St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-06

olted.
And the lovers watched the headlong career
{ the unbroken brute, till horse and rider
we're lost to sight in the bush, and then they
lrned back into the house.
Meanwhile the colt was dashing along
trough the thorn and Hugh, to take the
evil out of it, had his spurs home But at
asst it gave in and as they turned behind the
--oppie the horse was beaten 1t would never
~ to bolt with Hugh Bentinck on its back
again. The road to Thompson's lay due east:
but Hugh pulled the colt round due vest and
'assing behind the Koppie came down by a
Hafir path through the bush back to the river
again.
"Ahoy, there, ahoy!" he cried, and Kafir
Joe jumped up from his whiting and
brought the boat over and in ten minutes
they were back again on the other side.
"Now take my horse up to the house and
stay there with it. have got to wait for a
friend and will look after the ferry for you;
and look here, Joe, lend me your hat"
And away went Joe, giggling nightly at
seeing the InlSos' in his hat, with all the
cocks feathers in it and the scarlet band.
When Joe was out of sight Hugh got into
the boat and waited. An hour had passed,
when
"Ahoy, there, ahoyp came familiar voice
ringing across the river, and with his back
to the newcomer Hugh took the rope in hand
and began to pull the boat across. As he
neared the bank he gave pull with all his
might and then, as the ferry-boat glided up
land, he turned around and faced, as he had
expected, Alan Cumnor.
Neither spoke. Hugh was as grim as death.
Alan speeches. with amazement But Hugh
leaped out and taking hold of the horse with
one hand and his friend with the other led
them to the boat. Alan stepped in mechan-
ically and Hugh began to pull at the rope.
Half way across he stopped.
ats short distance" he said, pulling out
two revolvers, "but SO much the better for
both Of u.s."
Then he gave Alan one.
"Stand up" he said, son that end there
clear of the horse 1 shall stand up at this
end and hold the boat steady. And listen"
plover was complaining with its monoton-
GUS cry upon the riverside-"count that birds
cries. shall fire at the fifth.
Alan never said a word, and the plover
cried "pee-weet."
"One-" said Hugh.
And there they stood, the outraged hus-
band and the lover facing one another, the
ferryboat's length between them, while the
bird walled out the measure of their lives
Twice-three times-four times, came the
desolate cry along the water. The two m en-
raised their pistols.
Pee-weet!
The reports were simultaneous; and then,
on sudden, Alan, shot through the forehead
reeled back and fell into the swift-running
river. And Hugh, throwing the revolvers
into the water, took the rope again and pulled
across. He led the horse out and took it up
to the store. From the saddle-bags he took
some papers addressed to himself and read
them. AS he had expected they were his
Uncle Fosters will, in his, Hugh Bentinck's
favor, and the title deeds of his property on
the Transvaal border. He put them into his
pocket and sat down, while Joe went down
to the river.
"My wife is coming over" said he to Joe,
"but don't say 1 am here" And Joe giggled
prodigiously at being a partner in joke
with the Inkos"
They had not long to wait
"Ahoyl there, ahoyp 1t was Florry
Hugh watched her from the door-she rode
up, flushed with excitement and more beau
tiful that he had ever seen her, SO he thought,
and all his love came to his lips again.
"My darling" he murmured, and now she
was at the door.
"Alanw she cried out and 10! in answer to
her voice there stepped out her husband!
But for his arm she would have fallen from
her saddle. As it was she bent her head
upon her horses neck and tainted 1t was
only for the minute, however, and her hus-
band gave her brandy and water and then,
before she knew it, she found herself out
with him alone upon the veldt, the horses,
like familiars in the stable, pacing along side
by side with mutual recognition.
Good heavensp she suddenly cried,
"where did you get that horse2"-Hugh was
riding Alan's-" And where Is he?"
81 will tell you by-and-by," said he in
voice so stern that she trembIed with sud-
den fear
"You are not going to kill me, are you,
Hugh?"
"No, Florry, I am quite unarmed. We are
going to the landrost's to prove Uncle Fosters
will and with that 12,O0O-which Alan
Cumnor meant to rob me of, knowing that
the landrost does not know me by sight
and the diamonds you have with you, you
shall go anywhere you will. But Florry," he
added, wherever you go, remember, if you
are in trouble, that you have loving hus-
band in the farm on the Moot.
And after that they never spoke but rode
along side by side. At night they staid at
Carson's farm and next day reached the
lan1rost's Carson went with them to witness
to the deeds and to swear to Hugh's identity,
and it took but little time to have the deeds
transferred, for the Beers wanted Richard
Fosters land and buildings and Hugh was
very glad to sell them, and SO the landrost
himself paid the money over there and then
in check on fredericksburg and the
business was over.
Husband and wife were alone again.
"Florry," said he, "give me those dia-
monds," and she took them out and then
Hugh made them up in a parcel with the
check for 412, 900 and his watch and chain
and the ring she had given him three years
before, when they were married; and he tied
them all up tightly together in leather bag
and gave it to her.
"And now," he said slowly and with sad
ness in his voice that pierced her like a
sword, "you can take this conveyance. l
find he has made everything ready for the
journey overland to Capetown. I will go
with you for the first three days and after
that you will find mail coaches and COM
panions all the way"
"Hugh," she said, every sentence broken
with sobs from the heart, "do not send me
away. I am not SO bad yet as that would
make me. If you will take me back to the
Moot will work with your Kairs on your
farm for you. But this has killed me- 1
shall not live long. Save me from being any
worse than am for the short time I have to
live. No one can do this now but you. Oh,
Hugh" she cried, and with such an utter
anguish that the mans heart in him broke
down and she sobbed herself to sleep in his
arms, but knowing she was forgiven.
And he carried her to the bed and laid her