The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1901-01-17
BY H. B. Mackenzie

tnat nau Sentured out 10 10 Datte Win
the enemy, had reached the little town
until now.
The messenger. a young Dutch farm
er, who had come to ask IL he could
be enrolled In the British army, was
surprised and frightened when he saw
the look of alarm and horror which
everspread the young mans face.
1T is what / have been told. Herr
Doctor" said the young Dutchman
stolidly. "and / can tell you no more;
but 1t Is certain Herr Leslie is dead,
for he is to be buried today"
Rothes was almost stupefied by the
~suddenness of the blow.
IF 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 a heavy fire from
t4C ChGthS nC iodO I 90 Lha ReSC
as he had ever INDUCED in, towards
New Kelso.
1t was late in the afternoon when
he reached it, and, long ere he did SC,
he saw a mass OF black ruins through
the gum trees, which confirmed the
story he had heard.
He drew his breath in sharply, a
fo1iin4 IF o1raact c-uyha1paip fear
and ~foreboding seized upon him. Then
he rode up the avenue towards the
black ruins hat had onee been so firm
and sweet a home, and that had held
the dearest thing to him on earth
Bluebell, Bluebell, Where was she
now?
The clubhouse in which the native
servants had slept was, strangely
enough, untouched by fire. Rothes
rode up towards it, his heart beating
with dull hammer-like throbs. AS
he neared it a figure emerged from the
low, mud doorway. The building was
merely a mud house daubed over with
clay. The figure was hat of Miss
Elizabeth. She came quickly forward,
Al 1tOtiiC NV "
changed she was.
Her hair seemed to have grown
grey, her face was like that of a very
old oma drawn and wrinkled; her
cheeks and eyes hollow and sunken,
and the latter looked as II all the tiers
had been wrung out Of them.
But they had not. A dry sob burst
frnn, fop nc chn roonOnivnd RnfhpC
and. as he clasped her hand, the tears
rushed forth. Thank God! Oh, thank
God! 1t is a wonder to myself l have
not gone mad during these long days!
Never a white face that | knew to ap-
peal to. But now oh, you will, for
charity's dear sake, for the sake OF
the kind Lord above, you will seek for
my lost child. Doctor Rothes?"
He paled suddenly, holding the thin,
Woodworking hand in an unconscious
ly painful grasp.
Lost! What do you mean, Miss
Elizabeth? Is it Bluebell who is lost?'
Eyes, my BARN, my little Bluebell."
She burst into the painful, bitter tears
of old age. Now 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 she? Is she still alive? Has
death overtaken her, or something
worse? Oh, If l but knew the truth,
even If it were death, it would not be
so awful, But this uncertainty-the
Almighty above knows how l bear ii
and still keep sane!"
Explain all to me, Miss Elizabeth. ("
Rothes led her to al iron garden seat
that the fire had been compelled to
spare, and sat down beside her, his
own face pale and set. Tell me the
whole affair as briefly as possible, and
then l shall know what to do"
She did so, with wonderful brevity
and ~exactness. When she mentioned
the name of Gerald Moore, Rothes
started from his seat, his eyes blazing;
then, with a gesture, asked her to &c
on.
81 did not see where Bluebell was
for a long time. The leader of the
Beers examined my brother for him
self. He is dead; there is NO doubt o.
1t. 1t was an apoplectic stroke h
said. Then he said he must take my
brothers body with him. His order:
were to bring him dead or alive.
prayed. l besought. Then suddenl,
the servants came running to say thu
house was on fire. 1t had been set fir
to by some of the Beers, misunder
standing an order Of their leader-a
least, so they said. 1t was then
learned Bluebell was gone. Sam tolt
me he had seen Baas Moore carrying
her off. with a cloth owe her head
and when Sam had run after him
Moore covered him with a pistol"
You mean" said Rothes hoarsely
i~nterrupting her, a look in his fac
that terrified the poor woman, tina
It is that villain in whose hands sh'