The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-11-29
6,anrl.lef fre,n,. Raes Y.pa.

wsfh rations he cried, ciamherang into the wagon. Miss Bell lay on the mat eress, sobbing piteously, hardly con- scious. She made small resistance when he Iifted and handed her down. Wood placed the gin before AibeFtyne on the saddle, and the impatient troop started. In tyre hours they saw Zuurfontein Many Kaf1rs were gathered round the house, hurTying to and fro with bundles. s sCharge ls Wood cried but that was a long gailop. The blacks fired and ran |; they had slight loss, but the threat dis comfitned their plans. Five minutes later house and granary would have been abIase, foE they were filled with dry reeds and grass.
 Albertyne carried Miss Bell indoors, made her a bed of reeds, and laid his rugs upon it A few words of deepest sympathy he murmured, and hurried out. The homestead was fortified, of course, rudeay but strongly; not once nor twice had it's weak points been revealed by test of war and corrected. Kaffirs still re- mained in sight, moving on the crests ct the low, barren hills, and his stubborn ness told that the main body was coming up. Before dark the besieged were ready at every point. As he passed the house door from time to time, Albertine looked in, to see Miss Bell always crying and moaning on her couch. It would have been mockery to offer her food.
 The night passed quietly. bue~sins.e shots rang out far away. In the gray dawn an outlying sentry fired and ran in; before he had reported, flashes gleamed through the light mist in every quarter; bullets rang and battered. The garrison lay close and had no hurt, re- plying only when they marked a foes ambush. The sun rose swiftly and re- vealed a multitude of Kaffirs crouched behind little heaps of sand and pebble. The fusiiade might have daunted young soldiers, but most of those attacked had experience of fighting quite otherwise formidable. Not one enemy left cover.
 Every third man come to get break fast" cried Albertyne, passing along the line. When we're all full, we'll tumble out on those skulkers, and give 'em-" He reeled and fell, hit in the chest.
 They carried him within and laid him on the reeds, Miss Beii paying no at. tention. But she seemed to recover con- sciousness as the rude fellows departed with kindly words, threw back her haiy, and sat up. Albestyne smiled at her sadly.
 "You too2 Oh, would have given my life for eitherp
 think the story may close here. An hour afterward the Kafirs withdrew in haste, and scouts pushed out to meet the Transvaai forces advancing. Its leaders brutaily rejoiced to hear of Yates death, which closed their accounts. They did not want the English party, which the dead man had raised as a bodyguard for the maintenance of his interests. It was plain enough, indeed, that the two nation alities could not work together, for they got to fsticuffs over the drink of welcome. As the diggers had received three months pay in advance, they were not uncon- soled on the homeward march.
 In miserable plight Albertyne reached Bloemfontein. Miss Bell wrote to his mother at C2iedon, and she presently arrived, grave, stately, silent woman of the old Calvinistic stock. When her sons health allowed, she examined Yates books, and set his complex affairs in order and as soon as Albertyne could travel, she took him back to Caiedon, never, as she hoped, to leave that quiet, old'worid nook, for Miss Bell went with them, and the pair were married last January.-Befgravfa.