The Slaithwaite Guardian and Colne Valley News. — 1900-05-11 (Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire, England)

CHAPTER XYIL—THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE WHITE FLAG. Joubert turned his head with some impatience as Reginald entered followed closely by his two guards. "General." isaid the old veld-cornet. "iso have brought---" "Yes, yes!" said the General "in a moment." And he motioned them to the corner of the room with a wave of his hand. Then he turned again to the man to whom apparently he had been speaking. " You come. Reutz, from the Nummersdorp Commando with a message for me. What is it?" " I am to ads Joubert for the release of the Blirgher Nagreet. whom you keep prisoner." Joubert's hand lying on the table before him clenched soddenly, but he did not speak, and Reutz went on in his phlegmatic Dutch monotone "The Cominsuelo v,ill not have him injured." he said; "and unless he be released at oece will return home. He is a good citizen of the Republic and has fought like a brave man." " Rumen home! The Commando wiif return home!" thundered Joubert. "Even se, General." said the man with the utmost tranquility. "Let one of them leave his post, and I will shoot them like verdommed dogs!", cried the General, with something very like a snarl. •• lid vs 0 would do your shooting Generair Paid Reutz. quietly. "The other shooting, think as we do about this matter. Five thoueand men will leave your camp to-day if Nagreet be not released." "De you know why I arrested him!" thundered the General, rising from his seat and striding up and down the room. "Do yoe know lie showed a white flag, and when the Britisli officer rose, shot him in cold blood—do you know that that is a trick of iisvages.--that the civilised world will cry out against us for it—that the verdommed rooineks themeelves wouldn't do it?" "I have heard so," said Rentz calmly. "Yet I cannot go back to the Commando without Nagreet. God Almighty! General." he went on with sedden heat: " It was only a rnoinek officer, and what matters it how he was shot so long as he was shot. Weren't your own orders to shoot at the officers and pick them off." With an angry exclamation Joubert strode towards a group of his officers, and for a few minutest what sounded like a heated argument was conducted in undertones. Then the General returned to his table. "Be it as you wish." he said to Reutz." Nagreet shell be released. But take this word to the burghers. If this treacherous business of the white flag goes on the rooineks will give no quarter and many brave burgher lives will fall in vengeance for the murder of a single rooinek. Go!" Reutz shrugged his shoulders with a surly laugh, "The rooineks have to catch us before they earl kill us,- he said. "They are verdommed fools. In week there will be none left alive in Natal." Joubert said nothing, but turning to the corner wherii stood Reginald and his captors, signalled them to approach him. Who is this?" he asked, "We found him by Nil's Kopje," said one of the men. "He says he is a burgher, and he bears a pass signed by Paul Kruger. He says he comes from Ladysmith is jib news!" "So ! Your name?" Then before Reeinald could reply he had taken the pass from the hand of the man to whom Reginald had delivered it.