Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-05-02

| Say no more, major" he said abruptly.
Maxwell. l regret this occurrence very
much Much as l hate to say it. the ma
| jor argues correctly. 1t is impossible to
/ credit this wild tale of beers being around
here The matter must however. pass
out of our hands. Tomorrow Sergeant
| Wayne goes to Kimberley on company
| business. and Private Roberts with him.
They will take you as far as Fort Tui.
on the frontier. under arrest. awaiting
| trial.
| 1t was with very different sensations to
| those with which he had ridden off or his
! mission that Maxwell commenced his jour-
; ney to Tul Yet. though a prisoner.
and his haer, filled with dumb despair,
he held his head proudly as he shook hands
with a few comrades who bade him cheer
up. But the efforts of his friends to give
him hope were for the greater part fore
ed. for Maxwell could not but see. with
| bitterness. that even they found ii hard
to credit his story. 1t was prepos,erous
to believe that any other white men Were
in that hostile country save the pioneers
| themselves. His checks flushed as he
| overheard the remarks of one:
I'm sorry for him. for he was first
rate sort. but he ought to have done it
| heater than that. Anyhow. they can't do
anything TO him. They can't prove he
! took the money, but they can't prove he
did not, don't you know"
so" thought Maxwell. with anguish.
! 81 shall be suspected man all my life.
/ The prisoner and his two guards rode on
almost in silence. The journey 10 Tuli,
on the frontier. would take them at least
! three days and II was not one without
/ danger They did not fear any interrupt
ton from the Matabele warrio,A for these
were massed to the north with their king.
but lions and large game abounded and
the broad rivers over which they had 20
swim their horses were filled with croco-
dies. To defend himself, therefore. Max
wells rifles and cartridges. although he
( was under arrest. We're not taken from
him. He knew his guards but slightly;
they were not men of the kind he had
chosen to be intimate with OF the ruder
least educated class in that mixed COM
pany Of adventurous young fellows.
Sergeant Wayne first broke the jreary
silence.
We're as gloomy and silent as If We
were all going to be hung. he cried. with
a loud laugh. Cheer up. Max. cheer up!
There's nothing to be so glum about. man!
There's nothing in the way of evidence
| against YOU. Is there. Roberts?'
What do know" growed The other.
| "Pshaw. you're a. morose a. Maxwell
here. And you ought to Ice happy enough
| too, Got your discharge, going back to
your friends. money in pocket
lis it," growled the private. Il wish
you'd hold your row
Nasty amt he Maxwell? Hen be bet
ter after supper and he's got some of that
spriugbok meat down his throat. Finest
buck / ever shot. Max
/ 4 thought hunting passes had been
stopped since Jones got assegaied when out
/ shooting" said Maxwell indiferently.
Maybe they are, old man. said Wayne
with a laugh. but the sergeant Of the
guard can sometimes get chance 10 get
some fresh mzat for supper. So Roberts
and managed to skip ;he camp
lie suddenly stopped ana looked quickly
at the prisoner but MaXwelrs thoughts
were already wandering back to his own
position.
! We'll. we'll said the sergeant as l was
saying. Maxwell you needn't be afraid.
! They can't prove anything against you,
so no harms done, and some day you can
drop back and dig up the
! Maxwell cried out in a passion OF indig-
nation
do YOU really think hid that money
The sergeant looked az him with an eye
half shamcd. half amused.
We'll. Maxwell" he said. the beers
and the knobkerrie ana the call for help
made a pretty story, especially that cry
from the night. "Wdcht cen bcetje'-but
We an know there were no beers within
hundred"
lie stopped for Maxwell was looking at
him, startled, curiously.
We'll. we'll" the sergeant said there
no harm done-they can't prove anything.
Silence fell on the three again, but Max
well was full OF strange thoughts
They camped by the side of river
which the sergeant would not swim before
daylight. having - discreet regard for
cf:ocodfes busiest always an hungrest
a, shutdown. Roberts prepared the deer
meat for broillng. Wayne gathered ma
terial for the fire, and Maxwell took the
! billies and went down TO tne river itty
yards away 10 fiji them with water The
wet season was nearly over, and the river
WAS running low. Already rocks ana
| banks of shingly sand showed above the
stream dimly in the evening light. Max
| we'll coutiouslv scrutiniZcd each muddy log
and each suspicious projection. aware by
experience. how easily the long. slll am
pbibians might be mistaken for mudim-
bcddcd tree trunks. but he saw no Signs
and returned TO camp with his water pals
As he approached the other two were Dusy
| and did not hear him. The sergeant was
! stoopiug over the fire. now lighted his
| back turned to the young trooper. MS
coat was thrown aside and his shirt had
been disarranged by the armfuls OF wood
he had been carrying to the fire. A por-
lion of his waist was plainly seen in the
light of the flames. Maxwell looked and
easped and dropped a billyful of water.
The sergeant turned at the clatter and
faced him.
What's the matter young 'un? BY
! George, you look white, Is it a croco-
dne?"
He ran for his gun in almost panic.
for the pioneers held the loathsome rep
tiles in greater horror than lions Max
well had lime to recover himself. and
| forced laugh.
Il stumbled" he said you're awfully
scared of the brutes. Wayne
Il am" said he sergeant with Shud-
der. Il was swimming the tmbstzi along
side MacMahon that time when he ana his
horse were both pulled down. dream OF
il still"
Maxwell rose after supper when the
o.b.r ty,, IT., tbsir pipes. II be- had been