The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-25
THE FARMER: JANUARY %, 1911

It was nearly sunset. The ruddy cloud-banks rose to meet and envel- op the globe of dying light. The noisy evensong of the frogs was in full swing down in the Maritzani Spruit, directly below where Elwood and his servant had taken up their position. The master was impatient a condition foreign to his disposition. The servant was divided between a furtive watching of his master and d where they had ridden.
 For two hours they had occupied this post, hidden within the depths of a thick bush, with their horses con- cealed at a more distant point. Moth ing had occurred to disturb the per- feet calm and silence of the place. The frecbooters should have reached it long since, but still there was no sign. At last the white mans inn patience found vent in a sharply ex- pressed doubt.
 "They don't come, Saturday." he said in Dutch. ''You have been mis- into the niggers eyes.
 The boy avoided his gaze, and, from habit, looked away towards the Salt Plains where they had left the Boer with his wagon.
 ''Why don't they come. Saturdag?' his master went on keenIy.
 The boy had no answer for him. His great eyes grew larger with a very real fear. Elwood's face dark ened to an angry frown. He, too, turned his eyes in the direction of the Salt Plain. A slight misty haze was slowly rising upon the horizon. It was densifying below; thicker clouds were mounting up in great rolls. The mist became distant smoke, even while he watched. He pointed at it.
 Smoke" he said.
 The nigger nodded. His mouth was dry, and he still had no answer. The whites of his eyes showed all Touuo HIS puplS.
 That is where the wagon was and Jan Koetze." Elwood reached out and caught the nigger's arm and held it with powerful grip. ''The men do not come-and wonder is fire. You have-made a mistake, Saturdag, Tell me the truth!'
 There was an icy ring in the white mans voice. The Kaffir was shak- ing. Suddenly he fell on his knees.
 "Baas, good baas,' he cried with a whine of unutterable fear. "Lis- ten, an I speak true. I tell you"
 'Quick!''
 Elwood's command came fiercely.
 ''1t dis, baas, de boys learn much, dey hear much. These men say, the Salt Plain. We go. We kin him. So! Then we go on by Mafe- king. Sor Dey will all up. Dey take cattle of or Montsoia. So! The baas's vrouw, she be kill too. Satur- dag says to himself, No" It not so I tell baas dey come by Maritzani. Baas him watch. him watch these men. So. he leave de wagon. O-o-oh!"
 The boy finished up with a cry of pain. Elwood's hold on his arm had become like the clutch of a vice, and in an access of rage he wrenched the poor wretch's arm so that it nearly dislocated at the shoulder.
 You black devil!" he cried in Q fury, while he flung the wretched man headlong to the ground. He hardly knew the enormous strength he was putting forth in his rage. The knowledge that he had been tricked away from his comrade and friends side in the hour of danger so infur- iated him that he was blinded to his actions of the moment. While he had been. waiting here Jan Koetze had probably been fighting for his life-may even have forfeited it. He stood over the boy, and his attitude was a deadly threat. He felt that he could kill him.
 Gro Be Continued.3