The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-01-30

!; +: ; s: : u; :: ::
tier.
A week before Phillips had seen
the Gold Reef City" shivering in the
panic OF the expected war. His
thoughts, as he stared out the car
window, may have gone back bitterly
TO Johannesburg, to the ridge which
has made so many sorrows, aud his
own failure there. Clutched in the
hand, however, he held telegram
from his partner, Burton, AL this
read: Come up TO Klerk burg next
train; big thing possible here. e"
Around him men were arguing heat
edly in various dialects "a to where
Joubert would strike first, what
would happen to the Uitlaaders, and
when 1t would begin to happen. The
train ran on hour after hour; it came
to stop at Last and discharged It's
passengers Into the excite |, question
ing crowds which filed the streets Of
Klerksburg. 1t was almost midnight.
but there was no quiet in the towns
OF the border.
y large young Englishmau stepped
ont OF the shadows and touched Phil
lips on the elbow Here you are. ="
he drawled. IT'S late. but you
mustn't sleep yet, Jack. You're ex-
pected."
what is it, anyway" asked Phil
lips.
81 don't know, =" replied the other,
land know ct the same time that it
IL something worth our while" He
was slower in his mental processes
than the American, and he now fell
into deep reflection. at was Ather-
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 a house. The front OF this was
darkeued, but there were lights at the
rear, and rs they approached more
than one man came out and hurried
away. Burton held a low converse
tion with some one at the door, and
then returned to find his friend.
They want to sec you alone in
there" he explained, "aud I'm 10
wait"
Phillips went forward; q servant
ushered him through the house and
bowed him into a lighted room.
Three men were seated around q table
there, upon which lay spread a map
of South Africa. In q smaller room
behind Phillips could hear telegraph
instruments clacking feverishly and
NJ
brought out and placed upon a table.
London seems to be getting ex-
cited, one OF the three remarked.
They did not embarrass Phillips by
too close a scrutiny, but they were
taking note of him. Sit down, won IT
you" said one of them, a big man.
The speaker leaned back almost shyly
IN his chair, and turned his drowsy
gray eyes upon another, who looked
like an ex-army officer. ''You state
the case, Atherton," he said.
Hem, observed the latter. "WeI.
Mr. Phillips, suppose you would not
be unwilling to accept Of q good oppor-
tunity."
Phillips smiled grizzly. II rather
need TO-" he replied
''Ah, yes. Well, no offence. Won
know; but we have been led to be.
lieve that you are, a-hen. rather n
wild young thing"
The Americans square jaw tight
ened, and he rose. "You might have
telegraphed that information" he
observed.
"No; sit down, please. said the
big man, land hear us through. 90
There was a kind OF fascination ia his
manner difficult 10 explain.
You know continued Atherton.
his eyes upon the table and speaking
az II by note, whether this country
IS IN a healthy condition now. 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
IT comes the better for us all. There
are, however, people who canno- mn
derstand this situation and thevadv
delay. He nodded, perhaps uuc5n-
sciously, toward the room where ibo
telegraph instruments were clicking.
Not go many miles from here. At
point which yOur friend Burton
knows, there IS camp OF the border
police. 70 lies about two miles from
the frontier line Of the TransvaaI. and
ten miles on the other side the Beers
nave also a camp. Very good. Now
need not point ont 10 you that Africa
i5 like bin Of guupovlcr and that 10
needs only a spark 10 Get 90 aGre. Esrc
ia where that spark can be struck. d"
ne put his finger upon the map
Just at this point over the limo i7
the farm OF Boer named Zwazer. lie
DE- an old Dutch rhin0ceros. ready
enough for trouble. b would bc very
easy for any ono who went there. any
one who was rather wild and irrcsp5n.
mDie, to precipitate % quarrel. IL
would not need extreme MEASURE q
mere quarrel, with perhaps little
misusage, and the Beers there m cann
would do the rest, for they would nj
attack The border police as certainly
a. we cit here. After that some his.
tory would probably be made
Young Philips whisled Thought.
fully. 'Its rather 70 rich for us. %
be said, and not the incest job,