Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-07
MISS ARMSTRONG HAS A REFRESHING REST.

remain there. Then he and his companions
lay down on the ground. and without the
slightest sound that Ronald could detect,
disappeared in the darkness. Ronald stood
with his revolver in his hand, ready at any
moment to spring forward and throw himself
upon the Kaffirs.
Mary Armstrong lay awake with every
| faculty upon the stretch. Where the succof
was to come from, or how, she could not i'm
| agine; but it was evident, at least. that some
| white man was here, and was working for
her. She listened intently to every sound
with her eyes wide open, staring at the two
women, who were cooking mealies in the
| fire and keeping up a low murmured talk.
! She had not even a hope that they would
sleep. She knew that the natives constantly
sit up talking and feasting until daylight is
close at hand, and as they had extra motives
for vigilance, she was sure that they would
| keep awake.
Suddenly, so suddenly that she scarcely
knew what had happened, the two women
disappeared from her sight. A hand had
grasped each tightly by the throat. another
hand seized the hair, and with sharp jerk
| pulled the head on one side, breaking the
| neck in moment, common mode among
the Kafirs OF putting anyone to death. The
whole thing did not occupy moment, and
as the women disappeared from her sight,
two natives rose to their feet and looked
round. Convinced that this was the succor
promised her, she sat up. One of the ma
tives put his finger upon his lips to indicate
the necessity OF silence, and beckoned for
her to rise and come to him. When she did
so he wrapped her in dark blanket and led
her to the door. He pushed aside the
hanging and went out.
Mary followed close behind him. He
lifted her in his arms. A momentary dread
seized her lest this might be an emissary of
some other chief, who had sent him to
carry off Macomo's new captive, but the
thought of the English words reassured her,
and at any rate, even if it were so, her
position could not possibly be worse than
on tine return of Macomo the next morning.
She was carried short distance, then she
heard her bearer say in English, Come
along, / take her a bit further. Too close
to Kaffir still" She was carried on for
some distance. Then there was stop, and
she was placed on her feet. Tnen the
blanket was removed from her head, and
moment later dark figure seized her hand.
"Thank God, we have got you out, Miss
Armstrong"
The revulsion of feeling at hearing her
own tongue was SO great that she was not
capable OF speaking. and she would have
fallen had she not been clasped in the arms
of the person who addressed her. Her sur
prise at feeling that the arms that encircled
her were bare, reused her.
"Who are you, sir?" she asked trembling.
''I am Sergeant Blunt, Miss Armstrong.
No wonder you did not know me. 1 am
got up in native fashion. You can trust
yourself with me, you know"
"Oh, yes, yes" the girl sobbed. "I know
I can, you saved my lie once before. How
did you come here? And oh, can you tell me
any news about my father?"
she is hurt, Miss Armstrong, but have
every hope that he will recover. Now you
must be strong, for We must be miles from
here before morning. Can you walk?"
''Oh yes, i can walk any distance" the
girl said. Yesterday it seemed to me that
could not walk an inch further were it to
save my life, and they had to carry me the
last mile or two, but now I feel strong
enough to walk any distance"
"She can walk at present. Chief" Ronald |
said, "let us go forward at once"
They were now on the pathway leading |
down to tie kraal. The chiet took the lead, |
telling Mary Armstrong to take hold of his |
blanket and follow close beeind him, while |
Ronald followed on her heels, the other /
Fingoes keeping in the rear. The darkness |
beneath the trees was dense, and it was |
some time before Ronald could make out
4