The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-10
THE CURSE OF CARNE'S HOLD.
A TALE OF ADVENTURE.
By G. A HElNTY
"UNDER DRAKEs FLAG" wrrH INDIA ETC. ETC
ALL FIGHTS RESERREn1

knife or spear, and to kill myself"
linen Mary described the journey through
the forest to the kraal, the long hours she
had sat waiting for her fate with every
movement watched by the Kaffir women,
and her sensations when she heard the mes
sage in English. Then she described her
rescue from the kraal, her flight through
tne woods, her concealment in the cave, her
escape from the Amatolas, the ride with the
trooper holding her ON his saddle, and the
final dash through the Kaffirs. Her hearers
hadthrown in many interjections of horror
and pity, loud on the part of Hesba, mere
murmurs on that of Ruth, who had taken
Mary's hand in hers. but the sympathetic
pressure told more than words.
And you shot three of them, Miss Arm
strongW Hesba CALCULATED in wide-eyed
establishment. "To think that a young girl
like you should have the death of four men
on her hands. l don't say. as its unchristian,
because christians are not forbidden to fight
for their lives, but it does seem downright
awful
sit has never troubled me for a single
moment" Mary said; ''they tried to kill
me, and killed them That is the light I
saw it in, and SO would you if you had been
living in the colony"
But you have not finished your story. y
Ruth said, earnestly. Surely that is not
the end of it.n
GO, NY I6COV6IeQ from MS wound,
and so did the soldier who had saved me-
and as soon as my father was able to travel.
he and went down to the coast and came
home"
THAT cannot be ALL" Ruth whispered;
there must be something more to tell,
Mary"
II will tell you another time, Ruth, y
Mary said in equally low tones, and then,
rising, put on her hat again, said good-by
and went out
ibid you ever, RUTH Hesba Powlett ex-
claimed as the door closed. 81 never did
hear such story in all my life, and to think
of her shooting four men; it quite made my
my flesh creep; didn't it yoursq'
There were other parts of the story that
made my flesh creep great deal more,
mother"
Eyes, it was terrible; and she didn't say
single word in praise of what the soldier
had done for her. Now that seems to me
downright ungrateful, and not at all what
l should have thought of Miss Armstrong. u
81 suppose she thought, mother, that there
was no occasion to express her opinion of
his bravery or to mention her gratitude. The
whole story seemed to me cry of praise aud
a hymn of gratitude"
Lord, Ruth, what fancies you do take in
your head, to be sure; never did hear such
expressions"
to the Armstrong;; on the third day Mary
again went down.
We'll, Ruth. as you have not been to see
me, have come to see you again"
II was coming up this afternoon; if you
don't mind I will go back with you now
instead of your staying here. We are
quieter there, you know. Somehow one
cannot think or talk when anyone comes In
and out of the room every two or three
minutes"
81 quite agree with you, Ruth, and if you
don't mind my saying so, would very much
rather have you all to myself"
The two girls accordingly went back to
the cottage.
Mary, who was rather an industrious
needlewoman, brought out basket of
work. Ruth, who for long time had
scarcely taken up her needle. sat with b or
hands before her.
When two people intend to have serious
conversation with each other they generally
steer wide of the subject at first, and the
present was no exception.
~ think it would be better for you,
Ruth. to occupy yourself with work little
as do"
II used to be fond Of work." Ruth re-
piled, ''but don't seem to be able to give
my attention to it now. begin, and before
| have done twenty stitches somehow o.
other my thoughts seem to so away, and by
the end Of the morning the first twenty
stitches are all I have done"
But you oughtn't co think SO much.
Ruth. 1t is bad for anyone to be always
thinking"
Eyes, but can't help it. have so much
to think about, and it gets worse instead of
better. Now after what you said to me the
other night, l don't know what to do. It
seemed right before. l did not think was
doing much harm in keeping silence; now |
see 1 have been o! SO wrong" and she
twiued her fingers in and out as if suffering
bodily pain.
my poor Ruth" Mary said, coming over
to her and kneeling down by her side; 81
think know what is troubling your
The girl shook her head.
Eyes, dear, / am almost sure you have
known something all along that would have
proved Capt. Mervyn was innocent, and you
have not said it."
Ruth Powlett did not speak for minute
or two, then she said slowly:
81 do not know how you have guessed it,
Mary. No one else even seemed to have
thought of it But yes, that is it, and do
so want some one to advise me what to do.
l see now / have been very wicked. For a
long time have bean fighting against my
self. l have tried so hard to persuade my
self that | had not done much harm.
because Capt. Mervyn was acquitted. |
have really known that / was wrong, but
never thought how wrong until you spoke
to me-"
"Wait, Ruth" Mary said; "before you
tell me your secret L must tell you mine.
1t would not be fair for you to tell me
without knowing that. You remember the
story was telling you about my being car
ried offP'
A fresh interest came into Ruth's face.
eyes, she said, land you promised you
would tell me the rest another time. l
thought you meant, of course. you would
tell me that when this war out there is over,
you would some day marry the soldier who
had done SO much for you"
81 was going to tell you, Ruth, why am
not going to marry him."
80, / thought you would be sure to-"
Ruth said In a tone of deep disappoint-
ment. sit seemed to me that it was sure to
be so. 1 thought man would never have
risked SO much for a woman unless he loved
her."
''He did love me, Ruth, and loved him.
l don't think made any secret of it. Some
how it seemed to me that he had right to
me, and | was surprised when the time
went on and he didn't ask me. When the
last day came before he was to march away
to fight again, think that il he had not
spoken should have done SO. Do not think
me unmaidenly, Ruth, but he was only
sergeant and l was a rich girl, for my
father is a great deal better off than he
eaar,a IN ha and Thought that nerhaDs