SHORT STORY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2413, 31 May 1900, Page 50

SHORT STORY.

BOERS FOR ONE DAY ONLY.

By no stretch of imagination could Colonel "Veryman Ward be considered a selfcontained man. Before the African mail boat Lorna Doone was Avell clear of the Southampton Waters every cabin passenger, from the senior adjutant to the youngest downy-lipped ensign, became aware that he was a member of Congress and a mighty pillar in the glorious Constitution of the United States. By the younger passengers, who delighted to draw him -out for their own aniussment, Veiyman Ward was voted a most entertaining old imbecile, especially after he had, by the aid of a stub of chalk in conjunction with the smokeroom table, corrected the views of the major in command of the composite draft upon modern strategy, and drawn oxit a plan of campaign by means of which, were he com-mander-in-chief, President Kruger could be brought to his knees within a month. Yet one and all agreed that there was at least one redeeming feature about the vivacious little American colonel which rendered his company tolerable, and sometimes even mush sought after. Materialised, this said redeeming feature look the form of Veryman Ward's 18-year-old daughter, Elsie, a handsome and sprightly specimen of the sweetest and highest type of budding Ameiican womanhood. With the exception of Mi&s Ward and a few elderly ladies — the wives of officers going to, or already at, the seat of war — the Lorna Dcone's passengers were mostly of the male persuasion, and the fair Elsie fu nd her,self, from a feminine point of view, in a most enviable situation, as she, the only ycung and pretty girl on board, enjoyed the undivided attention of some 40 odd goodlooking, and more or less eligible, young men, the majority of whom held commissions in her Majesty's army. And enjoy herself she did; for although her amiable parent tried his level best to exclude her fioni the society of the embryo warriors, he was not himself proof .against the wiles . of the smoking-room and the card-table. Not that it must be inferred -that Colonel Ward's tlhughter was'a'fiirt. She* merely poFse&se'd that abounding energy and ingenious disregard for conventionalities, typical -of her , country wqjaen. - ,& ( Before the voyage was lialf finished it bscame ?v apparent tc-everyone except Colonel Ward that vast and daily increasing intimacy was springing up between the girl and Captain Robert Randall, a tall and distinctly goodlooking hussar, who was proceeding to rejoin his regiment, then serving in General French's . brigade. From the very first . Bob Randall, had completely succumbed to the fair American's charms. One look fiom her clear nazel eyes would have, at any time, brought him to his knees; but Elsie had ' a .peculiar way of freezing the words upon his lips whenever they became too ardent. At such times he would swallow his unspoken sentence with a huge gulp, but ' the ■_ look "of dumb admiration upon his honest sun-tanned countenance could not have been misread by any girl much less smart than was the colonel's daughter. Latterly, however, Elsie had shown a decided preference for Randall's society. Those who at first considered -themselves to be favoured cavaliers now perceived that the herculean cavalryman had completely put them out of the running.' l When the Lorna Doone reached port and Elsie tripped daintily ashore together with all the other civilian passengers, leaving the military clement to proceed to Durban, those of the sporting community who had favoured the engagement theory had, perforce, to pay up, as no authentic* intelligence of an understanding between ths couple could be obtained. Had they bub known it, the hussar had at last screwed his courage itp to the proposing point, with a result not completely satisfactory to himself. It happened at dawn upon the last clay of the vojyjje. RandaH was, cigar in mouth, leaning -over the V3ssel's side pensively watching the first distant rays of sunshine lighting up Table Mountain, and cursing himself for a chicken-hearted idiot, when a little arm was sl'pped within his own, and he turned to behold the mobile face of the girl who occupied his mind and heart in close proximity to his own. With feverish energy Bob seized the ! little hand in his strong grasp, and with passion-illumined face strove for - words in which to express his love. For a moment Elsie half-heartedly endeavoured to free her imprisoned hand ; then, reaching up the other, playfully placed it over his mouth. . ( "You men are horrid," she said. '1 know what you are going to do ; you want to propose to me. Don't say that. you are not going to ; I can read it in your eyes, but it is no use ; pop has made up his mind that I am to marry a duke, or, at least, a lord, and said he wo aid take me back home if I carried on with any of you officers, and — and, I'm so sorry." Something in the girl's voice caused the captain to look closely at her. At that moment the sun burst through a bank of mist and refracted prisms of light from two pearl drops which coursed slowly clown Elbie's Qheeks. With the predominant instincts of an Englishman, Randall glanced cautiously round the deserted deck, then gathered the unresisting form to his breast. Time pa^ed quickly that morning ; the barrier once broken "down, Elsie shyly con-

fessed her love. She. would marry none but him, but the} 1 - must wait. .It would j be fatal to approach the father then. Bob, her dear Bob, must go to the horrid war ; and did the colonel even suspect' her attachment, t he would seize the opportunity of her lover's, perhaps, prolonged absence, to force her to wed another. She was obdurate — they must wait.. And with that wretched word " wait " beating funeral marches in his brain, Bob Randall some hours afterwards watched the form of his sweetheart disappear along the crowded quay. 11. The next few weeks passed* more slowly to the captain than a similar period had ever done before. All his buoyancy of spirit had fled. For the first time since his infantile attack of measles, his appetite failed, and it was obvious to all that the once debonair soldier was sadly perturbed in spirit. To make matters worse, instead of being at once sent to the front, he was ordered to j>roceed with a company of cavalry to a small country station in Natal, named Edendale, there to await the arrival of and subsequently accompany a large quantity of valuable stores to the fighting line. The convoy was long in arriving, and, chafing at the unwonted delay, the young officer, with but one lieutenant and a handful of men for company, found time, pass very slowly, his only consolation being one or two little perfumed notes which occasionally came to him by native runner. One evening, after dinner, Bob strolled down to the railway line to inquire if any trains were expected from Durban that evening, and, if so, to possibly obtain some minutes' chat with some officer who, more fortunate than himself, might be en route for the front. While stiß some distance from the siding, upon an eminence, he saw that a train had just steamed up, and j in the rear of tne numerous goods trucks ] .was one solitary passenger carriage. Stand- j ing in conversation with the station clerk, | as if just arrived, were the forms of a lady and gentleman. With quickening pulse, the captain gazed in astonishment. Surely, he knew that rotund, squat figure. It must be — it was — Colonel Veryman Ward andEl"Well, I'm thundered!" ejaculated the colonel, catching sight of Randall. "If that\isn't Captain Bob! You remember him, my dear?" Elsie duly expressed her astonishment at the chance meeting. " Here, captain," resumed the former, ' I call this low-down mean and uncivil on the j part of the stationmaster. Here's an Ame- j rican come up-country just to see what's go'ag on and lend you Britishers his moral r bnly to be told that he cannot break his journey here, as there is no accommodation to be had." v ' Quite absurd," 'quickly answered Ran- | da^tajeinbliag with delight. "My quar-. teivs sfrs at your disposal, and surely, sir, you wail i not venture further up-country j with Miss Ward ; -things are very unsettled ■ above here." j "Well, perhaps, it would not be advis- j able to take her too far," mused the" colonel, ■ following his guide: "at any rate we will j accept your hospitality for a few days." j "Elsie," said Bob, the following day, | when they were returning from a delightful j gallop upon the open veldt ; "I am determined to obtain your father's consent to . our engagement before *>you leave Eden- j dale. '.' ~ j '■ You will only come a cropper, and spoil the whole show,'' replied Elsie ; " you don't know the idad as I do." " Suppose we try strategy," continued the captain. As the gallant officer spoke, he j allowed the reins to hang loosely upon his j horse's neck, while he bent forward and captured the little white hand which so deftly guided the girl's steed. A rippling laugh, and an exclamation of i " Perfectly splendid !" greeted the narration j of his plans. | "I am sure the scheme will work," said , Elsie. "Papa is just the one to be j spoofed by an adventure of that kind; ' only he is. really a dear, brave man, and I > must find some means of drawing the bul- | lets from his revolvers, or the would-be , Boers will have too warm a reception. "' j " Sergeant Burton, the captain wants you j at once," was the message received by the senior non-commissioned officer, some hours later. - When he arrived at Randall's quarters, he found that jworthy in high fettle, discussing a bottle -of fiz with his subaltern. The interview did not last long ; but when, some 20 minutes afterwards, the sergeant lefb, he carried a large bundle of rough clothing, while his face was contorted with a broad grin of intense delight. ' I never saw such a girl !" grumbled Colonel Veryman Ward early next morning to his daughtei as their horses paced soberly along some miles from camp. " You bring me out riding at this unearthly hour and then complain that you are tired." " I only want to rest in the shade of those trees for a few minutes.," mendaciously responded Elsie. " The sun has made me feel raiher faint." Still grumbling, the colonel dismounted and assisted his daughter to alight. He was endeavouring to tether their horses to a cactus Mhen the sound of a rifie shot made him hastily turn in time to see Elsie surrounded by half-a-dozen armed, swarthy ruffians dressed in nondescript apparel and heavy slouched hats. Quick as lightning Ward realised the situation. It was a Boer scouting-party. Instantly the " Coir '' was drawn from his hip-pocket. Three times it spit flames btfore h was knocked from his grasp. One of die enemy was lying upon the. ground lvotionless ; the others gathered round the luckless linn and tightly bound his hands behind his back. "Cursed rooinek!" one of them grunted, in harsh, guttural tones. With well-simulated alarm, Elsie clung sobbing to hei father's arm. At this jxmcture the heavy thud of horse's hoofs was heaid, and a gallantly-equipped officer rode wildly round a jutting spur. Two sharp baiks from a revolver, and a corresponding number of the enemy bit tlie dust.. Spring-

ing from his horse, with onevdeffc sweep of lib sword Randall severed tlie colonel's bends. "Fly!" shouted he to the latter, at the same time fiercely attacking the remaining three Boers, who, after a feeble resistance, bioke and fled. " Sir," said the "colonel, an hour later, warmly grasping the young man's hand, "you will understand that it was for my daughter's sake that I left you ; but " — grandiloquently — " you are a hero, sir ; you ought to have been an American, by jingo, you did ! I will take care that Congress suitably recognises your bravery." That evening a small but select party assembled in Colonel Ward's quarters drank health and happiness to the newly-be-trothed couple, and in the camp canteen si\ stalwart cavalrymen stood unlimited drinks to their wondering comrades.