On the Heels of De Wet | Page 8

its deepest shades
rose masses of jet-black hill: the ragged outline of their crests bathed
purple and grey in the last effort of the expiring twilight. Already the

great dome of heaven had given birth to a few weary stars, and but for
the shrinking wake of day still lingering in the west the great desolate
pall of night had fallen upon the veldt--the vast, mysterious,
indescribable veldt!
But as treasure-trove is found when the tide is at its lowest ebb, so
often when the wall of impossibility seems an insuperable mass of
concrete, it is found to be the merest paper. As the Intelligence officer,
awed by the great solitude of the sleeping veldt, stood musing on its
fringe, a voice hailed out of the darkness--
"What ho! Whose column is that?"
A moment more and a mounted man cantered up, and a young
Africander threw himself out of the saddle.
"Whose column?" asked the new-comer.
"The New Cavalry Brigade!"
"Not Henniker's?"
"No; who are you?"
"I'm one of Rimington's Tigers.[4] I'm attached to Henniker's column,
and I've been sent down here to round up a man who lives about these
parts!"
"Have you got him?"
"No. Who may you be? Have you got a match?"
The Intelligence officer felt in his pocket, and an inspiration came to
him as he fumbled for the matches.
"How did you see me? I never saw you, and you were against the
sky-line."
"A cigar is a big beacon, old chap!" Then the Tiger struck a light, and

for the first time realised that he was talking to an officer. "Oh, I beg
your pardon, I thought that you were a civilian."
In the short life of the match each had taken stock of the other,--the one,
a pleasant-faced Imperial officer, the other a hard-bitten Colonial. The
Intelligence officer was the first to speak.
"Do you speak Dutch and Kaffir?"
"I do."
"Are you in a giant hurry to get back to Henniker's?"
"I'm not wearing myself out with anxiety."
"Well, look here, we shall probably meet Henniker in the course of the
next few days. Come along with us till we strike your column. I am
Intelligence officer of this brigade, and I want to get together some sort
of an Intelligence gang to-night. We start at 4.30 to-morrow morning."
"In what capacity do you want me?"
"As my chief guide. Do you know this country?"
"I have often been through it; but I'll soon find some one who does.
Have you got any boys?"[5]
"Not a soul. I've only just this moment arrived!"
"Well, we must have boys. Where are we to go?"
"To Britstown."
"Then we want a white guide and at least four boys. Yes, I'll come, sir.
What's the force?"
"It's an embryo brigade; but when we get it together it will be quite a
handsome force--three regiments and six guns!"

"Any Colonials?"
"Yes, the Mount Nelson Light Horse."
"Never heard of them, but you now want to raise these boys. What kind
of a man are you? Do you go straight in up to the elbows, or do you
play about in kid gloves?"
"How do you mean?"
"Well, will you come down to a farm over there, and back me up in
everything that I do? We can get all we want there!"
"I'll back you up in everything that is in accordance with the exigencies
of the service."
"Which means----?"
"That I don't wear kid gloves----?"
"Come along, then; we'll soon round up a gang!"
* * * * *
A quarter of a mile brought the two men to the enclosure of a little
Karoo homestead, nestling in a hollow in the veldt. The Tiger was
leading his pony, and after he had tied it to the rail outside, they walked
boldly up to the verandah. They were greeted by an excited dog, and a
minute later the door was opened by a tall cadaverous-looking youth.
"What do you want?"
The Tiger answered in Dutch. The farmer had evidently seen him
before, as he bridled angrily.
"Oh, it's you, is it?" came the answer. "You have come back again.
Well, I am sorry we have no forage for you!"
"It is not forage I want. Where is your father? Here is an officer who

must see the 'boss.'"
"I tell you the 'boss' is not here. But will not the officer come in. Good
evening, mister, come in here. I will bring a light!"
The two men were shown into a sitting-room, and the youth
disappeared. A moment later a slender girl of about seventeen whisked
into the room with a lamp, put it on the table, and disappeared. But the
light had shone upon her just long enough to show that she was very
comely. The