The Delawarean., 1900-05-12
THE ALTERNATIVE
A Story of the South African
War.
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'The question at ISSUE" Charles
Shaefer said quietly, sis between this
and that
This was man, native black
South African runner. He lay fiat on
his back in the little valley, his unsee-
ing eyes wide open, motionless save
FOR an occasional twitching of the mus
cles, his life blood trickling through
the hastily applied bandage which con
cealed the bullet wound in the head.
The man was silent, except when his
parched lips moved in the inarticulate
mutter of delrium.
Charles Shaefer, Reuters special
correspondent in the Transvaal, did not
allow his eyes to linger long upon the
piteous black figure. His gaze revert
ed to that" small package of pa
pers, evidently of great Importance
carefully wrapped in Il waterproof COW
ering which he had drawn from his
breast pocket
Nov that we are reduced TO two
horses only" he went on, his eyes
shifting for moment to the carcass of
third horse which lay dead some 20
yards off. ''and seeing that we are in
The enemys country, probably "a hours
ride from the nearest well of water.
and that this nigger is a dead weight
on our hands,
You surely don't dream of abandon.
ing the poor devil?' Tom Barker broke
in.
Shaefer glanced uneasily at his COM
panion. Barker was puzzle to him.
a poor man of distinguished literary
ability, young, but already a success MS
a journalist, vet occasionally betraying
a vein of sentimentality altogether out
of place in connection with his friend
of Teutonic origin. Shaefer had had
1nconvenient experience of this too
English" peculiarity more than once
during the three 4nonths' enforced i'm.
prisonnent in Ladysmith, from which
they had just escaped with the invalu-
able help of the negro runner
You wouldn't leave him here to
dep 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
It's ont of the question, Barker. !
He cannot walk and these two horses
are already tired out and we cannot
possibly do it.
Besides, the horses are my proppr-
ty.' continued the German 81 had to
pay big price for them in Ladysmith.
and we've already lost one in our re.
cent encounter with the Boer outposts. |
l must get my dispatches in at the !
nearest telegraph station. It's 40 miles |
OH yet and suppose you want to get
yours in. too, for the London T. IL
reckon Oh selling these beasts when we
get safely over the Tugela river. and | |
don't propose leaving one behind" And
the Germans eyes CLEANED angrily, his |
voice thick with passion
''What's the life of nigger runner I
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 your horse is nv
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 I say you
are blackguard.'
"And l say indihferently, "that you
are fool. Come, will you mount?''
"No," furiously.
The Reuter- correspondent shrugged
his shoulders.
Have 1t your own way" he said.
you'll be food for the Beers before
And, gathering up the reins
OF the second horse, he prepared TO
jump into his own saddle. But here
Barker sprang upon him suddenly.
mo, you don't" he cried. "You shall
leave me one horse, you brute, though
1t were hundred times your prop
erty."
STAND off, the German cried.
Tom Barker's answer was to close
with him silently, and there ensued
trial of strength the issue of which
seemed for several minutes doubtful.
The men were not badly matched.
Shaefer was a little heavier, but he
was older by 10 years, and Barker's
1.-THE body had known an English pub
ic school training. The result of the
light seemed uncertain. when the Ger
nan suddenly loosed his hold and fell
,ack, leaving the reins of the second
lorse almost in the others clutches.
But Barker, raising his head and about y
o seize the reins, found himself cov- s
red by his ANTAGONISTS revolver.