The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-10
THE TRAITRESS.
a story of the Last Boer War.
BY P. Y. Black.
coprright. 1899. by P. Y. Black.

was of far too violent and explosive a
nature to restrain the passion which filed
him upon this discovery. His tremendous
roars OF rage far more than filled the
house; they volleyed down the one street
of the village. His wrath, as his joy, a.
his good fortune he seldom hid within
himself, nor even in the immediate circle
of his family His heart, like those of
most men of a natural and not acquired
honesty. was worn upon his sleeve. AL
ready the village was aware of Martha
de Kalb's incredible treachery. and was
at its doors, sorrowful, wondering, angry,
in its divers moods.
Maj. de Kalb now stood at his own open
door, brandishing the fatal letter Young
Peter was in the spider, already pre-
pared TO drive the trembling renegade
from her home forever. Inside, the fat
and motherly Tante de Kalb sat in a huge
chair and walled and wept and implored
her husband to be less hasty, to be more
merciful.
That was asking the impossible, There
are three things which the old-time BOer
loves, and these three are placed in in
eXchangeable order-his God, his country
and his home-that is his family. AS his
country would yield preference TO his re-
ligion if such a case might occur, so must
his child give place to his country. To
ask him to shelter Martha who had hurt
the Transvaars cause, was to ask too
much from Dom Jan. Therefore poor
Tante de Kalb walled in vain The broad
shouldeTed, bearded, steel-hearted old Boer
only turned the torrents of his rage upon
his wife.
No fault but yours, vrouwr' he shout
ed, and in the orange-scented silence of
the village in the valley his voice sound
ed distinctly in the ears of the listening
neighbors and passed up the hillside to
tremble far into the heart of the woods.
NO fault but your own! To play the
piano" (he brought his fist down on the
cottage instrument bought for his daugh-
ter so that he split the top in halves,
ITO Jabber poetry. to be educated to be
like any cursed Englishmans daughter
that's what you insisted upon, and coaxed
and cried for"
"Oom Jan! Dom JAM his wife walled.
''Why not? Are the English 10 enjoy ev-
ervthing and our children nothing?'
I'VE enjoy what our fathers enjoyed.
our children can enjoy the same. They
were at peace and happy and blessed in
the Lord. without pianos and educa-
tion-without the English. The English!
They have invaded my country. and now
they have destroyed my home"
The old woman sobbed.
Don't send the daughter away" she
cried. after all, do not all the maidens
love al some time?"
''Love" roared the old patriot. Love!
Love an Englishmanl What kind of love
has she who will betray her fatheriand
for her love? Listen again, then. you old,
foolish woman TO the letter"
In the same loud voice he began to read
the missive which the unhappy mother
had found among her daughters things
and innocently handed 10 him.
Dear Girl love you all the more for
the socitude with which you write me of
what you call my danger But how could
], my dear, even if | desired to, leave nv
post at this late day? All that you saw of
the Transvaals preparations may be true
Still-what can unsklled farmers 10
against the trained troops we have? 1t
will be one brush, and they will see their
folly. Then there will be quick peace, and
you and ] will meet again, as in the happy
days when l first met you in Capetown.
To that time! Your own,
"Ned Venable.
"P S.-My dear. your news is very in
teresting, but is it not dangerous. danger
GUS for you, to write such things? This
goes by your Kaffir messenger"
And that Kafiir is pretty well thrashed
TO DEATH" cried the Boer ripping the let
YER furiously and stamping on the scraps
So by my fathers, would you be, girl If
you were not girl and my vrow's childr"
dtiltAt ldAHti iItdiAl no MFOngtf
cried his daughter, and clasped her hands
and wruug them, sobbing.
She had come in from her chamber
dressed for her enforced journey. She did
not look like the traitress they denounced
her as, although undoubtedly she had Civ
en- Information to an officer of the enemy's
army. She was of the best Boer type
almost of the old Dutch. save that her
cheeks were more flushed with the kiss of
the sun and her blue eyes were usually
through not now-clear with the light of
freedom Her yellow hair was neatly col-
ed on her white neck. Even now, in her
grief and humiliation. there was in her
walk and her carriage the grace of wo-
man accustomed from childhood TO run
on the Vedlt, TO gallop across il bareback
20 take part in many of the exercises
which mad helped TO make of her father
Dom Jan the physically grand man who
now stood glaring upon her.
Father father. / meant no wrong!'
she cried.
mo wrongr he repeated and pointed
almost pathetcal.y to the torn paper al
his feet HAS all your education in Caps
Town not taught you what 'treachery
means? Is II no wrong to send secret mes
sages of the 'Transvaars prepara tons.
10 send news which might be dangerous.
10 an officer in the army of invaders? Is
il no wong to love a man, and he al
EngEshman. and never tel your mother
as good Boer girl woud?'
His voice was now more reproachful thar
furious. ard she was encouraged by tina
10 look up at him with Pleading. Her eye:
were as gulleless as chid's.
4 cannot see yet where IL was wrong
she sa.d simply. / am his betrothal wife
but because he was English, we though
II better TO say nothing until peace haC
come. As to the rest father. I saw so mucl
when was with you amongst the soldier!
tfat l was afraid for him. They think *
lightly of The danger they are running into
wrote to him u prevent him coming will
the English soldiers"
SO you told him our PANS" he erie,
bitterly. And by this time he has re
ported to his general"
My private letter. she cried ingenu
ously. but he would not listen.
'Traitress"' he cred. and his eye
CLEANED dangerously and he took her b.
the shoulders and pushed her from tn
house OF her fathers. viii e her mother
voice rose nm "a he old iime-da r q e,