The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-07-08
roper order and to issue a ukase.

side of the river by the R. s. o. there IL
your passes are not countersigned by the
station commandant here he said, smil-
( ing.
1 THE deuce, When was that order Is
4 sued?" the colonial captain demanded
1T isn't my fault. I've only got my
1 orders, and
Yes, yes. we know all that, but where
is the station commandant?"
| 81 don't know. He was about here
this morning. but he left after iunch.'
| Moo" refiectively. from a corner OF
| the carriage, you wouldn't"
We'll. hope you'll get across all right,
but tell you now that unless your passes
| are countersigned by Smith, station COM
| mander, you won't be able to get across.
/ even IL you were Kitchener himself"
'Td give month-I'd give three
| months pay to have X. of X. on this
| platform now-and we'd see," said the Of
| fcer with the Little Mans letters.
I'm only giving you my orders"
And you don't know where Smith is?"
mo"
And you expect US to hunt him all
around the camp. do you? We've been
| OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES hours in this
blasted onion heap. and you and Smith
between you have only just discovered"
"well. It isn't my fault. I'm only
you ought to keep Smith on the
premises then"
THAT has nothing to do with me.
should recommend you to go out and
look for HIM
''Oh, I've no interest In the matter.
I'm only going up with the Little Mans
private mail. Here's the bag. l don't
care II I'm stopped on the other side
It's your lookout. I'm sure the Little
Man would be quite pleased
"Oh, there's McManus," said the Colon
ial captain. looking out of the window.
II suppose he's hunting Smith. Dyou
think they'll stop McManus If his pass
isn't counterslgned by SMITH
who's McManus9" A giggle of deep
delight interrupted the r.. s. o. oh.
that civilian. Pom my word you'd think
Bioemfontein was Piccadiily. They're
all wanting to go up there.
Thank you," said the Colonial. I'm
afraid Wen have to be turned back to
the other side. Perhaps il we say we
couldn't find Smith they'll forgive u.s."
We'll. I'm only giving you my Or
The train rolled out nearly half a mile,
and halted in deep cutting The pas
sengers stepped out over ankles into the
sand. that slid under their feet. ard their
baggage followed them. A giggle OF
Kaffirs marched away with bags and bed
bling rolls and the company followed de-
pressedly. They expected to be met on
the other side by n train from the north
which In Gods good time would go back
to Bloemfontein.
"But-what do they want to stop In the
middle of n cutting for?' said the New
Zeaiander. II wouldn't have minded
walking hundred yards on the level
back there They might have made
decent platform there believe I've
twisted my ankle climbing up the bank"
'"Oh, this isn't a patch to what II Is on
the other side" said ar officer on the
bridgeworks. And they walked and they
usalls .,,~ttl fI..sxv hal he.
hundred feet below. McManus' face SEEM
ed a little set as II were-set, but In no
wise troubled
IBID he find Smith," the Colonial ask
ed. as they climbed the desperate north
bank, down which buck wagons were
sliding in pillows of dust. Here again
fifty mems labor for two days would
have greatly smoothed the road. HE
said he didn't" his companion replied.
"Oh, gloryl' said the Colonial, and hop
ping over boulder fell into a bush. A
hundred feet OF river bank through deep
sand at the end of n mile walk IL not easy
TO negotiate, and II was a dewy browed
detachment that broke through the scrub
and landed painting among the rocks at
the CANCERS hut on the north side OF the
bridge. But the X. 8. O. who received
them there was cool and utterly calm.
He wished to know whether their passes
were In order and hush of delicious
sible. they asked Of one anothes--was IL
conceivable that
McManus climbed the slope into the
Orange Free State easily and dispassion-
ately. his lower jaw protruding perhaps
one-sixtleth Of an inch beyond the normal
clinch. The travelers--brothers In that
great joy-made little semi-crcle about
the n. s. O.-the r. s. O, OF the north
bank OF Folly Bridge--about him and
about McManus of the Corporate Equa-
torial bank. n was heavenly weather
There was no accommodation of any sort
or description. for the CANCERS hut was
occupied by the military telegraphers
May l trouble you for your pass,
plsase?"
MoManus produced II oiumsily He was
more accustomed to demand than to sup
ply documents Of Identification.
"yes-yes-this Is all right" The com
nany winkcd as with one eyeiia--'hut I
don't see that"-the officer turned IT over
THAT II has been counterslgned by smith,
Capt Smith was In his oath when |
went 10 him AT Folly bridge at three:
foFty-iiv He sent a verbal message that
II would be all risht-so far under
stood, through the door at the time"
I'm afraid I can't help that" The r.
s O. paused uneaslly. McManus. Ia gray
tweeds, black bowler and immaculate
white collar. gave him not the slightest
help.
This pass Is no good" The sentence
came out IN a rush
Indeed There was meekness about
McManus and silence on the little knot
OF hystandcrs that would have warned
any other THAI an imported imperial alien
That that kopie was occupied IN force.
mo. You'n have To go back across thu
river 10 get smiths signature. / can't let
you up on that pass" This very cheer
fully
Whole hierarchies had signed It. Lions
and unicofns rampcd on the top Of Il. IL
appealed. a. has been said % earth Ara
and water-to horsefie~h. steam ana steel
and all IN command thereof. TO forward
Sith speed and courtesy r. X MeManus
20 bioemfoniein. bat st lacked the sigma
tnre % smltA~that Smith who was then
towelling himself two miles away.
u must go harkT' McMauus' clear evaa
Travelled down the rocky slope behlnd him,
10 the far pontoon and thr further sotth
hank. where fsw snldiyry. pink a.
praWns and az that distance not much