The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-26
(Continued.)

(Continued)
 But he held his hand. The help less. covering form of the nigger sried out to all that was best in his nature- He remembered. too, the mos live. The poor savage reasoning had been at. fault The boys ac- eons were an expression of that ab- soiuts ndelity of which he had boast sd to ths Boer. With blind devo- aon Saturdag had determined to let nim run no risk; he had probably saved his life. Had he been told rhe truth he would never have left Inc waggon-and then there was Mary and the folk at Mafeking.
 He abruptly moved away.
 .-saturdag.r he said quite gently now, ''get up quick, before I repent You've made me play a towards part, but I suppose you thought you were doing right. We'll, you weren't. Fetch the horses at once. You will rice 10 Mafesing as hard as you can. Here, give this note to Missie Mary" as tore a leaf from his notebook and scrubbed few words on it. "Take that" he went on, handing il to the boy; and you will stand ny Msssie Mary with your life, if need be. until I came. Now be off,
 The Kaffir needed no second bid- ding. He was off after the horses ln a fash; and in a few minutes both were in the saddle.
 -1 trust her to you boy. God help ycu-n you fail" were Elwood's last words as they parted.
 And the nigger's "Ja, baas." so sim ply spoken. was good tc hear. His master rode of in the direction of the Salt Plain again. far more assur- ed of Mary's safety than of Jan Koetse's-
 =
 The grey twilight deepened. The still air was thick with smoke which hung like pail over the plain, re- fusing to rise. refusing to drift away, as though loath to reveal to the dy- ing light of day that which lay be- meath. But the grey darknss could not shut out the hideous presence of those vast objects with Tapping wings and featherless heads which circled above the smoke. drawing nearer and nearer. lower and lower. surely, yet fearfully- They knew what was be- low, their instinct told them and drew them, their hungry bellies crav- tng for the feast which they knew ' awaited them.
 It was not until the moonlight gained powev, and the last sign of daylight had died out of the west, that the cool night zephyrs arose and swept the face of the plain. The hideous truth lay revealed. The cold silver light of the full moon shone down upon painful scene. The how ering vuitures settled. Their fierce bald heads bobbing. their loathsome bodies waddling, they sought out the banquet so long deferred.
 The charred ruin of a wagon was the central object. around which were scattered small heaps of debris. quite 1nrccognixable in the dim light, but painfully suggestive of veldt-camp appurtenances. But it was not these things that the voracious scavengers were seeking; their cruel instincts were not for these One dark heap lay under the wagon, and two of these terrible carrion with glutton- ous intent were ambling their way towards it. They fell upon it with claw and beak; they. tore at the half roasted flesh. The dreadful banquet began.
 But the orgie in the moonlight was interrupted. The fearsome ghouis suddenly abandoned their prey and Tapped silently away in the air,where they hovered again, circling, circling, ever ready to descend in a moment.
 A horseman rode up ard dis mounted. Hobbling his morse, he left the creature to its own devices and walked over to the charred re- rlains of the wagon. He examin- ed it. He examined all around it. Fe moved underneath and found the remains of the carrion banquet. He struck a match, but blew it out al- most immediately. and with an ex- clamation of horror, sprang out from underneath the ruin. He went in turn to each of those outlying ob- jects. but as before. siekening he re- treated from the horrid sight
 He spent some minutes distracted ly contemplating the horror he had discovered. Then he moved away, and made his way to where his horse .ras seeking grass amidst the charred stubble of the plain. He removed the hobbies and spraHg into the sad dIe, and silently rode away.
 Ferman Eiwood had just viewed <ne scene of one of those wanton, nIceous murders with which the country was afiame. Loyal Jan Koetze had found the death prepared for him. Elwood. and the thought burned into his brain and sent the blood coursing furiously through his body. The horror of it gripped him, and he rode with bowed head, deject-