Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-01-07

own horse. O. July expected, but he did
not seem half-breed. He was very red
faced and had red hair and red eyes
certainly nothing even half African
about his looks His horse was a fairly
good one, and not much put out by what
July knew should have been Il long
journey. Across the pon,mel of the
saddle he carried a rifle, and that was
all the baggage he brought. Even July
1uarveied somewhat ut a man coming
to live on the bare veldt without a
blanket or billy" to boil his coffee in.
perhaps in 4 less degree, of a white man
than monkey must have. Therefore
he made obcisance i'll a very conciliating
and smiling way.
s'Maru, baas! Jolly hot. 'Ope may
die!'' cried July, graciously, for he
| prided himself on his polite English,
picked up from drivers and gold pros
pectors. "You new baas?"
Eyes. you burned little ugly imp. I'm
your new baas, and the first thing
you've got to do is to take your bloomiu'
| hockey out of this, dye mind? I've
| heerd all about you. Last thing the SUI
perintendent says to me, he says, says
| he: You kick that lazy niger out OF
that, first thing, Mr.. Roser,' he says,
''cause he's no good says he. says:
'Supe,' says I. mo 'Ottentot or Kaffir
amt no good says, 'an' ye can depend
| on me to do the necessary kickin' III a
| methodical an artistic manner not to
be beat says I. cause I believe most
| teenashushly that the only way to make
| the natives of this blasted land know
their place is to kick 'em hard an fire.
uuent. In pursocance of which--take
! that"
Thereupon the ugly brute, having dis
mounted, twisted July around by the
neck and kicked SO viciously that the
boy went sprawling through the door
| way into the barn. The cordial smile
! of welcome which had broadened his in
nocent black face had died away as the
| white man talked. giving way to look
| of extreme fear, for even his life had
not been SO lonely but that the rough
ness of outcast civilization had
| scratched it. Now, with one long howl
! of grief and dismay. he picked himself
up, sore in mind and body, and fled from
| the house, until from the shelter of a
| distant ant heap he felt it safe to watch
| the fierce newcomer.
! Mr.. Roser, having carelessly flung a
| few Whitechapel terms of affection aft
er July. appeared to dismiss him from
| his mind, led his horse into the stable.
stayed there awhile, probably examin-
! ing the stock, and, coming out again.
sat down in July's former seat in the
sun and smoked pipe with patience
and apparent content.
Suddenly there came distant call,
the Australian ''coo-ce!" from the veldt,
and Koser jumped to his feet and sang
| out "coo-ee!" in return. Swiftly Looping
over the plain came another horseman
| with another rifle. and the two met in
quick and eager insulation. Says
Koser:
''Its all right We'd best be off
Wheeler can't be here before morn
ing, but we'll set good start. I've
frightened the young niger away. and
he won't stop running, bet, tonight.
There's only ~ horses, though. fit to
| take. an if we get them int to Bechuana-
| land by tomorrow night we'll be all
right. There's no hurry. but there's no
telling who may pass along the trek;
| so as soon as dark, an that's now, We'll
| drive 'em off. Are you on?"
''Sure, I'm on" says the other rogue,
"an' it's easy as mud, if you ask me-"
1t darkened rapidly, and at last was
Fol- II VII a..
! twilight Died away July crept nearer
the stable, from one ants hill covering
to another. He had as yet no doubt
that the newcomer was his fathers le-
Ultimate successor. but he crawled near
for chance to recover his worldly pos
sessions without being kicked. His
amazement was vast, therefore. when
from across the trail he beheld the two
| men leading out the horses, mount their
own and drive the herd quietly off
across the veldt. with cool leisureli-
ness, too, which was dumfounding, for
the villains knew we'll that no coach
| would pass for two days, and the new
statiOnmaster would not now arrive
until next day.
July's mouth was wide open with sur
! prise as it dawned upon him that the
company's horses were in the posses
sion of u pair of audacious horse thieves,
| who would drive them across the Trans
| vaal border, to dispose of them to Bech-
| uanaland settlers at their leisure
The boy awoke at once to fair re-
| alization of his own part in the matter.
| No more faithful servant than his ia
Their had the stage company ever had,
and July had been trained to look upon
! a horse thief as the vilest of mankind
He was oppressed with his own unwari-
ness in being so tricked, and he was
terror-stricken at what the company. a
thing of unlimited power for punish
ments and rewards, would do to him for
his lack of faiti, in not defending the
stock. July ran into the stables and
| found four horses left. those in poorest