Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-06


| dat trail - said Dick as he rode by.
"Good niger boy, I'll go back with
| you.
They rode away briskiy, with the
| cheers of their comrades TO encourage
| them, but they had not gone far when,
| TO the annoyance of Rowe, Capt. Dalston
| overlook them.
al think my presence is necessary,
! ne said briefly, "to KEEP my friend capt.
Blaine from further injury if he Is still
alive.''
"swhat-is the ouss driving at. - NUT
tered Rowe.
The three rode on in silence, the Basuto
leading and picking up the trail easily oV
the little balls of chewed cane which ne
had elected froI.. his mouth.
Unjust first go to last nights sleep
place, - he said, in reply TO Daiston.
As the troop had only traversed the
country at walk, and as the three
horsemeu went back on the trail at q
eallop, they soon reached the scene OF
the bivouac.
Rowe and the Basuto dismounted and
cast around like pointers in search OF
partridge. Soon Rowe discovered signs
where the long grass had been pressed
down b. d heavy body, and he called to
the Basuto.
Dick, with his nostrils wide open
seemed to scent the trail. and after a
few yards he pointed TO splash of blood
on q blade of grass. In few moments
he parted the thick scrub among the
rocks and gave an explanation of sur
prise.
Some body had lain there; there were
STAINS of blood about; but now there was
nothing.
Rowe looked at the Basuto inquiringly
But Capt. Dalston said impatiently-
''How do you know Capt. Blaine was
there? He may have gone OF ON MS
horse
"No CO." said Dick, decisiyely, 'he
was knocked down, put here. See!
He picked up a small object, which Mt
examined, and then passed it to Capt.
Dalston.
"what is thls?'
Zulu snuff box. No good look more
mus go back camp;' Dick mounted hi
horse.
rWhv, what is the matter?'
"Nuttings, only captain has beer
taken by Zulus. Dead jus now, sure-e
not gone TO Cetywayo.
! CHAPTER XuI.-CAPTURED.
When the column, with the colone
leading had Left the nights camplnt
ground-it filed by maize garden-Wlti
the inevitable huts and cattle kraal ad
Joining. Owing to the circumstance
under which the departure was made tn
huts had escaped observation.
, When the sun rose with q suddel
bound, characteristic of his burning en-
} ergy in Southern latitudes, his broaC
shafts of light fell upon an APPARENT.
, deserted village.
} Soon, however, the genial warmth
stirred the hidden life into activity.
lizard came out from the dark recssses o
n lint and summed himself IN the door
way. He had always found free quar-
tiers there, for was not his glittering bod
, the home of departed Zulu warrior
l and was not his every movement an ONE
of good or i'll!
, Then gaunt yellow cur came sneak
, ing out from another hut, with his shar
2 nose shutting the air for the faint OF tn
| dreaded white man.
1 After this some living thing moved !
{ the kraal. The cow chips which covere
2 the surface to depth OF several inche
we're upheaved Al one quarter, Ma
| ruass of woven grass was thrown bac
and a woody head cautiously appeared I
= the level of the eyes, which rolled aoou
; suspiciously. There being nothing !
view except q yellow dog, whose pres
q euce was itself q sign Of safety. the hea
[ and shoulders followed, until at last III
whole body appeared and Hulu stoo
up and stretched himself.
He had taken shelter in maize Dit
a which the Zulus sink 10 depth of sew
eral feet in their cattle kraais for tn
+ safe storage OF grain. The inside of tn
xrp
forms when dry a protection against in
f scots and damp, while the narrow bottl
a shaped opening they Dramatically seal.
The warrior, with his accustomed stab
, hing assegai, stole softly out of the krat
and looked under the shade of his han
across the veldt. With their backs
? him he marked the mounted men mOvln
| over a distant rise. He watched thei
ont of sight, then went down to tn
IS scene of the bivouac to see Il there We
i anything worth picking up.
y He was in luck 8 way, for the men,
e their alarm when the pistol shot vs.
q fired. had left several things in the gras:
A bag of coffee, a stick OF tobacco,
IS Junk of biltong Gerked venison) tin I
q iam-these were treasures indeed, an
he began TO sample them straight away
alternating chew of tobacco with
n mouthful OF jam.
l. Whilst thus pleasantly engaged h
'e dog was also nosing about, and soon can
8 across something which needed prom
attention. He looked back at his maste
= but that worthy, for once. paid no heet
At and he determined to follow up the al
d venture himself.
"a With his nose to the ground and b
}. big ears erect he loaped along, guided
1t the strong scent of fresh blood, until
ID stood among tumbled mass of rocks.
= Should he go IN or should he not?
X was evident that there was somethiI
among the bushes, but the question W
1r whether the something was daugerou
Ia Caution was the best policy; and aft
l. inhaling the powerful scent, with b
I'd ewes shut and his mouth watering,
ran back to his master aud wagged
b, thin tail untilit nearly snapped off.
His master was half way into the jan
not. and admonished the dog with a XII
Of that his presence was not needed. A
ut cordlngly the animal went gloomIly ba
with determination to investigate ma
j. ters or perish in the attempt.
Softly, lifting one foot at time,
Z. crawIed in, the scent getting strong
,,d s,roprar until with n low ouiy