Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-09

objectionable. Henceforth she was an out
cast God country, home"-all had been
sin4ed against. 10 Beer could forget that;
no Boer could ever forgive that.
Al least let Ms part I'm kindness. brother
Peter, she cried in despair. And he an
sWered without looking AT her:
- on have no brotherr'
II was dark when they drove into old Van
Belts faTmNard. but lanterns We're moving
about IL III" shadows. and voices were call
ing 70 each other in subdUed excitement
Inc, ne farmer himself came up 10 The cart. in
surprise very old man.
Are thu looineks i'll Springbokfonten?
ne asked with alarm. Has Martha come
to me for Safety
NO. no. DOM, Peter answered hurriedly
She needs d good horse. She has far 10
go. Dom Jan, my father, sends her on i'm
portant business. No one else can go
every man from the village is with the
army, and l must hurry back to toin
them"
our maidens are brave" cried the old
han proudly. When God gives even the
girls such strength of heart We shall SIRE
~ conquer in His name. You shall have
my bost horse, Martha but wait and have
your coffee first"
Martha tried to press Peters hand in
recognition of the unexpected kindness
with which he had saved her from more
shame, but he roughly drew il aWay as if
himself ashamed at displaying so much
mercy. They Went into the house and
there surprise awaited them. Old Van
Belts only son lay on bed grievously
wounded The farmer spoke of him win
solemn quietude
They JUS brought Kim home before YOU
came, said The old man. who had bled
many time himself for fatherand, and
was now content to Offer up his boy at the
altar. The fighting has begun There
have been one OF TWO skirmishes STEPHEN
here is badly hurt and one or two patriots
are dead, but for every one Of ours God has
smitten three Of the invaders"
Martha did not hear the last sentences
She had stepped swiftly to the bedside,
leaning over the patient.
Where, Stephen-where-ho did
YOU come by this?
She touched embroidered 'kerchief tied
round tn. young soldiers arm, stained with
, his blood. The man opened his eyes and
smiled recognition.
Martha de Kalb.' he said you women
are doing good work among the wounded
That? Oh. that / crawied over to when
was shot down, and took from dead Eng
ishnan'S neck You see. l was bleeding
bad, and had to take the first thing /
saw"
She knew it. She had embroidered IT
herself. She had given it to Lieut.. Ven
able. She drew back without fainting but
now with q numbness at her heart that was
more deathly than her previous despair
She was away at last Peter, her brother
helped her in that He was anxious to be
done with this Work-a kind of execution
ers work. Besides like every young Boer
ne was eager TO get back to his father and
the leaders in the decisive fight which they
all knew must be close at hand, and show
the Older heroes of the people that their
younger brotherS-in-arns We're made of the
same stern stuff as the fathers.
The farmer had done as he promised
and given her an excellent horse wishing
her Godspeed on what he presumed was a
secret mission Neither did ANYBODY ex-
press fear of possible danger for her They
knew she was veldt-bred, acquainted with
the country and a good horsewoman. Peter
handed her revolver the last
She looked in his eyes as she took it, but
he turned away. Yet she knew the thought
which was in the iron-minded Boer BOYS
soul And perhaps, she meditated that
would be best. Father, mother brother.
country and lover all lost in one day-a
traitress, a spy. Surely it would be best
| SO to do with herself out there In the night
| on the lonely veldt.
Inere was but quarter moon; its light
and that of the stars served only to make
the solitude of the veldt more shadowy and
/ fearful to a stranger. Martha was no
| stranger tonight In the bush. Very often
| in Slow OK wagons. or in the swifter cart
| behind her fathers horses, or as now. in
the saddle, she had travelled guideless, save
Tor the star marks, along long. rough tricks
Ionisht there were about her soul darker
shadows OF more unhappy portent than
ever were cast upon the plain to alright
1 the wanderer.
II she meant to use the money Peter had
! thrust at her, she knew the safe road to
| the frontier. and thence to the colony and
| her schoolday friends. But she did not
| now argue that matter The thought of
ooang to Capetown did not enter her mind.