The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-02-02
THE COMPACT
The Story of An
Unrecorded Conspiracy
In South Africa
by
RIDGWELL CULLUM
Author of
"The Watchers of the Plains" s"The
Night Riders" etc.
CONTINUED from page 81


The white men are 1olling in the
scant shade about the wagons, walt
ing for the afternoon cool before they
give the order to move on. Nor are
they waiting with anything Of that
philosophical resignation which ,cha--
acterizes the habitual trekker. Each
and all want to be moving on, and to
put as many miles Of Transvaal soil
between them and their starting-point
as possible. Two days ago they left
Sitlagoli, and their departure thence
was hurried-almost in the nature Of
a flight.
The Wagons belonged to Jerry
Boyle; and the old storekeeper and
his companions, Sam Goodall and
Mike Donovan, were making their
hurried way to the renoter parts Of
the Transvaal.
Few men understood the ups and
downs Of frontier life better than
Jerry Boyle. He had already spent
considerable years in this great game
of chance. That he had been amply
successful on the whole his great dry
goods business in Kimberley testified;
but the process had bred in him a
restless craving for further specula-
ton, for further conquests or failures.
It was his nature; scheming specula-
ton had become as the breath Of life
to him. He belonged to a race Of
gamblers, and it would have been
difficult to find a more pronounced
example of this wonderful Hebrew
trait.
Now, as he lounged in the shadow
Of the Wagons, he seemed quite un-
disturbed. His huge, round face,
with its spread Of whisker, his alert,
deep eyes, was q picture of serenity.
No thoughts or feelings of his ever
disturbed his unctuous exterior. Had
it been otherwise, the present mo-
ment was certainly one for the dis
play of a hundred emotions. He had
failed In his great scheme; he had
lost considerable treasure. he had
spent valuable time in useless striv-
ing, and all for no return: worse
for a failure which drove him head
long from the country.
His companions were more demon
strative, particularly Sam Goodall
They had less command Of themselves
in disaster. They were young, aad
had not the old mans keen gambling
spirit. They could not help it; their
feelings were caused by no lack Of
courage, it was simply q human re-
sentiment against failure. With The
old man this spirit was under perfect
control.
Jerry was addressing the others in
his easy. restraining way, admonish-
ing them in his paternal fashion, as
though they were irresponsible chill
dren.
Where is the use Of it all, this
snarling and growling?" he said, with
a leisurely pull at his pipe. There is
no scheme ever worked out by hui
man mind that has not q weak spot
OuTS IlSd0 SCNcxdA Wedh SpOtS, dtlO
they have found it out. You have
lost nothing, for neither of you had
anything TO lose. It is gone; it IS
done. And now, ahead of us lies
the gold Of this country. What was
our object? Gold! Gold and power!
Well, the method we had was round
about and uncertain. Now we go t.
the seat Of the gold. and--well, in
stead of other people providing US
with it, as we intended they should
we must acquire it for ourselves. I
have not been idle. have purcfas-
ed land in the vicinity Of the Rand
These Boer farmers are easy enough
to vinook. It is better to own the
gold from the outset"
CTo Be Continued.)