The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-10

that dream gone. the hideous reality
was before her eyes again. She was
the spy, the traitress, the outcast.
The thought of turning the pistol on
herself came again more than once, but
she was girl never given to morbid.
ness at any time and now, in spite of
the stunning blows which that day had
COMPOUNDED her, the reaction, more
physical than mental began, and in
stinctWely she commenced. though al
most unconsciously, to question what
might be done. Venable was dead and
she needed comfort To whom could she
go for that save to her mother, and by
what means could she reach again old
Tante's breast? How could she turn
aside her fathers wrath?
She had left the reins to the horse
and the beast was following path
which did not lead to the frontier. Sud-
denly n distant cracking of musketry
| made the animal prick his ears and
start. The noise, which thus broke the
gloomy silence of the veldt, awoke Mar
tina to a clearer sense of where she was.
She sat more straightly in the saddle
and listened. They came again, not
i'm yolleys. but i'm the scattered reports
of skirmish firing-the sounds of many
guns. There was her father, there by
now might be Peter, holding back the
invader There if she had had the luck,
She Thought. to have been horn a boy,
should She be. She halted and her
eyes shone in the darkness. Why
should she not be? Why not prove TO
her people that she was, if a traitress.
not one with intended malice? She
could shoot almost as well as Peter: she
was more active than men of older age.
For full five minutes she remained at
halt and then, swinging her horse off
the trail, she galloped to the right
straight across country, following no
path nor trek, save the sure guide of
her native knowledge of the land.
BY dawn the veldt was alive with
strange noises and uiuwonted visitors.
TrlImpets were calling across its
grasses The clatter of steel scabbards
against spurs and stirrup irons rang cut
in the quiet air. Drums We're beating.
! The loud and sharp commands came
swiftly from the mouths off alert SER
geants. The English camp was struck,
and the first rays of the sum glanced
from the buttons and bayonets of the
, invading army as it formed column
and marched into the heart of the COW
eted land. Swinging along with the
practiced, never faltering step of long
drilled soldiers, the army passed, with
every here and there a bronZed horse
man darling from front to rear and rear
to front with orders, and flying above it
the proud banner that has been SO in
frauuently lowered
SO they passed, the gay group of gen
eral staff in front, chatting and laugh
ing. until, for moment, their talk and
laughter ceased, and swiftly the chief
sent his aides galloping bank along the
column with sharp orders to close up.
Down the trek, with grim faces; came
slowly in retreat the advance guard, the
scouts. bearing with them wounded mon
and dead.
1.-The enemy is in force" they said,
"but they won't stand. They are here.
there and everywhere, over the yeidt,
behind anthills and trees, behind rocks
.on the kopjes, always keeping at dis
, lance. and picking off our men every
shot at long range.
A stronger guard was sent ITO the
front: scouts were sent out on either
flank. and the column again moved for
ward. Now the laughing and talking