The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-12
THE BORDER LINE.
BY MORTIMER o. WILCOX.
Copyright, 1893, by NJ. o. Wilcox.

Transvaal frontier.
A week before Phillips had seen the
Gold Reef city" shivering in the panic
of an expected war. His thoughts, as he
stared out of the car window may have
gone back bitterly to johannesburg, to
the ridge which has made so many sor-
rows, and his own failure there. Clutch
ed in the hand, however, he held a tele-
gram from his partner Burton, and this
read: Come up to Klerksburg next train;
big thing possible here" Around him
men were arguing heatedly in various di-
alects, as to where Joubert would strike
first, what would happen to the Uitland-
ers, and when it would begin to happen
The train ran on hour after hour; it came
to stop at last and discharged its pas
sengers into the excited questioning crowds
which filled the streets of Klerksburg 1t
was almost midnight. but there was no
quiet in the towns of the border.
A large young Englishman stepped out
OF the shadows and touched Phillips on
the elbow Here you are" he drawled
ITS late, but you mustn't sleep yet, Jack
You're expected"
What is 1t, anyway" asked Phillips.
1 don't know" replied the other, land
l know at the same time that it is some
thlng worth our while" He was slower In
MS mental processes than the American,
and he now fell into deep reflection. "It
was Anterior who told me 10 ger Won
here. Appears that there is something be-
ing planned. Come along"
They turned into quieter streets.
walked for some distance, and came 70 a
house. The front of this was darkened
but there We're lights in the rear, and
a oh.
came out and hurried away. Burton held
a low conversation with some one at the
door, and then returned to find his friend
Ihey want 10 see you alone in there ,.
ne explained, land I'm to wait"
Philips went forward; a servant ush-
cred him through the house and bowed him
into a lighted ROOM Three men y5ere
seated around table there. upon when
lay spread a man of South Africa. In
smaller room behind Phillips could hear
telegraph instruments clacking feverishly
ana now ana then a message would pe
brought out and placed upon the table
London seems to be getting excited"
one OF the three remarked
They did not embarrass Phillips nv too
close a scrutiny, but they were taking
note or him Sit down, won't you" said
one of them, a big man. The sneaker
leaned back almost shyiy in his chair, ana
turned his drowsy gray eyes upon another
WHO looheo IKE an eX-army officer. you
state the case Anterior" he said.
Hem observed the latter well. Mr.
thlllps, l suppose you would not be I'M
willing to accept of a good opportunity
Phillips smiled grimly: 81 rather need
to-" he replied.
"Ah, yes. Wen, no offense. you know
but we have been led to believe thar Won
are, a-hem-rather wild young thing"
Inc Americans square Jaw frightened
and he arose. You might have Telegraph
ed that information" he observed.
NO; sit down, please sad the big man.
"and hear us through" There was a kind
OF fascination in his manner, difficult to
explain.
You know" continued Atherton. his
eyes upon the table and speaking as IL
by rote, whether this country is In a
healthy condition now. You are from 10
hannesburg, and also know how the Tit
landers are being treated. Here in FIlerks-
burg we believe that war is inevitable
and that the sooner is comes the better
TOT US all. There are, however, people
who cannot understand this situation and
they advise delay" He nodded. perhaps
uneonsciously, toward the room where the
telegraph instruments were clicking.
MOI so very many miles from here at
20 mt which your friend Burton knows
there is a camp of the border police. 1t
lies about two miles from the frontier line
other side the Beers have also a camp
Very good. Now l need not point out to
you tcat Africa is like a bin of gunpow-
der, and that ii needs only a spark TO
set it afiTe. Here is whore that shark can
be struck, He put his finger upon the
map. Just at this point over the line, is
the farm of a Boer named Zwager. He is
an Old Dutch rhinoceros, ready enough for
trouble ii would be very easy for any
one who went there, any one who was
rather wild and irresponsible to precipi-
tate quarrel. 1t would not need extreme
measures a mere quarrel, with perhaps
q fttle misusaee; and the Beers there in
camp wcu do the rest, for they would
attack the border police as certainly as
we sit here. After that, some h. s DRY would
probably be made"
Young Phillips whis led thoughtfuny.
ITS rather TOO rich for u.s." he said, land
not the incest JOB, especially seeing that
I'm an American. No, 1 guess not.''
The g man ra sed himself up from his
chair; the lamp light fell upon him redly
as he stood, tall as a giant, above The
table where lay the map of South Africa.
An American" he sa d, that is ala he
better! Americans are men of our own
blood and this movement is for every man
who knows what progress means 1t is
war which must come, and in this world
we must look ugly facts in the face. Peo-
PIE who are afraid TO do this say to me:
But it viii he too dangerous they say 10
me. 1T is wrong but l say to them we
must look facts in the face; the Beers
are now arming with mauser rifles i say
TO them: My dear good people, I admire
your scruples, but remember the ugly fact
of those mauser rifles, Remember that and
then If you agree that war must come at
last, tel me whether delay WA not mean
ten times os many lives and 100 times
the treasure A united Africa, that is my
idea, an Africa free for the Anglo-Saxon
from Cape Town to the Zambesi.'
The dreamy gray eyes had lighted up:
the words came faster and faster in the
glow of the great idea. And as he spoke
there breathed out of this man something
mysterious and wonderful as out of un-
stifien the hearts of other men and drive
them forward reckless of barriers. Young
Phillips gazed al him and The cold suspi-
con melted out of his face.
II guess, maybe" said he slowly that
after all l am a wild young thing"
The leader smiled. II thought So" said
he, and a man we are glad to know, a
man with mind of his own. Well. 1t Is
- in, ,r~lIt