The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-01-05

Just for one instant Mary had i
in her mind to refuse to see him
Then the feeling passed and her hear
beat rapidly. ~.
Very well, Tanta,'' she said with
an assumption of Indifference: ''tel
him I'm here, on the stoep.''
Guys eyes rested on a charming
picture as he stepped out on to thu
stoep in response to Tanta's bidding
AS he came the flaming sunset form.
ed a background to the enveloping
armchair with its slight burden clad
in a simple white linen costume
Mary, always extremely pretty, when
her wonderful grey eyes were raised
became perfectly radiant. And sc
Guy thought as he came forward to
greet her.
For her part the girl looked calmly
up into the mans handsome face. He
was good to look at. But he had
more than good looks. He possessed
a manner that was wholly charming
to women. With men it. might have
been different. He had certainly been
born and bred gentleman, but some
how the edge of that breeding had
become dulfed, and in its place he
had cultivated a manner which might
almost have been described as in1per-
tinent. It was a manner which
might belong to men dressed in the
exereme of fashion. And Guy
Chalmer In. London was such q one.
The wilds Of Africa changed him
not one whit, except that it had rem
dered him more picturesque. The air
with which he wore his carefully cut
clothes in London was. with him on
the veldt; his ready-made moleskin
breaches and top boots and cotton
shirt could not disguise him.
He stopped short, and, in response
to a. sign from Mary, drew UP anoth-
er chair and sat down, leaning for
ward impressively.
Mary he said with seriousness
that hardly seemed to suit him, 81
came here to. see you now because 1
knew, or believed, that Ferman WAS
away from home. I came here to
speak seriously to, you becauss-wen.
because I couldn't ssay away"
The girl looked puzzled. She, felt
too. The. reminder
that her husband was away stirred a
feeling she would rather have left
feI don't understand" she said, with
% glance of puzzled inquiry. as,
mo. I'm afraid that's your chief
trouble. Exactly; you don't under
stand. That's the worst of a man like
Ferman Elwood. He never speaks
unless he is driven to it, The last
was said in tone of musing,
Mary's expressive face became al
most cold. 80
I'm not much good at riddles. Fer
man always tells me anything ask
him. ~
Yes, but, you couldn't ask him
about what I have to say because you
know too little of the country. You
ought to be told. No man has a right
20 keep you in ignorance Of what is
going on about YOU
What. is going on?'' The woman
was relieved. She had been wonder
ing what Guy was driving at
There was prolonged pause. Tie
sound of busy farm-life came to them
from behind the house. Mary saw
klaas, the Hottentot boy, herding a
number of horses down to water at
he river by the aid of a series Of
;hrill cries. She saw a long string of
Kafflr vrouws, supporting great CAL
abashes Of water on their heads, as
cending the slope from the water
holes. Each one was carrying an in
amt child wrapped in sore of sling
1T her back.
"WeN?'' she questioned presently as
,lation of the scene. ~:
'1t's no use mincing matters" he
aid, with a sudden outburst of impa-
ience 'You must know that eveli,t
ince the signing Of the peace Of Ma
uba the matter of freebooting has
'een growing all along the border. |
he freebooters have gone further in !
heir operations. They are ;raiding |
attic from the Kaffirs here in our |
midst. The movement is extending; |
he numbers of these people are
rowing. Mind, as yet they are only |
7orking from Stellaland and Goshen,
nd, for the present, you are free
rom them up here. But it is only
AS far as I can see on
he political horizonein this matter,
rough time is coming which is
ound to bring trouble for everybody:
our husband-for you. Many peace
vi farmers, harmless enough when
eft to themselves, have, to my knowl- |,
dye, been inveigled, cajoled Or .coer-
ed into this game which is no less
han outlawry. ask myself where
where is it going to end?"
Go Be Continued>)