Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-06-08
CHAPTER XVIII.
BESSIE is PUT TO THE QUESTION

CHAPTER XVIII.
BESSIE is PUT TO THE QUESTION.
Meanwhile another little tragedy was being
enacted ut the back Of the house After the
one eyed witch doctor Hendrix had knocked
Silas Croft down and assisted in the pleasing
operation Of dragging him 10 the flagstaff. it
had occurred to his villsinous heart that the
present would be good opportunity to profit
personally by the confusion, and possibly TO
add To the Englishman's misfortuncs by doing
him some injury on his own account. Ac-
cort;ingly, Just before Frank Muller began TO
read tho dispatch announcing the English
surrender. he slipped away into the house,
which vas now totally deserted, to sec what
he could steal. Passing into the sitting room,
he annexed Bessie's gold watch and chain,
which was lying on the mante!picce, present
that her uncle had made her on the Christmas
day before the last. Having pocketcd this he
proceeded to the kitchen, where there was O
goodly store Of silver forks and spoons that
Bessie had leen engaged in cleaning that
naoruins, lying on the dresser ready to be put
away These lie also transferred, to the ex-
tent OF several dozens, to the caPacior,s pock-
80 of the tat:ered military great coat that he
t. While doing SO he was much dis
.ed by the barking Of the dog Stomp, the
sano animal that had mauled him 80 severely
O few weeks before, and who was now, as it
happened, tied up in his kenncl-en old wine
barrei-just outside the kitchen door. Hen
dirk peeped out OF the window, and having
ascertained that the dog was secured, pro-
ceeded, with diabolical chuckle, to settle lis
account with the poor animal He bad left
his gun behind on the grass, but he still held
his assesai in his hand, and, going out Of the
Kitchen door with 1t, he showed himself with
in few feet Of the kennel. The dog recog-
nized him instantly, and went nearly mad
with fury, making the most desperate efforts
to brcak lis chain and get q. him. For some mo-
lie stood exciting the animal by derisive
gestures and peiting i. with stones, till at lass
fearing that the cIanor would attract a:ten-
ton, he suddenly tTansaxed it with his spear,
and then, thinking that he was quite uEoo-
served, sat down and stuffed and enjoyed TIE
luxury of watching the poor beasts last ago
MES.
But, as it happened, lie was not quite alone,
for, creeping along in the grass and rubbish
that grew ON the further side Of the wall, his
brown body squeezed tightly against the
brown stones-so tightly that an impractical
eye would certainly have failed to observe it
at distance Of dozen paces-was tho Hot
tentoe Jantje. Occasionally. too, he would
lift his head sboyo tho level OF tbs wall and
observe the proceedings Of the one eyed man.
Apparently ne ives undecided what to dc, for
he hcsitated little and while he did SO Hen
dirk killed tue dog.
Now Jantje had all q Hottentot's Natural
love for animals, which Is. generally speak
ing, rs marked al Il the Eafllr's callousness
toward them, and no was particularly fond
Of the dog Stomp, which always went out
walking with him on those rare occasions
when be thought it safo or desirable to walk
ike an ordinary man, instead Of creeping
from bush to bush like q panther, or wri.,,
Cling through the grass like q snake. The
sight Of the animals death, therefore. raised
il his black breast . very keen desire for ven
goance on the murderer, II vengeance coulI
lie safely accomplished; aud he paused to re-
feet il this could be done. As he did so Hs,:-
dirk got up, gave the dead dog kick, viii
drew his assegai from the carcass, and then,
as though strucl. by a sudden desire TO coil
ceal the murder, undid the collar, and, lifting
the dog in his arms, carried him with diff
Guilty into the house and laid him under the
kitchen table. This done he came out again
10 the wall, which was built OF loose, uaror-
tAred stones, pulled one out without trouble
deposited tic watch and the silver be had
stolen In the cavity, and replaced the stone.
Next. before Jantie could guess what he
meant TO 90, ne rroceedeo TO MAKE 1t practt
cally impossible for his robbery to be discov.
cred, OK. at any rate, very improbable, by
8 lighting match, and, having first glanced
round to see that nobody was looking. reach
ing up and applying it to tho thick thatct
with which the house itself was rooted, ant
of which the fringe just here was not NOR,
than nine feet from the ground. No rain hn(
fallen at Mooifontein for several days, ans
there had been a hot sun and dry wind, and
Is result, the thatch was as dry os finder
The light caught In second. and in twt
more thin line Of fire was running up tn
roof
Hcndrik paused, stepped few PAGES back
resting his shoulders against the woll, i'm
mediately the other side OF which was Jantie
ana proceeoe0 20 cnucx1e ALOUD ana rub HI
hands As he admired the results Of his handi
work. This was too much for the Hottento
on the farther side. The provocation was to-
great. and 20 was tho opportunity. In hi
hand was the thick stick ON which he was a
fond Of cutting notches. Raising it in boil
hands be brought toe heavy knob down witt
oil his strength upon the one eyed villain
unprotected skull It was . thick skull, bu
the knob prevailed against itand fractured il
and down went the estimnble witch doctor q
though he were dead
Next, taking . leaf out of his fallen enemy
book, Jamie slipped over the wall, and, seiz
|, ing the senselees man, dragged him by on
arm into the kitchen and rolled him under tn
table to keep company with the dead dog
Then, 6lled with fearful joy, be slipped Out
shutting and locking the door behind him
and crept round to q point Of vantage in
httle plantation seventy or eighty yards I
the right Of the house, whence he could watc
TIE con0agration that he knew must eusue
for The flre had taken instant and irremed
able hold, and also see what the Beers wer
doing.
Ten minutes or so afterward that amiabl
character Hendrix partially regained hi
senses. to ind himself surrounded by a sea q
1rU. IN which he persisted miserably, not hav
ing power to move, and his feeble cries bein
totally swallowed up and lost in tho flerc
roaring Of ths flames. even had there bee
any6ody there to hsar them. And that wa
~ very appropFiats end of Hendrix and tn
magic o. dondr1k.
Down by tie hagstaR tho old man lay il
hb q, with Beside tending him and posse O
BosFs sanding round, smoking and Laughing
q lounging about with an air of lorIl,
superiority well worthy Of victors in posses
SON.
"WM none Of you help me to take him t,
ths houssr' she cried. Surely you have II
treated an old man enough
Nobody starred, not even Frank Muller
who was gazing ct her tear stained face will
hrcs smils playing round the corners of hi
clean cut mouth, which his beard wa
trimmed to leave clear.
ut WIN pass, Miss Bessie, y he said; 'it viii
paA have often seen such fits. They com,
nom too much excitement, or too mucl
drinkn-
Suddenly be broke of with an exclama
lion, and pointed to the house, from tho roo
q which pale curls Of blue smoke were rising
NWho has fired the houser' he shouted
BY Heareni win shoot tho man"
The Boers started round and stared /,
astonishment, and as they did 50 the tindel
hks roof burst into broad sheet of fam,
that grow and gathered breadth and heigh
with an almost marvellous rapidly. Jus
then. TOO, light breeze sprang up from ovel
The bill at the rear Of the house, Is it some
times did at this time Of the day, and benz
The flames over toward them In an imnueps,
arch Ct fire, 20 that the fumes and heat ant
moke began to beat upon their faces
AOh, the house is burning DOWN. cried
Bessie. utterly bewildered by this new mis-
fortune
@Hsre, you'll" shouted Muller to the gapina
Beers, go and see II anything can be saved.
Fhsw! We must get out Of this, and, stoop.
ing down. he picked up Sfas Croft in biz
arms and walked on with him, followed by