Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-02-07
A TASTE OF BLOOD.

was sent WIN ulSpdtCu llOu
Newcastle, on the Natal border
to Standerton, and bad to ride
through a country occupied by the
enemy. We knew from expert
euce that the Beers had parties
out OH all the roads to intercept
messengers, but as l was pretty
we'll acquainted with these parts
aud had a good horse l hoped tC
slip through, without being noticed
by a cross country route. L had
got over mole than half my jour
ney when. jast about dusk, | saw
a solitary Boer riding in the dis
tance. He disappeared almost
immediatelyin fold in the ground
and so, hoping that he had not IN
that brief moment discovered me,
| stood where l was, behind a
clump OF rocks.
My horse and | we're both in
need of rest, so as darkness came
GU l moved down into a grass
grown donga below the rocks.
where the horse could Craze aud
whence / could see anyone APP
preaching by bis being dtfned
against the sky line. | had the
misfortune during the day to lose
one of my saddleOags, thanks to a
rotten strap, and found myself in
consequence without food ana
without any more ammunition
than lie cartridge in my carbine
and two spare ones IN my pocket,
and so, tor more reasons than one,
l looked forward to getting soon to
my journeys end.
As the moon rose behind the
rocks began to think Of starting
on my way again, when suddenly
my nerves were pat on the Quiver
by my horse chucklng mp his
head aud staring forward for few
moments with prcked ears. Then,
without having stopped chewing.
he dropped his muzzle back into
the dewy grass and went on graz.
ing as though dewy grass bred no
snch thing as "hOrse Sickness
Following the direction OF his stare
| tancled 1 saw something moving
IN the shadow of the rocks, and
few seconds later the figure
of man lOOmed up clear and
black against the mOonlit sky,
moving along the top Of the
"kOrjc" in a stealthy, STOPPING
position, Hat, beard and rifle
proclaimed him TO be a BOer. Time
locality and posture told that he
was searching for me. Mechani-
cally brought my carblne to the
"ready" AS | did so he stopped
and slowly sank behind stone.
Either a CLINT of my weapon or
sound from my horse had caught
his attention. | was 10 the deep
shadow of an overhanging rock,
aud my horse was behind me ef.
fectually concealed by a projecting
corner OF the bank. | never took
my eye off the spot where the
enemy had disappeared. The
minutes dragged by like hours as
watched without seeing a sign.
Could he have slipped away
from there altogether and perhaps
be creeping down behind me some
where? dared not take my gaze of
the place for single moment, and
the tension of waiting gradually
became almost unbearable. My
heart was humping away .all the
while with suppressed excitement,
almost drowning the only other
sound audible in the surrounding
dead Stiffness, the sound OF my
horse cOntentedlY cropping the
heritage. AT last a movement by
the stone | was watching, and
saw bis head rise slowly and
quickly peer about. 1t seemed
almost like bad drea u to watch
this spector so Doiselessly exertiD'
all nis craft to find me In order L
take my life.
How steadily he stared into m.
donga with his head Only Just abov'
the stont! But he could not s Q m
his eyes could not pierce the dark
ness OF my Kidding place.
Seeing nothing, he gradual.
raised himself to gain a moro ex
tended view or to look into tn
ground more Immediately unde
his position, and new l saw hi