A MODERN ENOCH ARDEN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10451, 29 August 1895, Page 7

A MODERN ENOCH ARDEN.

" I came' up here to see that man die." That sentence has rung in my ear since Norton whispered, it to me as he slid off his horse after a dozen, hands had tenderly drawn Webster's bpdyi from the saddle in-front of him. It wag said with a quiet air of relief and'composnre that added, to my amazement when I thought-of the close companionship of these two all' throngh the campaign, and the gallant conduct of both during the last 10 minntea. They had been remarkably great chums since the volunteer force had beoa summoned to defend r themselves and their adopted country.. Websterhad been aeettler with'his young and rather pretty wife in the~ chief centre almost from' the .firsthand was immensely.'popular; ■.-Norton had come np. from the Cape just in time to throw in his luck with . the volunteers, and bad soon gained the esteem of everyone for his willingness to share in every piece of hard work that top often-fellto:our roughly-equipped 'lot./. ■;■"■■'■ '"■ "'■■■ ■■" .■'■■• ■:"': .'■•-■■■■■-■■■••-

Norton's accession to the force was a decided boon. His was the frankest and brightest of natures, arid Webster was no whit behind. They were foremost in being ready for every post of danger, being always together, as if the one had agreed not to ride; near to' '[ death's door without the other.' And they came close to knocking at it once or twice before that fatal day. They had been sent out to scout in a pass where there was reason to believe an impi of the enemy would be concealed. It was a specially' hazardous piece of duty, and their urgent claims to be despatched on it had been conceded chiefly, I believe, on account of Norton's famous speedy horse. Webster had got a special mount, and we waited eagerly in laager for the result. Should they find the impi' had. not reached the pass; we, conld get through and save -a long and difficult detour. 'They, would have to make a good search, for a mistake on their part would mean disaster ■to us if we were attacked going through. . Ifthey found the enemy lying in wait they were to try to. draw on an attack, sq that we might get the fight over and benefit all the same by .the shorter route. ■

They found the impi getting into position, and roused its fighting spirit by a shot or two. Then they turned back to join us, but according to instrEctions went off at a tangent so as to skirt our front and come into laager on the far side, and also to, let our ■Mazims and Gardners play on the advancing enemy without risk tothemßetves. It was a useful but dangerous .masbeavre; and had the one not been over-auxibus for the other, would: have ended well. Norton's horse, Darnley, strangely enough, was the first to causa delay; In clearing 9, dry sluit it somehow took oil badly, and landed with a plunge that sent Norton on to its neck as he staggered forward. Webster appeared toifchink it was hit by one of the shots the impi were wildly discharging in their direction, and wheeled back. ; .

- This caused a delay before they conld start together, and the enemy got dangerously hear. - We risked shaving, them, and the Maxims started sending in. its hailstorm, which brought about a check. A good handful of the natives, however, wera close on their heels, and we next saw an assegai pierce the flank of Webster's horse. Norton turned in bis saddle' and emptied his revolver at tha pursuers before dropping if; and clutching Webster's reins. Urging on Darnlay, the wounded horse made a graud effort to keep np alongside, while his rider in turn faced back and .finished off one or two others whowere rathernear. We cbesred this graad piece of heroism on both their parts, but the next moment we saw Webstsr throw up both his arms, and, twisting round, fall back against Norton. His horze, too, received another-wound and weat forward on its knees. Norton, who had firm hold of its reins, was dragged out of bis saddle, and all went down in s, heap^ A, glance at the bullet hole' in Webster's forehead told of the succass of one at least of the enemy's shots, and the next moment I heard the astounding exclamation from Norton which I have recorded. ■■*■■ - »"■■ •

The boldness of Norton and Webster had brought about the turning point of the campaign; The enemy bad bsen drawn out and so completely routed that we got through ths pass in perfect safety, avoiding, I mayadd,.a greater danger from an attack by selected impis. who would have assailed us on most unfavourable ground had we been forced to make the detour. My own work had been vary light, Webster's having: been the only death on our Bide in the fight, and our wounded being of little importance. Norton's genial and infectious good spirits had disappeared, and he seemed to be filled with a restless and excited impatience for the campaign to be finished. He did bis share of duty now with none of that fire acd recklessness which had distinguished his companionship with Webster, when both seemed to court danger with' hardihood. The loss of his great friend was taken to account for it, and it passed without comment, rave for the commander, who jestingly said that in >one good man he had lost two.

At length it was all over, and we were on the eve of disbanclment. I was in the middle annexe to the hospital tent, which had been allotted to me as a special sanctum, when I heard Norton outside asking if he could oome.in^A.ol'answered, I determined to take

tm&opportunity of referring to his strange statement: "I came up here tosee that man die "

Wespoke for some time about the close o£ ths : .campaign, bat at last I asked him the question!

" I was unconaciouo o£ having said bo," he replied;"and must have caid it becausa yon were so" much identified with Webster in my mind. I.should have put it that I came up to see him die or to die myself. We had agreed to let it be a toss-up between U3. When I came along I bad resolved to tell you tne whole story, and to ask if you did not think I had played the game fairly.

"I don'fe know i£ you remember a trek from Kimberley about six years ago, which caused a good deal of ridicule. It was of 10 young Englishmen, all belonging to what Rudyard Kipling would call ' the' legion that: never was listed. 1 The diamond fields were played out for men who worked on their own luck and kept clear of 1.D.8., or knuckling down to serve any masters. The Eand also was ia the hands of sharps, and they decided to trek northwards and form a colony of their owd. Five were married—to English ladies, remember, who had cast in their lot with these youngersons— and the unmarried men were relations of one or other of the party. The .15 could, muster a good show of money 'betwesn-tbem^ and their purpose was to go

northinto the unknown, and prospect; for a fina country where there might be gold or diamonds, or even only good land, where for

j some years they could establish a modern J;Utopia. '.~; : ~,'■.'■"."' i :'■"•'• ■■'...-■„■..'■■. .",'•■'■,'.-.

" It might have been a great success, but one day the leader, who had been out riding down a back, got lost. They • searched for him for some weeks to satisEy his wife, but had to give it up when some Datives whom they met produced a gun and saddlebags they had found on the veldt, and which were recognised as his. There was a diary in one of the saddlebags, in which the .writer, after having accounted for four days in the open with little for himself and horsa to eat, seemsd to have become lightheaded, with

anxiety and -have given tip hops. .They tamed south to the Transvaal, and there they, dispsrssd.- The wife of the leader ,Btayed in the Zoutpatisberg district for over .a year, with one of the families, who were relatives, and made every inquiry in the* Oape, and of travellers-from the north! They assured, her it was hopeless, and at last she gave it up and married her cousin, who had 'bean one of the original party. They.ber'taiplyhad done everything in their power to "stod on firm ground before' marrying,-* but had not made allowance for the mysteries Which crop up in South Africa,-as in this case, where a mad Bngliahmqn on.bis horse is found '■wandering by some natives, who tend him in his lunacy for nearly two years, till he, recovers sense arid memory. He went back south, and without divulging his own -, identity, .found'■.out.-about'the marriage:For three years he played the part of Enoch Ardea, till it grew on his consciousiipss. that there'is a higher law than keeping man tinin- ; formed'regarding the truth; and that ft was'a coward's part for an Eaglishman to s^ay in "biding so that his wife might live in .unconscious'sin.' ' ■'■■.'■ " . ' ■ •' ;-'.■■-•-...

" That is my story. The outbreakof this war was my opportnnity. I determiDed it would solve the problem. Webster I knew would join; so would I. We would face the same fate and let chance decide. If I fell he was:free to return; if he was, killed, well, I could go and claim myown wife without compiications. , We agreed to. let it be so decided on that day whien we met. Yoa have seen how it ended."—South AfriisSa" Review:' ' .-.■....- ■ .