The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-01-04


A week before Phillips had seen
fhe ''Gold Reef City" shivering in the
panic Of the expected war. His
thoughts, as be stared out the car
window, may have gone back bitterly
to Johannesburg, to the ridge which
hss made so many sorrows, and his
own failure there. Clutched in the
hand, however, he held telegram
feom his partner, Burton. and this
read: Come UP to Klerksburg next
train; big thing possible here
Around him men were arguing heat
edly in various dialects as to where
Joubert would strike first, what
would happen to the Uitlanders, and
when 1t would begin to happen. The
train ran on hour after hour; it came
to stop at Last aud discharged its
passengers into the excited, question
ing crowds which filled the streets of
Klerksburg. It was almost midnight,
bat there was no quiet In the towns
of the border.
a large young Euglishman stepped
out of the shadows and touched Phil
lips on the elbow. "Here You ere"
ne drawled.. cts late, but yoa
mustn't sleep yet, Jack. You're ex-
pected."
"What is it, anyway" asked Phil
lips.
"I don't know" replied the other,
stand I know at the same time that it
is something worth our while" He
was slower in his mental processes
than the American, and he now fell
into deep reflection. cit was Atker
ton who told me to get You here.
Appears that there is something being
planned. Come along"
They turned into quieter streets,
walked for some distance, and came
to house. The front Of this was
darkeued, but there were lights at the
rear, and as they approached more
Chan one man came out aud hurried
away. Burton held low converse
tion with some one at the door, and
then returned to find his friend.
"They want to see you alone in
there" he explained, land I'm to
wait"
Phillips went forward; servant
ushered him through the house and
bowed him into lighted room.
Three men were seated around table
there, upon which lay spread a map
of South Africa. In q smaller room
behind Phillips could hear telegraph
instruments clacking feverishIy and
now and then q message would be
brought out and placed upon table.
London seems to be getting ex-
cited" one of the three remarked.
They did not embarrass Phillips by
too close scrutiny, but they were
taking note of him. ''Sit down, won't
you," said one OF them, q bag man.
The speaker leaned back almost shyly
in his chair, and turned his drowsy
gray eyes upon another, wko looked
like al ex-army officer. ''You state
the case, Atberton," he said.
"Hem," observed the latter. "Well,
Ir. Phillips, suppose you would not
be unwilling to accept Of good oppor-
sunity."
Phillips smiled grimly. "I rather
need to-" he replied.
"Ah, yes. Well, no offence, you
know; but we have been led to be-
Heve that you are, a-hem, rather
wild young thing"
The Americans square jaw tight
ened, and he rose. "You might have
felegraphed that information" lie
observed.
"No; sit down, please" said the
big man, "and hear us through" "
There was kind of fascination in his
manner difficult to explain.
''You know" continued Atherton,
his eyes upon the table and speaking
rs if by note, whether this country
is in q healthy condition ROW. You |
are from Johannesburg, and also know |
how the Uitlanders are being treated.
Here in Klerksburg we believe that
war is inevitable and that the sooner
1t comes the better for us all. There
are, however, people who cannot un-
Gerstand this situation and they advise |
delay" He nodded, perhaps uncon- |;
seiously, toward the room where the !
telegraph instruments were clicking. |
''Not so many miles from here, at
q point which your friend Burton
knows, there is camp Of the border |
police. 1t lies about two miles from
tie frontier line OF the Traasvaal, and |
ten miles on the other side the Doers
have also a camp. Very good. Now
L need not point ont to you that Africa
Is like bin of gunpowder and that it