The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-18

4
Look here" he said, that little Hol.
lander medicine man don't seem hali
bad, you know, but he was in hurry
when he patched you up. think we
better get this Boer fellow to let MS
| drop to the rear and have the doc make
another examination. Honest. you
know, YOU look pretty near dead"
| Rot, old boy" Lawrence almost
manage TO Pretoria but it hurts-it
| hurts
| Farther ON he spoke again, with pain.
"Wyyil,' he said, ''if they don't shoot
you. you're going home?"
| "And you, too, i hope"
| Lawrence laughed with weak GRIM
ness.
d can never go home" he said but
| wait a moment-it hurts--it hurts
| Why didn't those beggars finish me
my pocket book somewhere. There was
an address in tiny wife"
''Old chap"
II want you to see her-her address
is lost--but | can remember it, ! want
you to see her and tell her that died
honorably, and-and, my God, how it
| hurts"
Wait until We are-wherever they are
taking us. What makes you talk OF
| dying from cut in the cheek? Halloa!
Look cut! Watch.'
| Lawrence had turned gray. had
swayed. had fallen into Wyvil's arms.
as the latter leaped down to catch him.
The guard rode up. and the procession
moved ON, passing them. The doctor gal
1 ~ ha Il II
examination. The bandagel wound wa.
doing well. The trouble was not there
The doctor opened the coat aid shirt, ark
found bleeding wound in the side.
| "Ye gods" cried Wyvil. He neve1
mentioned this! No wonder he looked
so CHASTITY. Why, NE must have suffered
like blazes all those miles"
| 'Verdamter!" the Disguised doctor
exclaimed. 'He must be in hurry t
die! His clothes are soaked in blood"
| The man was patched up, placed in a
jolting wagon and so gained the prison
! at Pretoria, half dead He tainted as
he was carried in, and, when he came
| to himself, he saw that he was in q
room crowded with his comrades-some
wounded, some utterly miserable, some
recklessly Indifferent. He lay in cor.
ner, and next day the faithful Wyvil
was by his side with water.
"Why did you not tell of that bullet
wound?' his friend asked reproachfully.
mo wonder you nearly fell from your
saddle It's wonder you did not die
| in it,
Its pity said Lawrence.
Wyvil looked at him vexedly.
look here" Lawrence" he SAID. This
rs consummate bosh, you know. / have
no right to inquire into your private az
| fairs. Most of the men in cur ranks
have done something at home, and per
haps you have. have But, o, hang it
nothing is bad enough to make fellow
commit suicide and-ithat's what you
| seem to be up to-"
ut isn't suicide-it was an honest bull
! Lett
"Poppytalk! Sophistry! You're in q
bad way, but 1T might have been mended
| Now, forget all about that thing al
home, whatever it was. BE man, gel
well, have another try for the stakes"
II was innocent Of any wrong-doins
at home. 1t was out here / went to tn.
| devil. Put your hand in my breast. DE-
You feel rubber packet. Cut the
string round my neck. Now open it,"
Wyvil opened the thin package, and
produced the photograph Of woman
and a little child.
Your wife?" said he. She Is lovely
| Now look here, old man, you're going
back to her"
Il can't" said Lawrence ,hopelessly
and his voice was weak. Let me look
She was pretty. I'd like to see the boy
once, too. You would not think it. Wyvil
| but my father and she between then
| pushed ME off the ladder-sent ME to the
devil IN the DEVILS land. Give me some
water-I feel-I love her yet, Wyvil."
Don't try to talk.
You viii know her? Look on the bach
and see if her name rs not there-ther
| you will know my real name-but--don''
let anybody else"
1T is too dark here; let me take it t.
the light at the door,"
He slipped away, and when he came
| back stranger in citizens dress who
had been silently moving among tht
| prisoners, was standing over Lawrence
who, raised ON his elbow, was lookin.
UP at him desperately and defantly.
You've got me at last" said Law
renee.
81 think so, and I suppose / have .
claim ON you prior to that of Paul Krl
ger" the stranger coolly replied
You've changed names pretty often o;
late"
What supp" cried Wyyil, comm;
back. Excuse me, sir, but my frient
is badly wounded Even the exertion O
talking"
Il think, IN that case" the strange
said calmly, II can get an order to hav
him removed to the hospital on the hill.
You know him, then? Thank you.
NO" cried the wounded raider wit
violence. You would have me get wei
your
How? What's the matter? WY.
asked.
The fact is that L. have warran
here for the arrest Of your friend Rober
Lawrence, for murder in Johannesburg
two weeks ago"
Wyyil recoiled from the hand Law
renee held out to him appealingly.
1T was in fair fight" he whispered i
despair.
You will have some difficulty t
prove that" the detective remarked.
II swear it." said Lawrence, and the1
| as Wyyil hold aloOf Dale and ag,tates