The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-05-01
COPYRIGHT by VIC. CHAPMAN

SIl dlllDlluS UdCh lIhc d nlOlC, Jul VIII
ton fired again and heard the shutting
stop, as if the bullet had been instan-
%taneously fatal. A shower of earth
came rafting down.
And now the faint, reflected flare
that came into the tunnel, and the
roaring from above told Winton thai
the cottaS was ablaze. The sounds
of shouting grew fainter. The negroes
must have been driven out by fire.
Winton raised the body of the man
nearest him and set it in the tunnel
in such a way that it formed an OBJ
stacle to anyone approaching from
the rear. He would hear the sound of
its dislodgment if the attack we're
renewed.
But the savages had had enough of
the tunnel. Winton loaded his re-
volver with his last handful of car
tridges and began scrambling after
Sam, calling in a low tone.
He heard Sans distant answer, and
made his way as fast as he could along
the tunnel. Would the natives be
waiting at the other end? They could
make the distance above ground more
swiftly thar they could. But Winton
doubted whether their minds would
work in that manner, with plumber to
be had in every compound store along
the diamond ridge. He was right in
his presumption, for presently he saw
Sam and Sheila s%ilhouetted against
the faint light at the other end of the
tunnel.
He caught Sheila to him ~iercely.
Keep up your courage, dearl" he
whispered. "We are going to be free.
Stay here with Sam, while go for
ward and explore"
For a moment she chung to him and
pleaded with him not to expose him
self to danger, but it was wonderful
how brave she was. I%nstructing Sam
to stay with Sheila, Winton began to
creep forward along the ground.
ut in a momen he saw Sam beside
him.. "Mr. Garrett, I'll CO." said the
negro. II guess it's safer for me,
looking like this"
That was a fact. ReIuctantly-for
he would have preferred to face the
danger-Winton went back and al
lowed Sam to proceed upon his scout
ing mission.
All along the fields the stores were
burning fiercely. Against the light of
the leaping flames could be seen the
bodies of the savages, struggling to
carry off their plumber. Bales of cot
tons and cloth, blankets, packing
cases of comestibles were being borne
on naked black shoulders. The store
on the compound into which the fugi-
tives had emerged was, however, al
ready Quilted, and there were no ma
tives Immediately at hand.
1t was the old story, repeated a hum
dred times in the bloody history Of
South Africa, of the untamable nature
of the a%borigine reasserting itself
against white supervision grown lax.
Winton, a few yards from Sheila,
suddenly perceived the body of a man
lying face downward upon the ground,
Immediately inside the barbed wire
which, separated the compound in
which he was from that adjoining.
recognized it as that of Josephs.
1t was pinned to the earth with two
upright spears. Death must have been
instantaneous.
Winton's jaws clamped with a spasm
of fury. He sprang to his feet, but,
remembering the urgent need of eau
ton, lay down again beside Sheila,
watching Sam.
He saw the negro worming his way
along the ground upon his stomach.
Suddenly Sam turned toward him with
imperative gesture to lie still.
Looking up, Winton perceived a Kafir
sentry, armed with a spear and shield,
on guard at the desert road behind the
devastated and smoldering store that
had belonged once to Kash.
The presence of this man was omi-
nous. It the outbreak had been con-
lined to the diamond compounds, no {
sentry would have been set. The fact !
If his presence ~betokened a precon- +,
,erted rising, guided by shrewd
minds from outside. s
1t betokened something more. For '
he man who had placed him there {
must have had a personal interest in I
Vinton's capture. Yet Winton was /
10 object of hatred IN the part of the S
latives-rather he was one of the /
more popular among the c~laim-holders. q
But Winton realized only the first t
,art of the purpose, not its implica-
ions. He watched Sam spring to his f
and advance boldly toward the Il
entry, brandishing his spear. There
vas nothing to show that Sam was V
Their than one of the m~arauders. He
fas just as black, and in the night he d
ooked just as ferocious as any of
hem. The sentry turned and looked u
t Sam in inquiry, then went forward
D meet him. h
Sans muscular arm went back, and +
ne spear, driven unerringly, by some I
tavistic impulse, went home through h
he Kafrs' throat. q