Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-03-02

CHAPTER VIII.
JESS GOES TO PRETORIA.
That day, at dinner, jess suddenly an
nounced that she wa going on the morrow
to Pretoria to see Jane Neville
"To see Jane Neville" said Bessie. opening
her blue eyes wide "Why. it was only last
month you Said that you did not care about
Jane Neville now, because she had grown so
vulgar. Don't you remember when she
stopped here Oh her way down to Natal last
year, and held up her fat hands, and said:
'Ah, Jess-Jess is a genius 1t is privilege
to know her. And then she wanted you to
quote Shakespeare to that lump of brother
Of hers, and you told her that if see did not
hold her tongue she would not enjoy the
privilege much longer. And now you want
to go and stop with her for two months!
Well, jess, you are odd And, what's more,
think it is very unkind of you to go away
for so long"
To all of which prattle Jess said nothing,
but merely reiterated her determination to CO.
John, too, was ostonished and, to tell the
truth, not little disguised. Since the pre-
vious day, when he had that talk with her in
Lion Kloof, jess had assumed clearer and
more difinite interest in his eyes. Before that
she had been an enigma: now he had guessed
enough about her to make him anxious to
know more. Indeed, he had not perhaps
realized how strong and definite his interest
was till he heard that she was going away
for o long period, Suddenly it struck him
that the farm would he very dull without
this interesting woman moving about tho
place In her silent, resolute kind Of way
Bessie was, 10 doubt. delightful and charm
ing to look on, but she had not got her sis.
ter's brains and originality; and John Mel
was sufficiently above the ordinary run to thor
oughly appreciate intellect and originality in a
woman, instead Of standing aShast at it. She
interested him intensely, to say the least OF it,
and, manlike, lie felt exceedingly put out
and even sulky, at the idea of her departure
He looked at her in remonstrance, and even,
in awkwardness begotten of his irritation,
knocked down the vinegar cruet and made
mess upon the table: but she evaded his eyes
and took no notice Of tho vinegar. Then,
feeling that he had done all that in him lay,
he went to see about the ostriches: first Of all.
hanging about little to see if jess would
come out. which she did not Indeed. he saw
nothing more Of her till supper time. Bessie
told him that she said she was busy packing;
but, as one can only take twenty pounds
weight Of luggage in post cart, this did not
quito convince him that it was SO in fact
At supper she was, if possible, even more
quiet than she had been at dinner. After it
was over he asked her to sing, but she de-
clined, saying that she had given up singing
for the present, and persisting in her state
ment in spite of the chorus Of remonstrance it
aroused. The birds only sing while they are
mating; and it is, by the way, a curious
thing, and suggestive of the theory that the
same great principles pervade all nature, that
jess, now that her trouble had overtaken her,
and that she had lost her love which had sud-
denly sprung from her heart-full grown and
clad in power as Athena sprung from the
head Of Jove-had no further inclination to
use her divine gift Of song. 1t probably was
nothing more than a coincidence, but it wasa
curious one.
jess was to be driven in the Cape cart to
Martinus- Wcsselstroom, more commonly
called Wakkerstroom, and there catch the
post cart, which was timed to leave the town
at midday, though when it would leave was
ticular to . day or so in the Transvaal
Old Silas Croft was going to drive her with
Bessie. who had some shopping to do in WAX
kerstroom, as ladies sometimes have; but at
the last moment the old man got Fremont
tory twinge Of the rheumatism, to which he
was martyr, and could not 60, so, Of course,
John volunteered, and, though jess raised
some difficulties, Bessie furthered the idea,
and in the end his offer was accepted.
Accordingly at $50 ON beautiful morning
mp came the tented cart, with its two massive
wheels, stout stinkwood disselboom, and four
spirited young horses; to the head Of which
the Hottentot jamie, assisted by the Zulu
4outi, clad in the sweet simplicity Of q
MOCHA, few feathers in his wool, and q
horn snuff box stuck through the fieshy part
OF the. eur, hung grimly ON. In they GOT
John first, then Bessie next to him, then jess.
Next Jantje scrambled up behind; and after
some preliminary backing and plunging. and
showing disposition to twino themselves
affectionately round the orange trees, off
went the horses at q hand gallop, and away
swung the cart after them, in q fashion that
would have frightened anybody not accus-
toured to that mode Of progression pretty well
ont Of his vita As it was, John had as much
a. he could do to keep the four horses together
and to prevent them from boiling, and this
clone, to shy nothing Of the rafting and
jolting Of the vehicle over the uneven track
was sufficient to put q stop to any attempt at
conversation
Wakkerstroom was about eighteen miles
from 400ifontein, distance that they
covered well within the two hours. Here the
horses were outspanned at the hotel, aud John
went into the house whence the post cart was
to start and booked Jess seat, and then Joined
the ladies at the "Kantoor," or store where
they were shopping. After the shopping was
done they went back to the inn together and
had some dinner; by which time the Hotten-
tot driver Of the cart began to tune up Justify,
but unEelodiously, ON bugle to INFORM in
tending passengers tnat it was tilnc to start.
Beside was out Of the room ut the moment,
a1d, with the exception Of peculiarly dirty
looiing coolie waiter, there was nobody
about
SLOW long are you going to be away, Miss
JeGsF asked John.
Two months, more or less, Capt Mel"
II am very sorry that you arc going.n he
snaa, earnestly. at viii be very dull at the
farm without ysu.D
sThere will be Bessie for you to talk to-"
she answered, turning her face to the win
cow and onectlng TO watch the 1nsponning
Of the post cart In the yard ON which It
looked
Capt Mel" she said, suddenly.
~Yesr
@Mind you look after Bessie while am
away. Listeni am going to tell you some
thing. Yon know Frank Muller"
yes, know him, and very disagreeable
fellow he is"
swell, he threatened Bessie the other day,
and he Is man who is quite capable Of car
rying out a threat can't tell you anything
moro about it, but want you to promise me
to protect Bessie if any occasion for it should
arie. do not know that it will, but It
might VIII you promisel"
aOf course will; would do q great deal
moro than that If you asked me to, Jess," be
answered, tenderly, for now that she was 60
ing away he felt curfously drawn toward her,
and was anxious to chow It
Never mind me" she said, with nh fmpa-
tient little movement 1BeBie issweet enough
aud lovely enough to be looked after for her
own sake, should think"
efore he could say any more In came Bes-
"a herself, saying that the driver was wait
NIX, and they went out to sec her sister of.
Y Don't forget your promise" Jess whis-
pcrcd to lai- bending down as he helped her