The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-13

slower in his mental processes than
the American, and he now fell into
deep reflection. 1T was Atherton who
told me to get you here. Appears there
is something being planned. Come
along
They turned into quieter streets,
walked for some distance, and came to
a house. The front of this was dark
ened, but there were lights at the rear,
and as they approached more than one
man came out and hurried away. Bur-
ton held a low conversation with some
one at the door, and then returned 10
find his friend.
They want to see YOU alone IN
there" he explained. land m to wait.
Phillips went forward; servant
ushered him through the house ana
bowed him into lighted room. Ihree
men were seated around a table there,
upon which lay spread a map OF south
Africa. In smaller room behind
Phillips could hear telegraph instru-
ments clacking feverishly. and now
and then a message would be brought
out and placed upon the table.
London seems to be getting ex-
cited" one of the three remarked
They did not embarrass Phillips by
too close a scrutiny, but they were
taking note of him ''Sit down, won
you said one of them, a big man. The
speaker leaned back almost Shyly IN
his chair. and turned his drowsy gray
eyes upon another who looked like an
ex-arIny officer. You state the Case
Atherton," he said.
Hem" observed the latter. well,
Mr.. Phillips, l suppose you would not
be unwilling to accept of good oppor-
tunitv."
Phillips smiled grimly. Il rather need
to- he replied.
.Ah, yes. Well, no offense, you
know, but we have been led to believe
that YOU are, a-hem, rather wild
young thing
The Americans square jaw tight
ened. and he arose. You might have
telegraphed that information, he OBJ
served.
mo; sit down. please said the big
man, land hear US through. Tnere
was a kind of fascination in his man
ner, difficult to explain.
You know continued Atherton, his
eyes upon the table and speaking as II
by rote. whether this country is in
healthy condition now. You are from
Johannesburg, and also know how the
Uitlanders are being treated Here III
Klerksburg we believe that war Is IN
evitable and that the sooner IT comes
the better for us all. There are, now
ever, people who cannot understand
this situation and they advise delay
He nodded. perhaps unconsciously, TO-
ward the room where the telegraph IN
struments were clicking.
Not so very many miles from here.
at a point which your friend Burton
knows, there is a camp of the border
police 1t lies about two miles from
the frontier line of the Transvaal, and
fen miles on the other side the Beers
have also a camp. Very good. Now 1
need not point out to you that Africa is
like "a bin of gunpowder, and that IT
needs only a spark to set it afire. Here
is where that spark can be struck. He
put his finger on 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 Tor
trouble; it would De very easy LOT any
one who went there and one who was
rather wild and irresponsible, to pre-
cjpitate a quarrel. 1t would not need
extreme measures. merely quarrel,
with perhaps little misusage; and the
Beers there in camp would do the rest,
for they would attack the border police
as certainly as we sit here. After that
some history would probably be made
Young Phillips whis0ed thoughtfully.
It's rather too rich for u.s. he said.
land not the incest job. especially see
ing that I'm an American. No, / guess
not.
The big man raised himself up from
his chair; the lamplight fell upon him
redly as he stood. tall as a giant, above
the table where lay the map of South
Africa. AN American. he said, that
is all the betteri 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. People who are afraid
40 do this say to me: But it will be
-
wrong: but 1 say to them. We must
look facts in the face; the Beers are
now arming with Mauser rifles. Re-
member that, and then if You agree
that war must come at last, tell me
whether delay will not mean ten times
as many lives and 100 times the treas
ure.' A united Africa, that is my idea,