Iron County register., 1882-06-08

the opposite direction to the way we had
come, and after a while we heard not
only it but the tramp of the horses, the
rider being evidently little in advance
OF the wagon. Then horses and rider
passed into partial view for a moment,
irradiated by a sudden flame that sprang
up from the fire. The solitary figure
had something about its appearance
which excited my curiosity. I stood up
and walked toward it. 1t was woman
mounted on a handsome horse, and
with led horse by her side. She sat
with one hand on the animals crupper,
leaning back and half turning to see the
wagon go through the drift.
"Steady with the break THERE" she
cried, in Boer lingo, as the foremost
oxen took the water, and the numbering
wagon slowly slid down the incline. A
handsome figure she made as she sat
there carelessly, with her wide sombrero
hat shading her face completely from
the flashes of light that came from our
nelghboring campfire.
walked over to her, and she asked,
in the same language she had used be-
fore, whether there was a good outspan
on the other side. l could tell from her
mode of speech that she was English,
so answered in our common tongue.
She laughed pleasantly and thanked
me, then cantered through the rivulet,
and 1 heard her give the order to out
span. There did not appear to be any
European with her.
After my return to our fire good
deal of speculation went on between
Heathcote and myself as to this unusual
apparition. We saw her campfire
lighted, and could make out that she
saw to her horses being fed and blank
eted, and to her oxen being tied up. be-
fore having her supper. When CLEAN
from her fire showed us that she was no
longer occupied, our curiosity could not
be restrained any more, and we went
over the rivulet to introduce ourselves
in the free-and-easy fashion of the coun-
try.
Her wagon was drawn up in clear
ing, round which the forest made a
dark semi-circle. Three Kaffre boys were
crouching over the fire and eating their
supper out of large Gypsy pot; the
shapes of the oxen and horses loomed
out of the darkness behind her, as she
stood full in the blaze of the fire-light,
her form erect, her hands clasped loosely
before her, her head thrown little
back, and her eyes looking dreamily out
into the darkness.
Heathcote seized my arm convulsive-
ly, and could hardly repress an excla-
but at that moment her eyes
fell on US, and she started.
| saw their faces change as they looked
earnestly at each other while spoke,
the color fading from each, then
&C Frankie "Lucy!" broke from their
lips, and their hands were knit to.
gether.
left them to their happiness, and sat
long by my own fire, pondering over
the strangeness of this life, over how
few are those blessed with the power of
evolving from Nature her latent ro-
and over what is the essence of
that which we call by this name, and of
which most of us know so little.
Heathcote joined me at last. He had
much to tell me. She had been prom
sed in marriage by her father, and had
refused to bow to his decision, in spite
of her mothers tears. She had told the
,uitor that her heart belonged to an
other, and that she would not be faith
ess to him; but it was of no avail He
replied that he would abide by her faith
er's word, and hoped to win her heart |
after he had bought her hand. Then |
she solemnly assured him and her father |
hat she would refuse to pronounce her
vows before the altar. Her |
threat was disregarded as an idle one.
She wrote to the clergyman who was
20 officiate, but her letter was intercept
I'd.
She was jealousy watched, and the
for her sacrifice went on.
At last the fatal morning came, and
10 self-possessed was she that her father
words of praise as he handed
Ter from the carriage, and passing her
lrm through his, led her up the aisle of
he church, where roses and lilies were
trewn before her. There she stood be-
ween the two men who had bartered
Ter body and thought they could barter
Ter soul, and looked up into the kind
ace of the clergyman.
His lips was parted to commence the
ervice, when, with a rapid gesture, she
brew back her veil, startling him and
his notice, while her voice
'ang out the words:
81 am here against my will; ap-
zeal to you and to your Master.'
The next moment her father had fall
en- PROSTATE, and was struggling on the
teps of the altar. He was removed un-
onscious, and died the next day.
Her mother lived for short while af-
er, always in very feeble health and
greatly from nervous depres-
ion, and Lucy was her faithful nurse.
1t was only after her mothers death
hat she felt at liberty to make any in
uiries as to where Heathcote might be,
ut all clew to his whereabouts seemed
D have been lost after he left Italy.
Before that she had travelled a good !
cal on the Continent of Europe, then
feeling of restlessness came over her, I
nd she visited first North and then {
outh Africa. {
The wild life in the more remote parts {
the latter had charm for her. She {
icked up the patois of the Beers and a |
tile of the Zulu languages, and, al t
1ough often intending to return to her {
nglish home, still fingered. She had
er own travelling wagon and her horses, 6