Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-08-31
in NATAL I[t
BY H. B. Mackenzie

that had ventured out to do battle with
the enemy, had reached the little town
until now. " -a>
The messenger, young Dutch farm
er, who had come to ask IL he could
be enrolled in the British army, was
surprised and frightened when he saw
the look of alarm and horror which
overspread the young mans face.
1T is what have been told. Herr
Doctor" said the young Dutchman
stolidly, land I can tell you no more;
but it is certain Herr Leslie is dead,
for he is to be buried today"
Rothes was almost stupefled by the
suddenness of the blow.
If the commando has done this
without provocation we shall not let
the matter rest there" he said. And
what of Miss Leslie and Miss Eliza
beth, his daughter and sister,"
The young man shook his head. He
had given all his information.
Rothes could not rest until he heard
more He arranged with the other
medical men, and, escaping from the
town, though under heavy fire from
the enemy, he rode at as mad pace
as he had ever INDUCED in, towards
New Kelso.
1t was late in the afternoon when
he reached it, and, long ere he did so,
he saw a mass of black ruins through
the gum trees, which confirmed the
story he had heard.
He drew his breath in sharply, a
feeling of almost overwhelming fear
and foreboding seized upon him. Then
he rode up the avenue towards the
black ruins that had once been so firm
and sweet a home, and that had held
the dearest thing to him on earth
Bluebell, Bluebell! Where was she
now?
The clubhouse in which the native
servants had slept was, strangely
enough, untouched by fire. Rothes
rode up towards it, his heart beating
with dull hammer-like throbs. AS
he neared it figure emerged from the
low, mud doorway. The building was
merely a mud house daubed over with
clay. The figure was that Of Miss
Elizabeth. She came quickly forward.
and Rothes saw how shockingly
changed she was.
Her hair seemed to have grown
grey, her face was like that of a very
old woman, drawn and wrinkled; her
cheeks and eyes hollow and sunken,
and the latter looked as if all the tiers
had been wrung out of them.
But they had not. "A dry sob burst
from her as she recognized Rothes
and, as he clasped her hand, the tears
rushed forth. THANK God! Oh, thank
God! 1t is a wonder to myself hay
not gone mad during these long da!
Never a white face that I knew to ap-
peal to. But now Oh, you will, for
charity's dear sake, for the sake OF
the kind Lord above, you will seek for
my lost child, Doctor Rothes?"
He paled suddenly, holding the thin,
Woodworking hand in an unconscious
ly painful grasp.
Lost! What do you mean, Miss
Elizabeth? Is it Bluebell who is lost?"
Eyes, my BARN, my little Bluebell!"
She burst into the painful, bitter tears
of old age. Nov my brother is gone
and God alone knows whether the
awful charge they brought against him
was true or not-I can think of moth
ing, Of no one but my lost darling.
Where is she? Is she still alive? Has
death overtaken her. or something
worse? Oh, if I but knew the truth,
even if it were death, it would not be
so awful! But this uncertainty-the
Almighty above knows how l bear it
and still keep sane!"
Explain all to me, Miss Elizabeth"
Rothes led her to an iron garden seat
that the fire had been compelled to
spare, and sat down beside her, his
own face pale and set. Tell me the
whole affair as briefly as possible, and
then shall know what to do
She did so, with wonderful brevity
and exactness. When she mentioned
the name of Gerald Moore, Rothes
started from his seat, his eyes blazing;
then, with a gesture, asked her to go
on.
II did not see where Bluebell was
for a long time. The leader Of the
Beers examined my brother for him
self. He is dead; there is no doubt of
it. It was an apoplectic stroke, he
said. Then he said he must take my
brothers. body with him. His orders
were to; bring him dead or alive. l
prayed. T besought. Then suddenly
the servants came running to say the
house was on fire. It had been set fire
to by some Of the Beers, misunder-
standing an order of their leader-at
least, so they said. 1t was then |
learned Bluebell was gone. Sam told
me he had seen Baas Moore carrying
her off, with cloth over her head;
and when Sam had run after him,
Moore covered him with a pistol
''You mean," said Rothes hoarsely,
interrupting her, look in his face
that terrified the poor, woman, that
it is that villain in whose hands she
is now?" -
IT tell you all I know" said Miss
Elizabeth, sobbing. "Doctor Rothes,