Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-06-26

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you must no,u 90 dtodp from here,o he
proclaimed calmly.
glory and the profit" He dropped off
the heights to sober matter of fact.
Such men," he remarked, "dont do
things for nothing. What shall we
make the figure"
ooh, guess" replied Phillips, shat
If Burton and can put this through
we can trust you for the rest of it."
The big man glanced at the other
men, and n little saugh all around
showed their appreciation of how Phil
lips had risen to his chance. Always
did like the way you Americans could
grasp point" the leader said and
shook hands. A moment later Ather-
ton brought in another telegram and
remarked. People up home display In
creasing agitation"
'Bahw said the big man, with an.
other laugh and crumpled up the tele-
gram.
The day after Burton and Phillips
rode out of Klerksburg and turned
their horses eastward. They left the
railroad line upon their left, and as
they struck into the open veldt and
saw around them the wide circle of
earth and sky their spirits gayly rose
to this adventure. Darkness found
them still six miles from the camp of
the border police, but Burton knew the
ground, and they pushed forward. FL
nally, when 1t was grown SO dark that
they hardly could see the ears Of their
horses, both pulled up suddenly, for
from the veldt upon their right they
heard a voice us of one in distress.
"Who are you" Phillips called.
There was no reply, but figure arose
from the darkened plain and stood
tottering before them. They swung
themselves out of the saddle, and a
match fared in Burton's hand. cap
pears to be a kind of mar, "rhe drawl-
ed, after cynical Inspection.
"Gem'n," came from the figure,
"scuge me If am not quite m'self."
His words. like his high silk hat, ap-
peared to have been crumpled up by
the catastrophe. "Medchins all smash
ed, horse gone off; 'bandoned, you see,
on the lonely plain" He lurched upon
Burton's neck. "Scuge me-" he walled
cheerfully, "but am SO drunkr'
"You are, indeed" assented the 9TH
er, land that's your horse about 20 feet
from here" 1t was SO, indeed. Al
though the patent medicines had all
been smashed. the faithful steed re-
NAMED. He seemed to glance at them
with look of resignation and sub
mitted without comment while they
hoisted the rider up again.
might as well take him along" said
Burton In disgust. appears to be
pickled we'll, but ought not, you know,
to remain out here" The rescued man
tumbled off now and then like the
White Knight In "Alice," but by rid
ing one on each side of him they gen.
orally caught him In midair. Proceed
ing thus. they reached the camp of the
border police and were greeted with
ironical applause. Burton knew most
Of the men; letter which he brought
made them still more welcome. They
ate and afterward among their hosts
lay back at ease around the campfire.
Invisible horses champed and shuflled
upon the plain around them. the troop
ers smoked and looked up at the
watching stars, and presently for lack
of something better they began to
have fun with the patent medicine
man.
He stood up in the freight, which
fickered upon his silly face, well pleas
ed to have such an audience. "Gem'n,"
said he, don't mock fellow man.
These friends Of mine, who brought
me out Of danger, who knows where
they Themselves may be tomorrow
Who knows what peril lies before
them7 Then, shay, don't mock O
victim of circumstances. It's wrong,
gem'n.n
That's right" somebody said. wish
that the victim had left us some Of his
circumstances, though. I'm thirsty"
But the orator, now in the moralizing
line, scared to still loftier heights and
touched affairs Of state. "rhish war;"
he cried; "oll, my, what an inlqulty!
You young men pant after fame and
fortune, but lisht to my ripper wisdom.
For again shay It's wrong, gem'n."
"Wrong, Is itY said the captain of
the police. He thoughtfully blew some
tobacco smoke at the stars, and then he
spoke deliberately, as one who does not
often air his views. There was little
uneasy stir among the men aiOund him,
for 1t was to these he spoke. 1.-THE Mig
ger who has had Boer over him has
sat in hell, but he isn't in much worse
case than the uitlanders down yonder
Englishmen treated like dogs and on
land which ought to be England's!
Wrong, is 1t? Have the Beers kept
their word with us? Wrong! Well,
my good friend, would merely point
out to you that war which would
change that government, such war
would give liberty and security to ev-
cry man, white and black, In South AZ
RIGA; would give another solid country
to the race that can point to its record
and say, 4 leave things better than
found Them would just merely point
out to you these trifiing facts and ask
you, Why is n war like that wrong?'"
The patent medicine man had stood
appalled,, with his mouth wide open,
during this speech. He staggered back
ward now, trlpped over a saddle and
went down with all on board. Rolling
helpless upon the plain, he hurled up at
the Sky, like the proud mother in the
Joke, his final word of triumph:
Because 1t is. So there"
In the morning the two adventurers
had n last word with the captain and
then mounted their horses. The medl-
cine man, who was now sober If not
sensible, wished to go with them, but
this offer was rejected. They rode to a
IL.