The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1903-02-20

>cHAPFEB VII Continued, =.
AT last they stoppksd, Some one
came up to Bluebell, and. to her i'm
mense relief. she felt the horrid cloth
being united. The next moment 1t
was drawn from her head. and then
light, blessed light, albeit''it was only
faint gray dawn as yet, flooded her
eyes. Bluebell uttered a half-sobbing
cry and looked around at hef compan-
Ions, then at herself.
They were in the midst Of a great
stretch of arid "karoo"-nothing but
red sand, unrelieved by. bush, grass or
sign of water; stretched. about them.
Around, however, rose great black
sraggy rocks. with what seemed like
I sandy ravine between, out the light
was so dim Bluebell could not be sure.
She was sure of one thing: That she
had, never been there before. She
:ould only guess that they were about
10 enter pass in the mountain which
separated Natal from the Transvaal
ind the Orange Free State.
She looked at her companions. A
native boy" short-statured and at
tired almost in rags, with villainous
expression, walked beside her. On the
other side. mounted on a large bay
horse, his dark, evil face turned to-
wards her, was Gerald Moore.
Then her eyes came back to herself.
She had on the dark gown which she
bad thrown on when she had been
aroused by the approach of the COM
mando; heavy tweed cloak covered
It down to her feet. On the latter she
had only the house slippers she had
put on when she left her room. A liz
tie tweed cap covered her disheveled
hair. That and the cloak. she con-
sluded. had been supplied by Moore.
She turned to him, her face like that
Of one who had passed through a
trfghtful vigil, and come out Of it pale
md worn, hollow-eyed and heart
broken. A momentary fash Of her old
courage came to her as she saw the
evil look in Moore's eyes.
Where are you taking me to-" she
exclaimed. Are you a man at all,
that you can drag ME from my home
1T such time as this. when my
1atner lies dead or dying. killed by
your treachery?'' ' - - -
Il took you for YOU: own safety" he
replied with a cold smile. oh yvioou
are quite safe with me, Miss Bliebsll;
don't be afraid. We are within a day
and nights journey Of our dastina-
tlon.' Once We are safely on Dutch soil
you shall become my wife, and then
We shall cross over to England as sooa
as may be-" ~, .
You: are: the worst man that God
has left upon EARTH" said the girl. de-
liberately.. But do yon ,hin!;
Will brighten me into what ycn. VIZ.
Gerald Moore. l am not afraid to die,
and | will die rather than marry you.
You have done. your worst when yo!
tempted and betrayed my poor father;
you cannot do. me any harm now. Gou
will help me against you"
He laughed insultingly.
If it pleases you 70 think so, my
dear lady, I have no objections. AS for
dying-well, we shall see about that.
There are different ways of dying"
All the morning hours they jolted,
stumbled and bumped their way over
the rutty and uneven plain. The full
dawn broke, and the sun rose in all the
glorious majesty Of day.
Then, as they entered the pass be-
tween the rocky hills, the full! heat Of
the sun began to beat down upon them.
1t beat on Bluebell's unsheltered head
and gave her racking headache. Soon
she became intensely thirsty, but no
water was to be seen; but the pain and
WEAKNESS Of her body was as nothing
compared to the anxiety, the fear, the
anguish that racked her mind.
God, God, help me! There is none
but Thou!" she prayed again and
again. Then there came to her mind
the remembrance of Adair Rothes
quiet, brave, strong face, and her heart
bounded. Oh, il he only knew what
had happened, would he not; try. to
save her from this awful fate?
About midday Moore called "a halt.
He came forward to help Bluebell off
her horse, but she scornfully waved
him aside and slipped off herself.
You can easily catch me if l at
tempt to run away" she said. Even
as the words passed her lips her heart
beat high.
4: Run. away. Why should she NOT
make bold attempt? They could not
be very far distant from some town.
when Moore had spoken of a day and
a nights journey. And even il she
lost herself on that terrible track!ess
plain, among those. rocky mountains,
better that fate than the one with
which she was threatened.
Her chance was to come sooner than
she expected.
CHAPTER VII.