The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-09
(COntinued,l

Thank you dear, dear Daddy. And pray so too. I shall always be your little girl to you and shall come to you to cheer you or to be conforted my self. Mother has of late taken to treating. me like a grown-up which she always keeps firing off at me that I don't know whether I am myself or not. But whatever I am to anyone but your little girlr D
 And that compact was sealed then and there with a kiss.
 Nine months later whilst Colonel Ogilvie was in the library of his own house, Air in Airlville, Joy came in and closed the door carefully; she came close and whispered:
 Am still your little girl, Daddy %
 Always my deari always,'
 Then you don't mind having a se- cret with me?''
 Mind my dear! I love it. What is it you want to tell me?" She took a folded newspaper from her pocket and handed it to him, saying:
 'I came across this in the New York Tribune. Read it!" Colonel Ogilvie turned it over with rueful look as he said:
 ''The whole of itr'
 "Oh Daddy, don't be so tiresome; of course not" Her fathers face bright ened:
 to know. Your eyes are better than mine! Joy at once began to read:
 From our own Correspondent, Cape town. Sohe details of the lamentable occurrence at de Hooge's Spruit which was Autographed from the front yes terday have now come to hand. It ap- pears that a battery of field artillery was ordered to proceed from Bloom grOOt to NeSwick escorted by a Squad ron of mixed troops taken from the Scottish Horse and the Mounted Yeo- man. When they had begun to cross the river, which here runs so rapidly that great care has to be observed lest the horses should be swept away, a terrible fusillade from an entrenched force of overwhelming numbers was opened on them. Colonel Seawright who commanded ordered a retreat un- til the disposition of the enemy could be ascertained. But before this ma 1oeuvre could be effected the British force was half wiped out. Accurate fire had been concentrated on the ar tillery horses, and as the guns were all on the river bank ready for the cross ing it was impossible to rescue them. Gallant efforts were made by the gum nerS and the cavalry escort, but in the face of the hail of bullets che only re- suit was a terrible addition to the list of killed and wounded. Seeing that tine ground was partly clear, a number of BoerS creDt out of cover and tried to reach the guns. At this our troops made another gallant effort and the Beers disappeared. Still it was almost hopeless to try to save the guns. One Only of the battery was saved and this by as gallant an effort on the part of one young officer as has been as yet recorded in the war. Captain Lord AthIyne'' Here Joy looked up for an instant and saw a frown sud- denly darken her fathers brow-"who manry troop took great coil of rope one end of which was held by some of his men. When he was ready he rode for the guns at racing pace, loosiug the rope as he went. It was miracle that he came through the ter rifle fire aimed at him by the Boer sharp-shooters. Having gained the last gun. behind which there was a momentary shelter. he attached the end of the rope. Then mounting again he swept like hurricane across the zone of fire. There was a wild cheer from the British, and a number of horsemen began to ride out whilst the firing ran along the front of the wait ing line. But the instant the rope was attached the men began to pull and the gun actually raced along the open space. In the middle of his ride home the gallant Irishman'S cap was knock ed off by a bullet He refined up his charger, dismounted and picked up the cap and dusted it with his handker- chief before again mounting. Despite their wounds and the chagrin of de- feat the whole force cheered him as he swept into the lines.
 Daddy I call that something like man. Don't you?' Her colour was high and her eyes were blazing. She looked happy when her father echoed for enthusiasm:
 'I do! daughter. That was the ac- tion of a gallant gentleman!' There was silence of perhaps half a minute. Then Colonel Ogilvie spoke:
 "But why, my dear, did you tell this to me?"
 q had to tell some one, Daddy. It is too splendid to enjoy all ones self; and was afraid if told Mother she might not understand-she's only woman you know. and might put wrong construction on my telling her, and so worry herself about me. And I didn't dare to tell Aunt Judy. for she's so chock full of romance that she would have simply gone crazy and chaffed me out of all reason. There is no holding back Aunt Judy when she is chasing after a romance! And be- sides. Daddy dear'' here she took his wanted you to know that Lord Athlyne is a gentleman" Her father frowned:
 Why should I know-or care?'
 Not on your own part Daddy-but- but only because I want you to. It is hard to explain. but I think you took a prejudice against him from the first; and you see it makes it less awk- ward to be coupled with a mans name when the name and the man are good ones." The ColOnePs frown was this time one of puzzlement.
 I'm afraid don't understand. You never saw the man. Why should you dislike less to be coupled with him be- cause he did brave thing? Besides, the whole thing is mere nonsense.''
 "Of course it is. Daddy. All non sense. But it is better to be good non- sense than bad nonsensei"
 Look here daughter-my little girl I'm afraid you have got or may get too fond of thinking of that fellow. Take carei''
 "Oh. that's all right, Daddy. He is only an abstraction to me. But some how he interests me. Don't you be solemnly that I will tell you every thing I hear about him. Then you can guage my feelings and keep tab of my foliy.'