The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-11
THE RELIEF.


their severe loss, they would not re-
] tire. The white men had been strain
+ ing their eyes to watch the movement:
/ of the savages; now they all turned
! TO watch Saunders-to watch him witt
threatening. angry faces, for. on the
veldt, as on the plains. justice ano
( revenge are swift.
rs this the return YOU offer for
rescuing you from these brutes and
getting ourselves into this ness
Barker said coldly. Il will trouble you
for my dead friends other property
for which l am responsible, gold
sovereign, for instance"
Saunders looked at him. He was
very pale and he shook a little
DO l understand you to say, he
asked, that I have robbed yonder
dead MANI"
Exactly. We know you are poor,
and Bank of England notes are good as
gold everywhere. 1t was a temptation,
but-6he thing is too horTiblei
Upon my honor, l never did this,
cried the bewiIdered youngster. You
do not know me- but. if you did, you
would know l am incapable
A hoarse growl arose among the
soldiers. and one determined looking
fellow s9ol.e NJ.
Captain Parker" he said, every
body here saw the envelope with the
money drop from his pocket. When
we rescued him we thought we were
resculng a friend. We all know that
theft is the objectionable crime
amongst comrades. 1 propose. as we
made a mistake. that we rectify 1t.
We took him from the Kaffirs; now let
US send him back to them.
The men about murmured an ap-
prevail
It's Justice" they said; pitch him
over the barbados
moi" cried Barker, emphatically.
That would be murderl Besides he
fought magnilicently all through the
night, and we all may be dead before
evening"
Saunders suddenly lifted a hanging,
pale face and looked proudly around.
1T is justice" he said, quietly. L
shall leave the laager. Captain, you
wanted someone to try and reach the
fort. / shall try it. If 1 succeed snail
come back with the troopers. If l fail
it will be as it was before you gave
me shelter"
Before they could answer he suddenly
slipped TO the bank of Rocky DRIFT
(ford) and almost noiselessly slipped IN
They looked after him with amazement.
Here was a thief, and here was hero.
1T is as bad as if he nad oeeh
thrown over the breastworks,' whts-
Dered Barker.
The Matabeles were still resting,
wearied with the long battle. Sun,
from where they lay they could see the
surface of the river. The American
knew what he was about, ana crossed
the shallow, rocky stream, almost en-
tirely under water, so that only his fair
hair and face showed at intervals, as
he skilfully took advantage of the snel-
ter of the boulders. He crossed safely
and disappeared in some BUSH The
savages had never noticed him, but
the troopers breathed a sigh almost Oh
relief.
That's gentleman's pluck" said
Barker. with a long breath. No tnie1
would have done it. Pray heaven ne
comes back, as he said, and clears up
this mystery"
The affair over, the captain counted
his men and arranged for a new at
tack. Curtis alone was dead, but sew
eral were almost disabled from wounds
When he had counted his force, how
eyer, Barker noticed one absentee-the |
Mashona.
Guess he was dragged over the bar
-icades when they broke through the
bags last night he said.
About noon the Matabeles returned
@ the charge with reinfOrcements. All
lay the Englishmen fought desperately /
With depleted numbers. Their fire was
20 heavy the MataDeles were driven
Jack across the Drift. back from the
,arricades. Two white men were
tiled: one was firing with one arm; ali
we're wounded.
ITS all up with US, lads, said Bar
.er AT the last. remember to stand
Jack to back and have every chamber
f your revolvers loaded
Constantly the Englishmen threw
nxious chances across the stream, but
othing was there, nothing coming
NE lager was doomed. They were at
ast ready to give up; they were too
yeary TO repulse another charge. Bar
er and the rest grimly shook hands.
)own came the shielded wedge The
cree hum sounded loudly over the
eldt The spears were poised IN the
ir.
Then it came, A bugle call, Not
rom the river, but from the rear of the
nemy. all intent upon the lager. A
latter of hoofs, a flashing of sabers, a
heer from the troopers just arrived,
oarse yell from inside the laager, and
! ten minutes it was all over and the
Iatabeles were flying.
Barker, when he had time. looked
bout him and saw Saunders standing
lone, erect and pale. The captain
esitated and then went up to him.
Mr.. Saunders he said, there must
2 some awful mistake. Can't you ex-
lain it?''
Saunders sadly shook his head. Il
now appearances are against me-" he
answered, quietly, land / don't blame
Oh fellows a bit, but l must have an
Iquiry."
''Eh-baasw a rasping voice squeaked
v the captains side, and Barker
lrned swiftly around and saw the lit
e missing Mashona. He had slipped
cross the drift in the darkness just as
aunders had done, when he thought
was all UP with the English. Now
= had slipped back again when he saw
e Matabeles were beaten. A Mashona
an awful coward, and he is an in
eterate. cunning thief. Barker saw ]
all. and snatched the little wretch {
ear from the ground furiously.
1mething fell on the ground as he did {
}. from his waist cloth-a gold piece. +
he miserable savage had taken the {
I'D from Curtis, which he understood, I
If the papers. which he did not I'M l
.rstand, he had, with cunning. slipped
20 the pocket of Saunders to divert {
tentfon from his own wretched self.
There are few men among the settlers
Rhodesia more honored today than l
lunders. {
About the House Fly. a
Meehans Monthly: That we may know 4.
Q least about what we commonly see is :
ell Illustrated in the Fife history of the a
,usehy. They are always with US, but [
-, !