles pull up and stop at tho mountain base. Evidently hunters and hunted wore now to bo on foot. Thcro were cries they did not understand, und tho tramp and hurry of many feet.' Thcro seemed to bo a swarm' of 'men actually running up tho etcep- roads they had toiled so painfully to pass. It is true tho enemy was probably fresh and rested, while Bunny and Gipsy could scarcely stagger forward. This »ioun.taln was the laBt straw. '. 'Shall we never Rot to the top?' moaned Gipsy, as a fro3h curve in tho road showed Btill other heights to. climb. It seemed not, for they were now at an exposed part of tho road, the moonlight Ehinliig full on them, and a rattlo of bulleta rained round them, flattening against ihu cutting by their side. ' ? 'Shoot, Bunny,' cried Gipsy, gathering £resh courage at tho added dauger. The young man did as ho wa3 told, ?mptylng his magazine- in the diroetion vhcr'o he judged it would bo moat effective. ThiSi, appeared to chock tho ardor of tho chase, but not to stop it. Tho Japs still camo on, gradually overtaking them, but not so rapidly as before. , ? . ,A\ last they came to a stretch of com paratively level road.. It was time, Gipsy ?lectured that if another hill appeared ahead ehe would cast herself r down ono of tho fearsome gullies by tho roadside, for. sur- render she would not. . They mounted their ? ?bikes; tho Japs were now in full view not two 'hundred' yards away, shouting and coin ing on with a. rush.''.'.' 'Now for it !' erica Bunny. . 'I'think wo are ovor-tho ridge. . Mind you koop your feet on tho. pedals,' and: the brake hard down; the road'. down' Is like Oho side of a houso.' .. . /, ':' ?...-.. Ping ! ping ! Tho bullets had been .vhist Ung, round them, ,Dred erratically by tho nldlcrs *ns -.'they ran. So far they had done no hurt,' but a sudden cry from Gipsy made 'iiunpy. look. round. in fear. ... ... . ? 'Oh, Bunny !'? she said, 'one of my tyres Is'- donated; vl can't koop. .up. Something seemed to hit it just now.!.' ; .'Keep at.it, Gip; it's down hill now. It wllktaka you dowA right enpugh.'.. . .'.True ;it; was, and none too soon. Thoy Jiad; crime' to tho down grade. What a ride! 'S.vcn .wlt'h biako and' feet doing their ut most to chock the descent, they seemed to ?ly on: .wings,, and overhead the now harm loss.bullets rattled like splashing hailstones. And , 'thus, like 'silent ulghtblras, in bare mlnutoa oMimo, they liputcd with a swoo{/ dow,n to the valley towniof Pictdn. But this effort,. Gipsy said, .was absolutely her ! last. She was completely knocked up; her niac'hiue-unridablo till repaired. . ?????'- ; So they looked about- for quarters to rest themselves.- ? Tho ? placo seemed ; dead i :and ? deserted; it wiis tho day after its capture '? by.To'd, but thoy did not know of this. Thoy ' turned in at tho gato of a. stone two-storoy ' liouse, determined to -awaken 'the inmates, but' on trying the door they found it open. .?with.tt turuof the handle,, though' tho win ' ' dqwtfyCTc all sHutCefiSd 'aiid:'clBBod;' 'Bu'nil?' lit ,a. lamp on the table, and. explored.' Tho 'house was empty. ' 'W611,1 this -}s a' rum go! Novor mind, GlpT'ther'o are sbino good beds upstairs, and a tip-top round'of corned, beof in tho Sifo. If I can only- tind the pickles we aro right!' ?With that ho pulled in tho machinos, Jbolfed the door, and thoy both mounted to'thoroohV'above, where lions soon busy iwlth'/tho impromptu banquet. .'Not-Uaif bad, dp.' Try . 'a 'little' of this round; '.By'.jbvc, I gave those Japs some thing' to :r'emomber me .by. I. think I must have sotted over a. scoro of them coming up the mountain. Did you see them- tumble .' After taking one dose of Bunny's pills they woro. different men. Byjovo, that'B a good idea, 'Bunny's Pills.! . I'll start a factory and make a pill, warranted to euro at two hundred yards. Ah, Ah !'. At that, moment, there was a sound out side' of approaching footsteps,- not of one, ibuf many persons. From their window, looking out, they could seo a group of sol diers, every moment increasing in number, ?who appeared to be examing tho roadway ?with, a lantern, ? 'They aro tracking us, Gip, and havo found we stopped and turned in here. What shall wo do ?' .' ' . '. '.. ... . 'Fight to the last,' replied .Gipsy, her courage returning after her rest. ''You take the riflo and I tho revolver; ttiero is always hope.' '..'.' ' : No sooner said than done! From the shelter of tho window recess 'they fired a continuous volley at tho crowd before, tlaein. In; a.': moment tho soldiers had disappeared. 1'v -appeared thoy had run away, but it was not sol In a tew mlhu'tes'from the cover of ?waHs; .bushes, and other houses a perfect raiu of bullets shattered- their windows, and they could only aim and lire themselves at .great disadvantage. .'My. ammunition is nearly all gone,' cried Bunny; above the din. 'Mino is quito soue,' Bald Gipsy. 'I hope It has not hurt anybody. What Bhall ?wo do?'. , ? 'Surrender !', cried a Japanese officer as he stepped into tho chamber.
CHAPTER XXII.-THE RESCUE. The cause of tho officer's appearance was j very simple. In surrounding the house the soldiers had found tho back door open, as Bunny, had found the- front, and thcro being no opposition on that side, the ofllcer had quioMy entered, and, unheard In tho noiso of ilrlng, had with his men mounted tho stairs. 'Well, I suppose we must, after nil,' said Btinny, handing his riflo to the officer, who was anxiously. scanning both of them. 'I believe you had a pocket — a book — the proporty of His Excellency, our Comman der-ln-Ohief, I demand its instant produc tion,, or you will bo soarchod, and put to Buch, usage ao I should bo slow to order towards, n lady.' . i Gipsy trembled violently. Was all hor toll and ? strugglo' to cud thus ? Yet there ?was no help. She put her hand to her dress, when — they were all startled by rapid volley ilrlng all .about tho.hpp.se.. A startled soldier rushed in the room, delivering some urgont message, of Which the listeners could only understand tho ono word, 'Kangaroo.' But presently thoro wero voices and sounds they could understand. 'Give it 'urn, Bill !' 'Stouch tho Chows!' 'Rush .the stairs and chuok ?them out tho window !' . - Never' before had the slang of tholr mother, tonguo sounded so sweet to tho prisoners. Before they could fairly realise fho change of conditions tall, lathy men .had entered the room, gathered up the Japs, like so many children, taken tholr arms, and escorted them below. 'Wljo'aro you ?' demanded Bunny of him who teemed tho leader. 'Tin Lieutenant Croft; but tho boys call mo.l'Coaloy'. I'm ;uuder 'Cigarette,' who loads our chaps.' 'And is ho hero ?' enquired Gipsy, an xiously.. : . . 'No;he's gone bnolt to Qoulburn. Wo had aiblt'of a go In this place.yosterday— just n scrum— and ho leaves mo and a few more in a camp on tho mountain. I heard the ilrlng an' hour ago, and I flays to tho blolieu, 'iWe.'must take a hand if there's any fun golngi'-SO we came along, and wo'vo scruff ed a score of them, and laid as many out. My word, how thoy did scoot !' and as the burly slant lifted hi3 long arm hia hearers », » could quite understand' that the little brown I men would bo inclined to keep a respect I Jul 'diBtiiuco from him. or the' Ukcs of him. Coaloy, on learning who they woro, In sisted on their finishing their Interrupted supper in the now wrecked apartmont; also, ho helped' Bunny most wIlllnEly to make tho round of corn beef an Invisible quan tity. And day was just breaking as a sulky was brought to tho door, and with mounted monon'cach-sMo of thorn, and a fast pony In tho shafts, Bunny and Gipsy drove ra pidly to Goulburn.
CHAPTER XXIII.- THE ENEMY ON THE MARCH. The most diligent soarch In tho Mac qirario-street house failed to givo sign or traco of Miss Macquado. In tho sitting room Captain Sorrenaon stormed and raged: 'I have been swindled ! She is a viper ! Sho has taken my love; stolen my honor ! This houso shall burn to the ground ! I will seek her to itho furthest ends of tho earth and Btranglo her — strangle her — Sacro tonnore do toutes les tonnero do Dlcu!' and txo burst into a Hood of French, German, and polyglot Imprecations, of which his wide vocabulary gavo him absolute mastery. 'Dy order of His Excellency I place you under arrest!' It was the aide-de-camp who spoke, and his hand fell on tho Cap tain's shoulder like relentless fate. Tho Caplaln hit his Hi) till it bled as he sur rendered his sword, and in silence followed his conductor to tho presence of General Yamscyam. 'Whcro lo the Purple Book ?' Them flamed tho latent Tartar ferocity in tho General's words and eyes. The Captain staggered as with a blow; yet ho did what he could to retrieve his fatal error, and to tho silent acorn of his listeners ho ro couuted how ho had been fooled and cozened, and how he suspected, now for tho first time, that Miss Macquado was In com munication with Captain Todhunter, her old acquaintance, and would, without doubt, malto straight to his headquarters with hor prize.' This is how it camo about that, by mes sage aud telegram, tho whole country on the routo to Goulburn, was put on tho qul vivo, road an'd rail watched, and tho Gcno ral hoped that even yet that the Idiotic blunder of tho Captain might bo retrieved. But for tho Captain himself, be had no pity 'Take oIT his uniform; it is soiled whilo a traitor wears It. ' Captain Sorrensen had to submit to that and many another degradation. That he was not shot there and then was .perhaps owing to a certain caution that restrained tho General even in his rage. 'Thoro was not such another pilot in his fleet, and ono ?could never tell when his services would bo wanted.' When tho prisoner was taken away to disgrace and confinement, the General turned to his staff: 'Gentlemen, no tlmo is to bo lost. Or der, as has been arranged, tho advance on Ooulburn at once. - To-morrow we will give this young man a lesson. Raw, country louts, Indeed; to think of opposing an army ! Wo will glvo them a little. of Moltko, eh, Ycddo ?' and ho turned with almost a smile to ono of his officers. 'We learned a fow little things in Cermany It will do well for thorn to understand -hero.' From that moment Redfern Station was closed to public traffic. Train after train loaded with troops and munitions of war ?was despatched oil tho Southern line. The same order and method that' had charac terised all tho ? developments of tho caui-' palgn by tho Japancso so far wero now re peated, At lenst six thousand men, with all their baggage and Impedimenta, -were steaming swimy iuwuiu& liiu 11111 uu;..uuu .the ..General! and. staff, as.,.they 'sat^n: .'a, saloon carriage smoking cigarettes; laughed and joked one with the other at tho pros-', pect of to-morrow's picnic. ?.,.?;? Sydney locked on at all this stir and wondered. There wns not much hope, ex cept amongst a fow enthusiasts, that the enemy would suffer any serious check till they camo to meet tho combined forces' of. tho Southern States. 'A bush army,' said ono, '13 a bush rabblo. 'What can they hope to oifect against a military skill that crushed the city defonco force like a cracked ogg ? It Is sheer waste of lite, and will glvo an dx cuso. to theso yellow devils to deal hnrdly with all of us. For mo, it I was young and strong enough to carry a gun, I would go over the border and join tho Victorian boys. There it will bo serious, and, let us hope, victorious, fighting.' Quickly as tho trains sped, there wero messengers who passed them — llttlo birds who, flying overhead, soon left tho creep ing engines far behind. Captain Todhun ter, who thought of everything, had pre viously sent to Sydney several baskets of pigeons belonging to residents of Goulburn, and they wero sent to persona ho could trust. ' .' : Thus It camo about that before the first trains of the Japancso advance had arrived at the mountain, ho know of their coming and the number of their troops. He ordered tho immediate! evacuation of tho city and a retreat in the direction of Braldwood. In two hours Goulburn; that had for a few brief days teemed with men and life and movement, roturnod to more than Its ordinary qulctudo. Tho citizens looked, upon themselves , as deserted, and awaited the coming arrival of tho Invaders with ap prehension. A deputation was sent to Cap tain Todhunter asking him to march for ward and meet the enemy, and savo the city from his wrath. It was pointed out that Goulburn had dono much, both with meu and money, to support the Rod Kangaroos, and now tho lenst they could do in tho hour of danger was to light - for its protection. ?And much moro wns said to tho same effect. Captain Todhunter received them very civilly, but said: 'Thoy must allow him to be the best judge of his own movements and that of his troops. As for their town, ho was very thankful for tho help given. But they could remember now, perhaps with satisfaction, that ho had had no oill clal recognition from them. Thoy were hardly responsible for his dolng3;' and ho advised them, for tho time being, to meet tho Japanese ' authorities In a friendly spirit, and ho thought tho hope reasonable that no 111 would happen to them. '1 think I shall give them enough to worry about without their troubling you,'' ho said, almost gaily. And with this Tejily tho deputation had to bo satisfied. No sooner was Todhunter alono In his hotel than a knbek at tho. door announced fresh visitors. 'If It's another deputation,' ho said to himself, 'I'll run for it. Come in !'' he sang out. ? ? ? Tho door opened, and In stepped Llouten ant Croft, Buuny and Gipsy Macquado. 'Well, this is an unexpected ' pleasure,' cried ~ Todhunter, springing ' to his feet. 'When anil liow did you come ?' 'Oh, Tod !'.' said Gipsy, 'I've brought It, and Without another word she pulled forth tho' precious Purple Book and placed It in his. hands. . ' 'Can a fellow get a bite' to cat hero ?' enquired Bunny, after ho had shaken hands. 'Certainly,' said Cnplain Todhunter, as ho rang t'ho bell. 'Of course, you are all Btarved,' and added, as ho saw- Croft was leaving tho room, 'Stay, Coaloy, and dlno1 with us— unless, of course; you have no ap petite.' , 'Oh ! I can cat a llttlo tart,' said Croft, opening his cavern of a mouth with a com placent grin as he sat down.
CHAPTER XXIV.-THE PURPLE BOOK. Without a momont's delay Captain Tod hunter, laving scon to tho comfort of bis friends, turned to a perusal aud examina tion of tho Purple Book. It was written In German— 't'ho military language of tho Japs, which, fortunately, Tod understood. At the first glanco he judged It to bo type- written, and moro care ful scrutiny showed it to bo a photographic reproduction ou a much smaller scale than Its original. In no other way could a volume of such extenslvo an'd comprehensive in formation have been produced In such small bulk. There was first complete maps of each Stato, With roads, bridges, railways, towns, hamlets, all marked, and, by tho aid of sldo references, tho particulars of ouch placo woro furnished. Every Important houso and person In tho States appeared to bo mentioned, and by a simple Index the particulars easily found. As a first test of its completeness, Todhunter looked up par ticulars of tho hotel he then occupied. Ho found at onco, 'Tho All Nations Hotel, G-oulluirn, owner and manager, M. Casey, £f-00 in bank; owns proporty, brick build Ing of 20 rooms; could billet 50 troops here. Thoro aro flvo 'horses, two Indifferent, threo good hacks ault mounted Infantry.' 'All- that Is very true,' sold Tod, 'and is moro than I know myself. turning lho pages, he camo to threo dif ferent plans worked out to the minutest detail for tho Invasion and occupation ot Australia. Ho turned Instinctively to l.ho most thumbed, and road with astonlsh mentllno by lino tho wholo progress of tho war to dato, all forecasted, evidently months beforehand, with an exactitude that would appear magical to the unscientific mind. Tho blunders 'the New South Wales forces would make, tho trap thoy would fall Into, tho battle of Hornsby Junction, with tho approximate losses to bo expected on each sldo — nearly exact to a man — tho oasy occupation of tho city, tho real Jlnan clal stato of tho treasury — quito different to that assured by tho General in his me morable interview with the Premier— 'tho ucaltii of tho city, even in the banks, and how much could bo safely levied, and how often. And then — and hero Todhunter opened his eyes wider than over — a rising In iho interior was anticipated. The ac count continued : Some one, or moro, mili tary officers aro almost sure to escape cap ture. They will naturally retreat beyond tho dividing range, and either at Balhurst or Goulburu raise levies' of bush troops. Theso men aro not to be despised. Thoy aro hardy, aotivo men, splendid rldors, many of them go'd Shots, and armed with sporting rifles, an., thoroughly acquainted with their very rough country that from its ruggedness and want of water, In cer tain seasons offers grcnt natural difficul ties to a trained military force. Such a rising must be crushed at its Inception; should' it have time to spread it offora the real difficulty to tho conquest of the coun try. As such a rising cannot be exactly predicted ns to time and place, . it is likely to havo one or two temporary successes, gained by surprise over our nocessarlly scattered troops. This loss must be coun ted ou and allowed for.' 'Wonderful;!' said Todhunter, to him self. 'That Is history up to date. What of tho future V' If the leader .of theso Irregular . troops lack judgment, ho will attempt to defend tho town he occupies, and. your task will be cosy; but this Is not to bo counted on. Ho will probably- havo somo talent and energy, In which case ho will seek to draw you into roiisli' country, where his own. men would act with tho greatest advantage. You will follow him, you have no choice, and quickly. Come to, battle as soon as may be, and draw his troops on by a feigned retreat in apparent disorder. Then, when his men' in th6lr ardor havo scattered Yenisei ves In pursuit, you ' will pass tup word for tho real. '.'attack to begin. Your, men will :return to their stations on tho call, whllo to restore order in their ranks will be lmposslblo to the enemy. . You should kill' or make prisoners of 00 per cent., while the others will bo lose heart as to offer you no serious opposi tion for some time.' 'So that is the programme !' said Tod hunter; 'and a very foasiblo ono it looks, too. I would not glvo a fig for tho order in my fellows once they got out of hand. It wants moro than a ? few daye' ' drill for 'that.' . ? ? i Tlhoro wero endless other plans and par ticulars in the 'book. The plans of cam paign for tho capture of the othor States, but without stopping to road further at that time, Todhunter took the volumo to a pho tographer's and liad each page pbotograph ed just as quickly as exposures could be made. Then, with this note, forwarded the volumo by special messenger to the Pro ?mler of Victoria : - 'To tho Premier of Victoria, Melbourne. ','Dear Sir,— Herewith plcaso llnd copy i-,o'fj.tho Purple Book, being the working -^plan of the Japanese army of Invasion; It ; ton's just : como Into my hands. I have . taken photographic copy. I suggest you : do the same, and forwards prints to all . ?'Irilor-Sta.ta authorities. With all duo re ; spect, — Yours, &c, . ; 'TODHUNTER, ; ..'Ofncor In command of tho N.'S.W. Torri ;?!'???':' '? torlal Army of Defence.' . This 'done, Todhunter breathed more freely. .'..??. . 'An army moved and directed by rules Is on a sato basis as long as the rules are applicable,' ho said to lilmself ; ''but break up their programme, Taise unexpoctod emer gencies, tlhcn ' system goes for naught, and :worso than naught, for their rules havo given them no initiative. No wonder thoy valued this Purplo Book. How they must curse this Sorrensen, and -What an ass, a doubly distilled ass, the fool must havo been ! But thoro, 1 don't know. Gip can ibe very canny, when sho pleasea. What, might she not do wife mo If sho tried ? On tho wholo I will give Sorronsen the ?honpflt of.tho doubt. He is a man. There was a womanv Sho tempted him. It is au old story, and will doubtless ho new again itlll the' end of. all things.' Another reflection occurred to Todhunter. ? 'In view of the fact -tkat tho Japanese Commander knew that by the loss of the ?Purplo Book his own plan and scheme of operations was known, «ihat would be Ms likely course of procedure ? Would ho for mulate now tactics and a new system, or. still stick to the old plan, though 'the net nvas spread in siglh't of the bird' V' Todhunter iucllnod to tho latter view. Ti'.o planner of tho campaign was in all probability somo exceptional person. The ?work, lho result of long study, the whole army planned to fit 'tho scheme, and it was in tho 'highest degree doubtful that they, wore prepared to abandon it at a moment's notice. Then, again, what decided adyan tago had ho gained by tho information, uso ful a3 it might bo to tho other States, ex 'cept tho somewhat stale news that raw,' undisciplined troops should not bo allowed to get out of (hand ? . ? ? 'They would march out and attack him.' So much the better ; he expected it. 'Thoy ?would try and luro him from cover by a feigned retreat.' Nothing moro 'probablo ; .tho trick was groy-headed. Still that Purplo Book was strangely client as to the conduct to bo followed in the event of tho ruso not succeeding. It ?was taken as. a matter of course It would succeed. And looking at the matter calmly, had ho not been specially warned, probably it would. Even now, when ho should tell, 'his men what, the enemy hoped and expect ed they would do, and Uhnt tholr lives and victory depended on their restraint and tho 'strict and prompt 'obeying ot orders, -ho was not too sure of them. In the excitement of, .conflict untrained men lose their heads ; they aro no longor responsible beings: He :hnd seen it at Horhshy; and there was, no :patent to prevent thlsi Ho almost, dor 'spaired. ' . . ?'???''? . ... ... '-'.. Suddonly ho tad an Inspiration. ' : , , : 'By Jove, it will do !' he:snld to.him solf, as ho thought It out. 'I wlllsorvo them with somo of thoir own sauce, the Identical mixture.' Wo 'Will Beo how they digest it.' '?'??? ' ? ' ? ' (To bo Continued.) . .;.','.
-|Qe Siege of Sydney v9 THE WAR OF TO-MORROW. — -«-*. ? FOR THE '? REFEREE '-By HENRY FLETCHER. CHAPTER 25.-MISS MACQUADE . DECLINES ADVICE. Soon after toor arrlvnl Miss Macquado hnd, my unromantlcolly, gono to bed. She twakenod to flnd Captain Todhunter wait US In Uio next room to speak to her. 'Well. Tod.' sho oald. 'what's tho mat ter ?' It was her way to speak to him In t rather patronising tone. I tfiipic you nau Detter go away irom lore, blp, for tho present. A large force of Japs will arrive In leas than nri hour ami occupy tho town. It you are rocogulsod by »ny of them they might not use you well. You havo served them a nasty trick. I havo got o buggy waiting that will drlvo you to a township 30 miles away, where, for a time at least, you will bo safe.' 'And whoro aro you .?oli:g, Tod, and Bunny ? Can't I come, too ?' ..'No : .that will not do on any terms. We aro going Into rough country, and expect fcord work. Yon would not like to inipcdous; besides, you iavo done your share, and much more than you- share. In ihelptag tho defence. Now, like a good sirl, do as I wish you.' 'Fiddlesticks .' I'm not going to run away — not when I havo nothing to run with —that Is, I will stop hero. I'm not afraid at Hao Japs ; besides, I. will keep out of the ?ray, and I'm sure they do not know me. And you will bo back again In no time. You trill beat them easily. Why, you have Bunny H-lth you.' and 3he laughed a ner vous, rattling laueh. 'Ha3 he told you how nvany Japs ho killed on tho road ?? I sni sure they can havo no army left. And 1 v.'as so stupid, 1 did not count tlaeni or even see them fall, so that we only have Bunny's word for it. 1'oor Buuay .'' 'Now bo persuaded, Glp, for I must 'bo going.' . ' ,- ' ? 'No ; don't you bother. I'll keep as quiet' as a mouse.' ' ' ,\ 'Always resolute. Ah, Glp, I'm afraid lil nil! conic ol It. Good-bye, and better luel: than I fear.' ., ? ? ... They shook hands. In a very mattcrof up for privato consumption. Captain Todhunter had hardly ridden out c[ one end of tho town before a troop of imuincd Japs entered at Uao other. They advanced with a certain' caution, H3 though expecting a possible ambush, but no awl molested them; not a Kefl Kangaroo was to be ecc:i. Very quickly ether of the enemy's trcops bs-gan to pour Into tho town, and later, the trains began to arrlvo and dis chargo their freight like Mvcs swarming. It had been suggested to Todhunter by Innumerable persons 'who thought they know Just how a campaign ousht to bo con ducted, that It v.ouM be well to blow up tho bridges ami tear u-- tie rai)3 of t!ho rail way. He had sbaken his head, for ho had thought tho matter over and come to the conclusion that pin-p-idts that only irri tated could serve no useful purpose, and tho eventual loss would fall on bis own country. True, a destruction of tho lico to tho dividing range might havo delayed rtlic advance of the enemy- by a couple of days, rout ho failed to see how by that he would gain much advantage. Two days extra drill to bis hastily gat/bored men ?would not count for much where, as a mat ter of fact, months wero necessary ; and men were coming in to him now do fast that'ho found the dlfusulty of feeding them almost beyond control. He had had that day to send a troop of now arrivals to a distant part of tho country, \tfaere they t.xju1-1 bo no earthly use, simply to get rid o! them. AIeo ho saw that for 'the moment his men were enthusiastic, full of ardor and. 50, and such a temper It wa3 well to itake advantage of. lie was aware that un-' disciplined troops are a crowd that 03 they come, so they may go In a day's passage. Let some cause of discontent arise, a con tingency only loo probable— poor food, tho pride of-ncw-fledged officers, or tho hard ships of bad weather1 — and the heroes one day prepared to shed their last drop of blooxl in defence of their country, would the next retreat before bad beef or tho Ill judged words of superior officers. Thus Todhunter welcomed the advance of 'the enemy. Lot them come, and quickly. He (had thought out his scheme of defence, and was as ready as he could hope to be, and in the event of defeat, and oven his own death, he had arranged for the conflict to be continued. Another stand on tho plan he had prepared should be mado . at Wagga ; a third at 'Wodonsa, just over the Murray. An arm;' may be defeated, though con tinually victorious, by the moro losses' of victory, and the further It marches tho smaller it becomes, for It must guard Ha communication. As a cornstalk, Tod hunter felt It a matter of pride that his own people should, in tho language of Coaler, 'deal it out to the invaders.' He was jealous of the thought of how tho Southern Slates would crow if with them rested the lionor of turning back the tide, and perhaps ?with this waa joined a little persona! sore r.ess, for though his army of defence had been several days in tho fleld, and his movements must bo well known In tho ether capitals, not a word of encouragement or offer of help had reached him otD.cia.lly from those places. Private individuals had ottered both their services and their means, but as far ns the neighboring Governments v.'cro concerned, he :ni£ht havo been an outlaw, the head of a bushranging gang, for all 'they said or appeared to care. But Todhunter puf. away all thoughts of reflection as he galloped forward to join the *' » 1 u ivii.1; v* 1.10 I111.U, jiv IUU11U lliLUl Elii* Honed as he had directed. ? Ab ho moved forward, and was recognised the hills seemed alive wltih men ; overy tree of bulk seemed to bring forth its man as In Eorao districts It hold3 It opossum. And they save a big cheer'for Captain 'Cigar- ette,' as he nodded and rode on.
CHAPTER XXVI.-THE NEW WAITRESS. Lott to herself. In a very short space MiS3 Maequado began to g« restless. If she had =.t the timc.serioU3ly meant her promise to Tod to keep In quiet and concealment, sho spcodily wearied of the role of.roclu3e, and l«d out on her hat, and waa out In tho street watching with feminine excitement, the arrival of the foreign troops. Every boiiBa was entered, as by preconcerted plan in order and without confusion. It waa usoless for tho householder to protest the emptiness of his larder. They knew these people, and mado It understood that cortaln IfltTlOnS Til USt be ff»T*thr*nTnIn o* nf *\?\t*n And with no exception that Gip3y could hear of they obtained them. Tho ofilcors were billeted at tho hotels, and it was with a certain joy that Gipsy noticed that tho staff, a group of officers distinguished by excess of gold lace, enter ed her own stopping place, The All Nations Hotel. She entered by a oldo way In time to hoar a meal ordered by one of tho officers. She also noted that the officers when chatting together frequently used tho German lan guage, It gavo her an idco. Amongst her many fad3 had been a ono tlmo study of this gutteral tongue, and ♦hough,1 as with most of her fada, she had ?wearied .beforo obtaining proficiency, yet sho could moke out pretty readily tho senso of Bpokon words. Dpubtlcss theso Japs had learned the lansuago during their military course in Germany, and would talk freely, confident of not being understood by out Eldors. If aho could only get closo to thorn, sot to hear them, there might bo Informa tion of value to Tod to be picked up. Her active brain turned over possibilities, and she ended by Interviewing Mrs. Casey. . 'Who will servo at the omcers' table?' , 'Tho girls to bo sure.' ; ''Will you allow me to tako tho placo of one?'' ' ? 'Good Lord ! What for, and In that dress ?' 'I; have my own reason, Mrs. Casey. It's for. the good of 'Tho Cause,' and you can lend mo one of the girl's prints and an aproq. There's a good noul. I understand waiting. You shall have no cause to resret "Well, I never ! If you like waiting on the little monkeys, you're welcome, and as for waiting properly or improperly, it's all the same as far as I can see. It's precious little of their money will come our way." Without more ado, Gipsy was arrayed In dress, cap, and apron, and in a few minutes was actively attending to the wants of General Yamseyam and his brother of- ficers. Also, she contrived to be continually present in the room and hear without break what was said. 'What fools !' said one young officer, to abandon this line of country without n ohot. Why I noticed ns wo camo along In tho train iubro than ono impregnable position.' I 'Yea, with nrtlllory,' said another; 'but, remember, they aro destitute of that.' J 'Well, anyway, they could hnvo destroyed ? tbo lino and Impeded our advance. A child would havo thought of that.' 'Just so. A child would have dono It. That makes mo doubt that this Captain Todhunter Is far from being a child. With nn excellent road nil the way, to have blocked Uio lino would bavo meant only tho delay of a few hour3.' 'Depend on It, it was . sheer stupidity. Theso people aro not military. They havo never had to light. It is the Chincco caiiipalgn over again. Too easy lo bo honorable.' 'Wo shall sec; but the Purplo Book took quite a different view— It said our troubles would begin onco we left tho Eeaboard.' 'That is true,' uald a third, Joining In tho conversation. 'This fowl is tho toughest job I have met thU sldo of tho line.' They wero all happy and In good spirits, looking forward to the coming conflict as good sport long delayed. 'A pretty waitress that, Klto.' 'Too tall and too bleached for my fancy. And no style. Look how they do thblr hair; one would have to kiss her with -a ladder.' 'Sour srapos, old boy. You oco all her smiles are for mo.' They did not dream that Glp3y under stood .13 she domurcly served thorn, yet hor cars wero all attention. General Yamseyam; from tho head of tho table, was speaking authoritatively. ' 1 'When wo havo crashed thcoo rebels, I shall abandon this Interior after a demon stration in advance. Tho plan for our overland attack being In possession of tho enemy has lost its value. While protending to go on with it, and drawing tho Victorian troops to the border, wo will enter by their own back way — thy sea. You can prepare tho plan or plans for ouch a campaign and I will lcok them over.' 'But we cannot hope to enter Hobson's Bay without serious delay,' objected an oQlcer addressed. 'It Is well fortlflcd.'. 'Bah !' said the General, Vthero la sure to bo another way that these fools havo left unprotected. Call :Sorrcnsen.' To Gipsy's dismay, her old lover, now In civilian uniform, was ushered in. He was evidently wanted for consultation ns to the sea approaches to tho Victorian capital, and sho had no time nor opportunity to leave the room before his entry. Sorrensen looked humble, almost cring ing, as ho came forward, when suddenly his fawning smile was changed to astonishment and a cry of rage. 'It Is she — tfco traitoress ! Seize her !' And ho dashed forward to whero Gipsy was standing. 'What's the matter ?' cried the General, and several of tlhe officers sprang to their feet and grasped Sorrensen, Chinking him demented. 'Lot mo go ! Let mo go ! It Is Miss Maequado, I tell you— sh-i who stole the Purple Book.' .; In a moment all understood. ;.._' '''. 'Closo all dooro !' cried tho General; but ho was too late. Gipsy bad taken advan tage of tho moment's re3plto to disappear. 'Let her be caught and brought back !' Bald tho General. 'Sho 13 a dangerous woman, and we owe her some alt''!' ?. Gipsy ctnyed not on the order of her go ing, ilew downstairs, out of tho house, along the pavement with, as sho saw, a pack of little Japs in full cry. She passed a house with an open door and a Passage right through. With rapid prc3enco of mind sho entered, closing tho door with a slam, then down tho passage out at tho back door, across tho garden, over a fence sho knew not how. Sho heard ront3 and tears as tho spiked pallng3 caught her dres3, down a cart-way into another street, then off again. Even as she turned she caught a glimpse of nimble Japs vaulting tho fence behind her. It was evident they wore overtaking, and must soon catch her. She gave a wall of despair, and wa3 near fall ing to the ground. Another minute and tho enemy would bo up with her. It was al the corner of tho block, Just down the cross Etreet, she tiara- a bicycle, where doubtless some gentleman caller had left It, leaning against a bouse fence while he went Inside. It v.'as tho work of mo ments for her to wheel It along nnd jump In the saddle, Badly Incommoded by her skirts, and tho unaccustomed machine But to that cho gave no present thought, sprint lug away at her best pace, having almost to stand on the pedals to reach them, sho dashed on, and forward along the road ehc knew not whero. 'She has escaped cs again !' cried thei Ccnoral, when the result of tho chase whs reported to him. 'This woman must be a witch, and our evil genius. Why did you not shoot her 1' 'We had no orders; no guns, your Excel lency. Wo made Guro of catching her, and left our rifles, so that we mlsht run the quicker, and but for her reaching a bicycle, on which sho flew away from us, wo had her safe.' 'Tt Is always these buts,' said tho Gene ral, grinding hb teeth, 'that decide cvon:s. There should bo no buts. For the future let no officer come to me with a 'but' who values his head.'
CHAPTER XXVII. -THE BATTLE OF DEVIL'S HOLE. ' ' The Japancso troop3 moved out of Goul burn '.n parallel bodies and a front .extend ing over a quarter of a mile. On all Bides mounted vedettes wore thrown out In hourly touch with the main column. It was liko a paTadc of mechanical . figures, bo regular and orderly waa the combined movement. Many of tho Goulburn peoplo turned out to see tho departure, and unsympathetic aa they naturally were to ihe little brown strangers, many an exclamation of surprise escaped their lips when they contrasted their movements and equipment with tho crude display of soldiering of the late do parted Kangaroos. ' About four thousand of the Jnps joined the march, whilo two thousand woro left In the town, apparently to protect tho tem porary base of operations. For three miles progress was uneventful, the country open, and the route followed a high road; then there was a branch off by a bush track, tho country becamo rugged and undulating, tho various divisions of tho troop3 maintaining their respective- dis tances with difficulty and delay. Mounted acouta closed in, reporting tho Australians to be present on neighboring ridges. Tho General rode forward to reconnoitre. Ho causht a gllmpao of a few scattered mounted buahmen half a mllo «way, who saluted him and his suite with a few harm leaa shots. 'I thought these men woro (such groat marksmen?' said tho General, laughing. 'Dive them a few pills, Klto; It may lm ry-vo their shooting.' At tho word the quick-firing eunu wero In position, and half a dozen shells thrown and exploded whero tho croups of hush men had stood. It seemed to be enough, for, as though by magic, not one was to bo seen. 'Forward !' cried tho General, 'I thought that was a musls that would make them dance.' The army bad not advanced half a mile boforo a duplicato of tho first report was brought In, only this time the bushmon were gathered la greater number/ and were continually firing. No casualties wero ro portod, thouch many of tho vedottos had been .within caoy ranEO. This gavo honrt to tho wholo army. 'Evi- dently,' In tbo words of tho commander, 'tho Australians woro only a mob of shop keepers on horaoback.' And tho fear waa thoy would not 1)0 brought to sorlous battlo. Houra passed with no serious result. Tho enemy always rotroatcd In apparent disorder at tho least diiow of offen slvo movomont. Yet thoy constantly ln crensed In numbers. From a few Bcoro at first many hundreds now lied beforo tho raoro alowly-movlng Jnpnne30 troops. 'Will thev never Eton ?' said tho Gene ral. 'Aro they sheep ? Why thoy aban don position nftor position offering every natural advantngo for defence; even thoy ought to know that. But bah ! thoso nma tour soldiers ono does not know what to ex pect of them.' Tho army had marched twenty miles from Goulburn. It wna tluio to camp nnd glvo tho men a rest. The outposts reported wa ter ami a creek ahead, and tho front clear of tho oncmy, who wero last seen rushing awny pell-mell down tho creek referred to. It was decided to advance and camp thoro. Tho track lay over a stoep, rocky ridge, bo roush and Impassable that tho troops had of necessity to fall In ono long lino, and while tho outposts reported with every confidence that no enemy waa near. It seemed probable that In many eases they had simply kept tho track and spared them boIvcs tho pains of scaling v/hal looked In surmountable precipices. Tho army, with tho General riding in tho centre, camo to a rugged and narrow pass boforo descending into tho valley, and his Excolloncy, Yam seyam, took occasion to point out to his younger officers tho creat strategic valuo of the position. 'Why, with a slnslo regiment I would v.ndertako to hold It for days against an army. It is a natural fortress, and they allow us to pass without a shot. Dolts !' The last of tho long serpentine column had hardly left tho pass when a shrill whistle sounded from tho bush abovo their heads. Thero was tho crash ot a mighty fall and tho scrunching of many brauchea. 'What's thnt?' cried His Excellency. 'A largo treo baa fallen from the roclts across tho road behind us,' replied an orderly who had ridden up. 'As ho spoke a second nnd a third crash followed, and a heap of timber as high as a wall 'blocked tho road to their rear. 'Tell tho sappers to clear mo that,' cried tho General; 'and call a general halt. No doubt '.he foola expected to kill, ua with, their faggots, and badly timed their work.' A Eocond whistle rose loud nnd shrill, with a shriek like the first blast of a storm. There was a momentary stillness, as thougb some all-controlling powei1 had hushed even tho heart-heats of that vast horde of men. Instinctively cye3 wero raised to the scene about them. On either hand the grey-clad range rose steep and precipitous, tho track no moro than the bottom of a huge slit in tho mountains. On theso rocky slopes timber and underscrub {.ained a hold whero no soil seemed to bo, and mantled tho barren prospect with sombre laurel green. The strip of sky look ed, so hich above, they Beomed to be down, down, down, at tho bottom of some deep well. Not a breath of air was stirring, not an enemy was to bo Been. Yet thoro waa something ominous, me nacing in the Gloom and shadow of the placo; in its very quietude resembling that awful sause of silence that come3 before tho hurricane. Boom I Doom ! Boom ! Crack ! Crack ! Crack ! A roar of ex ploding thuds accompanied to the sharp snap-snap ot the machine gun, ond the hailing wlz of bullets that appeared to spit frcm every tree and rock In that vast Inferno. At first it seemed a lightning flash 'that Dwept like a flame up and across the slopes, followed with equal suddenness by a vast curtain of smoko that veiled and mantled all, and hung like a canopy in the gorge. Man could not see hia fellow, or friend, or foe. Only to his ears camo tho shrieks and. groans of men in agony, their ?wails reachlns even above the din of guns and tho rattling snap of rifle shots. The Rod Kangaroos from their conceal ment, and knowing tho rango and direction, continued an uninterrupted Jirc in oucuhlj; creating below them under that fog of smoke a veritable shambles. -Thoro was no cover for the Uttlo men, horamed In on both sides; every yard thoy stood 'on marked out by preconceived ar rangement, as though for target shooting. They, fell In swarms and heaps like corn beforo the reaper. It W03 not war, but butchery. No enemy they could see to attack; their retreat cut oft, and their very numbers and th&lr dead hindering a quick advance. 'Sound the charee,' cried tho General, with Impassive Ilrmncs3. At once the clarion notes rose clear and shrill along tho line; the track was clear o£ all but tho artillery and baggage waggons; the men, with the activity of monkeys, swarming up the 'heights on both sides of them. It was gallantly done. Not a man flinch ed, but rather to scramble with ardor over a dead comrado before him, and to acalo sheer CIIH3 with bird-like celerity. TIM fire poured down continuously, ir.agazlno rifies and ?Winchesters sending forth an endless stream of load. Had all the Bushmen that day been cool, considerate marksmen, not a Jap hid lived to tell ot the slaughter and murderous hell work. But the excltemont of the moment was too much for many there. Thousands of bullets woro wasted on the empty air, and not by bad shots only. Men tlhero were ?who could hit a bull's-eye a't eight hundred yards -who could not hit a Jap at ten Hands and arms wero trembling with ex citement, and quite uncontrollable by tho will. Fortunately the rude cannon nnd machine gun had been previously sighted and leaded, and their aim was sure. But with nil their gallant efforts, in only one place, and that the least steep, did the Japanere effect a capture ol tho heights. Here the defenders, having foolishly ilred away all their ammunition, dlEOboycd or ders by rcmainlnG to bo bayoneted by the swarming Japs. Tho position onco gained, an effort was made to drag the unharnessed artillery to tlie position, but found Impos sible, and every moment tho ranks were thinned by the. merciless Maxims and tho accurate fire ot some of tho bu3h mark=mon. Tho General, seeing half his staff fall about him, ordered the retreat. Tho road ihnv camo was Impassable, so all that waa loft ot Ifce army Bwarmc-d up tho captured ridge, and by devious ways and over mojt rugged country, regained tho track. But they woro not unmolested. The bii3h scem od alive with men, who handled their guua In very different fashion lo a little while ago, and who, while declining closo contact, made that Journey ono long hall ot bullets and tfhelr path a lluo of dead or stricken men. And thoy were allowed no rest. Tired and weary as they were thoy wero harassed from ridge to ridgo, and when at last tho moro open country promised them a re spite, an ominous boom In their rear brought fresh troublo to their souls, and an exploding shell dropping In their midst toW them wltfo decisive emphasis that at least ono of their o-wn guns was belnc used against them, and used, too, with remark able accuracy. It was a fact. Without losing a moment, Todhunter had caused ono of tho captured BUC3 to be forcibly dragged toy hundreds of 'willing hands and by the aid of axes, ropo3, and handspikes, over tho barrier of trees. He had 'harncoscd up the horses, and put ting his solitary expert artilleryman in charge, sent him In pursuit. And well he did his work. Tho defence less Japs, bound to keep together on tho track, offered from ovcry ridge crossed in their retreat a aplendld mark for tine gun ners, and the quick-firing gun waa one of tho best of Its kind, with the new lyddite shells In amp!? supply. Tho old artillery ofllccr patted tho sun affectionately nnd ran ubout his task with Joy, rubbing bis hand3 with satisfac tion us from timo to tlmo they galloped past the ghastly heap of slain hla work had made. Only the coming night seemed to ir.ltlsato against tho entire annihilation of iwhat was left of tho JapancBO forces by that one gun. As It waa, an hour after nightfall upv/ards of four hundred weary, footsore men dragged themselves wearily and ashamed Into tho Goulburn camp. Captain Todhunter Sad left tbo manage ment of the chase to tho direction of Lleiif. Croft, ond had himself remained on tho scene of victory to examine and uUIIeo tho spolU. Six qtrlek-Ering guas. Two Maxima. And over three thousand stand of maga zino rifles, with ample ammunition ; bc sidefl an extensive bagsago train. There were ono thousand dead, fifteen hundred wounded, and fivo (hundred pri soners. This was a rough counting of tho enemy's Ios3cs In 'Tho Devil's Hole.' Todhunter had three young doctors amongst his volunteers. These, with tho aid cf somo tiushraon with coinage to face the tank, commenced -tlho surgical treat ment of tho wounded. Rude shelters woro constniclcd, nnd, fortunately, tho stores and amTiulance appliances loft by tho ouomy were ample. That night Todhunter had hla army re arranged, and largely re-armed. Tho guns and caissons were drawn from Uio valley and re-horsed, and by daylight tho whole body were on. tho road to Goulbura. (To be ?Continued.)
[?] fo THE WAR OF TO-MORROW. C \' FOR THE 'REFEREE '-By HENRY FLETCHER. CHAPTER XXVIII.-THE BATTLE OF GOULBURN. Captain Todhunter had pulled up on the road to look witlt Irrepressible horror trt u proup of deail and dismembered aoldloru. tho sad fruit oj one of tho two well directed tihclln, when hu was nrouued from rulloctlou liy tho sudden npiicarnnco of three horso lDcn from a side truck. 'Colonel Bambrldgc, la that you ?' 'At last, Todhunter ! I have been trying \O bUL HI JO11 IUI IIVII tlll-a, .LIU^ LUU Ulll.'ill/ Mocked me. As it Is we havo been bushed nil nlsht, only making for tho direction ot yesterday's firing. I thought you would bo nt work. My two friends, Captain Crosby and Lieutenant Moore, both of tho artil lery.' 'Happy to malic your acquaintance, gon tlcmcn. Aro you volunteers ?' 'With your permission,' nnd they sa luted. 'Then kindly rldo ahead. You will find six guns. Kindly take charge of them. You hail bettor change your horsoa and sot homo refreshment from tho canteen a3 wo go along.' Again the ofllccr3 saluted nnd cantered forward along tho long lino of dusty horse men, aa little like soldlora In outward show cs any they had seen, 'How is this 7' said Bambrldgc. 'You have got Run3 ?' \ 'Six quick-urlng and four Maxims. Took them yesterday.' 'The^doyll you did! And what cloo may I ask ?' '/Made nwny with about thrco thousand of them .with a loss on our sido of thirty-two Ulllcd. iU-.tl forty wounded.' 'Dravo, Todhunter ! .And with mon llko that-f-raw Bushccs .' Why you're a ccnluu of tho first wator !' 'I am very glad you've come. Dambrldae. Of course, you will take command now. You know I never liked the Job; It's In your line.' Tho eight of those poor devils just uow.-makes mo feel sick oven yet.' , 'Tut, man 1 Cold meat — a bit of cold meat — no more. As for my taking com mand,- that la foolishness. Whether you llko Ifor not; you have cot a natural talent I can, make no pretence to. I want to help you.Vput mo in the way.' ''Well, go along the line and call for fifty miners or quarrymen. Take an ammuni tion' cart-with you and blow mo up one or two bridges on tho Coulburn and Sydney line.' You will Had us again on tho heights outsiao tho town. You havo twelve miles to go, say two more to return to us. I al low, you three hours.' Tho Colonel saluted 'ami departed without word or comment, confident that UU pupil knQW what ho was about. A little while before thn column reached the brow of the high hills round Goulburn a dull thud from the direction of Dcrrlma told them the Colonel wa3 at work. A blrd's-cyo view showed tho city lying hohcath their feet on a wide, level plain, and it was easy to discern In an open spaco outside, the town that the Japs had formed and were fortifying a camp. 'Moore and Crosby,' ' said Todhunter, rlilns'up £0 those officers, 'drop mo a few shells Into that camp, and keep on dropping them till furthor orders, and spread your nuns. Get somoof'the chaps to show you the tracks. If you could extend them over a mile It' would be bolter.' .The order was executed, and the six guns from six different points rained Bhot and shell on tho encampment of tho enemy and their hasty earthworks. Two guns from tho camp Ineffectually re plied.. All day this unequal duel con tinued, till first or.e and then tho other of the. Japanese guns stilled, apparently si lenced or destroyed. All thoso hours tho Bush army was not Inactive. Four thousand men, armed with the guns ofthe ene:ny,'woro going through ah elementary drill with tho bayonet. Every man ot experience was enrolled as instructor. Towards evening, thore waa a move for wiird'ahd downward of the entire line, and presently the Maxims camo into play on the. enemy's camp. For thirty minutes therflro was incessant and withering. The whistle-sounded,- and two thousand scatter ed men made a simultaneous rush across the' plain. But from what looked to be a. tomb, rifles now sounded; and thero was the rlpplns splutter of a Maxim. The men had a quarter of a mile to go without cover. ' They were, dropping on all sides. They seemed to waver, to hesitate. \'A few shells, Mooro, If you please.' 'Croft, show the way to. thoso bloke3.' ?y/lth.a. cheer and n whocp Coaley was down tho slope, two thousand men behind him, all following his example In making wild;'- unearthly yells. 'That is not war,' Bambrldgc said half aloud to himself. 'No,: but it, wins all tho same,' said Tod hunter; who had overheard him. 'Sco how all our chaps ruch on, and, by Jove '. sea how some of tho;Japn aro clearing out ! — Drop mo a tow sholls , on them, Moore. — And tho boys have carried tho position. Hear them shout now ! I wns half afraid to 1 trust them, Bambrldse, but I had to break them in for more serious work. A littlo blcod lotting seems absolutely neees Bary.'.1 - 'It was true. Tho shambles— It could hardly, bo called a camp now— had been captured; the very first victory In the open of Australians, on Australian coll against an enemy. Tho Battle of Devll'o. Hole had been moro-destnictlvo aud far more damaging to tho enemy, but that was largely 'gained by ruse, by tho cover*of rock and the favoring naturo of tho ground; At Goulburn thorc was no such help. Australian boys had charged In the open against machine guns and ; magazine, rifles, and got home, ' nud they were proud of it, Bhoutlns till they ?wpro hoarse; even some of tho wounded In tho' run .across got up on their arms and waved a hat or gave a feeble cheer. The victory had been paid for— ovor two hundred 'of .the Kangaroos were killed or wounded.. In. that short run. '.It.jjv'as, found . oh enquiry that General Yarosoyam, with five hundred men, had de parted for Sydney early that raornlns. and that but- tor the bombardmont and attack tho. balance of .the Japjneso troops wuuld havo. quickly followed. As It was, Tod's mon, had accounted In dead, wounded, nnd prisoner!) for llvo. thousand live hundred of the enemy In two days, and by telegram It ?WO3 reported that tho Japanese had retired from all 'towns west-of Parramatta.
CHAPTER XXIX-VICTORIA ',.,, .. CONGRATULATES. On hla re-entry to tho town of Coulburn, Cant.. Todhunter was inundated with tele Criims of congratulations from ell parts of Australia. Tho news of tho battle of Devil's Ilole'bnd'flaibcd far and quickly, nnd had everywhere stirred latent patriotism to rush to tho nearest telegraph ofllcc and give vent to Its emotion. OlTorn of help were Innu merable, and of tho meat complex kinds, many smelling of tho skilful advertiser n leaguo olf. And there wcro crania with patent appliances, warranted to destroy the qnemy in shoals at a nominal expense, nnd nmateur strategists who could tell Just how future operation!! ought to bo conducted, and. one cheerful optimist who counselled tho Commander to drlvo the enemy into tho- sea. 'To strike while the Iron v/as hot, and drown all tho Japa,' which ratlaer mixetl metaphor was a fair Illustration of the coherence of tho whole batch of com munications. Ilatlier late in the day, as 'Todhunter thought, tlhcrc Arrived congratulations from the Jnter-Stato Premiers, and last of all from tho Victorian Premier. It ran:— 'To Captain Todhunter, Goulburn. .'Many 'thanks for book. Have dono H3 advlsod. Congratulate you on your splen did victory. All Australia rejoices. Shall I send /troops or assistance of any kind ? All freely at your disposal. 'THE PREMIER, Victoria.'1 Todhunter despatched this answer : ?To the Premier, Victoria, Melbourne. 'Thanks for wire. No pre:ent assl3tnnce ' T.-nnted.— T.' -, There w.isi a II (.tin bravado in thl.i Jr.es li£i-. No one more than himself nppro ?Uutcd the value that a few thousand trained or partially-trained men would bo to him at thnt moment, nnd, particularly, ho wanted olllccrsrwlth some knowledge of tholr busi ness ; imt ho felt tih.it recognition of him self hndbecu tardy, also hu was ambitious that his own Stuto should have all tho glory of victory as they had suffered all the etlgma of defeat. Yet ono stop ho ' felt forced to take. Uy wire ho 'had ndvortlse meiila Inserted in rlio leading lnter-Stato papers, inviting experienced army officers to Join his headquarters, and no quick was I.I10 response thnt thcncoforUi ho bml no difficulty In finding capablo subordinate. Tho number of ollkers who hud served In tlho Imperial Army or other troops resident in Australia wau hardly credible, ami far exceeded anticipations. Many, It Is true, ?wcro. past the heyday of youth, but none the leas invaluable. ' The whole plan of campaign now assumed a new aspect. 'Todhunter learned' by pigeon .message from, his Sydnoy correspondent that tho Jnpaneao had formed a sorlO3 of fortified camps from Botany to tho Parra matta RIvor, and were rapidly ontrencCiitiB them nnd moving heavy guns Into position taken from the Meat. Ho understood nt once that his bushmen, ns' bushmou,- would bo of no serrico to , him on tiio treeless 'wastes- of Duck Creek. Thoy must be trained soldiers, nnd tlmt :is speedily ns possible. Thus while tola mon woro clamor ing to bo led on to fresh vlotorle3 they found themselves tied to Incessant and wearisome dally drills. Any Insubordina tion was mot by Instant dismissal and dc-' prlvntion of uniform nnd arms, but for every man :so leaving there woro hundreds 1o Dll hlsj)lacp, for headquarters wcro now besieged by eager t'irong3 of mon and youths all eager to light under a Com mander who seemed to gunr.iutcc success. Ono of Todhunter's first ilutios on taking up his cuarters at tho All Nations Hotel ?was to enquire for Miss Mncquado, whose face ho had expected to welcome him. Then ?ho learned. from tho landlady of that 'young lady's escapade and disappearance. How she had Insisted en waiting on the Japanese ofllccr3 at table, 'how. she appeared to.havu given them cause for offence, for she ruzan! downstairs and out of tho hotel with a pack of soldiers after her, more particularly a tall, fair man— not a 'Japanese — who raved as he ran, and appeared to bo mad. The soldiers had returned . alone, grum bling. The young lady appeared to have escaped from tlhcnv and she had not since tioon rnnn: ? At nnnn 'Pmlhi!Tit#»|. /-n,t«sn-1 #*,,_ quirlcs to he made all over tho town, and though hopeful that no harm had happened ho had tho gloomiest forebodings. And what part had Bunny taken in the moving ovent3 of the last few days ? Ho had not. been In the front in tho thick of tho fray— though ho had fired a gun with the rest at Devil's Hole. Ho bad' at first —much to his disgust— been appointed by Todhunter as chief of thc.corr.nilosarlnt de partment of tho Kangaroo Army. Tod pro fessed to havo discovered In him strong latent qualifications for tho post, and pri vately pointed out . to. him tho vital re sponsibility and importance of the position, saying : 'An army moves on its belly, and t!ho mother of victory is a full pot.' ' Bunny surprised himself -u well .13 others. Ho seemed to scent provisions of all kinds afar oft, and had a fashion of routing out concealed stores and paying for them In long--Jated cheques at strictly mar ket ratra wonderful to see. And even the bush toldlors, whose appetites wore not modest, were fain to confess that the tors providore had a very jjoovl Mea of wCsai a Vblokn' wanted in the way of tucker. It was Bunny's idea to always have a mob of cattle in the rear of tie army when it travelled, and by rome magic mcan3. though beasts wore continually slaughtered, tholr number never grow I033. There was always beef and damper to be had or Bunny would know tho reason why, and there were other ertrns-riot strictly in the blll-of fare. 'Nor a cock crowed or a goose cackled. In Goul httrn or for miles round when tho army had been In camp for a week. And when owncra camo to complain Bunny hail his answer. 'What ! Will you not eacrlSco a paltry goc^o for tho sake ot your country ?' Put in that light, thoy mo3tly would ; If ollhcrwiso. It was nil tho s.'.mo. Bunny would never. W-Y for poultry, or, for that matter, anything else ho could wriggle out of. It was a matter of pride with him to keep tho modest finances of thn army in a state of solvency, and ho hatl always 'the cat!3o of our beloved country' to throw at any hngglcr. Ho was pronounced on nil bands to bo a Great success, except by hi.; unlucky victims, ami Bunny, who, so rar In life, had never gained much praise for his talents, came to glory in his work, and show a marvellous organising power and aptitude. Todhunter had Judged his man rightly. ,
CHAPTER XXX.-CAPTURED AGAIN. Gipsy, on her bicycle, flow away, and for a time dared not even loo!: back; but when In the open country, hearing no' following sounds behind, sho gave a glance about. The road both ways wna deserted, and on either hand naught but rlug-fcarkcd paddocks with rail fences. Sho slowed her pace, trying to think mat ters out. Evidently her pursuers had Riven lip tho chase. Wns it safe to return to Goulburn nay by making a circuit 7 Sho thought not. She was now known by sight to too many Jap3., and, besides, her singular appearance, a waitress in cap and apron astride ti man's bicycle, made her desirous of avoiding observation of all kinds. Sho had not the faintest Idea where tlio road she was on led to; never theless, she resolved to proceed. She had gone, perhaps, about a mile when, she enme to a bark-roofed house by the road-side. Tho door .wns open, but no one visible. Gipsy Jumped pit her bike, left.lt at tho door, and entered. uora a muBsy : you did give mo a turn. I thought It was them' Japs, for sure,' aald a hard-featured woman, looking' up froaitho camp oven' sho was tending by, the fire, 'and who may you bo.-Mloa ?' 'fit's this way,' .said Glp3y, taking a sc.it on a stool, 'just. now I. was. serving In. tho All Nations' Hotel; perhaps you know that ?' 'Oh ; yes; I know Casey's pub.' 'And some, of -those Jnpa insulted mo, xso I ran away, nnd thoy chased and nearly caught me, '.only Just then I saw a blcyclo outside a house, and 1 Jumped dc and got away fr'oiu thorn.' ' ' ' 'I-ord a mussy I Think o1 that, now ! The Inrpiiflent varmints, to lie chasln' young wpmon over the country. And you so qulet laoklns. an', rill! bo bound, wouldn't bo tald'jR up.ivlththe likes 0' them on no ac counts' ? 'indeed, I would not,' Bald Gipsy, very heartily. 'More! prnlso.; to you, me (lading; 'nnd what will you bo ; after doing now ?' ''Pliot'e Just what I don't know; It's not safe for mo to no back.' 'Well, bide here, and welcome, Honey, till my, old man comes home; no's tho one that known about tMngc.' Arid so for tho time the matter wna set tled, and it waa further agreed that when Bob, tho boy; camobnek with tho cows, he should jro back n!th the blcyclo to' the house from which Gipsy had' taken It: This last arrangement was a fatal. mis- take, aa what followed showed. V.'hen Bob, as directed, returned tho blcrclo to tho house from which it had l»oen taken. It chanced that somo of the Japanese soldiers, who n littlo beforo had chased what looked like tho self-same ma-' chine, rodo by. Tho curiosity of ono of thefe was aroused, and, leaving his com rades, ho followed tho lad on his return. at a discreet distance Apparently ho was satisfied, for a little after isundown tho door nt n»« HTrk.Twifpil hniisn wns loildlv mn ped; 'C'otrio In,' snld tho landlady, nnd imme diately »ho repeated her words the open door showed a group of Japancso noldlers. 'Bad luclc to ye yellow devils, and what aro you after ?' At thn first glance of tho new arrival)! G(psy had darted Inin tho. back room, ran down an entry, aud opened a back door. Sho gavo ono spring forward, nnd arrlvod safo and sound In th'j arms of a crlnnlng sol dier. Sho was fairly trapped. Tim word wnR P!i33Od, and licforo h!io hail fairly realised htT Hew position she wan mounted on horseback, n croup of Eoldlera about her, and nil riding rapidly towards Ooulburn. It was now nlghi-tlmo, Imv.y, thn ntars shlnliiK from behind banks of clouds. For sovoral hourn Olpsy bud heard a continuous Bound of distant firing, which hud only stopped with t!to (lnrkfics.i. Sho under stood that a bnttlo must have takon place, and, concerned as she was at her own cap ture, was yet nnxlous enough to question tho man by her side: 'What has happen ed ? I his there been a battle to-day ?' 'You must keep silent, ' answered tho soldier, In excellent EiifillRh; 'Ills KxcrJ lency has jrono to give these bii3h pooplo a little lesson;' that Is all.' They were still somu distance from Ooul burn when thoy passed another group of horsemen a littlo way on their right, In a bush track. 'Hullo,, 'chaps, wlio aro you 7' sang out a volco through tho scrub. 'Say n word, nud you aro dead,' whis pered a soldlor noxt to Gipsy, grasping hor (Irmly, and putting 'tho cold barrel of a re volver to her' face. Thon, speaking lu loud tones, ho answered tho challenge. 'Kangaroos ! Good night hlokes 1' The accont'waa excellent ; evidently tho phraso had been overheard and studied. 'So long,' was the satisfied response nnd without:.. pauso both croups were ?had nowgot n hotter vlow, for Gipsy could hear an exclamation of surprlso : 'By cripes ! Them's Japs, I'll swear. Look at tho slzo of 'em, and tho way they rldo.' Thoso about hor spurred tho horso3, nnd Gipsy' found herself galloping forward 'lit- racing speed, followed at a littlo dlstauco by a littlo crowd of bush horsemen. Stooping quickly In tho saddle, for tlio grasp of tho uoldler had now relaxed, Gipsy gave ono loud cry : 'Help !'? Another moment nnd .hor faco was covered and inufilcd in a cape. Sholn followed' them, wild and inoffoctlvo. The pursuers woro rapidly gaining. A minute moro and Gipsy would havo been dead or rescuod, when tlio sound of other ?horacs advancing suddenly changed the situation. Her conductors slowed their horses, removed tho covering that smothor od hor, and Gipsy saw sho was close to the town, with a troop of soldiers npprondilng. As for tho Kangaroos, with a dual. discharge of rifles they had cantered In retreat. Two hours Inter Gipsy was conducted back to O.e All Nations Hotel, and Into the 'presence of his Excellency Yamseyam. Tho largo dining-room wna not so crowded with olHecrs as it had been that morning, and the fow surrounding their General wero for the most pnrt dust-stnlncd in appearance, and dejected in aspect. Two or threo car ried their arms In slings or had -bandages about their heads. The General alono as sumed a calm but less confident bearing. 'Woll, mndarao, have you anything to urge against your execution as a spy forth with 7' 'Indeed, I am no such thing,' replied Gipsy, with ready nssuranco. 'I demand to know why 1 am treated llko this, and hunted about the country llko a wild ani mal.' 'You stole ono ot our documents, n voiumor 01 importance, uio 1'urple Book, it Is no use denying It ; wo havo proof.' 'Oh .' thnt wa3 It,' said Gipsy, with woll feifjned surprise. 'That stupid book I did not read. Why Captain Sorrcnsen lent it to me.' 'Yes, but you ran away with It.' 'Tho idea ! What should I want It for?' 'Then what did you do with It, and why did you go away ?' 'I hid fho hook biweuso I thought it, ?Doins found, would get my friend Captain Sorrcnsen into trouble, and I ran away be cause tho soldiers seemed to bu after mo, and I have heard dreadful dories about thorn. Aud thoy chased me all tho way to Plcton, never saying a word about the bothering eld hook. If I had known thoro wns to bo all this fuss about it I would 7!ever have asked to sec it, only Captain Son-onsen Bald It was so wonderful. If It is, I never had tlmo to look at it.' 'And where do you pay it Is, then 7' \ 'In my. room, at homei Jtf the house-in Macquarie-stroet.' 'Well, wo shall cce. We are going to Sydney now, and you shall go T.-ith ua.',' Only a fow hours later, and Gipsy found 'herself in a carriage that 'had pulled up sharply before Wio parental homo in Mac quarlo-strcot. KIto, with nttoudant'soldlers, was her escort. Ho bad been her close com panion all tlio way from Goulburn, and Gipsy Had not failed to u'so all her most seductive artn to sain his good opinion. IJoiv tnr slw had succeeded she could not toll; -the Japanese wero so uniformly polite and gracious. Ho was first to spring to the pavement nnd otter his hand; h'o also rang the bell at the door. When sbo saw who had arrlvod, tho maid gave b little cry: 'Oh, MI33, whero have you been 7 Your mamma has boon In such n way.' 'It is all right, Mary; wo are going up stairs, thoRo'ccntlomcn and I.' As sho said this, Clpsy bustled along as though vsry. eager to conduct her com panions upstairs, and It seemed quite ac cidental when the hat-rack in the liall, a shaky piece of furniture, capsized with a loud smash. While tho attention of all wns drawn, and Mary1, cried out In dismay, Gipsy had ra pidly whispered to flier, as E'heput a paper In hor hand: 'Give to Momma at once,', «ind continued, aloud: 'Oh, that does not mnMor, Mary; it was always a shaky old th'.ug. I will show you tho way, gentle men.' t Straight across her room oho wont with ccnmicnL upr»urani.-u, nnu,1 puuing asiue ins window-curtain, removed a short length of skirting-board, shov/lng n smatl recess In the wall. 'It. was llko a cupboard. But as s.'io knelt down Rlio gave a cry of dismay. -'Why, it is gone ! Who could have taken it :?? lira.' Macquadn now came forward, sur prised, but smlllt)£. 'O, Gip., my dear, What Is It ? : Whcro have you been 7' 'Mamma, toll me quick: Did you find a book here 7, And what have you done with it 7' 'Yes; I found an old purple-covered book there, and I sent It. with. a change of clothes to you at Goulburn. -Why, child, you had only what you stood' up in, and I thought you wanted tho book; you told mo about it several tlme3, and, to tell the truth, I was glad to gat rid of It. I thought it must 'havo been for that the soldiers turned t'ha house upside do\7n.' Kltn looked at the - speakers suspiciously out of his almond-shaped eyes. 'And bow was this parcel addressed, Madam* 7' 'To Miss Macquadi*, care of R. Smith, Hlgh-strctit, Goulhurn.' 'I will cause enquiries to be .made at once; the matter Is serious.' Then the officer, having sent messages by t,wo attendants, tho party moved to the sitting-room. They had r.ot finished Uho lunch that awaited. Uiem when' tho atten dant returned. HIb words were In Japanese, but Klto translated: ';Ie tv.ys Ihnt botli the Railway and Postal dcpiirtmcnts hnvo had numerous parccl3 and goods. In Uielr hands for Mr. Smith, ot Goulburn, during the last '.weak; but all, eo far ns they know, aro on their way, or delivered. The report Beera.i to favor your statement, ladles; nevertheless; as the book l.i nofyet found, my orders are to keep you under. formal arrest till other wise ordered.' ' ' ' Thus It came. about that, for a time at least, Kilo remained n resident of the. Mac- quado' mansion, 'expeonng 'hourly to hear by telephone or telegraph hows of the misslnc packaKC. But great events wora tnklni; place that day, and anxieties greater oven' than that for the recovory of the Piirplo Book were troubling' liho mind of General Yamseyam. Telegram after telocram came from Goul hurn with most depressing news. (To bu Continued.)
J,||; jga-e S^iege of ^Sy-aney & THE WAR OF TO-MORROW. C) - '. . FOK THE V REFEREE '-By HENRY FLETCHER. CHAPTER XXXI—THE MARCH ^y ; ..', ON SYDNEY. ,? A busy wook passed at Goulhurn hc.id Huartore before the general advance on tho capital. Tho dolay had Its disadvantages; . itiRavo tlmo to tho Japanese to {ircparo a formldnblo defence, to raise In the open country west o£ Sydney a scries of redoubts that, slnco the days of Plevna and tho ad vent of mnchino guns, liavo boon regarded ?with dread by all military students) For, fully manned and guarded, they are practi cally Impregnable to -?very attack, save, that of famine. ?- Todtrunter had considered this possibility, but had seen no means to avoid It; to have htfrrlcd his mon as they wished, hot from, fhoir late success, after the enemy, might have succeeded. At a heavy cost In men iho might have (stormed tho temporary de ?paped, but. conditions did not warrant it, and- it was not tho part of a commander, Tod told himself, to merely hope. for vic tory.- 'Ho should prepare for and assure it- - ' . . ' ,.:After tho Gonlburn defeat all direct communication tvIUi Sydney tad. ceased. Up to this tlmo l tho Invaders ? had Interfered as little as possible with trade and transport; now they had a barrier for ovory: road and Jlno of rail leading from Sydney, Of course, it -was, to a large extent, In cftactlvo. It was calculated tliat altogether, Boldiors and sailors included, there wero not moro' .Ucan 20,000 Japanese effectives, a number, far too small to garrison all tho cutlets of Sydney, and, at the samo time, man -the ships, forts, and .the camps of de fence. Thousands of mon left the city. Nearly all the 'local troops that had' been disarmed arid liberated after tho battle of ITornsby did eo, and proceeded by night and secret ways to Todhunter's new headquarters nt ?Parranmtta. This gnvo an invaluable stiffening to tho troops. And each 'hour of tho day and night saw trains of munitions and volunteers arrive from the otuer States. It was now a scramblo from all sidea 'to bo in at the death.' Inter-State commanders of troops sudden ly found themselves commanders In name only, thcilr men taking French leave, and their. rifles' and accoutrements disappeared as if ,by enchantment. It would be safe to say 'that in less than a week- there wero moro uniformed Vic torians, South Australians, and Queens landers camped on the elopes of Baulkham Hills then remained In their respective colo nies. Over 40,000. armed Australians, tho pick of our manhood, and full of ardor, awaited with impatience tho word, 'For- ivard.' At tho utmost, tho enemy could not -well bring more Chan ?half that number into a light, »ud they seemed to realise their weakness, and to purposely avoid all petty skirmishes likely, at best, to lx- Ineffective, and 'to reservo their wholo strength for sonio great and final effort. On Colonel Bambrldge devolved the pre liminary field oporation3, marking tho lines of 'their' own entrenchments, and making as near approach, by shelter trenches, to the onemy as circumstances would allow. ''Well, what do you think of it, Bam 'brldgq ?.' said Todhunter, after the two had ridden round and mado careful Inspection of the tnsk ueforo them, 'What do you think of it ?' 'I think it a very tough job, Indeed. To bombard them with lighter guns than their own would bo largely ineffective, and a wasto of ammunition. To try a direct as sault is 'to lnvito tho wholesale butchery of our m«n, for even at night tlmo they have Berircli-lig'hts sweeping ;tho% country, round ea*£h' camp.' ?' ' ? - -.-??-: '''--'. ?' V™ 'Then what do you propose 1' 'That we attack their line of communi cation, got between them and Sydney, and touildKonerjor-.'moro redouibts, as. they have done; in that caso tho burden of charging I'n-Hhd open-will fall on them. In any event, such an attempt must bring about a general ougagement under conditions not unfavorable to us. Get between the Jap and his ship, and ho must como out and flglit.' 'Those are much my own Ideas,' said Todhunter. 'You have confirmed them. Lot the matter bo studied out and pro parod, and to-night wo will go over the details.' That evening Todhunter and Bambrldgo were deep In their plan, poring intently over a map of tho County of Cumberland^ when an orderly entered the room to say a'lrtdy— a'Mlss Wacquade— wished to seo tho commanding officer. 'Show her in at once,' said Todhunter, rising, and going to the door. It was GIpBy-Urproper- person, and she entcrod the room in tho most mattor-of-fuct manner. 'Good day, Tod; how do-you do ? Good flay, Colonel Bambridge; a nice cool even ing,. is.it. not ? How to Buany 1' turninc to Todhunter. 'First-rato, Glp; but where have you been all this timo ? I could get no tldlng3 of you !T ? ''I was caught In Goulburn by the Japs i and taken by them to Sydney, and I have been closely watched ever since. I dared not write or send to you, but I managed to oludo tho men who guard our house and slipped over to North Shore. Thero a friend lent mo a blko, and showed mo what they call 'the back wny' to Parramatta, and horo I am. T might, perhaps, have como beforo; but I was waiting to learn something that might bo useful to you. And you remember, Tod, how you all laughed'nt me for study ins German. I think it has come in use ful after all. Nearly all these Japaneso officers speak it and never seemed to imagine. I understood them. They aro. ex pecting you will mako an attack on their line of communication— — ' 'They aro !' intorjected Colonel .Bom bridge.- . ,' . .... ; 'Yes; -they, think a frontal attack would be too good to bo true, and only this morn ing I overheard, accidentally, that they moan to attack your position at Granrillo themselves to-morrow night after sunset. They hopo to find you quite unprepared and take the ^position with a rush. Now, Tod, is that news worth bringing ?' ?'Gip, you're a brick; give us your hand on It. ;\Vhat do you~s'ay, Colonel ?' ''A' brick !' said the Colonel, with ad miration. 'Miss Macqundo Is moro than a long tprraco uf houses, with a Hoffmann kiln thrown In— If she will excuse tho com parison.'
CHAPTER XXXII.-THE BATTLE ;.../? OF HOMEBUSH. To understand lltio' vital miMtary opera tions now In prospect, and on which the liberty and independence of tho Australians as a. peoplo may bo salil to havo. hinged, it is necessary U- survey,' in brief, tho posl ?ttlons of tho two armed forces now facing each other. Tho Japanese, with Botany Bay on ilheir loft flank and Pairoma'tta Kivor on tiheir right, had thrown up a lino of redoubts nnd earthwork entrenchments acros3 their front nnd between those two places. Tho country there .'In opon, undulating, and sparsely tlm ibor'ed, but in places closely built, on. Those orootions wero ruthlessly lovelled to the ground, and many marvelled, looking later ntiUho lines of destroyed stroots, how little space a modern dwelling occupies when flattened out with a high explosive. The work was done with ?nmrvelloua «clerlty, itho Japanese Impressing thousands of the (Weal laborers, paying them a Uiigh wngo with a tax Imposed on tho munlcipaliMcs. Guns hod beon brought from the ships, from tho harbor forts, arid placed 'In position ; bomb-proof cavorn3 tor tho mon dug, ami Hohs of ammunition, nnd ovory disposition mado that tho lutoat military skill could BUggcnt. Fronting tho Japs, wlUa Us foaso at Par raraatta,-. Todhunter's foirco extended from Dumtos, on his loft flank, to Mcrrylands, on Jils^rtBK. with- armed camps at Brmlnetdn, Granvllk1, and Auburn protecting llils front. The ontronchmcnt3 of, tho State forco lacked both tho completeness and armament of their cnomlea. Thoy had no siege artll flory or heavy guns, and their supply of HUftnunlUon for. the captured- fleld-ploces ?wos limited. -. For Eovc^al days little active opposition 1 \ ' bad taken placo ; both sides soom&d to re cognlso, tihat e distant bombardment would -be a moro {utility and an expenditure of ammunition, not likely to bo justified by tho protHitilo loss infllolcd. Of tho two sides, tho Stato forces had moat to gain by delay. Every day saw -in addltlion to their ranks. Tho survlvoi'3 of 'tho various branches of the State troops that Qiad been engaged at tho battle of Hornisby, or, later, had had 'to surrender Sifter return from Jervls Bay, the Porma nont troops, Artillery, Engineers and Army Soryico Corps, tho Partially Paid, tho Lan cors, Mounted Rilles, Field Artillery, Gar rison Artillery, Field Engineers, and the Volunteer Infantry, now mustered in shoals only asking for arms and officers, and to be led to 'tho front. Tho 1st Volunteer Horso and the Mounted ?IUflc3 had come forward to Join Tod after the tattlo of Borrlma, so that now, all heads counted, ihe toad over forty thousand men, ?horso and foot, under his command. In differently armed, it 13 truo, but officered largely by old army mon, or young Colo nials lately returned Irom tho Transvaal ; but tho troops wore, perhaps, as fine a body of men, for their number, as were over gauhercd together, and full of aidor and enthusiasm in their cause, and uuTioundod tfalUh in tlhelr loader. To oppose the local force the Japanese had a bettor armed and equipped, if smaller, number of mon. On their first landing there had been the vaguest knowledge na to their numbers and commanders ; now ft was known with certainty that at least fmir divisions had -llsombarkod — Iho Sondal, Na goya, Osaka, and Hlroshuna — each of two 'brigades of 4S00 men, four field batteries, and two mountain batteries, together with ?two squadrons of cavalry and engineer corps. Field-Marshal Yamsoyam was in supremo command, whllo Generals Sato, ICatsura, Kawnkami, and ? Ktto commanded oaflh a division. This should have totalled an army of 38,400 mon, and it is probable that about that number arrived on our shores. But tho losses had been consider able, so far no reinforcements had arrived from Japan, and with all deduction mado, Todhunter calculated that the onomy would not bo able to place moro than 20,000 men' in the first flghtlng lino. Ami, fua-tlher, It was reasonable to hopo that nruch of tho courago ami confidence that now animated tho State troops had deserted those of Japan. Victory begets victory as surely aa dufcat -begets disaster. The information brought by Gipsy was of tho iitmost importance — of greater value oven ttian U10 possession of tho Purpio Book —and it implied many things. That tflie Japs should mako a frontal attack in the open wns moro than ho had dared to hopo for, as, since the experience of the lato war in South Afitai, facUes of .that kind toad been quKo discredited. An attack on com munications followed by tho starving out ol the enemy was now tho only accepted me thod of offensive operations against an op ponent armed with machine guns and ma gazine rifles. Evidently, paucity of men provontcd Yamseyam muklng such on. at tempt, wfcilo ho feared an attack of like kind. So ho was .trying a surprise, the cap ture of their centre at Grnnvillo and the cutting of thp army in two. A venture which, it successful, would certainly havq put 'tho Ited Kangaroo army rit his mercy. But a surprise that Is anticipated and ex pected Is, perhaps, tho most forlorn of all forlorn hopes, and Todhunter smiled to himself as ho called his aides, .and made certain and radical dispositions In tho order ?and arrangement of his forces. When the sun set that evening tho wido stretch of scrub and open ground north of Duck .Creek, nnd dividing tho two opposing camps, looked, If possible, more solitary and desolato than 'Usual; ruined -shanties/ huts'; and cottages marked tho spots where dwell ings had once stood, but of living creatures not a sign could be. seen, savo a stray cow all bones and hide, whoso misguided instinct bad brought it In search of the herbngo it could not flnd. ? . The distant lights of Sydney showed bo hind tho Japaneso camp, but in that camp itself there was not a-slgn of moving troops IU UUU1111U Ltiu iujjui'^ 111 iuc ^ktai;ii mitiiua' pect. In tho failing light thousands of Colonial eyes wntched over their entronch ments, for, though all was not known to tho rank and Die, sufficient of tho truth was surmised, by their now and rapid disposi tion, to make them guess that a sharp con flict was tit hand; thalthe tedium of weeks of waiting was to bo broken; and that the moment was near whon the hated yellow Invader would bo met face to face- -In one linal bout nnd supreme conflict. , Tho moon, in Its last quarter, did not riso till late that night. Tho sky 'was over cast, and a keen southerly wind blow across the plain. Tho advanco nentrios of the Kangaroo army crouched themselves toge ther as they walked up and down, yet now doubly watchful, to peer into the gloom bo yond. 'Who goes thero ?'?' cried Private Patrick Murphy, as a dark form slowly advanced towards him out of the darkness. ? No 'answer, but a continued advance. 'Give tho password, or I'll tacho yo better manners wi'.h a bullet In yer ribs,' replied ?the sentry, bringing his rlUe to the shoul der. ' ? ? ? ' ?;-. : . ? V'Bo alsy, wld yo, Pat,' -whispered his comrado, who had just approached in time. 'Can't yo see Its ther poor basto looking for a wispo' grass to -warm 'Its 'poor Btum mlck.' 'Bo thor powers, yer. right, . Mick ! I might have known that tho poor critter that carries its toll behind was not one of those yellow devils that wear It on their head, so thoy do.' 'Hist,' man ! Did yo hear that ?' Both mon pcored before them, and stood in rigid silence. Far away in scrub and bushes they could hoar a faint, Bteady, re gular sound -coming every moment nearer and nearer. A rustling, running step, like tho 'patter of many distant tebt. As yet1 ?they could sec nothing; not oven tho glisten of guns, for tho scrub there favored con cealment, and was not cleared away 'except in their rear. Listening to mako sure they were not de ceived, tho two soldiers then turned about, and, accordlns to their instructions, re ularm. Their beats had not boon vacated throe minutes whon a multitude of quick-, walking shadows emerged from tho bushes, .formed silently in open order, and tramped steadily on. . . ' Major-Gonoral Yamsoyam himself per sonally led tho attack, and whispered with satisfaction to General Kito: ...'..- 'The fools ! Not even a sentry, on duty.. Wo shall reach their ontronchments with out losing a .man. How I should like to have them as thoy havo us on th'lsr clear open ground, I would ? ' :, Tho sontenco was not finished. At that moment the light of throe powerful search lights swept their front, and. at tho same moment above tho earthen bank ahead ,a sheet of flamo poured out in ono continuous stream. The roar of tho Maxim, 'the ping, ping, ping of tho' rifles, blending In ono last ing explosion Hko tho roar of , -thunder. in vibrating hills. : With a cheer, heard nbovo tho rattlo and crash of ton thousand reports, tho Japaneso dashed forward at a run, tho white elec tric light giving tho air of a dramatic por formanco to tho movemont, as In full glnro tho little men scuttled along lino after lino, only to stagger and fall in ovor-rislng heupsl ... Tho oxporlonco of ono waB that of thou sands that night. Holding his rlflo close to his side, tho little brown man crouched down and ran. Missing as by a mlr.iclo the rain of lend about him, ho would nearly reach the front; thon of n sudden givo a spring in the air, his nrm3 flying abovo hiB head as of a bather about to dive, a cry of agony, a bound forward, and tho little brown man laid flat and still. Tho smokeless powder gavo no cover to the scene, that, lit up in the (MrkneBs, had a vivid distinctness never to bo forgotten. Line after lino of llttlo running men com ing on, on, on, without waver or Halt ; a lino that crow loss and less, at every mo ment, .with great : gaps, . leaving solitary figures to hasten alono and flnd a road forward throuKh the littering dead. 'Holy mother !' cried Murphy, in his frlond's onr; 'tho littlb heathen fight Hko good Christians, so they do, and It's wishing I had a llttlo bit o' a stick, eo I am, it would bo moro equal.' Tho clear note of a buglo was heard above tho din, and of a sudden the brown men faced about, and wero In full and orderly retreat. Yet tho searchlight followed them, and with tho bright rays tho nover-endlng rain of bullets and shrapnel. Thon a curious thing happened. Out of tho trenches of tho Kangaroos vaulted and climbed some two thousand Japanese troops —or so they looked in the shadow under tha light— and running very fa3t and frcb from all attack In their rear, theso new troops hastened on to overtake thoso in front, nnd so carefully was this movement planned that they and tho now routed troops ontorod tho Japanese redoubts altogether. A careful observer would have noted that these Inte-comers woro all tailor and bigger men thnn tho Japanese, though they woro their uniforms; also that a phosphorous cross on their chests and back distinguished them, but in tho hurry, excitement, ann tfarkness bf the moment tho enemy wore bo wlldcred. They saw their own men bayonet Ing their own men, stabbing and slashing like two thousand devils going amuck, and before they had tlmo to think, to rcallsu what had happened, tha cold steel was in them, or a musket's butt had stilled all thought. On the ruins of a flour mill Todhunter and Colonel Bambrldgo watched tho progress of the. fight. . ' 'Thero Is Croft's signal,' cried Tod, as a rocket rose from a Japanese redoubt in a red fiery stream all across tho sky. 'I mado sure ho would bo first; he is a perfect domon to fighC.' 'Not much to boaBt of,' said Colonel Bambrldge, us in succession two other roc kets arose from moro distant points. 'Look, the Melbourne and Queensland boys had further to go. Wo can now order nr. advance of tho wholo line.' Tho order wns passod; whistles piped, nnd, llko crouched' doss loosed from the lenuh, twenty thousand mon sprang for wnrd in ono vast nursing, hustling rush. On they ran at the quick step over the corpse-strewn plain, by the redoubts, round them, then with. a shout of demons In tho pit they charged the roar entronchmonts of the Japs. Thero was a moment or two of suspense as tho foremost ranks wero thinned- by tho ritlo flro of tho enemy, but only a moment. Tho attack was too sud den, too unexpected to bo effectively re sisted by the thin line of soldiers left on guard. And. theso lattor had no tlmo to run or savo themselves; it .was empty their magazine, and, boforo they could refill giant forms loomed over them, fla»hed bright steel, a llttlo man writhed in lilo blocil. and all was still with him. A mighty shout went up from the victors, echoed all along tho lines, as they.drow ,up and drew breath; Iholr present work done, and tho position captured. Hark ! They are all silenced. A llttlo. to the north beyond Sydney they can hoar the lioorn and rumble of heavy ordinance. At first one report, now others in quick and disordered succession. Then tho army gives nnothor cheer, and a cheer again, for they understand that Ihelro is not tho only con P.ict of that fateful night. ? (To be Continued.) ?
[?] ^ THE WAR OF TO-MORROW. 2) { ., FOK THE 'REFEREE '-By HENRY FLETCHER. f. ? ; ? __ ? -j ?? ' CHAPTER XXXIII.-THE BATTLE ?l' OF THE. HEADS. Early that evening a curious sight might have been seen on that road north of the river, now known to men as tho back way to- Parramatta. In order and divisions a i .thousand armed men mountcd.-on bicycles swept swiftly and silently along the track. It 'was noticeable that there was a slight 'difference in uniform, the party being in two sections, one calling the other 'Cab- bages,' who replied derisively, 'Bananas,' thus in tho vernacular indicating their re spective places cf origin — Victoria and 'What cheer, Kanacks !' shouted a burly resident from South Melbourne. 'I bet 'yor er blanky quid wo fires ther fust gun.' . 'Done with you, you Yarrabender; you don't know enough to keep yourselves warm in yonr Chow city of smell and sorrow,' replied a lathy Itockbampton native. ? Thus, with jibes and bets, tho troop moved on, passing in darkness through the North Shore, ami only separating on the Military-road. Here tho Victorians lei surely proceeded, while the Qucenslanders, descending Neutral Bay, boarded a waiting iferry-boat, and steamed up the harbor. (Without -mishap they disembarked in Rose Bay, and, leaving their bicycles behind ithemi shouldered light ladders and marched in a steady stream up the Old South Head tread. . In a little time they were all gather ed, and hidden as near to the Head as the cover -would allow, each pair of eyes turned ',:? anxiously towards tne sKy in tno soutn, a .)??' direction from which the wind brought the v gpund of loud and continuous firing. j. ' 'There she goes !' they all finally cried, ; with a sish of relief, as Croft's rocket tra '-:?? .veiled heavenwards. 'Now for it !' ?The fort is- not built for rear attack so much as coast defence; yet, properly de fended, could resist an ordinary host on !£hat. side. But tho silent planting of five ' Ihnndreds ladders against its walla -was not dr. the thoucht of its designer or present defenders. Tho handful of gunners station ed there fo'und themselves surrounded and ' [knocked over 'by mon coming, as it were, 'i from the clouds barely a moment after their ' eentry. had given tho alarm. ' ' 'We win!' criod the captain of the '? Queenslanders, as ho ran to a port to fire a ' loaded sun. ''Not ciuite 1' was his sorrowful after ^ word, as, at that Instant, a bright flash $ came from Middle Head and tho deep boom 'is-} of the big gun. jS; There was a cheer as their own gun an gSf wrered .the signal, ,but the Captain was ',5? quite out of humor; he was1 tho man from |i Rockhampton. '%( 'I don't caro; it's some blanky fake; they j$ must have started before time or they 7 , could not have done it Lor bli' me, we try Oiu it lu . letuiu, sumo mu yum ii «u $ ? didn't.1;:.. ? y, ' , The guns of tho harbor forts were now «& ', in ^the hands of artillerymen who had ac K* companied tho stormers, and -were at nueo C,j „ trained on tho anchored Japanese fleet, for $?', every land , defence bad, by one concerted jh' plan, been simultaneously rushed, and this $*?' night chosen as one when tho garrisons n& ^ would bo. likely to be drained of their men. Wf' The .enemy's fleet in the harbor was in |,' , little better case. The better part of tho p, crows were ashoro in the light before Qran '&'t ville. This fleet, besides the transports, &* gunboats, and launches, included tho armed ft ^ cruisers Matsushima, Ikitsushima, Hashe fe- -J' date, and Chujoda, whoso steel decks, -~-i powerful engines and armament constituted MC~, the chief sea defence of tho invading force. flK-'v It wa's ehioily against these that the itSn-V .Middle Head guns were directed by their W'l '^, 'old gunners, now reinstated. In spite of i^'?(''' their advantage, the shooting of the local *£. force was not good, the light was bad, and 3jV^ Admiral Ito, though taken by surprise, t i\ quickly had his banked flres under forced M; diaught, tho moorings slipped, and tho *?' fbur cruisers steaminc up and down tho fen J fairway. $-?.* Now commenced a conflict for ever me igv morable in naval annals. It was apparent ]&?- that the Japanese, in a last struggle, were hS.-' endeavoring to save their fleet by running MOf the gauntlet of the harbor forts and putting feV'* to sea. ... £»'../ ', Theoretically this was absurd, like many |«i. '„ other actions that havo been practically |«v carried out. ;:The whole fleet were seen Bk, to be getting up steam, and : to bo, under - -weigh. .From the cliffs above the- search- lights of the forts flashed down on the cruisers'; from the', cruisers ? below tho searchlights. flashed back, and from their : , tops the Nordenfeldt machine guns ground ' out shells .on every embrasure, to bo an swered in turn by slirapnel and shell. The moving of tho ships, the mixed light, and the excitement of the men made the t - local shots erratic; for more found a rest -?* ing place in the harbor than the holds of j the enemy, and for. a time little, percop- ! tibia damago was apparent. ? j ?A great fear possessed tho onlookers that, j after all, the enemy would escape. It was at this moment that, the Matsushima came ?within- range of the great tun at South: ?Head. .'.??? ? , I ' A peal like thunder — making people clap ! their hands to their ears in. positive pain— ? a - crash, heard all across the harbor, the I roar of escaping steam, a second' explosion, ? and the Matsushima was seen to sink by ; the head, the war flag of Japan,, a red-rayed Biin on a white ground, still floating at the masthead. .?' The last shot - had crashed ; i through her steel deck, exploded her boilers, j and' made a hole- as big as a room in her i tottom. Sho sank in the midst of tho ; fairway, her stern standing at an- angle I ligh ab.ove tho water. The Ilclteushima, following In her wako, ?Jhad to slow her engines to pick her way. The delay was fatal; a second shot from' the. same gun, and not so well aimed, was j ?equally effective, for it carried away her I Bternpost, leaving her beyond tho control ! nf her crew as she drifted broadsido on i against the wreck^of her sunken consort, j There was a pause in tho firing. Every- 1 one felt tho end had come, and they had ! not long to wait, for, under tho glare of the lights, ono after another of tho resplen dent suns floating so proudly from the enemy's fleet was seen to shake and tremble,1 then, with, a little flutter, sink deckwards. A mighty cheer roso from all about the aarDor, wnere thousands lined the heights to see the conflict— a cheer that rolled by transmitting throats all the way to Sydney, , and caused all the town bells to he 'set Bringing in a discord of jangling that sounded, for its message, the sweetest tune the citizens had ever heard. It was a long night's work, tho mere talc Ing possession of that great floating arma ment, and the safe bestowal of the pri soners. 1 Including the sunken cruiser— that was afterwards raised — the best hajf of the Japanese navy and the pick of the com mercial steamers had been captured, with enormous stores of munitions and treasure. All tho millions wrung from the locnl Trea sury were found untouched, and tho local officers who had been carefully imprisoned on a transport liberated. When Todhunter surveyed the captures the following morning he was moved to a new resolve: 'Theso cruisers and iron v-«uu uuvuiu *«* in xue u uuieuo 01 mo X1 CUB' ral Australian Fleet, and these fine steam boats of tho Federal Coastal Service, for .it seemed to him only logical and right that the Government, having undertaken with the -railway tho steam carriage by land of passengers' and goods, should also control the steam carriage by sea; the Utter when rendered a monopoly would be far the more Profitable, and uri-atlv nrtrl tn fh» TMiw-t. a«,i prestige of the future Commonwealth.' But the enemy were not yet quite done .'with. A redoubt still bravely held out on the banks of the Pirramatta River, and La Perouso and two other fortified 'positions near Botany Bay were yet. In. their hands. To these places the remnant of the defeated army had retreated tho night before, with the hope,-' no doubt, that the fleet would | ' come round and rescue the larger part et them. .' Early in tne morning Field-Marshal Tam Beyam sent In a message with a flag of truce, offering to depart forthwith with all Ills mfcn it Allowed Bale conduct. i Todhunter smiled. 'Tell your Commander I. have only ono answer now, or later : 'Unconditional sur rend'er. I give him. an lour to consider.' ' In the position in, which ho was placed, the Japanese Commander had no alterna tive. With no possible moans of retreat or speedy, help, with no provisions to sustain a slego, ihe bowed his now humbled head, and, having surrendered his troops and his sword, he, like a true Japanese noble, blow out his brains with a revolver ho had evi dently concealed for that purpose. 'It was not -war, you know, Todhunter,' said Colonel Bambridgc, who had just re for tho surrender; of the last remnant of tno Japanese army. 'That attack by you on tho Japanese with men in their own uni form, you will not seo it mentioned by a slnglo authority.'' 'No,' replied Todhunter, good-naturedly, 'it was not war. It was organired success, ?which Is often, as you know, a very dif ferent thing. I havo just counted up our casualties from the first shot fired at Ber rlma to the last fired by tho Matsushima last night, and they do not count, all told, to quite a thousand, and if you excapt the ?little affair at Gonlburn, I've not fought one regular action, according to rule, all the time. I just meant to win and savo my men. iou are wrong in tniDiuu's x wuum make a general. I hate the killing business. I am.just a good organiser, with a few Ideas that. I. havo tried .to carry out, and which, chanced to succeed.'.' . The 'Daily Linotype' came out that ? morninc with a 'Special Victory Edition,' | that teemed with- details of fho fight of the : day before. In a long leader, headed 'Aus- j 'tralia's Washington,' Todhunter's career ! and campaign were palntedinglowingadjec- i tives, an execrable portrait of him was re- j produced that, if true to nature, would have : condemned him before a jury of his fellow . countrymen on tho slimmest evidence of ! any atrocious crime, and he was held forth : ?as worthy of the greatest 'honors -the State could possibly bestow, being held up to the , whole youth of Australia as a model of -what indomitable energy, perseverance, and industry could achieve And much more to the same effect 'Well, I never !' exclaimed Tod, as he read over this fulsome elegy. 'If I por- j sonify Industry and Energy, I wonder who j does 'the work of the world. Really, I can't j read any more, Bunny, it makes me tired. Could you oblige me with a match ?'
CHAPTER XXXIV.-THE * REVIEW. Never had ilhero been such an excited crowd in Georgo-streot eager to see a Show, not even when Right. Hour Day was in its* prime or the Soudan and South African con tingents departed, as lined the streets to ac claim the entry of tho Australian Army of Defence. Along they tiled,' miles and miles of them, showing in turns all the uniforms of tlhe Continent, and though all ' troops were cheered, no troops were cheered like the Mounted Bushmen, or Red Kangaroos, for on them it was felt rested the daief 'honor of the day, ana to tnem was given tao pride of being in -the van. Lieutenant Croft, now captain, was a proud man 'that day, and was the very first in all the mighty throng. .- -. Perhaps no part of. the pageant1- gave greater impression tlhau tho long line 'of captured ordinance as it clanked and lum bered by, Maxim guns, Nordenfeldts, quick firing artillery, and mountain guns. They were tangible tokens of victory not to bo denied — more real to the crowd tihan the captured colors, 'Uholr rayed suns shining now wMh much diminished lustre. But all along the crowd from Rodfern to Circular Quay there was. an impatient mur mur : ' . j 'Where is Cigarette ?' for the nick- j name had 'caugtot on,' ' and to all men Todhiinter was now known by it. All 'tongues were asking for him as tho soldiers marched past, all oyos were looking for (him in the faces of -the officer! commanding. But in this regaTd curiosity and enthusiasm iwere disappointed.: Todhunter had a posi tive dislike for dhow or ceremony. While willing to please Mothers by ordering th?. march, through tho'ci'ty, knowing as he did how t'hR Australian multitude loves page antry and show, he thougflit. he tod earned the right to please himself bj attending to matters more to his mind. He had called on -the Minister, for Worlcs, and after waiv ing aside as quickly as he could that gen tleman's congratulations, stated his wiilhes. 'You will know,' elr, that I havo some thing over 20,000 Japanese prisoners, who in all probability will remain on our hands for some montlhs to come. To keep thorn in confinement, or even surveillance, new Syd ney, will be a big tax in money and a con stant anxiety to air concerned. Now I have a scheme for overcoming the difficulty. You have in tlhe office, I believe, plans for an irrigation can'al on the Ilurruntbidgee that ?requires to carry it out an enormous amount of hand labor and some capital. These Japs are capable, active men, as they have abun dantly proTod. Provide me from your de partment a staff of engineers and tho neces sary tools and appliances, and I will set tlhem to work. The first 2000 have already started' under escort. I send 4000 more to night, and as fast as tlhe railway can take them I will' send the balance.' 'Really, Captain Totihunter, is this not ?ratter sudden ? Is it not a matter requir ing the gravest consideration of tho Cabi net 1 ' O{ course, I shall be happy to meet your wishes in all -ways possible ; but ob jections may arise ' you have not yet 'iloought of. Someone may move the ad journment of the House to call attention to it.' 'Quite so,' said Todhunter. 'I may have made a mistake. ' I do not claim to bo in fallible ; but it is a fancy of mino to do things at once and take the consequences. You will ohlige mo by putting your depart ment as regards this matter under my orders and introducing me to the officers.' Todhunter spoke in a way the Minister was not amrstomed to, but as the com mander of 40,000 men, who had just de feated tlhe invaders, he was a man not likely to be crossed. So, with tho best grace possible the Minister summoned tho various heads of 'his department and intro duced them, and having found amongst flhom a man to his mind, Todhunter was soon deep in the plans of floe great canal, i But tho commander had other work to I do that day. The Army, after its march j round the city, had been drawn up in line in -the Outer Domain. In company with Colonel ' Bambridge, Todhunter rode along tlhe ranks, and a dozen times he paused and repeated a little speech. 'Comrades and Brothers in the work of Defence,— The conflict is over. On be half of Australia I thank you for what you havo done, and the gallantry you have shown. Theso last few days will bo dear to the memory of all of us, as proving that Australian boys have earned their manhood and re-eonquored their freedom with their own blood. From the bottom of my heart, good-bye ! And may we never have to meet again in a like case. Three cheer* for Federated Australia !' The cheers were given, but not so loudly or spontaneously as those given later at the call of Croft for Cigarette. Line after line broko rank and crowded round the. Com mander to shake hand3. How Todhunter's arm ached that night ! Ho believed ho had shaken hands with the whole 30,000 men disbanded, for only 10,000 men now re mained under arms. But for somo persons the feelings of that day had been checkered. Tho State Com mandant and the liberated officers had, from their club windows, viewed with mixed feelings the march past of the troops, many of them their own men, under com manders often unknown to them. The Governor, who had taken part in tho re view, found himself quite disregarded by the crowd, and the appearance of the Min istry, with the Premier at their he»d, did not bring forth a hand. That evening the Premier called on Cap tain Todhunter at the house iii Macquarie street. (To 1x3 Continued.)
[?] ^9 THE WAR OF TO-MORROW. 3 ?? . . FO« THE 'REFEREE '-By HENRY FLETCHER. CHAPTER XXXV.-THE TERMS OF PEACE. 'My dear sir,' said tho Premier, 'allow me to express, on behalf of llie Government, tho country, and myself, our deep — our pro found— obligation to you for tho great ser ?vico you havo rendered ? ' 'Thanks, old man,' said Todhunter, 'lot us1 take all that as read, If you will bo bo good. 'Ad you will,' said the Premier, cheer fully, 'anything In my power to meet your ! wishes. And it may bo well to say that, ?when I move in tho Houso to-morrow night !'??. n vote of thanks to you lor your splendid I (services, that no words of mine can ndo i quatoly express, I shall propose that n lump sum o£ £100,000 bo voted as a small ac knowledgment to you on behalf ot a graio i fill country.' - . ':'?.? !?.'? 'I request you will do. nothing of the lilnd.- It will not pleaso me, or meet my wishes.' ? ' ??' ? r '.': ' .??'..'? '. 'Ia.it possible; but there— I know there i aro'. peoplo who have strong feelings on I such matters. ' How, I would suggest In all i ' confidence; would r. position in- thoMlrilstry jj , with a, seat In the Uppcr'Houso meet with \ ; ' - your ^approval-.?'- '''}?'?'?:'??':'''??'?'.[ ..??.'''?.-?-,,' ' \' 'No,' thank.you; -politics, are. quite off my 1 It tent. I feel myself altogether too inelas Ijt tic for '?officer-it;', requires an experience I * 4 cannot boast,' replied Tqfl.v,;';';.' : -????;;?*'.':'? '^;;;; Jc- f'Tut,:'t!ut,Vraanil''^I. rah siiowyou the. !? Si ropes,' and the. public will, be satisfied with S(F nothing less..' -Xour present position has. it3 , -s_ i responsibilities arid-duties.', :.-.-.' ''??'?, ?'?- ;'? ? :. , ', 'Let that ' sleep, 'slr;: I have other matters ffti to'speak of. Tho'ro are the terms of peace *\ i, toEettlowHh Japan.'-;- j.v ..'?:-;.?} V ':^:';-,y..}.:'-^. -it; 5.^ .'-'Tha't..wiHrest with' tho. Homo'' Govern-; jf;t, ment,. who will -ho doubt favorably enter ] ^ tain' any'proposals . thls:Stato; ni'ay;.;malco.'-'. \j\ '.'That i3 not my'vlewat 'all-rri told. you ijy I was not a politician. I, for the time be 4 }-'', ing, tidv6; the enemy's army and fleet under sii^i niy; .control; and I demand certain conditions }]- y - beford' that control -is-, surrendered. I de hf' mandrbn behalf of Now ,Sputh .Wales. an ln^ £,ft doninity 6*' ten, millions .'from .tho Japanese ?i - Cdyorrimerit, \ wo, .sbf; course,- retaining;; their t1!, s. fleet ^and; all. material of :.,war- captured. |' '*»» Those are terms 1 think reasonable and un \' £'?' alt-Wabl0.'ii--''P. ^^JV.SiVvil. .:. ; J.;^':.^': ?- *'-£.. ''Quito: so,' said tho Premier. ,','6f course, Mfei. thq'matter..wlllbo,j3ne..fbr. negotiation.'; \}\i 'Not. at; all,' replied To-f. 'Clearly un?. fderstahd' me. My 'position has its responr sibillties; as ..you have' said. If men have It'' fought and shed their blood under my com f(' maind,tthby can :falrly claim that their la \ , c bqrlshbuld bear full fruit: You will pardon r l' mb -taking this tone, I. am sure, sir; but of I- I lato I.havo been' used to Laving my own (?' way;' ? .??.?.-?:-?: i' ? 'Certainly, my:;denr sir. The view. you v talio is very reasonable, i Consider the , terms of peace settled eo far as' it rests with mo and my Ministry.' ;; ;?? 1 , ;'As to. tho useof this money, I have, a I suggestion to 'make. Pass a- Bill through ' both' Houses at onco to place the entire { sum in a trust account for water conserva j tion and irrigation, works in our Western ' districts, and appoint me one. 'of the Coni ' missioncrs, free of all political control, to help carry out the work.' ?:???.? v 'I have been looking. over i!he papers in I jour Works Department, and 1 iind plans ] prepared that have been shelved for years { for irrigation canals and dams for our empty I rivers in tho ?back-blocks. 1 find also that 1 the artesian water Is largely going to waste. (? Now this seems to me a fine field for all the sleeping energy of the States, its un I cniployetf;' its military force in lime of ? peace. I propose to prepare tho lands near 1 [ lie -provided -water for settlement, build , ,' houses, provide stock and implements, and then lot out in suitable areas on the share system to those of my workmen who have '1 shown capacity. Every idle hand is a tax and a danger to tho community; every 1 active hand adds to its wealth and happl i ness. This is the tssk I see before me, the inew -war I wish to wage ; and as I shall be distant and far-away, and in- all likelihood make some mistakes, I ask you now-and later to battle for me in the House and the country.'. ? ' * VI am only: too happy to falliin ivlth your ?nlshO3,' .replied ;.'ithe Premier. . 'Your motives do you infinite credit,' and I can only hopd;yoUT second campaign -will! be as i successful as your iirst. And as for my sup I port in 'your admirable scheme, you may { rely on It in every particular. Yet is there j noticing else 1 can do ? All you 'have asked; I ' is', for' tho public- benefit.' : j I 'No, thanks. You are very good. But | i etay, could you oblige me with a match ?' j i asked Todiwu'ter.
CHAPTER' XXXVI.-A QUIET WEDDING. . I That evening Todhunter sat in his old u place in the lounge chair of t'he Macquarie etreet balcony. Between his wiilffs of smoke | !ho could see the green gardens facing, and the harbor beyond in all shades of blues and I ;,- sreys. He could see at anchor the rows and [ . rows of captured ships now flying the Union 1 Jack, and lie could look back on the ex-' i , perience of the past few weeks with a pride iintlnctured with any measure o£ reproach. I He measured his inaction in the past with Ms activity in the present, his life of loaf I ;. ^ '.with his life of work, and the latter seemed good to iim, not only for what he had ac complished, but the mere doing of it. He said to himself that 'By the sweat of thy 'brow shalt thou laior,' was not tho curse i but the blessing of mankind ; that and that I 1 ;only raising him above -tihe brutes. He to jolced that ibis proposals for tho reclamation 1 of the Dry West had met with such ap 'i proval. It would be a worthy- thing— a groat thing— and a never-ended task ; but 'Iho lad a grave doubt. Would one !ao knew, ?aye,- and one he loved, think as (ho thought ? , Would she be -willing to renounce friends i and civilisation in tho bloom- of her youth .and live in a desert of dust and flies, with ?the glass constant only in being above tho hundreds ? Would she'?' ? 'A penny for your thoughts, Tod !' It ?was Glp herself, who had stepped out ;, ellen'tly ? behind him.' ' ' 'Glp,' said Todhunter, springing to his I feet, 'I am going to leave Sydney, perhaps |' for years, pci-haps for ever, and livo away I back there in the arid interior, 'Where the , country is a desert, and what should be flowing rivers are empty gullies and dry creeks. I propose to block these guilies and ! try -and fill them with wa'ter, and to Irrigate I 1 as much of this desert as may be feasible, j, and make it-green and pleasant to the eye! I I -want to get peoplo out -there — all tihese '- rtiousands who complain of want of -work in , this vast country that has not yot been scratched. It is a colossal task. I suall ij probably fail, as such attempts mo3tly have yet it seems to me a worthy thing to try. I ' But tho life for a woman can faavo nothing I 1 Tntt discomfort. I do not wish to disguise | that. She wMl ago there rapidly ; the heat of Summer is a torment, and the 'help to be got in. a house a'bout tho worst. Knowing this, Gip, will you share my work witih me V ?Will you go to this far country ? Will you bo my wife 1' I She did not take a moment to answer. A j groat radiance came in her eyes as her t hands lifted to his shoulders. i 'Yes, Tod ; yes, yes, yes. Wherever you BO I will go. Your country shall be my i country for ever and ever, and the place shall bo always beautiful to me When ivo are together.' The issue of tho 'Daily Linotype' a ?week | later contained some Important items of information : — 'Wo are glad to be able to report to day the restoration of cablo communica tion with London and . tho rest of tho ?world, and such a budget of delayed news as fills our columns to-day has, perhaps, never before appeared In the daily Press. It will be seen that the great war in which England was involved under such gloomy auspices is now on the road to a satisfactory nnd 'honorable conclusion. 'The invasion of India by llussia, in stead of meeting with tho support of. the natives she had counted on, encountered a most determined resistance on their part, Afghanistan attacking the communi cations of the enemy and compelling their disastrous retreat. On tho high seas the allied llcets have had no bettor fortune. In no case lave they met the English Bhipu to advantage, Uiough their fast cruisers for a time caused a panic to the merchant shipping. - - . 'A notable incident, fruitful of great .result's, was tto attach on the Atlantic -.' liner City df Athens by tho French armed cruisers 'Maregno and Wagram off Sandy Hook. In spite of her gallant defence under tno double lire, the English slip .' was getting the worst of it, when it is : iaid one of tho. enemies' shots accidentally struck tho United States warship Dacota, |\\ihich' was cruising close at hand. 1m .V mcdia'tely. a. return shot was fired, and afterwards a broadside, the French ships ?being beaten off, and the City of Athens . towed lnlo New York harbor, amidst the . plaudlt3 of multitudes of spectators. The . captain of the Dacota, when called upon ;foi\an explanation of his conduct, could ': only say 'that blood was thicker than water, and human nature could not stand and see its brother figSt unhel^ed by Its ; side.' Which explanation, however un j'casbna'ble, seemed to strike the popular fancy. The Ministry were dragged the . some way, and the United States formally took ler place bosido England in her war ..against the Powers. And there is now no 'question but t'hat an honorable peace will soon be concluded.' Another item:— ' . 'Tho news of tho invasion of Australia toy the Japanese and their subsequent de ?fcat and capture of their fleet Is received ; by the Home authorities with unbounded [ -'enthusiasm.--- 'The Times' characterises tie operations of Captain Todhunter as masterly, and worthy df tho Great Frede rick.' Itinsists;'that a seat in the House of Lords should be offered to him, with an estato to keep up 'the 'position that 13 .properly. 'his- due. It .suggests 'Lord ?: - HomebusSi' as a fitting appellation. 'The Australian fleet, diminished in numbers ' alter its action in the China Seas, but now fully repaired after its stay at Hongkong, entered the harbor to-day, reporting 'All well.1 .; 'Our readers will bo interested to learn ?that yesterday morning Captain Tod hunter was privately married at the local registry office to Miss Gipsy M'Quade, daughter of Mrs. M'Quade, a well-knowu resident in Macquarie-street. Only a very few 'intimates knew of the ceremony, and attended at Rodforn Station to bid 'God speed' to tho teappy couple, w!ho departed tho same day by express for the West, ?whore the Captain goes to superintend his great schemes for water preservation. 'We are informed by the. Premier that the magazine rifles and ammunition or dered some months ago of the English manufacturers, arrived safe to hand yesterday by the incoming mail. Tho Premier points out that the country can now go to rest in security, and that ample provision is made for every eventuality.' [THE END.]

Item sets: Vintage Science Fiction from Australian Newspapers 1901-1939 (Australian)