The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-19

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
Elizabeth came out on tho top of the
kopje, and while Kess. her one-eyed pony
steed, cropped with a somewhat malignant
Joy the few blades of the only tuft OF grass
which survived on the bare, baked crown
she tilted forward the brim of her soft
hat, shnpeless and drab from rain and sun,
and scanned anxiously the ribbon of road
which ran straight across the veldt and
turned along the kopje's foot to the north.
Her eyes frightened slowly. for. far be-
yond tho range OF European sight, they
marked thickening Of the haze, which
meant a cloud Of dust, and saw that It was
moving toward her.
That dust cloud meant news-news of bat
tie and siege, ambush and skirmish; news,
perhaps, of her father. fighting with Cronje.
On the one hand. her mother was an Eng
lishwoman and, since she had always been
brought up among the Beers of her fathers
kin. with natural womanly contrarness
Elizabeth had chung to her mothers people,
proclaiming herself in and out of season
above ALL out of season-English and not
Dutch
faint creaking out on the veldt reused
her from her reverie. She brushed her
hand impatiently across her eyes thrusting
away the conflict. whistled to Kess, who
,trotted up to her at the call, mounted him
and cantered TO meet the wagons. It proved
TO be but one wegon, though its wheels
kept up a chorus OF grinding squeaks. its
tilt and body creaked for a dozen, and in IL.
smoking stolidly, sat Piet stockvis and
young Piet Stockvis, his son, neighbors and
members Of her fathers commando. She
greeted them, and turning Kess walked him
beside the wagon, clamoring for news. She
dragged it out OF them piecemeal They
were willing enough to give It, indeed but
did not know how. Her father was well
and the war was over. Cronjs had beaten
Methuen ana driven the Rooineks into the
sea; the Rooineks had been beaten at
stormbere and driven into the seat Joubert
had beaten Butler and driven him into the
sea; LAdysmith had fallen; Mafeking had
fallen.
For all the good news Of her father Eliza
beth's heart was heavy within her.
She pulled up Kess, wondering, and saw
walking. or rather staggering. behind the
wagon, tied to It by a rope around his
waist. tall, slim man in a torn khaki
uniform, the matted hair on his bandaged
head. his face. his mustacs and stubby
beard caked with blood and mud and dust,
his wild eye fixed on an imaginary crew, at
which he roared without eeasins.
Elizabeth would have seen Kafar in
that plight with q faint annoyance and
4, possibly a faint pity; the sight Of an Eng
1ishman. one Of her mothers people. so
treated scandalized her beyond words, out
ragged all her womanly ideas Of conduct of
war between white nations, and she rode to
the front OF the wagon in flame Of rage.
who's this you've got tied to your wag-
on?" she cried. imperiously.
That's our Rooinek," said the elder
Istockvis. his simple. stolid face breaking
Into an expression Of gentle pride I'VE
found him wandering on the welt and we're
taking him home to show to the little
ones"
.Unlooss him at oncei Take him into
the wagonl He's wounded. He's very mr.
cried Elizabeth.
Take cursed Rooinek into the wagon
Not Il" cried Stockvis. in the liveliest sur
prise and disgust at the suggestion.
Elizabeth protested. argued. entreated and
ragged without stirring him from his istub-
born resolves.