The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-02-02


peasant, speaking the patois Of his
race and concerning himself with
nothing beyond the immediate concern
of the moment. But in his face was
tho stamp of invincihlc determination;
his mouth, slightly dropping at the
corners, was carried tightly closed and
tho strong. square jaw was set firm
| behind the struggling russet beard.
AS the third sun set on our forced
march. the attaches became rcstlve,
and the United States Attachc Reich
mann rode forward to ask tho object
of ollr cNcrtons.
81 do not know" was the only reply,
and wc icrkcd at our brides as we
rode on into the gathering night.
n simple Bocr. ignorant of maps,
save the wide landscape spread out
before him. possessed of no strategy ex-
rcpt his hunters instinct, and utterly
incapable Of intclligihly explaining his
purpose. De Wet took refuge in ST.
lcncc. No man of his commando
knew more than VIC did, but they un-
1crStool their leader and cantcrcd un-
qncstoningly, nnapprchcnsivcly on
ward.
Suddenly the long, Struggling line
was called to Il halt. A dispatch rider
on a painting vcldt pony rcinch up be-
side the general and delivered to him
some kind OF n report Dom Christian
heard and considered. and then in the
darkness our whole disposition was
changed. The force was divided into
three, and two sections rode away to
tho eastward under Hoofd Command
ant T'ict De Wet With him went
some 100 men. six guns, one Maxim
Norf1cnfclt and one small Maxim.
The remaining 400, with those Of us
who accompanied the headquarters
STAFF. rode on to Marais' farm, mt Oos-
prult. and off-saddlcd there. About 4
o'clock in the morning old Christian
De Wet moved us down into the
Koo1n Spruit and disposed of us along
the further bank nearest the Bloem-
fontcin watcrworks, where the big
road dives down to cross the rift.
In front OF us the British bivouac
fires glowcd duly not quarter Of n
mile away. Away over, n mile and a
half to the eastward where the sky
was already beginning to tighten. Piet
De Wet, with his six guns and 100
men. was safely slowed within 300
yards OF the British lines
Between us were General Broad
wood, n force OF fully 1000 men and
rich convoy. And vet had we en-
| conntcre1 no outpost. discovered no
picket. We had ridden the ten miles
since the dispatch rider arrested us
nnchnllcngcd. and now the old hunter
lay cXpcctantly awaiting daylight and
the British.
| AS the dawn broke, piet De Vets
guns sounded the reveille. In an In
stant Broadwood and his cnmp were
awake and bnstlng. Soon, out of the
morning half light, loOmcd the first
Cape cart rattllng downward toward
rs and Blocmfontein. The word went
round, "No shot to be fired till Gcncr-
nj De Vets rifle gives the slgnalv'
| Without advance guard or cavalry
screen, scouts or flankers, the rich con-
voy rolled downward into the waiting
arms OF Dc Wet First came the
Cape carts. then the light baggage
wagons, and after them the long string
Of numbering mule wagons-two Tom
mics in front, two Tommics behind
iangling their way toward Blocmfon-
tcin.
| On the verge of the spruit stood
Christian De Wet, silent, cool, and az
! the lead mules crossed the lin he
T, placed restraining hand on the lines
and mnrmurcd invitingly, "Come in!'
They came, and after them came
fully four score others -lraggled TO1n-
mics, dnmbfounded Tommics, devil
may-care Tommics-but no single
/ Tommy had the presence Of mind to
wave back his SUCCESSORS in the mis-
cradle procession. And there was no
escort.
with time ana the parking of the
baggage train in the sprut something
Of doubt arose in the mind of the Brit
iSh '''i.,rard"r. He dispatched a
squadron of mounted infantry to re-
ronlloitre the position. The troopers
cam" rrsrlr trotting up, deployed and
advanced 10 within eighty yards of us.
Every face in the long, straight line
stood out distinctly as Dom Christiaan
once more rose and invited the caval-
rymen's commander to come over.