Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-05-04
CHAPTER XIX.


CHAPTER XIX.
HANS CoETzEr CONES TO PRETORIA
When once he had taken the turn, Johns
recovery was rapid. Naturally of vigorous
constitution, when the artery had fairly
united he soon made up for the great loss Of
blood which he had undergone, and little
moro than o month from the date Of his
wound was, physically, almost as good a man
Us ever.
One morning-it was the goth of March
jess and he were sitting in 1.-THE Palatial"
garden. John was lying in a long cane deck
chair that jess had borrowed or stolen out Of
one Of the deserted houses, and smoking O
pipe.
They sat in silence; John putting away at
his pipe, and jess, her work-one of his socks
Lying idly upon her knees, with her hands
clasped over it and her eyes fixed upon the
lights and shadows that played with broad
fingers upon tho wooded slopes beyond.
John finished his pipe, and, although size
did mos know it, was watching her face,
which, now that she was OFF her guard, was
III ASA6CA AhAposoiNSs OuO oSSAiitu "
the tender and glorious hope that was float
ing through her mind. Her lips were slightly
parted, and her wide eyes were full Of soft,
strange light, while on the whole counten-
ance was look Of eager thought and spiritu-
allied desire such Us he had known portrayed
in ancient masterpieces upon the face of the
virgin mother. jess was not, except as re-
CARDS her eyes and hair, even a good looking
Rsst hat ~. a
that her face was touched with a diviner
beauty than he had yet seen on the face of
woman. It thrilled him and appealed to him,
not as Bessie's beauty had appealed, Iut to
that other side Of his nature, of which jess
like the facc Of a spirit than human beings,
and it almost frightened him to see it.
"Jess," he said at last, "what are you think
ing OFF,
She started, and her face resumed its
been suddenly ret upon it.
"Why do you asks" she said
Because want to know. never saw
you look like that before"
She laughed little
"You would think me foolish il told you
what was thinking about Never mind. il
1880 6SAAO VIII 0vSA tl1OuSulS kCs ! VIII UclI
you what am thinking about now, which
is-that it is about time we got out Of this
place. Ny uncle and Bessie will be half dis.
tracted."
"We've had moro than two months Of Il
now. The relieving column can't be far of, .
suggested John; for these foolish people In
Pretoria labored under q firm belief that one
fno morning they would be gratihed with
tlaa nSu1Hk ~ fho 1srvhk
lneuf British bayonets, and Of Beers evapor.
ating in every direction like storm clouds BE-
foFe the sun -
jess shook her head. She was beginning
to lose faith in relieving columns that never
came.
III We don't help ourselves, my opinion i
- Shich we pretty well are. However. it's
no use talking about It, 50 I'm OF to get oul
rations. Let's see, have you got everything
you wantr
~Everyt thing, thanks"
sWsu. then, mind you stop quiet TIL CONS
back"
swAy,' laughed John, a am as strong as q
hmsAs 5s -:
sRonibly; but that is what the doctor said,
yuu know. Good-byeI" And jess took hen
AAk AAoAASo oAAks US4AASc4 vi Wtt0b OOuU uScO "
feebly call her rational undertaking"
9he had not got fifty PAGES from the door
before che suddenly caught sight of familiar
form seated on familiar pony. The form
was Int and jovial looking, and the pony wal
small but alsUsfat II was Hans Coetzee-
mona other!
Jen could hardly believe her eyes. Old
Hans IN Pretoria! What could It meant
0f1vra fyeafanof IN C<>rk,ooy ey>< .>11.~a =.
be came ambling past her, evidently making
for the Heidelberg road.
The obi Boer pulled up his pony, and gazct
around him in q mystiled way.
@Herc, ON Coet1ec! Herc!"
"Allemachterl" hs said, jerking his pony
round. eta you, Nixic jess, Is it, Nov
who would have thought Of ceeing you herer
sWho would havc thought of seeing no,
hereF she answered. -
YEA -; itseems strange; Idare say thai
It seems strange But am o messenger Of
pence. Nlm zach Noah's dove in the ark, you
know. The fact IS, > and he glanced round &c
- il anybody were listening. II have been
ssnt by the government to arrange about n
exchange Of prisoners"
The government What governmentr
"What governmenta Why, the triumvirate
Of course-whom may the Lord bless and
prosper q he did Jonah when be walksl on
the wall Of the CITY,"
''Joshua, when he walked round the wall Of
the city," suggested Jess. "Jonah walked
down the whales throat"
"Ahi to b sure, so he did. and blew q
trumpet lnsioe. 1 remember now; though !
am sure don't know how no did it. Thu
net = that our glorious victories have quite
conlused me: An! what thing it Il to b.
patrlotI The dear Lord makes STRONG the
arm OF the patriot, and takes care that he hit
his man well in the middIe.n
"You have turned wonderfully patriotic ali
Of sudden, Om Coetsee, said less, tsrtly.
~Yes, missile, yes; am q patriot to the
bone Of my back. hate the English govern.
ment; d-n the English government! Let M
have our land back and our volksraad. Al.
mighty l saw who was in the right al
IAings Mex there. All, those poor rooibaat.
jsi shot fourof them myself; two a. they
came up and two a. they ran away. and the
l.