Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-04-13


the writings of our Ike
On camo the cart and the Knot Of men, and
then suddenly John looked up and saw Der
looking at him with those dark eyes that did,
indeed. Gem r.. times as thcxzh they were the
windows or her soul. lie Turned and said
something to his companions and to the Zulu
Mouti, who went on with the cart, and then
came toward her smiling and with out
stretched hand.
"How do you do, JessF he said $50 have
found you all rightly --e---< -.--.--------
She took his hand and answered. almost
angrily, "Why have you comet Why did you
leave Bessie and my uncles'
Il came because was sent and also be-
cause wished to. wanted to get you back
home before Pretoria was besieged.'
"You must have been mad, How could
you expect to get back? We shall both be
shut up here together now"
$50 it appears Well, things might be
worse" he added, cheerfully.
Il do not think that ANYTHING could 10
worse" she answered, with stamp of her
foot, and then. quite thrown off her balance,
burst incontinently into food Of tears
John Mel was very simple minded man,
and it never struck him to attribute her grief
to any other cause than anxiety at the state
of affairs and at her incarceration for an
indefinite period in 4 Lesicged town that ran
daily risk Of being taken vi ct arms Still he
was lttlo hurt at the manner Of his recep-
ton after his long and most periious journey,
which is not, perhaps, to he wondered at
"Wcll, JESS" he said, IL think that you
might speak little moro kindly to ne,
considering-con all things There,
don't cry, they are all right at Mooifontein,
and dare say that we shall get back there
somehow sometime or other. l had q nice
business to get here at all, can tell you"
She suddenly stopped weeping and smiled,
her tears passing away like 4 summer storm.
"How did you get throUgh!' she asked. "Tell
ME all about it, Capt. Niel;7 and accordingly
he did
She listened in silence while he sketched the
chief events OF his journey, and when he had
done she spoi.o i'll quito changed tone.
1T is very good and kind Of you to have
risked your life like this for me- Only /
wonder that you cid not ell Of You see that it
would lie Of no use. We shau both DO shut
up here together Low, that is all, and that
will he very sad for you and Bessie"
"Oh. So You havo heard Of our engage
nent!' lie said. fr $685.
"Ycs, l got Bessie's letter about a couple
of hours ago, and I congratulate you both
very much. l think that you will have the
sweetest and lovcliest wifc in South Africa,
Capt. Mel; and thin!, that Bessie will have
ahusband any woman might bc proud Of"
and she half bowed and half courtesied to
dignity that was very taking
!, L T
am a very lucky fellow"
~And now" sho said, 1--WE had better 20
and see about the cart. You must be very
tired and hungry" and they started.
A few minutes walk brought them to the
cart, which Mouti had outspanned close to
Mrs. Nevilles wagon, where Jess and her
friends were living, and the first person they
saw was Mrs. Neville herself. She was
good, motiicrly, colonial woman, accustomed
TO rough life, and not easily disturbed by
an emergency like the present
my goodness, Capt. Nell" she cried, as
soon ~ Jcsshad introduced him. @Well, you
ere pfueky to have forced your way through
al tioee horrid Beers! l am sure / wonder
that they did not shoot you or beat You to
death with sjambocks, the brutes. Not that
there Is much use in your coming, for you
will never be able 10 get jess back till Sir
George Colley relieves us, and that can't be
Tor two months, they say. Well, there is one
thing, jess will he able to sleep in the cart
now, and You can get one Of the patrol tents
and sleep alongside. 1t won't be quite pro-
Per, perhaps, but in these times we can't stop
to consider propriety. There, there, you go
OF to the governor. He will be glad enough
to sec you, I'll be bound. I saw him at the
other end of the camp, there, five minutes
ago, and we will have the cart arranged and
sec all about it." - 'f's 'fi
Thus adjnred, John departed, and when he
returned half an hour afterward, having told
bis eventful tale, which did not, however,
convey any information Of general value, he
was rcjoiced to find the process of "getting
things straight" was in good progress What
was better still, jess had fried him q beef
steak over the camp fire, and was now en-
ployed in serving it OH IL little table by th-
wagon. He sat down on q camp stool ara
ate his meal heartily enough, while Jes.
waited on him and Mrs. Neville chattercd
away. INIT ffffE r. ESy
"By tho way" she said, "Jess tells me you
arc going to marry her sister. Well. l wish
you JOY. A man wants vito in q
country like this. 1t isn't like England,
where in five cases out of six he might as well
SO and cut his throat as get married. 1t
saves him money here, and children are a
blessing, as nature meant them to be, and
not burden, as civilization has made them
Lord, how my tongue does run oni It isn't
delicate to talk about children when you have
snly been engaged couple OF weeks; bat,
IN see, that's what it, al comes to nfte,-all.
She's q pretty girl, Bessie, and a good orr,
tool don't know her much-though SIZE
hasn't got the brains of Jess, here That 70.
minds me; Is you are engaged to Bessie, Of
course you can look after Jess, and nobody
viii think anything of it Ali il you only
knew what place this is for talk, though
their talk is pretty well scared out of them
now, I'm thinking. Ny husband is coming
round presently to the cart to help get Jess
bt4 into it. Lucky it's big. We arc such
tight ct in that wagon that shall be DOWN
right glad to see the last of the dear girl;
though, Of course, you'll both come and take
your meals with us.
jess heard all this in silence She could
not we'll insist upon stopping in tho crowded
wagon; it would be asking too much; and,
besides, she had had one night in the wagon,
and that was quito enough for her. Once she
suggested that she would see II shc could
not get the nuns to take her in at the convent
but Mrs. Neville instantly suppressed Ire
notion. s.....i... o.. .. .,..+5
"Nunsa" she said, .nonselse. When your
own brother in law-at least lie will be yOar
brother in law if the Beers don't make all
end Of US all-is here to take care of you;
don't talk about going to parcel of nuns
It will be as much as they can do to looL
after themselves, III bc bound"
AZ for John, heat his steak and said moth
ing. Tho arrangement seemed very proper
one to him.
-ssf sse Ito be ontinued,I .;}g1
2 Champion Short Hand Writer.
ar A. s, White. the we'll. known authop