The evening world. Newspaper, March 22, 1915, Page 15

ee ee Evening World D “Don’t Mov | Monday March 22, 1915 By Robert Minor _ The ey wep rarer ery certremernenesepeerennt). “MARIE”: Maga y Sam!’ i Cc, —_—_— - Poe eT ee TC eC rrrr rrr NEXT WEEKS COMPLET( MOVEL IN THE EVENING MLD BROADWAY BUCCANEERS Pp ie 1s) 0) oo An Allan Quatermain Story OF South African Adventure By H. RIDER HAGGARD en een Rewamye farrwe CHAPTER 1. The Challenge. MERE was nothing remarkable about | wee e boy at the tim © (--. #1 yout ‘ b Ke for various . eo reverne of fortune afer a 4 - ow ein my introduction te Marte | and wee with my father, « » ineoit | gftae . se ry ih Mouth Africa. 1 @id not rescue ber from any at-| ate tee hee Pr) tack of @ wild beast or pull her out of @ reging river in « fashion! heartily fo | @ieh that it hed teen iif sulted romance. the ast | ever cow of bin = fut the ° fhe was the daughter of « Mreneh-Duteh farmer, and I used to go te her home to take French isseone with ber from Lablane, an 014 extle from Paria On my fire! visit whe met me at the gate ° “are you the little Allan Quatermain who te coming to learn French with me?’ #he asked in Duteh “ot @o you call me litte, mins tly, for wh youns with me. “L think not,” ahe repited Bo we measured; and, behold! whe was the taller by a whole half-inch. “You are standing on Uptoe," T in my vexation LAtIO Allan," abe replied, “to #tand on Uptoe would be to te before t 004 Lord, and when you come to now me bitter you will learn that, ave « dreadful temper and wins, Edo not lie.” that 1 looked anubbed d morufied, for she went on in her « “Why are you angry because made me taller than you? especially as | am whole months older, for my father told fv fo. Come, lot us write our ames againat these marks, #o thal in @ year or two you may see how you outgrow me.” Then with the slate pencil #he woratehed “Mario” against her mark very deeply, #o that it might last, @l ty aid; after which I wrote “Alla aguinat mine. ‘Bo tho time went on, I worship: ping Marte in my secret thought, but saying nothing about it, and Marie talking of and acting toward me a though I were her dear youn, other, Nobody, not even her tather lebli ned to dream that ulumate complica- lationship, it might lead tions. We underwent adventures when the Kar war of 1835 scourged the Cape Colony; and we studied and rode to- wether, and daily grew more to need Sach other, And so the early years ed, Then dawned a now element our lives. Another man, neweomer, Hernando Pereira. It appeared that he was the only child of Henri Marais's sister, who married a Portuguese from Delagoa Thay of the name of Pereira, who had to the Cape Colony to trade many years before and settled there. Hoth he and his wife were dead, and their son, Hernando, Marie's cousin, had inherited all their very consider- jo wealth. ba shhy he was one of the loudest malcontents among the Boers who hated English rule. And—what most affected me—he promptly fell In love with Marie, Her father seemed to favor the visitor. A few days after I learned this, Pereira and I had our first clash. He wanted to buy my saddle mare and he offered me @ hundred pounds for her. T retuned the offer. He Iinaisted, Knowing be was inordinately proud of bis skill as a marksman, I an- ee to ower “IT say the mare ta not for sale, Heer Pereira. But," I added slowly, ‘if you like I'll ehoot you a match for her, you staking your hundred pounds and I staking the mare.” Pereira burst out laughing, “Here, friends,” he called to some \Boers who were passing. “This little Bnglishmen wants to shoot a match with mo, staking that fine mare of his against a hundred pounds British: against me, Hernando Pereira, who have won every prize at shooting that ever I entered for. No, no, friend Allan, I am not a thief, T will not rob you of your mare.” Now among these Boera chanced to be the celebrated Heer Pieter Re- tlef, a very fine man of high charac ter, then In the prime of life, and of Huguenot descent like Heer Mara: 1 now saw Retlef for tho first time, and ab! then little did I think how and where I should see him for the Jast. But all that is a matter of his- tory, of which T ehall have to tell Jater. Now, while Pereira waa mocking and bragging of his prowess, Pieter Tetief looked at me, and our eyes mi et. “Heer Allan Quatermain,”. satd Retief, “give me your hand,” and he took my fingers in his big palm. Then Retief bea: ain. “What Is It you calling us to Misten to, Mynheer Pereira? That this Heer Allan Quatermain had offered to shoot you a match? Well, why not? You say that you won't rob him of his money—no, tt was his beautiful horse--because you have taken #0 many prizes shooting at targets. Heer Allan, what terms do you propose for the match? ‘phat we should stand in the great Kloof between the two vlels yonder— the Heer Marais knows the place: when the wild geese flight over an hour before sunset, and that he who $.prings down six of them in the few- ‘ast shots shall win the match.” “If our guns are loaded with loop- that will not be dificult," sald er Per ra, loopers you would seldom kill a bird nheer,” T replied, “for they ome r from seventy to @ hundred yards up. No, | mean with rifles “Allemacthe!" broke in a Toer “you will want plenty of ammunition hit a goose at that height with a bu \s \t is my offer," T said, “to which 1 add this, that When twenty shota have been fired by each man he who has killed the most birds wins, even vw he has not brought down the iui ste. Does t Heer be If so, alnet u #0 many he r Perel ened extremely doubtful; so doubtful, indeed, that the Boers began to laugh at him, In the end he grew rather angry, and said i shoot me at r fire ties, or any- terms of the match were yormally weltten down by Marie, as 1 anewered in the same tongue, which I knew well; “but 1 [am taller than you.” I a44e6 indig- y lack of height wes always @ sore point “Tut we will measure here against this wall.” my father, although he took sporting interest in the result, have nothing to do with what he called a “wager for money,” and, ox- copt myself, there Was go one else present with sufficient echolarabip to pen 4 jong document Then we both signed them, Hernan Pereira not very willingly, T thought. The date was fixed for that day week. In case of any disagreement the Heer [etief, who was staying at Mara: in its borhood for appointed referes and Was also arranged that neither of us keen should visit the appointed place, or| shoot at the geese before the match Still we were at liberty to practise as much as we liked at anything else in the interval and to make use of any kind of rifle that suited us best. An I started homeward Marie inter- ted me. She whispered softly: Win that match If you love shall pray God that you may night, for It will be an ome: T think the whisper though not the wor Pereira bite his Mp and make ment as though to interrupt her. Pieter Retief thrust his big form in front of him rather rudely and aaid with one of his hearty laughs: “Allemachte! friend, let the miasje wish bim @ good journay.” CHAPTER I. The Shooting Match. \T length the eventful Thure- day came, and about mid- day I drove to the place known as Groote Kloof or Great Gully. Over this gorge the wild geese fiighted trom their pans or feeding grounds on the high to other pans that lay some miles below, and thence, I eup- pose, straight out to the sea coast, whenee they returned at dawn On arriving at the mouth of Groote Kloof, about 4 o'clock in the after- noon, my father and 1 were astonished to see @ great number of Boers as- sembied there, and among them a certain #prinkling of their younger womenkind, who had come on horee- back or in carts, “Good gracious!” I said to my father, “if 1 had known there was to be such a fuss as this about a shoot- ing match I don't think I could have faced it.” “Hum,” he answered. “I think there 1s more in the wind than your match, Uniess I am much mistaken it has been made the excuse of meeting in @ secluded spot, throw the orities off the A m of fact, my fat! uite right. Before we arriv: that day the majority of tho after full and I noticed that, o faces were anxious and preoccupied. Pieter Retief caught sight of me be- helped out of the cart by my father and Hans, whom I had brought to load, and for @ moment looked puzzled. Evidently his thoughts were far away. Then he remembered and exclaimed in his jolly voice: “Why! here is our little English- man come to shoot off his match like @ man of his word, Friend Mar top talking about your losses’ — in a warning voice—“and give him good day.’ So Maraia came, and with him Marie, who blushed and emiled, but to my mind looked more of @ grown woman than ever before; one who had left girlhood behind her and found herself face to face with real life and all ite troubles, Following her close, very close, as 1 was quick to notice, was Hernan Pereira, He was even more finely dreaged than usual and carried in his hand a beautiful new, @ingle-barrelied rifle, also Atted to take percussion caps, but, as I thought, of @ very large bore for the purpose of goose shooting, He hailed me: “Well, Mynheer Allan, here you find me quite ready to shoot your head off." (He didn't mean that, though I dare say he was.) “I tell you that the mare 1s as good as mine, for I have been practising, haven't I, Marie? as the aasvogels (vultures) round the 4 know to their cost.” Yes, Cousin Hernan,” said Marte, ‘you have been practising, but 80, perhaps, haa Alla By this time all the company of Boers had collected round us, and be- gan to evince a great interest tn the pending contest, a8 was natural among people who rarely had a gun out of their hands, and thought that fine shooting was the divinest of the arts, However, they were not al- lowed to stay long, as the Kaffirs eaid that the geese would begin their af- ternoon flight within about half . hour. So the spestators were all re- quested to arraage themselves under the sheer cliff of the kloof, where they could not be seen by the birds com- ing over them from behind, and there to keep silence, Then Pereira and I I attended by my loader, but he alone, os he satd a man at his elbow would bother him--and with us Retief, the referee, took our stations about a hundred and fifty yards from this face of cliff, Here we screened ourselves as well as we could from the keen ght of the birds behind some tall grew at this spot. Pereira said through Retief that ho had a favor to ask, namely, that I would allow him to take the first six shots, as the strain fontein, oF of waiting made him nervous. I an- swered, “Certainly,” although I knew well that the object of the request was that he believed that the outpost ene—"‘spy-geese” we called thein— which would be the first to arrive, low down that fol- might fly in fact, proved to be the case, for there le no bird more clever than the misnamed g008e. When ad waited about a quar- ter of an Hans said: “Hist! Goose comes. As he spoke, though as yet I could not see the bird, I heard its cry of “Honk, honk,” and the ewish of Ite atrong wings. Then it appeared, an old spur- winged gander, probably the king of the flock, flying #o low that It only cleared the cliff edge by about twenty feet, and passed over not more than thirty yards up, an easy shot. Pereira fired, and down it came rather slow- ly, falling a hundred yards or ao he- hind him, while Retief said: “One for our sid Pereira loaded again, and just as he bad capped his rifle three more geese, also fying low, came ove! preceded by a number of ducks, pass- ing straight above us, as they must do owing to the shape of the gap be- tween the land waves of the veld above through which they filghted. Pereira shot, and to my surprise the second, not the first, bird fell, also a good way behind him at that goose, or the asked Retief. “At that one for sure,” he answered with a laugh. “He lies,” muttered Hans, the Hot- tentot, who acted as loader for me. “He shot at the first and killed the I answered. second.” “Bo mlent,” “Who would lie about such a thing?” Again Pereira loaded. By the time that he was ready more geese were approaching, this time in a tri of seven birds, their leader being at the point of the triangle, which was fying big! than those that bad gone before. He fired, and down came not one bird, but two, pamely, the oap- tain and the goose to the right of and @ little behind it. “Ab! uncle,” exclaimed Pereira, “did you see those birds croas each other as I pulled? That was a lucky one for me, but I won't count the second if the Heer Allan objects.’ ‘o, I did not, nephew,” answei Retief, “but doubtiess they must ba’ done so, or the si bullet could not have plerced bot! Both Haus and I only looked at each other and laughed. Btill we said nothing. From the spectators under the cliff there came & murmur of con- sratulation pot unmixed with aston- hment. Again Pereira loaded, almed and loosed at @ rather high goose—tt may have been about seventy yards in the alr, H ruck it right enoug! for the feathers flew from tts breast; but to my astonishment the bird, after swoping down as though !t were going to fall, recovered itself and flew away straight out of sight. “Tough birds, these geese!” ex- claimed Pereira, “They can carry as much lead as & #ea-co' “Very tough Indeed,” red Retief doubtfully. “Neve, re did T nee a bird fly away wisn an ounce ball through Its middle.’ h! he will drop dead somewhere, replied Pereira as he rammed hi der down. Within four minutes more Pereira had fired his two remaining shots, selecting, as he was entitled to do, low and easy young geese that came over him slowly, He killed them both, although the last of them, after falling, waddied along the ground into a tuft of high grasa, Now murmurs of stifled applause broke from the audience, to which Pereira bowed in acknowledgment. “You will have to shoot very well. Mynheer Allan,” said Retief to me, “if you want to beat that. Even if I rule out one of the two birds that fell ¢o 5°) ' @ single ehot, as I think I shall, Hernan has killed five out of which can ecarc be bettered.” “Yee,” I answ i “but, mynheer, be @0 good as to have those geese col- lected and put upon one side. I don’t want them mixed up with mine, if I am lucky enough to bring any down.” He nodded, and some Kaffirs were gent to bring in the geese. Several of these, I noted, were still flapping and had to have their necks twisted, but led to Retief, and begKe: and bullets I was “What's the good?” he asked, look. ing at me curiously, “Powder is and a bullet ta @ bullet” “N. 1 by looking at them, my unel ‘Then at my bidding Hans took six bullets and placed them in his hand, begging him to return them to us as they were wanted. T a put the charge of powd rifle and drove home the taking a bullet from Reticf's hand, be rammed that down on to the top of It, capped the gun and handed it to me. By now the geese were coming thick, for the Might wae at its full. Only, ther because some of those that bad already passed had sighted the Kaffire collecting the fallen birds and risen— an mple which the others noted from afar and followed—or because in an unknown way warning of their danger bad been gonveyed to them, they were flying higher and faster than the first arrivals. “You will have the worst of it, Aton,” aald Retief. “It should have been shot and shot about.” “Perhaps,” 1 answered, “but that n't be helped now.” Then I rose from my stool, the rifle in my hand. I bad not long to wait, for presently over cume a wedge of geese nearly a hundred yards up. I aimed at the first follow, holding about eight yards ahead of him to allow for his pace, and pressed. Next second I heard the clap of the bullet, but alae! it bad only atruck the out- atretched beak, of which a small por- tion fell to the ground. The bird itself, after wavering @ second, resumed ite leader of the squad and © and began to reload, ou were too far in front. These big ater birds do not travel as fast as the rock pigeons.” I nodded, wishing to save my breath, Then, quivering with excite ment, for if [ missed the next shot the match appeared to be lost, pres- ently I took the rifle from his Be: nd. as lack devil had kicked it,” This time I allowed the same space to compensate for the od travelling as Retief Down it came like a stone, falling but a little way behind me with its head knocked off. bana," whispered Hans, “still n front. Why aim at the eye when you have the whole body?" Again I nodded, and at the same ime heaved a sigh of relief, Atleast the match still alive. Soon a large flight came over, mixed up with mallard and widgeon, I took the right-hand angle bird, so that It could not be supposed I bad “browned the lot,” as here in England they eay of one who fires at a covey and not at a particular partridge. Down he cam shot straight through the breast ‘Then I knew that I had got my nerve, and felt no more fear. To cut a long story short, althourh two of them were extromely difficult end high, one being, I should say, quite a hundred and twenty yards above me, and the other by no means easy, I killed the next three birds one after the other, and I verily be- lieve could have killed @ dosem more without a miss, for now | was shoot- ing as I had never shot before. “Say, nephew Allan,” asked Retief ouriously in the pause between the Ofth and sixth shots, “why do your Geese fall ao differently to Hernan's?” “Aak him! don't tajk to me," 1 an- swered, and next inatant brought down number five, the finest shot of the lot. A sound of wonder and applause came from ali th “I want to shoot at some- thing elae that is not in the match, Just to see if I can kill two birde with one bullet the Heer Pereira. He granted my request with a nod, holding up his hand to prevent the nce from moving, and bidding fa, who tried to Interrupt, to be silent. Now, whilesthe matoh was in prog- resa I had noticed two falcons about the size of the British peregrine wheeling round and round high over the kioof, in which doubtless they bred, apparently quite undisturbed by the shooting. Or, perhaps, they had thetr eyes upon some of the fallen geese. I took the rifle and waited for 4 long while, till at last my oppor- tunity came. I saw that the larger hen faloon waa about to orone di- rectly over the circle of ita mate, there being perhaps a distance of ten yards between them. I aimed; I judged—for a second my mind waa ® kind of calculating machine—the dift- ferent arca and ede of the birds must be allowed for, and the loweat was ninety yards away. Then, with something like @ prayer upon my lips, I pressed while every eye stared up- ward, Down came the lower falcon; a pause of half @ second, id down came the higher one also, falling dead upon ita dead mate! Now, even from those Boers, who 414 not love to see an Englishman excel, there broke a shout of accl mation. Never had they beheld «| @ shot thie; nor in truth had L “Mynheer Retief,” I aid, “I gave you notice that I intended to try to Acill_deth of them, did I not?” “You did. Allemachte! you did! But tell me, Allan Quatermain, are your eye end hand quite human?’ “You must ask my father,” I an- e@wered with a om ea I eat mysolf down upon my etoal and mopped my brow, The Boere came up with @ rush, Marie fying ahead of them Iike a swallow, and their stout womenfolk waddling behind, and formed @ circie round ua, all talking at once. I did not Haten to their conversation til! I heard Pereira, who was engaged in nome eye-play with Marie, say in a loud votee: “Yeo, it waa pretty, very pretty, but all the samme, Uncle Retief, | claim the match, as I shot ax geese against five.” “Hane,” 1 gata, “bring my geose,” and they were brought, each with a neat hole through !t, and laid down near those t Pereira had hot “Now,” I said to Retief, “examine the wounds in these birds, and then that on the second bird which the Heer Pereira ed when he brought down two at once. I think tt will be found that his bullet must have splinter Retief went and studied all the birtu, taking chem up one by one, Tres he thre s down the last with @ curse and cried in @ great voice: “Mynheer Pereira, why do you bring shame on us before these two Englishmen? I way that you have been using loopers, or else bulleta that were sawn in quarters and glued or tled with thread. Look, look!" and be pointed to the wounds, of which fn one case there were as many os on a single bird. Why not?” anywered coolly, “The bargain was to use bullets, but 4 t they should n s the Heer A Peretra were answered, “when I said that I would st bullet I meant a whole bullet, not one that had been sawn tn pieces and fixed : of again, eo that after it left the mussic Mt might spread out like shot. But 1 do not wish to talk about the matter It ta in the hands of the Heer Pieter Retief, who will give judgment as it pleases him.” Now, much excited argument en- sued among the Boers, in the midst of which Marie managed to whisper to me unheard: “Ob! I am glad, Allan, for what- ever they may decide, you won, and the omen ta good.” “I don't aeo what geese have to do with omens, sweetheart,” I answered "that le, einos the time of the an- ofent Romans, Anyhow, I should aay that the omena are bad, for there ls going to be « row presently.” Jum then Retief put up hie band, calling out: “Silence! I have decided. The writing of the matah did not say that the bullete were not to be cut, and therefore Herman Pereiri birds ust count. But that writing dose y that any bird accidentally killed nould not count, and therefore one g000 «must be mubtracted trom Pore} total, which leaves the two shooters equal, So either the match le dead or, since the geese have eaned to come, it muat be shot off another day.” “Oh! If there te any question,” eatd Pereira, who felt that public opinion was much against him, “let the Eng- liahman take the money. | dare say that he needa it, ae the sons of mis- @onaries are not rich. “There is no question,” I said, “since, rich or poor, not for @ thou- and pounds would I shoot again againat one who plays auch tricks, Keep your money, Mynheer Pereira, I will keep my mare. The umpire @aid that the match 1@ dead, 60 ev ag la finished.” interrupted Retief, “tor I have a word to Friend Allan, you have played f nd I belleve that there Is no one who can shoot like you in Africa.” said the audience of “Mynheer Pereira,” went on Retief, “although you, are a One ee as is well known, I believe that u played fair also you would have een beaten, but ae it le you have @aved your hundred pounds. Mynheer Pereira,” he added in a great voice, “you are a cheat, who have brough' diexrace upon us Boers, and for my part | never want to shake your hand again.” ‘ Now, at these outspoken words, for when his indignation was aroused Retief was no measurer of language, Pereira's high-colored face went white as @ sheet “Mein Gott, mynheer,” he eaid, “T am minded to make you answer for such talk.” and his hand went to the knife at bis girdle, “What!” shouted Retief, “40 you want another shooting mateb? Weil, if no Lam ready with whole or with spilt ones, None shall say that Pleter Hetlef was afraid of any man, and, least of all, of one who ta not ashamed to try to steal @ prize as & hyena ateals a bone from a lion, Come on, Hernan Pereira, come on!” Now, | aim sure T cannot say what would have bappened, although I am quite certain that Pereira had no stomach for a duel with the redoubt- able Ketlef, a man whose courage was as proverbial throughout the land as his perfect uprightness of char acta, At any rate, seeing that things looked very black, Henri Marais, who had been Iistening to this altercation with evident annoyance, stepped for- ward and sald: “Mypheer Retief and nephew Her- nan, you are both my guests, and I will’ not permit quarrelling over this foolishness, especially as { am sure that Hernan never intended to cheat, but only to do what he thought was allowed. Why should he, who Is one the finest shots in the Colony, though it may be that young Alla: Quatermain here ts ev anther? you not 1 expoctall ' e y ‘No,” thundered Retief, "I wil not was not to be CHAPTER IM1. who to the eee the shooting hough. ia feet, f Aifferent purposes an to Maperse Heer Marais, to my @urprieg tn sisted that my father aod | go home with him f wae soon to learn the ream We hat barely seated our scivee before his fire afier supper when be turned to me oad he esi% “and you, | have heard etorine concerning you that, although | never wave you leave to opait™ (uhat ia te at up al at olaht with candina according to the Hor fashion be (wean those who are courting), “you have been making love to each ouner.” “That t# true, mynheer” I aaid. “I only an opportunity to tell . you that we have pliehted our troth, We plighted 1 during (he outhrost, when the Kalfire were bealeging the house.” Aliemachte! Allan, « atrange time to choose,” anawered Marain, pulling at hie beard, “the troth that is pilghted in biood ia apt to end ia blood.” “- cannot father “Porhapa 00,” | answered. “I know not, God alone knows. I only know that we plighted our troth when we thought ourselves about to die, aad that we ahall keep that trouh tlh it" vain superstition te which J Consent,” interrupted my death Yes, my father,” added Marte, leaning forward acroan the scored yellow-wood table, ber chin resting on her hand and her dark, bucklike eyes looking bim in the face. “Yes, my father, that le mo, aa I have told you already,” “and | toll you, Marte, what I have told you already, and you too, Alla that thie thing may not be,” ap red Marais, hitting the table with flat. have oothing against you, Allan; indeed, I honor you; but it may not be.” “Why not, mynheert’ I asked. “For three reasons, Allan, each of which w final, You are English, aod J 40 not wish my daughter to marry an Englishman; that te the fret, You are poor, which ia no discredit to you, and since | am poor my daughter cannot m ‘® poor man; that la the second. You live here, and my daughter and I are leaving this country, therefore you cannot marry ber; that te the third,” and he paused. “Ie there not @ fourth,” I asked, “whioh ts the real reason? Namely, that you wish your daughter to marry some one cise.” “Yee, Allan; since you force me to it, there Ina fourth. I have aManced my daughter to her cousin Hernando Poreira, a man of substance and full ge: no lad, but one who knows his own mind and can support a wife.” “I understand,” I answered calm), although within my heart a very h was raging. “But tell me, mynheer, haa Marie aManced herself—or per- . il anew ith her own - Yes, Allan,” replied Marte in her quiet fashion, “I have affianced my- self—-to you and no othe! ‘ad T said to ‘Then he broke out in his usual excit- able manner. He stormed, he argued, he rated us both. He said that he would never allow it; that frat he would see his daughter in her grave. ‘That | bad abused bis confidence and violated his hospitality; that he would shoot me if I oame near hie girl, That ehe was e@ minor, and according to the law he could dispose of her in mar- riage. That ehe must accompany him whither he was going; that certainly Tanould not Go eo, and muoh more of the same sort. When at last he had tire himself out and smashed hie favorite upon the table, Marte spoke, ea “My father, you know that I lo you dearly, fur since my mother's Geath we have been everything to each other, have we not?” “Surely, Marie, you are my life, and more than my life." “Very well, my father, That being eo, I acknowledge your authority over me, whatever the law may say I acknowledge that you have the right to forvid me to marry Allan, and if you do forbid me—while Tam under age, at any rate—I shall not marry him because of my duty to you. But'--here she rose and looked him fu eyes, and oh! how stately 4 at tha’ moment tn her ain and youthful grace!—"'t that I do right to force me to tan, Aa’ &® woman with power over herself, I deny that right; and much sit pains me, my father, to refuse you anything, I y that first L will le. To Allan here I have given my- self for good or for evil, and tf I may not marry Allan, T will Ko to the grave unwed. If my words hurt you, I pray you to pardon me, but at the name time to remember that they are my words, which cannot be altered." ‘Intractable! Well, Fate may lead » who cannot be driven T leave in the han are under Ag ars or more~you may not my consent, and have not to do #0, Presently this country into far-off knows wh hap- su y ver In a solemr speaking for the first time, “who knows except God, who governs all things, and will sattle these mat- Aauehior to one whe hae hater ye Kogieh and bd saeinet bie King Her eae St ’ } * because he ad od * your bead be here aad replied my father solemnly Tnable to control myself any lenge? @ 1 broke in “Yout L have, mynheer, Te sepaeand ‘ Maria and myself ie @ ota, + that will break her heart, Ae ws my poverty, | have something, ¢ perhaps than you think, and ia rich country wealth ean be ’ by those who work, aa I would do her sake Th ‘ ’ not marry him.” | any ehe shall,” repiied wogees, she does or aot shail accompany me and Bot re to be the wife of an boy > Accompany you I father, : ahare your fortunes to the last marry Hernando Pt T will met,” * aid Marie quietly. “Perhaps, myoheer,” I added, . may come when ence again ‘ be wiad of sthe help of an boy The words were spoken at a kind of caused by ty aod insul beneath a blo’ tertounly 4 cret knowledge My father sald: “Henri Marala, we cannot to-night because the kraalet, and it would find them tn thie dar! ask your hospitality till a oot am i," 1 rey to sleep in our From the foom and, the hove, the two men together, When I reached the cart and from so hidden fashion, it had been made ready in, While I was won vaguely who could have done this, the step, carrying two which he borrowed anki were you going to sleep in “Baas,” he repiied, “Il was prepared it for you. How did I that you were coming? Oh, ere, ply. | eat on the stoop and liste 1 ail the talk, I never w that white, people could have so much to say about a simple matter. You wamt ty marry the Baas Maraie's daughter; who van pay more cattle. Well, Cy us it would soon have been settled, the father would bav: bh and beaten you out the thick end beaten tho girl with she promised to take the and all would have been But you Whites, you talk nothing te settled. You marry the daughter, and the @ull neans not to marry many cows. Moreover, the really gained nothing exce; heart and much bad luek to “Why much bed luck Hans 1 asked idly, for wumming up of the case in in @ vague way. “Ob! Baas Allan, for two First, your reverend father, who > bw true Christian, told Bim ’ man #0 as he, : whom the curse of Goa’ sone ss heaven like lightning runs dowa a * the Heer Marais A il tree Well, eer Ung under that tree, and we = tree wien ihe lightanng Ce a when ht who would divide par fein vou bck . blood on her and on the other wee wriee to eo her, blood, ‘ised! and on bimee! i And he waved his yellow ae oat at me with hie little way that was a? before now, and as the Heer Will see, who, if the great God bad not made him mad—for mad: he is, baas, as we know, it you Whites don't ~-inigh| in his home till he + had @ good son-ta- to bury him in his blanket.” He handed me a note he said Marte had given him for me. By lantern ight I read: “I ahall be in tha peach orcharé half an howr before sunrise, Be there if you would bid me fare- well. at." “Wake me at dawn,” I bade Hans. ” “Yes, baas, By the way, baaa, the Heer Pereira, who tried to cheat you. - over those geese, is sleeping in an empty house not more than two miles away. He drinks coffee when be wakes up in the morning, and his’! servant, who makes it, Is my friend. Now would you like me to, pura little something into It? Not to kill bim, for that ts against the law in the Book, but just to make Bim 7 quite mad, for the Book says not! about that, If so, I have a very medicine, one that you white people, do not know, which improves 4 taste of the coffes, and It might save ° much trouble. You see, if he came dancing about the place without ) son, like @ common Kadir, the Marais, although he is ma also, might not wish for him @s * a aw . ‘Oh! go to the devil If you are met. there already,” J replied, and turaed over as though to sleep. ° —{S sto Be