Between Snow and Fire — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

rr STa A= Fhe way - . 2 rap = - ~)} = mm | = 7 : cd a. * . aa. J 4s : o “ = the band, and, their numbers augmented _ appeared to be made up of bugle calls and lies. half hour that the bugle was not sounding—either at the Police camps, or at those of the regular troops now be-— ing rapidly moved to the front, and scarcely a day went by * » . a ™ : 2a ' 7 ' . < - a” » 3 ~*~, = ie il 4 = ¢ —» - : * _ ' Z , es 7 = Ped a a sy a a we “. - nrr ba : x i a 7>. ‘a EBC Tt AM TAY DOVE. MP oad . > _— a) ” — . gent of mounted friends, who were to ride a part of the < way with them, “just to see them squarely off,” the ex- tremely neat and serviceable corps moved away intoa cloud of dust. There was another side to all this enthusiasm, however. A good many feminine handkerchiefs waved farewell to that martial band. A good many feminine handkerchiefs were pressed openly or furtively to tearful eyes. For of those threescore and odd men going forth that evening in all the pride of their strength and martial ardour, it would be strange, indeed, if some, at any rate, were not destined to leave their bones in a far away grave—victims to the bullet and assegai of the savage. The days went by and grew into weeks, but there was no want of life and stir in the little settlement. As Carhayes had remarked grimly during his brief sojourn therein—life but a corps of mounted burghers or volunteers passed through, en route for the seat of war. The store keepers and Government contractors laughed and waxed fat. All sorts of rumours were in the air, and as usual wildly contradictory. ‘The white forces in the Transkei were in imminent peril of annihilation. The Gealéka country had been swept clear from end toend. Kreli was sueing for peace. Kreli had declared himself strong enough to whip all the whites sent against him, and then with the help of the Gaikas and Hlambis to invade and ravage the Eastern Province of the Colony. The Gaikas were on the eve of rising, and making common cause with their Gcaléka brethren. ‘The Gaikas had not the slightest wish for war. The Gaikas were never more insolent and_ threatening. The Gaikas were thoroughly cowed and lived in mortal dread of being attacked themselves. Thus Rumour many tongued. The while events had taken place at the seat of war. The Kafirs had attacked the Ibeka, a hastily fortified trading post in the Transkei, in great force,and after many hours of determined fighting had been repulsed with great loss, re- pulsed by a mere handful of the Mounted Police, who, with s ' % Me OF by a contin. * * a A —— -" / i 7 7 | “ae 4g - ~ 7 Hardly a. 2 eal 7 . tip) by s a* comicbooks.com