Between Snow and Fire — page 93: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A CURTAIN SECRET. Se disfavour among that gathering. ‘‘ Why do you/rek away and leave your own place?” “ Oh, blazes take you all! Ain’t I jolly well hung round with women-kind?” was the reply, in a rueful, comic tone which raised a roar of laughter. ‘“ How can I?” “What has become of that Britisher who was staying with you?” asked Hoste. A very quaint expression came into the other’s face. “He's thinking more of love than of war,” he answered, lowering his voice for Hoste’s benefit. ‘‘ Expect he'll take one of the said women-kind off my hands mighty sharp. Won't be his fault if he doesn’t.” ‘ Britishers ain’t no damn good!” said a burly fellow in corduroy, with a lurch up against Eustace. Some of the men looked awkward; others interested. The remark was enough to provoke half a dozen fights, especially in that room, frequented as it often was by Police troopers, many of whom were young Englishmen of recent importation and thus likely to resent such a slur upon the home-grown article, But it took a good deal more than this to embark Eustace in active hostilities. The expres- sion of his immobile features was as if the remark had passed unheard. Besides, he saw ata glance that the fellow was drunk, “T say, you fellows—Hoste, Milne. Lets go and have a wet!” said Payne, making a move towards the bar, partly with a view to avoiding any further chance of a row. “Put a name to your pet poison and we'll drink confusion to old Kreli. Hang it. This atmosphere is enough to float a line-of-battle ship. Let’s get out of it—when we've had our moistener, not before.” ‘‘It'’s rather rough on me, this shindy,” he continued as ° they found themselves outside again. ‘* What’sthe good of a fellow laying himself out to improve his place? Here I’ve got alot of splendid lands under cultivation. Fountains Gap is a perfect jewel in that line, and now I must sacrifice the whole lot. Well, we’re all in the same boat, that’s one thing,” he added philosophically. “So long, you fellows. I must go home. Hallo! Wonder if those chaps have brought any news.” Three Police troopers rode quickly by, heading for the quarters of their commanding officer. They had evidently zidden express direct from the Transkei, and had not cComicbooks (elo) m