The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1903-02-20
u 80 n
A STORY Of THE
BoER, CAMPAIGN
IN NATALI1S

BY H. B. Mackenzie

~NsvSAe St>Ss> ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ ~
the outside world, save of tfie.aImy
that had ventured out to do battle with
the enemy, had reached the little town
until now.
The messenger young Dutch farm
er, who had come ia, ask If he could
be enrolled in the British army, was
surprised and frightened when he saw
the look Of alarm and horror which
overspread the young mans face:
1t fs=.what + have been told Herr
Doctor" said the. young. Dutc6man
stolidly. "and can tell you no. more;
but it, is certain Herr Leslie is dead,
for he is to be buried today" ~ Il
Rothes was almost stupetied by the
suddenness of the blow. ~ n
If the commando has done this
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 heavy fire from
the enemy, he rode at as mad pace
as he had ever INDUCED In, towards
New Kelso.
1t was late in the afternoon when
he reached it, and, long ere he did SO,
he saw mass of black ruins through
r1r1 oh f,,,,o 4
story he had heard.
He drew his breath in sharply, a
feeling of almost overwhelming fear
and foreboding seized upon him. Then
he rode up the avenue towards the
black ruins that had once 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 figure emerged from the
low, mud doorway. The building was
merely mud house daubed over with
! clay. The figure was that of Miss
Elizabeth. She came quickly forward,
and Rothes saw how shockingly
changed she was. 49,. 49,.
/ Her hair seemed to have grown
srey. her face was like that of a very
| old woman, drawn. and wrinlsled; her
cheeks and eyes hollow and :sunken;
and the latter looked as if all the ters
had been wrung out of them:
But they had not. A dry sob burst
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 APP
peal to. But now Oh, you will, for
charty's dear sake, for the sake Of
the kind Lord above, you will seek for
my lost child. Doctor Rothcs?"
lie paled suddenly, holding the thin,
hard working hand in an unconscious
ly painful grasp.
Lost! What do you mean, Miss
Elizabeth? Is it Bluebell who is lost? 2"
| Yes, my BARN, my little Bluebell."
| She burst into the painful, bitter tears
of old age. Now my brother is gone
| End God alone knows whether the
awful charge they brought against hin
was true or not can think of moth
| ing, of no one but my lost darlingl
| Where is she? Is she still alive? Has
death overtaken her, or something
| worse? Oh, if 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 it
and still keep sane!"
Explain all to me, Miss Elizabeth. ("
Rothes led her to an 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 gesture, asked her to go
| on.
II 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 OF
| it, 1t was an apoplectic stroke he
said. Then he. said he must take my
brothers body with him. His orders
were to bring him dead .*or alive. !
prayed: L besought. Then suddenly
the servants came running to say the
house was on fire. 1t had been set fire
to by some of the Beers, misunder-
standing an order of their leader-at
least, so they said. TT was then !
learned Bluebell was gone. Sam told
me he had seen Baas Moore carrying
her off. with a cloth over her head;
and when Sam had run after him
Moore covered him with pistol"
You mean," said Rothes hoarsely
interrupting her, look in his face
that terrified the poor woman, THAT
it is that villain in whose hands she