The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-04-13
THE ALTERNATIVE

"The question at ISSUE" Charles Shae-
| fer said, quietly, sis between this and
i that"
This was man, a native black
South African runner. He lay fat on
his back in the little valley, his unseeing
| eyes wide open. motionless save for an
occasional twitching of the muscles, his
life blood trickling through the hastily
applied bandage which concealed the bull
let wound in the head. The man was
silent, except when his parched lips
moved in the inarticulate nutter of de-
lirium.
Charles Shaefer, Reuters special cor
respondent in the Transvaal, did not
allow his eyes to linger long upon the
pitcous black figure. His gaze reverted
to 'that,' Il small package of papers,
evidently of great Importance. carefully
wrapped i'll Il waterproof covering, which
he had drawn from his breast pocket.
Now that we are reduced to two
horses only, he went on, his eyes shift
ing for Il moment to the carcass of a
third horse which lay dead some twenty
yards off, land seeing that we are in the
enem!'s country, probably twenty-four
hours ride from the nearest we'll of wa
ter and that this niger is dead weight
on our hands,
''Nou surely don't dream of abandon
ing the poor devil:" Tom Barker broke
in.
Shacfer glanced uneasily at his COM
panlOn. Barker was Il puzzle TO him: q
poor man of distinguished literary abil-
lty, young, but already a success as a
journalist, yet occasionally betraying a
place in connection with his friend of
Ieutonlc origin. Shaefer had had in
conyenient experience of this too Eng
nSh peculIarity more than once during
the three months enforced Imprisonment
III Ladysmith. from which they had lust
escaped with the invaluable help of the
negro runner.
the Englishman persisted.
Shaefer rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Hes sure to die soon in any case"
Il don't think so. If we can get him
on my horse and carry him bit out of
this W
Its out of the question, Barker. He
cannot walk. and these two horses are
do it,
BESIDES. the horses arc my property"
continued the German. Il had to nav y
big, price for them in Ladysmith. and
we've already lost one in our recent en-
counter with the Boer outposts. l must
get my dispatches in at the nearest tele-
graph station: it's forty miles off vet,
and l suppose YOU want to get yours
IN, too for the London T. | reckon
on selling these beasts when we get safe
~ over the Tugela river. and I don't
propose leaving one behind" and the
Nefnans eyes cleaned angrily, his
voice thick with passion.
Whats the life of a niger runner
Worth:' he growled.
RES man. anyway" Tom Barker
retorted suppose refuse to leave the
"Then'- and now Shaefer became omi-
nouSly co0l-"l shall again be forced TO
remind you that your horse is my prom
erty. l go. and the horse you ride goes
please ~"
Barker turned pale: ''That is the
choice you offer me: Then say you are
Il blackguard.'
And | say" indifferently, that you
are fool. Come, will you mount?"
No. furiously.
The Reuter- correspondent shrupped b;s
shoulders. oeEo 'A''
,.oI.H aSe as your own way" he said,
you'll be food for the Beers before morn,
ing And gathering up the reins of the
second horse, he prepared to jump into
ms own saddle. But here Barker sprang
cried: You shall leave me one horse
You brute, though it were a hundred
tlmCs your property
Stand off, the German cried,
ION Barker's answer was to close
with him silently and there ensued a
tri;ll OF strength, the issue of which
seemed Sc, for several minutes doubtful.
me men were not badly matched. Shae-
fer was little heavier, but he was ais,
the elder by fifteen years, and Barker's
l,he body had known an English public
school training. The result of the fipht
seemed uncertain, when the German
suddenly loosed his hold and fell back.
leaving the reins of the second horse al
inost IN the others clutches. But Bar
ker' raising his head, and about to seize
the relnS. found himself covered by his
antagonists revolver. ''
Now, perhaps the German corre.
spondcnt observed, :.you viii III" listen eufr To-
reason. | know YOU haven't got a gun
on you, my friend. | know something
o. Your strange English character.
ar mere smn Is netting like being ready for
Tom Barker. under the covering rcxol-
yer x stood erect and mute. To argue
lurtner with man prepared to commit
luurder on beha1f of horse and a few
news dispatches of no great Importance
"4nld be simple waste of breath.
NeePing the muzzle of the revolver
i,n,i ~ ~ D'tiher breast, Shaefer
1u!mpeu into his saddle, and Selling the
reinS of the other. horse, he started off at
Il sharp. trot. AS long as Barie,. a. a.
named III running distance the, German
occasionally looked back to be sure he
was nor followed: In five minutes he
Sonth nut cneck d IN the distance on the
fault. remember, if you lose your III 1;fe :.
iad,, tan II to get your, news in Mondays
LONDON T., was his final greeting as
ne disappeared over the crest of tho
nearest kopje, turning to his right
Mhen he had disappeared, Barker
looked around him, reviewing the situa-
tlon. IT was not a very cheering pros
Pect that met his eye-two hills. Or
kopjes,, of some thousand feet rosa 70 70
the right and left, and he could see the
setting sun on the horizon between Them,
FAR beyond on the veldt. The day had
been intensely hot. A"o
Il don't know what the deuce to do
now, thought Barker AS if in answer
TO the e., question: 1; the wounded guide rolled
"Where's Mass Shaefcr." he ~ s .';S
looking around him il surprise.
Barker gave the negro a drink of br:n.
dy, mixed with water, from his cantaan
and the man presently seemed to revive
sufficiently to sit up.
Barker laughed grimly, 'He's gone
river, leaving us both here in nica
ness ness he said. The darby rubbed his
hand over his eyes, YEARLY, ard then
gaZed steadily along the road ei.. al.
''Yo' say he go long the ~, trail?"
muttered the man.
YES replied Barker.
linen he's sure gone wrong. That
right trail "a; leads down to the Bo' camp,
and he'll get nab or killed for spy:, the
guide said slowly. l''
1t was too late now to warn the Ger
man correspondent. He was far out of
SIGHT by this time. w.
When Tom Barker and the negro
guide, the latter resting against the Eng
llshman's shoulder, staggered into the
hut Of friendly Kaftir Just before sun
rise the next morning. they could obtain
no tidings of the German. But they re-
ceived a rude welcome and a rough
s s from the long-suffering KAT
hrs, who had during the war learned to
respect the British race. The next day
Tom 9 Barker, with a new guide, started
on once more for the British camp on
the Tugela. They reached it at sunset
the, next evening and Barker reported