Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-07-13
By H. B. Mackenzie


the outside world. save of the army
that had ventured out to do battle with
the enemy. had reached the little town
until now.
The messenger. n young Dutch farm
er. who had come To ask II he could
be enrolled In the British army. was
surprised and frightened when he saw
the look Of alarm and horror which
overspread the young mans face.
1T Is what ] have been told. Herr
Doctor" said the young Dutchman
stolidiy. "and can tell you no more:
but II is certain Herr Leslie is dead.
for he Is to be buried today
Rothes was almost stupefied by the
suddenness OF the blow.
III the commando has done this
without provocation We shall not let
the matter rest there" he said. 'And
what OF Miss Leslie and Miss Eliza
beth. his daughter and sister!"
The young man shook his head. He
had given all his Information.
Rothes could not rest until he heard
more. He arranged with the other
medical men. and. escaping from the
town. though under heavy nre from
the enemy. hc rode Mt as mad n pace
rs he had ever induiged In. towards
New Kelso.
II was late In the afternoon when
hc reached II. and. long ere he did SO.
he saw u mass OF black ruins through
tho gum trees. which confirmed III.
story hc had heard.
Hc drew his breath In sharply. q
feeling of almost overwhelming fear
and forcbodins seized upon him. Then
hc rode up tho avenue towards tho
black ruins that had once been so arm
and sweet a home. and that had held
tho dearest thing to him on earth
Biucbcli. Blucbcii! whcro was she
now!
The clubhouse In which tho native
servants had slept was. strangely
enough. untouched by ire. Rothes
rode up towards II. his heart beating
with dull hnmmcr-iikc throbs. As
hc ncarcd II \ fGurc emerged from tho
low. mud doorway. The building was
merely q mud house daubed over with
clay. Tho nsurc was that Of Miss
Elizabeth. She cam. quickly forward.
and RothcS saw how shockingiy
changed shc was.
Her hair seemed to have grown
grey. her face was like that OF very
old woman. drawn and wrinkled: her
checks and eyes hollow and sunkcn.
and the latter looked ms II all the tors
had been wrunE on, OF them.
. But they had not. A dry sob burs,
from her as she recognized Rothcs.
and. ms he ciaspcd her hand. the tears
rushed forth. Thank God! oh, thank
God! II IL q wonder to myself have
not gone mad during these long days!
Never a white face that knew to ap-
peal to. But now oh. you will. for
chnrity's dear sake, for tho sake OF
the kind Lord above. you will seek for
my lost child. Doctor Ro,hcs!"
He paicd suddenly. holding the thin.
Woodworking hand In an unconscious
,y painful grasp.
Lost! What do you mean. Miss
Elizabeth? Is Il Biucbcii who IN lost!"
"Yes, my bairn. my little Blucbcll!"
She burst into the painful. bitter tears
Of old age. Nov my brother Is gone
.-and God alone knows whether the
awful charge they brought against him
was true or not-I can think OF moth
ing. OF no one but my lost darling.
Where Is shc! Is she s'ill alive? Has
death ovcrtakcn her. or something
worse? oh, II I but knew the truth.
even II II were death. II would not be
80 awful. But this unccrtainiy-th
Almighty above knows how l bear 1t
and still keep sanc''
Explain all TO me, Miss Elizabeth"
Rothcs led her to an iron garden scat
that the fire had been compelled to
sparc. and sat down beside her. his
own face pale and set. Tell me the
whole affair MS briefly as possible. and
then I shall know what to do"
She did so, with wonderful brevity
and cxactncss. When she mentioned
the name of Gerald Moore. Rothes
started from his seat, his eyes blazing;
then. with a gesture. asked her to go
on.
"f did not sec where Bluebell was
for n long time. The leader OF the
Beers examined my brother for him
self. lie is dead: there Is no doubt OF
IL. II was an apoplectic stroke. ne
said. Then he said ne must take my
brothers body with him. HIS ORDERS
were to bring him dead or alive. l
prayed. I bcsought. Then suddenly
the servants came running to say the
house was on fire. 1t had been set hre
to by some of the Beers. misuhder.
standing an order Of their leader-H
least. so they said. 1t was theh ,
learned Bluebcll was gone. sam 'oiu
me he had seen Baas Moore CARRYING
her Off. with n cloth over her heau'
and when Sam had run after him'
Moore covered him with a pistol.
You mean" said Rothes hon'su's'
interrupting her. look III ms 'a'e