Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-08-21
Paul could not move, FOR me mans /

laws NSlS pldShSus dul w uSlOu- |
ished more than at first frightened,
because the kindness of the officer
and some others of the soldiers who
had spoken to him had made him feel
almost grateful to them. Grandfather
Reuter- sat in his chair glaring, and the
other man stepped up to him, drew a
pistol, presented it full at the old Beers
face and said harshly:
IF you want to see tomorrow morn
ing, old cock, tell me and my mate
where that wealth of yours is slowed
and tell it quickw
Dom Hendrick gasped and choked
and his eyes burned, but he said moth
ing.
Bring the nipper here, Jack" said
the man, and his mate" pulled Paul
to his feet, placed him beside his grand- 4
father and pointed another pistol at the
boys head. Now indeed the old Boer
shook, aud he turned a sorrowful look
on Paul, for, if he We're sometimes
harsh, still Paul was the hope of his
old age.
"What wealth?" he forced himself to
ask.
mo CANNON, now, cause We're
pressed for time" said one of the Eng
fish soldiers. I'VE know all about 1t.
How do you suppose that Kaflir es-
capped today? Cause me and my mate
had him between us, and he promised
if we gave him chance to run he'd
put us in the way of good thing. He
told us that you stow your gold cause
you're afraid of banks these rough
times. We're men of honor and let
him run for 1t. Now, d'you see, the
niger couldn't tell us just where, but
| it's here. Spit 1t out, hand over or go
to glory, you and the boy! That's the
long of it and the short Of it. What
d'you say?"
| The old man looked deiiantly Mt them.
"The money is here, IL you can find
it," he said. sit is not mine; 1t is not
| the boys. If its owner my son, We're
here, he'd dash your brains out against
the wall, rs would do or this boy
would if he We're older or / younger!
verdamter Englander!. Do you think a
Boer can be afraid of threats?"
"Crimes!" said the soldier coolly.
You're bully old swaggerer, amt
you? But we've no time to waste.
Come, I'll give you one, two, three
and fire. Will you tell?"
!, "No!' cried the old man. paul, If
you are not a coward, say mol"
4 And Paul said, "No!'
zone. two cried the soldier, now
growing angry.
"No" said the old man grimly. God
. will deal with you for this murder!'
mo" said Paul, white, but with a
sudden. brightness in his eyes.
!. Last chance, old pighead! Thu
Eyes, Pll tell" cried poor Paul, I'M
, able to stand the strain. Dom Hen
! drick turned on him n reproachful eye,
J and with pale face and trembling legs
the Boer boy was led out and took his
guards straight to the old well.
at is hidden in the stonework down
the side. Two men can reach it-one
standing in the water and the other
on the first's shoulders. The water is
only foot deep"
"Chaw!" cried the soldier. "This is q
deuce of place. How much is there?
'sAbout $780," said Paul, shaking
And late duck on the pond suddenly
cackled, Coward, coward, coward!''
"Get a lantern" said one of the men
and Paul got lantern, and then a
their command he showed them how
to go down, by inches and cracks II
the old stone walls. He showed then
a stone which could swing in its place
leaving q crevice big. enough for biz
bag Of money. He went down himsel
and explained that he was not tai
enough to reach the stone. He behav
ed like an arrant sneak and coward in
deed, but what could be expected iron
q little boy of 10 with a pistol at hi
head? Then the men whispered to
d gether, apparently satisfied with Paul
story, and one of them said: "You ar
e rank, blooming sneak to give ava.
|. your own father, but / believe your
h telling the truth. you're SO scared
e Anyhow, as we've both got to go down
e I'll have to bind you. There's to
p many guns about the house." So the
bound him, arms and legs. with
h belt, and then Paul shed tears and in
q ploEeu lueil W let It'll run DICK 10 Ill
r house to his grandfather, but the
e bound him with their belts and lai
K. him down by the well, which they a
" once began to descend.
All alone in the dark, never did n DO
u wriggle so fiercely to get free, neve
Il sweat more with terror lest he shoul
L. be unable to, for he had not though
n after telling them the secret that til
u soldiers would be mean enough to bin
4 him. At last, at last, he got one han
a loose and then another, and he did Tic
mind his legs. He crawled to the edg
s and by the faint light could just max
It out one soldier standing in the waite
a and the other on his shoulders, strue
Cling with the stone. Paul gasped an
struggled and pushed and heaved q
\ the coping of the well until he had
e great loose rock poised over the rol
It bers' heads, and then he cheered an
It laughed and yelled until Dom Hendric