Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1900-08-24
CHAPTER VI.

In the moonlight his hooking, dark
face had look upon it that seemed
to Bluebell's eyes as malevolent and
wicked as that OF any fiend could be-.
He was looking straight up at the win
dow. .a
There is no necessity for undeceiv-
ing your daughter, Mr.. Leslie" he
said; "but, you see, there's absolutely
no use in resistance-all is known now.
If you don't surrender yourself as
prisoner it will be worse for yourself.
The commando have orders to shoot
you if you resist"
A shrek broke from Miss Eliza
beth's lips behind Bluebell; but the
girl uttered neither word nor cry as
her Mortified eyes, looking dark and
large in the midst of her CHASTITY white
face, strained themselves to catch a
glance from her father. He gave her
none. His own face was contorted
and convulsed with some terrible emo
ton, the veins in his forehead were
swelling to bursting. For a moment
or two he could not speak, though his
lips twitched convulsively. a@
Then suddenly his voice broke from
him, low and hoarse-a voice that
made Bluebell shudder.
you traitor!" he said. and his tone
was terrible to hear. so that even the
Boer leader shrank away little,
glancing at Moore doubtingly. Il see
your game now! You urged me to
give information, and then you your
self turned and informed on me! You
are Judas Iscariot! And I would
have sold my child into your hands
for gold! May God Almighty forgive
me! My"
The words were strangled in his
throat. He made a wild movement, as
If he would have leaped out OF the
window upon Moore; then sudden,
strange CONFUSION shook him from
head to foot. and he fell back against
Bluebell, rolled from her grasp, and,
falling to the floor, lay there, after
one or two convulsivs motions, per-
fectly still.
Miss Elizabeth gave another cry,
and moving forward, bent over him.
He lay on his side, his face still a
deep, almost a purple, red in hue, his
eyes half open but glazed and unsee-
ing, his Jaw dropped. Bluebell. sstrick-
en- dumb and motionless. stood beside
him, unable to make any attempt to
raise him from the ground. Meantime
a rapid consultation was going on be-
tween the leader of the commando and
Gerald Moore. ........
"You can set fire to the house and
do as you like with the old man" said
Moore, savagely. II have something
else to do. The girl is my property
and claim her."
DO as you like" replied the young
leader coldly. He eyed Moore with
cold contempt. Notwithstanding the
use that they had made of Moore, his
was not character which COM
mended itself to the Boer leaders, who
knew more about him than did most
Englishmen. Il have nothing to do
with any dirty private work. My duty
is to take Adam Leslie. dead or alive,
and mean to confine myself to that"
In few minutes the word of COM
mand had been given to the COM
mando, who proceeded to break down
the door. and also to force their way
into the house by means Of the glass
door of bedroom which opened onto
the stoop. The women upstairs heard
the noise, and Miss Elizabeth uttered
a terrified exclamation, while the
frightened servants howled and
shrieked in concert.
II shall 60 to them and demand
their right to force themselves into
any ones house like this!" said Blue
bell, suddenly starting as If from a
horrible dream. Before Miss Eliza
beth could prevent her she had moved
from the room and out to the head of
the stairs.
All was dark below, only she could
see that the outer door had been
opened, and flood Of moonlight
streamed in upon the floor. In its
light she saw the Beers, in their sandy
colored clothes, striding through that
beam of light. ...
But she had no time to speak, no
time even to think. Before she knew
what was about to happen she was
seized in a strong, almost vice-like
grip, something dark, close and sitting
was fastened tightly around her face,
so that she could not utter sound
save low, stifled moan. and she felt
herself lifted off her feet and carried
as easily as if she was child down.
stairs. She struggled violently, max
ing wild efforts to free her hands and
arms, which were bound to her side
by cloth; but it was useless. AS well
might fly have struggled to escape
from an imprisoning web.
She could not feel the change from
the warmth of the air inside to the
chilly atmosphere without; but she
guessed that her captor had immedi-
ately passed outside with her, and in
few minutes she could feel the jolt
ing of his steps as he passed over the
rough. and uneven path outside the
hOmesteading.