Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1900-08-02
BY 3. W. CROKER


this pair. Miles did not lend himself to
these excursions; a 20-mile ride for
brace of quail was mot good enough"
lie growled, in answer to their frequent
and pressing invitations, and he looked
rudely contemptuous when, as OCCASION
ally happened, the sportsmen returned.
with nothing but Il couple of voraclous
appetites and an empty bag.
You are not on duty to-day, for won
der, Miles," said his cousin, bursting into
his tent one morning. shove away that
venerable newspaper and listen to me.
There's not a stir toward the front, and l
invite you to join a fOray party. we are
going about twenty miles west to burn
some kraals, and it's better fun than stick
ing in camp doing nothing"
Another of your raids" contemptuous-
". You live a few hundred years TOO
late. You'd have been in your glory IN
those old border times, lifting your neigh
boris cattle, and harrying them from
years in to years end"
Cant harry these beggars enough to
please me! Come along. Here's a chance
70 see some funw
Fun. my good Teddy! If there were
any fun I'd go like u shot; but burning
a few filthy kraals does not strike me as
a very humorous employment. However,
if | can't raise any other job L shall so,
just to please you"
That's right, and it does please me.
There will be half a troop Of ours and
some irregular horse, and who. knows
what may happen before we get back
Who knows indeed, Teddy? Little do
you imagine as you mount your brown
charger that tomorrow your saddle VIII
be empty. That tomorrow and for many
to-morrows the animal now moving so
buoyantly under you will paw the ground
and whinny shrilly, and strain at her
picket rope in vain, "for the touch Of a
vanished hand, and the sound of voice
that is STILL
. And thus they set forth, goodly little
band, nearly fifty sabers, bent on carry
ing fire and destruction into hitherto
impracticable part of the country, beyond
some rugged, distant hills. Away they
went, for miles, across the barren PLAIN,
scored with yawning dongas, through
bush and scrub and mealie fields, and
finally arrived at the rocky hills, where
they found a number of deserted kraals.
A few gourds and mats and skins were
the only spoils that fell into their hands.
The place was thoroughly searched for
buried grain, and then from every kraal
thin line of blue smoke was seen rising,
Transparent against the rocky back
ground. This feat accomplished, the par
ty off-saddled and turned the horses loose
to Craze, not without some qualms anent
the deadly tulip-root, had some bread and
cheese themselves, and after a short rest,
set out homeward.
Teddy, careless and foolhardy, brought
up the rear, with his cousin, at some dis
tance in the wake of the irregulars, the
lancers and their captain being percepti-
bly, ahead.
II think we had better be showing on"
remarked Miles, noticing the crimson sun
set, which was now bathing the veldt in
its fiery flames, and the lengthening
shadows of the powders and big quartz
rocks.
''Oh, nonsense; it's all right, there's no
hurry" returned Teddy, placidly. Il
know every inch of this ground well.
We're only about seven miles from camp.
The horses have had hard days work,
let's take it easy. 1 never have a jaw
with you now alone, Miles. Dicky Gee
is all very well, and l like him awfully;
but we can't hang out the family washing
before him. Eh?" grinning.
what are you driving at? impatient
ly.
81 had a letter from home last night;
I found it when l got back-frOm Esme,' y
giving his companion a searching glance.
''She does not mention you"
'No; l suppose not"
whats the row between you now?"
Nothing. There is no row, as you call
it."
"Oh, but there is. 1 can see it. And
to be wroth with one you love doth work,
! like patent-spring back-action, madness
on the brain. I know you think Pm an
interfering, meddling young owl. That's
understood"
"You don't know what you are talking
about, that's ALL" with smile of dis
dainful tolerance.
"Oh, don't 1? Perhaps / know as much
about it as my elders. What would you
say-brace yourself for a shock-if told
YOU could sing The Girl l Left Behind
Me- too?"
Il would say 1 did not believe you,
that it was only one of your jokes" re-
turned his cousin, coolly.
''She is the only child Of retired col
onel-a ferocious looking old widower-
with heaps of money. 1t was pretty good
cheek for troopsergeant TO raise his
eyes to his daughter. How it happened
was this" now riding knee to knee with
his companion. Il was walking alone
one evening, for a wonder, about two
miles from barracks, when in a country
lane l heard no end of a shindy; snarling
and bowling and screaming. l found the
row came from a big lurcher who was
half killing a foX-terrier, and a girl who
was vainly belaboring the lurcher with
| her umbrella. Much he cared. l choked
him off, and got an ugly bite for my pains,
but rescued the terrier, more dead than
alive. l bathed his wounds in stream
hard by, and his mistress and l became
quite intimate over the performance, and
then l tenderly carried him nome behind
her, about half mile. When we reach
ed the gate she stopped, and got very red,
and stammered. and seemed greatly con-
fused; for she was quite young, only
about eighteen. At last she stammered
out, IF you were only an ordinary sol
dier, would offer you money, as well
as my thanks; but, as l think you are a
gentleman, offer you my thanks alone;
and she bowed. You can't think the odd
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