Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-02-17
CHAPTER V.

AL ~ s.uilh 49, siuh lCc ultl uOt leIu u
raise bessies SPIRITS, which were already suf-
fciently low.
CHAPTER V.
DREAMS AND FooLIsHNEss
When John Mel left Bessie on the veranda
at the approach of Frank Muller he had
taken his gun, and, having whistled to tho
pointer dog Pontiac, mounted his shooting
pony and started out in quest of cartridges.
On the warm slopes of the hills round WAX
kerstroom large species of partridge is very
abundant. especially in the patches Of red
grass in which they are sometimes clothed.
1t is q merry sound to hear these partridges
calling from all directions just after day
break, and one to make the heart of every
true sportsman rejoice exceedingly. On leav-
ing the house John proceeded up the side Of
the hill behind this pony picking its way
carefully between the stones, and the dog
Pontiac ranging about 200 or 800 yards off, fol
in this sort Of country it is necessary to have
. dog with wide range. Presently John
saw him stop under a mimosa thorn and sud
denly stiffen out as if he had been petrified
and made the best Of his way toward him.
Pontiac stood still for q few seconds, and then
slowly and deliberately veered his head
round, as though it worked on hinge, TO SEE
il his master were coming. John knew his
ways Three times would that remarkable
old dog look round thus, and if the gun had
not then arrived he would to q certainty run
in and flush the birds. This was rule that
he never broke. for his patience had fixed
limit. On this occasion, however, Johs
arrived before it was reached, and, jumping
of his pony, cooked his gun and marched
slowly up, full of happy expectation. Or
drew the dog, his eye cold and fixed, salivs
dropping from his mouth, and his head an6
face, on which was frozen an extraordinary
expression Of instructive ferocity, outstrctcheG
to their utmost limit
He was right under the mimosa thorn now
and up to his belly in warm, red grass
Where could the birds bel WhirrI and
great feathered shell seemed to have burst al
his very feet. What covey! twelve brace
II there was q bird, and they had all been
lying beak to beak in a space no bigger than
cartwheel. Up went Johns gun and of
too, little sooner than it should have done
missed him clean! Now then for the lelt
barrel" Same result. There, we will draw
veil over the profanity that ensued. A
minute later and it was all over, and John
and Pontiac were regarding each other with
contempt and disgust.
ut was all you, you BRUTE" said John to
Pontiac. II thought you were going to run
in, and you hurried me-"
SUghp said Pontac to John, or, at least,
be looked it @Ughi you disgusting bad shot
What is the good Of pointing for youi It's
enough to make dog sick"
The covey-or rather the collection of old
birds, for this kind of partridge sometimes
packs" just before the breeding season-had
scattered all about the place, and it was not
long before Pontiac found some Of them; and
this time John got one bird-and q beautiful
great partridge he was, too, with yellow legs
and missed another. Again Pontiac pointed,
and brace rose. Bangl down goes one;
bangi with the other barrel Caught him, by
Jove, just as he topped the stone Hullo!
Pontiac Is still on the point Slip in two more
cartridges. Oh, q leash this time! bang!
bangl and down came o brace of them-two
brace of partridge without moving yard.
Life has joys for oil men, but it has, verify
believe, no joy to compare to the joy Of the
moderate shot and earnest Sportsman when
he has just killed half q dozen driven par-
tridges without q miss, or ten rocketing
pheasants with eleven cartridges, or, better
still, couple Of woodcock right and left.
By this time be was right across the mount
ain top and on the brink Of the most remark
able chasm be had ever seen. Tho place was
known As Lions Kloof, orsIeuw Kloof in
Dutch, because three lions had once been
penned up by party Of Beers and shot there.
The chasm or gorge was between Q quarter
and half q mile long, about 600 feet In width
and $50 to $50 feet deep. About 100 PAGES
from the near end Of the gorge, some ninety
or more feet In height, stood the most remark
able Of these mighty pillars, to which the re-
mains at 6tonehenge are but toys Il was
formed oe seven huge bowlders, the largest,
that At the bottom, about the die Of moier-
ate cottage, and the smallest, that at the ton.
perhaps some eight or ten feet in diameter.
These powders were rounded like cricket
ball-evidently through the action;of water
and yet the hand Of nature had contrived to
balance them, each one smaller than that be-
meath, the ono upon the other, and to keep
them So But this was not always tho case.
For instance, q very similar mass that had
risen on the near side Of tho perfect pillar had
fallen, all except tho two bottom stones,
and the powders that went to form it Law
scattered about like monstrous petrified can
non balls. One Of these had split In two, and
seated on 1t John discovered none other than
jess Croft. apparently engaged in sketching,
looking very small and far of at the bottcm
Of that vast chasm.
John got of his shooting pony, and looking
about him perceived that IL was possible to
descend by following the course of the stream
and clambering down tho natural steps it had
cut in the rocky bed. Throwing the reins
over the pony's head, and leaving him with
the dog Pontiac to stand and look about him
As South African shooting poIics are &C
customed to do. he put down his gun and
game and proceeded to descend. As he drew
near the bottom Of the gorge be saw that near
the borders Of the stream, wherever the soil
was moist, grew thousands upon thousands Of
white arum lilies, "ig lille" they coll them
there, just now in full bloom. He had noticed
these lilies from above, but there they had,
owing to the distance, looked SO small that hc
had taken them for everlastings or ancmones.
He could not see jess now, fer she was hidden
by bush that grows by the banks of the
streams In South Africa IA low Tying land,
and which ct certain seasons OF the year is
literally covered with masses Of the most
gorgeous scarlet bloom. His footsteps fell
very softly on the moss and flowers, and when
he got round the glorious looking bush IL was
evident that she had not heard him, for she
was asleep. Her hat was of, but the bush
shaded her, and her head had fallen forward
over her sketching block and rested on her
hand. A ray Of light that came through the
bush played upon her curling brown hair and
threw warm shadows on her white face and
the white wrist and hand on which it rested
John stood opposite to her and looked ut
her, and the old curiosity to understand this
feminine enigma took possession Of him.
Many man before him has been the victim
Of like desire, and lived to regret that he
did not leave it ungrntified. 1t is not well to
try to lift the curtain Of the unseen; 1t is not
well to call to heaven to show its glory, or to
hell to give US touch and knowledge Of its
yawning fires. knowledge comes soon
enough; many of US win say that
knowledge has come too soon, and left
US desolate. There is no bitterness like
the bitterness Of wisdom; so cried the
great Koholeth, and so hath cried many q
son Of man following blindly in his path. Let
US DO thankful for the dark places Of the
oarfh-p1acoa wbo,,o vuo NAV And ,,uc< ocd