The morning call., 1893-12-10

quired for pastoral farming made the son
prosperous when ostrich feathers became
a staple Of Cape trade. George was de-
lighted to find himself in the saddle. rid
ing over the rolling veldt and among the
rocks and brush. on the lookout for birds
and their eggs, and the old Boer made him
welcome In his primitive though comfort
able home, around which he had planted
vines and fruit trees. and laid out shrub
berry, all signitying that he had done with
inspanning migratons. let come wnat
would. and that he and his long DOW pipe
were on terms of c0ntentment and In
tlmacy. Mrs. Koopsten had one daughter
living with her and two married to Beers
on farms adjacent, which means that on
the veldt they were quite fifteen miles dis
tant. Her only son had teen killed in an
ARRAY with natives over LABOR dis-
pute. and the young Englishinan was
heartily welcomed in household so smut
out from contact with the w0rlu and yet
not uninterested in its events.
Two years ran past, and Rigby had be-
come thoroughly Initiated into the mys-
terles OF ostrich-farmlng and was quite
prepared TO begin the enterprise Tor hin-
self. Peter Koopsten had snrmised that
THIS might be the result, and thought II
prudent to make gilt OF a large slice OF
land, in the hope that his assistant w 1uld
cast In his lot with the family. Frau Koop-
stem gave every sign of approval TO this
generosity, and Martha knopsten had
deeper sensibilities on the subject than she
chose to express. though she could not
quite screen from her mother an awakened
attachment and discernment OF superior
qualities in the young man, VINO differed
so much from the ordinary settlers OF Inc
Transvaal. Round the parlor table, with
Peter pOring over Cape newspaper, Mrs.
koopsten knitting or mending, ana marina
showing sophisticated taste IN eiaCorat-
irr Mt ri ipana In u46
his own feelings aud charmed the circle by
stores of London and its life. carefully
avoiding, however. any revelation OF him.
self. No probing by art or subterfuge OIL
the part Of Martha could get him IN the
least degree interested in his own history
The utmost they could infer from his still
thoroughbred hands and polished manner,
which he in vain took pains to shake of,
was that his upbringiDg was gentle. but
they were quite baff1ed as TO his profession
and why he had drfted out of Ii into a
frontier colony.
Mystery invested him in Martha's imagi-
nation with some of the attributes which
distinguish the noble-minded and heroic,
but Tor this he could not be neld reSpOD-
sibie, and in truth he gave not the smallest
encouragement TO any symptoms of devo-
tl0n more tender than friendship. That
he had inspired any infaiuation was not
brought to his consciousness until long
afterward during some hot words with
Hans Mootjep, young BOer. who some
times rode TO the farm on Sunday, and
from being coldly received WAS thrown
into rage by suspeeting the cause.
Stephen AldriGge read the letters from
George In the family circle. or such por-
tioIs of them as were coDs0latOry to the
pride of success. The postscripts he kept
TO himself. They contained no hallucina-
tions about the brilliant maDner In which
business was nroQrpsSiDp and CON fidance a Z
to bright future, but they gave the naked
truth with an oDenness as delightful as uu-
expected His nephew was changed man.
Years passed and the reformation con-
tinued. he had thrown uff his dissolute
tendencies, abandoned his reckless drift
ing into career of pleasure and Incidence
and was striving To be independent and
not ephemeral caused Aldridge to yearn
Tor return Of the prOdigal. and yet he
dare not be preciptate in sending the mes
sage which would turn his nephew's lace
again toward old England. 1t was well
that he was happy, living down shame and
degradation, although banIsh from ali
he had known the greater part of his Ilfe
Mrs. Aidridge and Agnes and Beatrice at
least had reason TO know that George was
al the Cape, for at times presents arrived
of ostrich feathers, the most magnificent
that London could exhibit, ana these
adornments being overabundant they were
shared with friends Of the family. The
letters and enclosures he received from
England caused George to tingle with "A
joy that he tad never known when his
existence nas that OF roue. anQ I've Lett a
glow of atonement buoySs-<r-r~<<
be found his uncle -
not making use
mand.