The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-10

The sight of the kerchief had IN an in
slant killed all notion OF seeking the Eng
fish. What were English people 10 her
now? Her lover dead all England was a
dream. And that dream gone the Missing
realty was before her eyes again. she was
the spy, the traitor. the outeast
The thought of turning the pistol on
herself came again more tnan once, out
she was girl never given TO morDidnesS
at any time, and now, in spite OF the stun
ming blows which that day had confound-
ell her, the reaction, more physical than
mental began, and instinctlVely she COM
rneuced. though almost unconsciously, TO
question what misht he done. VenaD-e 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
cd Tante's breast? How could she turn
aside her fathers wrath?
She had left the reins 10 the horse, and
the beast was following a path which
did not lead 10 the frontier Suddenly a
distant cracking of musketry made the
animal prick his ears and start The
noise which thus broke the gloomy ST.
lence of the veldt awoke Martha to
clearer sense of where she was. She sat
more straightly in the saddle and listen
ed They came again, not in Volleys. but
in the scattered reports of skirmish firing
the sounds of many guns There was
her father, there by now might be Peter,
llolhlti6 DdCh NAir lhFdNltls AAfSASB IL SiAS
had had the luck, she thought 10 have
been born a boy, should she be. She halt
ed and her eyes ShOne in the darkness.
Why should she not be? Why not prove
to her people that she was, If traitress,
not one with intended malice? She could
shoot almost 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 unwonted visitors.
Trumpets were calling across its
grasses. The clatter of steel scabbards
against spurs and stirrup iron rang out
in the quiet air. Drums were beating
The loud and sharp commands came swift
ly from the mouths of alert sergeants.
The English camp was struck, and the
first rays of the sun glanced from the
buttons and bayonets of the invading
army, as IL formed column and marched
into the heart of the coveted land. Swing
ing along with the practiced, never fall
tering step of long drilled soldiers, the
army passed, with every here and there
a bronzed horseman darting from front
to rear and rear to front with orders, and
flying above it the proud banner that has
been so infrequently lowered.
So they passed, the gay group of gen.
era and staff In front, chatting and
laughing, until, of a moment, their talk
and laughter ceased. and swiftly the
chief sent his aids galloping back 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 men
and dead.
1.-The enemy is in force" they said, "but
and everywhere, over the veldt behind
anthilIs and trees, behind rocks on the
kopjes. always keeping at a distance, and
picking off our men every shot at long
range"
A stronger guard was sent to the front;
scouts were sent out on either flank. and
the column again moved forward Now
the laughing and talking ceased, and vex-
alton and wrath were on the face of the
chief and were reflected on the faces of
his aides, for the number of soldiers being
sent TO the surgeons in the rear was in
creasing, and nothing could be seen Of the
Beers but distant horsemen, or RAPIDLY
moving squads far off. or occasional
sharpshooters many yards away, or per-
petual puffs of smoke above powders AMI
behind the scrubby trees. Little drilled
in battle line and hollow square, the far
mer soldiers were defending their country
| in their own way. So the column passed.
! on so the bOEIS IelTedleu HdIdSSlDB trout
and flank, and the English general growl-
ed and grumbled
The beggars are in force; why don t
they stand up and fight?'
And a little boy. riding alongside his
rather 10 see the fun so sure were the
| English that it would be little more than
a sham battle, looked up at the officer and
| asked with surprise:
PA, isn't it time yet to begin to lick
! them?"
Meanwhile the patriots had moving
| among them their pastors. and, before the
! fight commenced, their day had begun with
prayer TO the Lord of Hosts Their was
not the trim and soldierly appearance OF
the invaders. Old men were there in the
clothes in which they followed the pillow
boys were there in the garb in which they
| herded the cattle or guided the long OK
trains Their visage was firmly solemu-
man and boy. AS they retreated along the
treks TANKS, holding together in squads
| undisciplined save by the force engendered
by each mans love of land, each mans
determination to follow to the end COM
| mon purpose, officers galloped among them
Among these officers was cid Dom Jan
| and for all his years, his eye was as bright
and his form as erect in the saddle as
those of his people thirty years younger
than he. He scanned, as he rode. the faces
| of these sharpshooters whom he pas.
sed delivering a deadly fire upon the
enemy, and many he knew and many he
| spoke to- But one he knew, and vel
knew not for the face puzzled him. until
finding Peter, his son, eager eyed and busy
he pointed the stranger out and asked il
Peter knew who he was and from wha
district he came. Then, looking al nj:
bows face, he smiled and said;
Hes not unlike you, my SON"
So Peter, finding on opportunity, as they
moved position, drew close to the stranger
and at once knew VINO ii was, although
the yellow hair was closely cut and tn,
trim, care-made diess had given place L
the rude dress of a Boer farmers lad.
MARTHA he cried.
She locked at him with a smile.
rs there any other way or better way
treason?" she asked.
lie was bewildered.
where did you get these clothes?"
Cousin Hofmeyr is sick and l went t
his farm and took them
He said nothing more for awhile, ther
| asked
DO you know that Lieut.. venable is