The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-26
Rv VICTOR ROUSSEAU

her arms with strong rein of hippopotamus hide; and thus he rode away laughing, now aloud, now st- Ient1y.
 Presently f1endrila ceased bowling and glance at her captor sidewise. How handsome he wasi-far than the lean Botejohn, with his crisp tufts of wool and watery eyes, Adrian had jaws like fort resses and his square beard reached halfway to his waist; it was little tousled by her cats claws but hernrne what fine figure of mani HendriRa nestled closer and uttered little gurg1e of laughter Then Adrian united her
 By afternoon they had come riding into the village of King Bott1eohn who regned there his rongrei Hottentots and Makolo1os. Adrian shouted for him.
 The gaping crowd parted and yellow weazened man looked up from little tunnel in the ground, through which, lying prostrate, he had been inhaing dacha smoke He and forward his steps staggering drunkeny the fumes, his bleary.
 That's my wife, Baas Adrian" he yelled, recog- nizing the rider.
 "I have taken her." replied Ferreira.
 Bottlejohn wasted words but, pulling a knife from under his blanket, unged with all his power at the big Dutchman The weapon pierced Adrian through the thigh and cung quivering there Two little jets of blood began spurt, like intermittent fountains, the sadde-bag. Ferreira 1aised his arm and brought down his riding-crop with all his might upon the Hottentot's head
 You dirty yellow monkey, Ferreira cried, spring ing from his pony the knife still quivering in his thigh, "In teach you how to claim property! Do you want to work for me or shall I thrash you?'
 "I'l work for you, Baas Adriaan," groaned Bottle john sitting up the dust and rubbing his head fully How much will you give me?" he added hastily.
 "Two pounds a moueh" Ferreira answered. Mach tigT he continued, good-naturedly, "you be a good servant and you'll find a good master" Then, if by after thought he said turning to the fawning crowd:
 "Tm going to be your king"
 Hendrika plucked out the knife and bound up the wound She brought grass for couch collected wood and began unconcernedly cook the supper in Bottle johns hut in Bottlejohn's pot, upon the sou1dering ebers of the fire which she had herself lit for Bottle john
 That is how Adrian Ferreira came to be king in No Mans Land
 They loved him for his power, but they hated him for their individual wrongs. He them north west ward and south, to bring back stolen diamonds from Kimberley, to harry the hocks of far-of farmers. When they returned epty-handed he fogged them and drove them out of the kraa1.
 His strength prodigious. Once when the guard ian fires had gone out in a ranstorrn, and Hon. leaning the barrcade entered his hut and dragged him forth by the he seized the between his aws bit through the muscles and flesh, and killed the monster.
 Ferreira had two companions, Bottlejohn and the caad. Hendrika he tolerated and treated kindly when he sober.
 Both he and Bott1ejohn were outcasts from among their people; both had something of the outside world They of that nomad class that traverses the great plains, heard of in Kimberley, now in Johannesburg, hundred of miles southward in the old colony picking up livelihood by diverse means, impelled like hoatsam rest1ess1y the wastes. Thus each driven to seek the others company At night they would sit side by side, boastng and drink ing brandy. Then the Boers tongue would loosen his sardonic mood would lift, and he would clap Bottle john the back and call him his friend. Bottle john contested the Boer's supremacy Once though, when they had been drinking into the dawn. Adrian, opening his eyes from a light doze saw Bottlejohn inside his hut, lingering knife He laughed, and the Hottentot sl1nk into the night
 Have a care' whispered Hendrika. Some day he will kill you white haas will forgive. A black will forget The haf-breed does neither; he is like the jaclal that pretends dead The hunter comes up to skin hin1-then the jaws snap. Watch him. and do his food nor drink his brandy'
 Adrian Ferreira laughed into his great beard and slept lightly thereafter To the Tottie crnge filled him with pride-the pride of who has broker, men his service.
 Adriaans other companion, the child, was always beside him. It strange, weazened thing; it took notice of Bott1ejohn, but would crawl after the Dutchman around the hut into the circle of the kraal its hands and feet making strange serpentine tracks through the dust. It cried; only that constant shuing scrapng sound indicated it's pres It seemed follow Ferreira through the sense scent, for it blind from ophtha1na, as many children in the lands of the fly.
 One day when Adrian away hunting Bottle john came sidling up to Hendrika.
 ~Be off, you miserable monkey man." said Hendrika with lazy disdain.
 Bottlejohn's yellow face became pa11id with rage
 "Ah, take careI Don't get too proud" he sneered