The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-11-27

low, tense voice.
1T shall not be! responded Fer
man.
Then followed a long silence.
1t is in such moments as these
that strong men have no words.
They were face to face with the
long-expected crisis in the work of
their lives. Every nerve and fibre
was strained in thought and held
them silent. 1t was the general
at the turning-point of an evenly
fought battle. 1t was the hunter first
sighting his quarry at bay 1t
was the gambler with the bare pos
sibility of the odl trick in his hand
A mistake would mean irretrievable
disaster.
At length the silence was broken,
and it was the missionary who
broke it. His rough manner of
speech was rougher with the force
of his emotion.
Tell me quickly what you have
in your mind, my friend. l do not
care what it is. For once l am with
those who say that the end justi-
fies the means"
You will stay here and watch
as you have never watched before.
All news must be sent to me at
Kuruman."
Ferman then detailed all that must
be done at Mafeking while he was
away; and he was telling it to a
man whom he knew would see to
the work as he would see to it
himself
1t was noon when he rose to de.
part.
The missionary stool with him at
the door, where they gripped each
other by the hand. 1t was some
thing more than a goodbye" That
grip was an expression of mutual
trust and hope. 1t conveyed what
neither could put into words. 1t was
heart speaking to heart.
AS Ferman turned away he was
met by his friends wife Emily Yer
ricker was at the door of her kitch-
en-, and it was quite evident that
she was waiting for him. She was
idle-a most unusual thing in her
busy life. He raised his slouch hat
and would have passed. on, but she
detained him with her greeting.
| How is Mary?' she asked, her
lined face lighting up into smile
of kindliness. Il saw her going out
for a ride this morning. She wasn't
looking too bright"
Ferman was anxious to be off. He
liked Emily Verricker as much as
he liked her husband, but he had
many things to do just now.
"She complained of a headache
this morning" he said. But /"
An! and she lookei it. She does
not suit Africa-yet. It's all very
well, but when a girl comes straight
from London to Mafeking it's sud
den jump. l went through it, even
though | had plenty to occupy me.
She has nothing, and-and you are
away from home a lot. I've noticed
her very closely lately. She is all
wrong, somehow"
How do you mean?" Ferman was
quick to realize. that Emily was
leading up to something. He Won
| dered.
The old woman looked up at him,
her kindly eyes peering out from
beneath her white sun-bonnet, half
seriously, half quizzically. She was
queer, raw-boned figure, equally
strong in frame and mind. Unlike
the Boer and Afrikander women,
she wore her sun-bonnet without
the white band across her forehead.
She's not the girl she was, and
if you're not careful you'll have
her i'll. You don't want a sick wife
on your hands just now, I'm sure
Ferman smiled in response to the
quiet look OF meaning which ac-
companied the words.
NO; but l don't think she's go
ing to be i'll. Tanta Shepherd looks
after her well. She sees that she has
nothing to bother her. / confess |
was Il little worried this morning,
but then l know I'm over-anxious."
The housekeeper's warning came
back to him, and his eyes wandered
anXiously in the direction of his
house. A Kaffir was moiling up the