The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1900-09-08

get safety over the lugela river, and |
don't propose leaving one behind" And
the Germans eyes cleaned angrily, his
voice thick with passion.
whats the life of a niger runner
WORTH" he growled.
Hes a man, anyway" Tom Barker
retorted. Suppose | refuse to leave
the fellow?"
"'Then"-and now Shaefer became
ominously cool-'I shall again be fore
ed to remind you that you horse is my
property. | go, and the horse you ride
goes with me. You can come or not, as
you please"
Barker turned pale. THAT is the
choice you offer me? Then l say you
are a blackguard."
And l say" indifferently, that you
are a fool. Come, will you mount?"
mo-" %furiously.
The Reuter- correspondent shrugged
his shoulders.
Have it your own way" he said.
You'll be food for the Beers before
morning." And, gathering up the reins
of the second horse, he prepared to
jump into his w saddle. But here
Barker sprang upon him suddenly.
No, you don't" he cried. you shall
leave me n horse, you brute, though
it were a hundred times your prop
erty."
"Stand off" the German cried.
Tom Barker's answer was to close
with him silently, and there ensued a
trial of strength the issue of which
seemed for several minutes doubtful.
The men We're not badly matched.
Shaefer was a little heavier, but he
was older by Is years, and Barker's
1.-the body had known an English pub
lie school training. The result of the
fight seemed uncertain, when the Ger
man suddenly loosed his hold and fell
back, leaving the reins of the second
horse almost in the others clutches.
But Barker, raising his head and about
to seize the reins, found himself COW
cred by his antagonists revolver.
"Now, perhaps" the German CORE
spondent observed, "you will listen to
reason. / know you haven't got a gun
on you, my friend. l know something
of your strange English character.
uSIe Is uUllluS ike DellS ready TOT
any emergency that may arise"
Tom Barker, under the covering re-
volver, stood erect and mute. To ar
que further with a man prepared to
commit murder on behalf of a horse
and a few news dispatches of no great
Importance would be simple waste of
breath.
Keeping the muzzle of the revolver
pointed full at Barker's breast, Shaefer
jumped into his saddle, and, selling the
reins of the other horse, he started off
at a sharp trot. AS long as Barker re-
manned in running distance the Ger
man occasionally looked back to be
sure he was not followed, In five min
utes he was but a speck in the distance
on the South African veldt. ITS your
W fault, remember, if you lose your
life and fail to get your news in Mon
days London T." was his final
greeting as he disappeared over the
crest of the nearest kopje, turning to
his right.
When he had disappeared, Barker
looked around him, reviewing the stu
alton. 1t was not a very cheering
prospect that met his eye. Two hills,
or kopjes, of some thousand feet rose
to 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.
Il don't know what the deuce to do
now" thought Barker. AS if in answer
| tn thn nJ1nStinn thn wounded nr,;lo Ill
ed over on his side, making an effort to
rise.
where's Mass Shaefer?" he said,
looking around him in surprise.
Barker gave the negro a drink of
brandy mixed with water from his can
teen, and the man presently seemed to
revive sufficiently to sit up.
Barker laughed grimly. Hes gone
down the path leading to the Tugela
river, leaving us both here in a nice
mess" he said. The darky rubbed his
hand over his eyes YEARLY and then
gazed steadily along the road ahead.
"Yo' say he go long the right trail?"
muttered the man.
Yes" replied Barker.
Then he's sure gone wrong. That
right trail leads down to the Bo' camp,
and he'll get nab or killed for spy" the
guide said slowly.
1t was too late now to warn the Ger
man correspondent. He was far out of
sight by this time.
When Tom Barker and the negro
guide, the latter resting against the
Englishman's shoulder, staggered into
the hut of a friendly Kaffir just before
sunrise the next morning, they could
obtain no tidings of the German. But
they received a rude welcome and a
rough shakedOwn from the long suffer-
ing Kaflirs, who had during the war
learned TO respect the English race.
The next day Tom Barker, with a new
guide, started off once more for the
British camp on the Tugela. They
reached it at sunset the next evening,
and Barker reported himself to the
commanding officer, who was glad to
get news of the beleaguered army in
Ladysmith, and, although Tom BARKER
begged for n party to go out in search
of the lost German correspondent, the
stern general steadily refused to listen
to his request.
And heaven only knows to this hour
what did become of the wretched
Shaefer. There were many umors.
Some said he was shot as a spy by a
BOer commandant. but his fate re-
mains as unknown to his employers
and the world aS doac tbat Of mopyI