Wichita eagle., 1888-05-12


alarmed and refused to allow it to enter the
! house.
''No, SIR" she said 81 have had trouble
enough already with these men. They have
been hanging about the place for nearly
week, and l am afraid If / admit your am
| munition they will set fire to something and
blow US all to pieces. 1t had better remain
outside"
This was an unexpected rebuff, and all
could urge would not make her alter her
decision. So with many nisgivings piled
the boxes in front Of little turret room at
the end of the veranda that had been allotted
to me as a sleeping place.
/ This band of volunteers, or what many
persons would be inclined to call bandits,
kept up their revels to a late hour, and then
dropped off, one by one, to seek some place
inside or outside the house to sleep away the
effects of their orgie.
| | tried to ascertain from Osierton where
he was bound to and when he intended to
march, being desirous of giving him and his
men wide berth. He replied furtively. and
replied in his smooth almost musical voice:
"Really. captain, am not quite sure yet. 1
was detailed by Gen. Clifford to proceed to
Harrismith; but l understand that that has
now Deen C1anEeu, dHu ALI WditiuS HcTo
for orders. Where might you be goingf"
| thought it well to conceal my destination,
and said:
''Ohl I'm for the Bushman's river, at
Weston"
''The Bushmans rivera Why the mounted
police are there! They have plenty of am
munition, l know. Maj. Dartnell, their COM
mandant, told me So"
"Yes, of course, =" / replied "But this that
/ have is intended for distribution to any de-
tached posts that may be in need of it; and
Weston is centrally situated
This conversation took place in the veranda
outside my room, in the vicinity Of the
boxes. Mondrum coming out of the hotel at
the moment with a pipe in his mouth, reeled
up to where he heard tbs voices.
"WhGt's upT' he demanded "Who says
we're to move on7 Devilish unlikely, with
comfortable quarters and five bob day for
doing nothing. Time enough to DO the fight
ing when it comes.
81 vote for staying here and holding the
/ lager" A laager adjacent to and joining
the hotel had just been completed by the
neighboring farmers as place Of retreat
should an attack be made. What do you
say, commandants" he inquired, addressing
Osierton, and seating himself on the boxes
Don't smoke over the ammunition" I
said. Zone doesn't know how a spark might
reach it
LET it go off, then," he answered with an
/ ugly word, kicking at the pile and dslodging
one of the boxes, which fell to the ground.
"Hullor" he cried. sit jingles like coin.
Let us lift it up again"
This random shot made me hold my breath
for a moment Then hurriedly stepped for
ward and replaced it.
at wouldn't be a bad idea,n said Osierton,
''to store this in the lager, and there we
would have it snug, in case Of a visit from
Dabulamanzi. hear he was seen at Veldt-
mans Drift yesterday"
II couldn't allow it to leave my charge"
returned, "until it is handed over to the
officer commanding at Weston. Otherwise
l should get into trouble"
"Oh, we'll relieve you of all that" he cried
"This is war time and circumstances alter
cases"
The position was getting little embarrass-
ing so it struck me mad better fall in with
his humor, and pretend to think it might be
as well to do as he suggested, merely observ-
ing that they wouldn't find it of much use, as
the cartridges were for Martini -Henrys, and
their arms appeared to be Snider's
'Oh, let it gol What's the good Of keeping
it herel" said Mondrum. sit will only be in
the way. We have plenty for our own fell
lows. Have you anything to drink!' he liz
9uired, turning to me.
Eyes; have a couple of bottles of whisky
in the cart, and shall be glad if you will join
me in a glass"
This offer was met with noisy approval,
and, seating ourselves on the steps OF the ho-
tel, we proceeded to discuss the liquor. After
a while | pretended to fall asleep, and they,
when both bottles had been finished, were
soon snoring beside me.
| rose cautiously on ascertaining that all
around We're deep in slumber, and went
toward my room, very anxious as regarded
the action | should take.
/ may here mention that the money was
made UP at the bank in rouleaus of twenty
sovereignS each, and packed tightly in the
boxes. But after the Est had been filled,
there remained over and above about eighty
sovereigns; too few to fill another box, and
too bulky to fit in, made up in the same
manner as the others. So they were distrib-
uted loosely over the top of the last box, and
some sheets of paper pressed heavily down
upon them TO prevent any rolling about. To
this circumstance my thoughts reverted when
Mondrum spoke of the Jingle of coin;" for
undoubtedly the same impression has been
conveyed to my own mind when the box fell.
1t would be singularly unfortunate if this
should be the identical box in which the loose
money had been placed.
| also began to have doubts of the crafty
commandant, had noticed him eyeing me
once or twice, and l might, unknown to
myself, have shown more anxiety than the
occasion seemed to warrant
was in much perplexity as to what course
should pursue could do nothing openly
against the gang of desperadoes that sur
rounded me; and If any idea dawned upon
them of the real nature of my charge, moth
ing could save me- But / was determined
not to resign it without a struggle.
Several plans suggested themselves to my
mind l thought of quietly Harvesting the
mules and driving back TO Pietermaritzburg,
taking my chance of pursuit, and waiting a
more favorable opportunity. But this idea,
on reflection, abandoned, as it would be
impossible to get away unobserved, and my
returning without any obvious reason would
give rise to comment
/ never closed my eyes during the night,
and just as the gray light Of dawn began to
appear, got up and looked round. Oserton
and Mondrum were still lying where had
left them, and a number of others were scat
tered about the steps.
At this moment heard quiet step pass
the end of the house near the laager and was
a little startled to see the dark face Of an
Italian named Marco Dinelli, who had been
employed as a temporary clerk in the office
of the chief postmaster. From that post he
had been quietly dismissed on account of
doubtful transaction in reference TO a money