The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-29

SO he died, glorying in the hope Of a
speedy revenge, and the Boer boy, leay-
ing him, recovered his new rifle and
rode slowly and mournfully homeward.
Here his troubled mother met him.
"Piet," she said, 'the Kaffirs have
left u.s.
"I know" said he, and looked into
her brave face, and told her what had
happened and what Malula had said Of
the nearness Of the Zulus.
eff my father had known it," said
her son, she would not have left us"
"He was commandeered," said the
Boer wife. "It was his duty. Country
frst-always, my SON."
"But,'' said Piet, in mucL perturba-
ton, ''my father did not think the
blacks would fly. He thought that they,
Basutos, would fight their old enemy,
the Zulus. If these come, what are we
to do? Shall we leave the farm and
trek to Van Boeven's?"
The Boer mother pressed her lips
with frown of pride.
'That was not we'll said, my son"
she answered. "Oom Putter said Stay
AS he obeycd his general and went, so
we shall obey him and stay and fight
till he comes"
1t was Roman speech. Even as the
words came from her mouth she
looked round and saw Piet, we'll
grown boy Of Is years; Greta, q child
of II; little Pretorius, and the baby-a
goodly garrison to defend the hearth.
But she saw that hearth, she saw the
dear walls her husband had built to
bring her home as bride, she saw the
fields he had titled and the barns he
had raised, and seeing them she would
have fought to the last scratch Of her
nails, like q wildcat, rather than give
them ur.
Besides" said she hopefully, what
could the wretch Malula know that we
don't? The Zulus cannot be near, and
if they are, the farmers have out their
scouts, and they say the English from
Natal are also ready. Before they reach
our farm the Beers must meet them,
and surely the savage shall be strick-
en-"
Nothing more was said about desert
ing the homestead. Vrouw Putter went
her work quietly, but Piet began to
prepare. Now, the farmhouse was
roomy and the garrison a most pretty
one, and, puzzle over the matter as he
might, the boy could not see how its
rough stone walls could be protected at
once on all sides if the attacking force
was to be a large one. His mother
was about as good shot as he, and
even Greta could discharge gun at
pinch, but two or three guns could not
protect so rambling a building. Piet
came to that conclusion with feeling
akin for moment to despair, until, ut
last, as he stood in the broad yard look
ing at the house, the chickens came
clucking about him in their search for
food, and he had an idea.
ali day he worked busily, leaving
his mother to the children, and by
nightfall he had prepared a fort to
withstand siege. Two or three times
during the afternoon he had slipped
off to the top Of the kopje, where he
could look afar, but each time he came
back, having seen nothing but the roll
ing veldt They had supper, and again
Piet slipped away and came back, but
now with grim face.
Mother" he whispered, "from the
west heard the war song CT the Zulus.
1t came family with the wind. In the
direction also of Van Boeven's farm
the skies are red and if so at dark I
fear shall see the flames rising from
his barns"
The mother gathered her baby tight
in her arms for q moment, and then
quietly asked her eldest:
care the guns cleaned and loaded?'
EYES," said Piet, "and, mother, if you
approve, we must leave the house. 1t
is too big and rambling for us two to
protect"
Leave the house,"
s'Not very far" said Piet and explain
ed.
In that land Of few dwellers space is
mot of much consideration. The farm
buildings were quite widely scattered,
and Farmer Putter had built his COW
byres and pigpens and SO on proper
distance away from his house walls.
All the afternoon Piet had been march
ing, laden with packages and bundles,
between the house and the outbuild-
ings. Now, when it was dark, he put
out all the lights Of the house, and the
windows and doors were Etoutly bar
red.
"Where are we going to sleep?" the
children asked, accustomed to rise and
lie down with the sun, and Piet an
swered checrfully, "In the chicken
COOP"
The children, at first astonished and
incredulous, were delighted when they
discovered that their brother meant
what he said, for the sight Of the
chickens feeding had given the boy the
necessary idea. If the house were too
big, the coop could not be accused of
that fault. About the rocky kopje
stones were plentiful and more conven-
lent than wood. Therefore, Piet had aid
ed his father in building solid affair
to shelter the many fowls. 1t was
stone and high and roomy. Piet, dur
ing the afternoon, had made on each
side, by careful removal Of stones,
loopholes and carried to the henhouse
the more precious articles in the house,
with all the ammunition and guns.