The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1897-06-12

oAn 49, u EAuLSSN Au-tO
late! The conrier's attention had been
SO concentrated on his right hat he had
not noticed another apparition stealing
upon him from the left. AS the horse
started forward O strong arm clutched
the reins and forced it back, while an-
other, welding a knobkerrie, struck
Maxwell from his horse.
Without a word the two strangers
leapcd from their horses, and, bending
owe the body, rifed it Of its money
belt, containing the golden burden. Not
until that was done did they speak,
and. although the first man had called
to the messenger in Dutch and with q
Beers accent. now they spoke in Eng
lish.
Il hit too hard. I'm afraid said
Il Hes not gone, is he?"
Not he, said the other. 1.-THE night
air viii bring him round soon enough.
Have we got all?"
Its slowed snugly in the belt which
Ihave; safer there. There is no time to
divide up now. Picket the young un's
horse beside him. We can't leave that
running loose"
They did so, and soon the sound Of
their %galloping horses was again sinoth-
cred in the thick, rank grass as they rode
off as swiftly and mysteriously as they
had come.
The moon was up when the heavy
dews from the cloudless sky and the
night wind of the veldt brought back to
Maxwell his lost senses. He staggered
to his feet, and for a long time he stood
looking at his impatient horse and press
ing his t%hrobbing head in a vain effort
to remember what had happened. 1t
was not until he had clambered into the
saddle and his hand had wandered to
his waist, round which his money belt
had been, and fourd that gone that the
full strength of his misfortune was IN
derstood. The mission confided to him
had failed, and he was disgraced-rob-
bed like any ~greenhorn. Robbed? A sud-
den horrible thought paled his cheeks.
Would the commander of the expedition
believe his story? The officer had him
self limited that the trust would have
been a temptation to some, and-he had
no wound TO show ave a paltry lump
on his head; no proof, no witness that
he had been attacked at all. In doubt
and misery, he rode back to camp with
q sore heart and hanging head.
Next day he faced a gathering of the
officers in the headquarters tent. He had
told his story, and it was received with
greater incredulity even than he had
feared. One stout, loud voiced man
laughed it to scorn.
Don't tell me!' he cried. you're
little mor than a boy yourself, Max
we'll, but a child could invent a better
tale than that. Look here! You say they
were Beers. You ought t know that no
Boer or any other white man would
venture into Mashonaland unless he
was protected by being one Of rs. Lo-
bengula's scouts would snap him up,
eat him up. II there were any such fool,
we'd know Of it. And, again, do you
mean to tell us that the thief. if he was
a Beer, would not have picked you OF
without any palaver at all? And. hay-
ing done so. would he have left your
horse-a Boer? Why, any Roer would
do q good deal Of shooting to get such a
horse as yours. No, no! Own up. II a
moment of temptation you'v hid this
money and had not the experience to
invent a plausible yarn"
The trooper turned white to his lips,
but answered never a word. TIE COM
handing officer looked at him sadly. He
had placed the greatest trust in the
younpster.
"Say no more. major be said abb
ruptly. Maxwell, l regret this occur
renee very much. Much as l hate to
say it, the major 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 KIM
bcrley on oompany's business, and Pri-
waite Roberts with him. They will take
you as far as Fort Tuli, on the frontier,
under arrest, awaiting trial"
1t was with very different sensations
from those with which he had ridden of
on his mission that Maxwell commenced
his journey to Tuli. Yet, though a pris-
oner, and his heart filled with a dumb
despair, ne held his head proudly as he
shook hands with a few comrades who
babe him cheer up. But the efforts Of
his friends to give him hope We're for
the greater part forced, for Maxwell
could not but see with bitterness that
even they found it hard to credit his
story. 1t was preposterous to believe
that any other white men were in that
hostile country say the pioneers them
selves. His cheeks flushed as he over
heard the remark of one:
"I'm sorry for him, for he was a first
rate sort. but he ought to have done il
a-.-