Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

924 trifle embarrassed. know.” “ Know? talk is this?” “TI believe you know how happy I am— but you can’t know, Listen, Grandfather van Slyke.” She snuggled up closely to him. “I am going to be married.” “Married! Almighty! This child? But no one has opsit with you yet.” “ Oh that—opsit.” She became the child again for a brief moment, and stuck out a pink, provocative little tongue. ‘“‘ We're not going to opsit.” He seemed about to burst into one of his rages, but, with an etiort, restrained him- self. “The old Boer ways—they are not good enough for you, little Katje?” She did not answer, and they sat for a while in silence, engrossed with their thoughts. Then: s he man—who is it, Katje? It is not ”—his face clouded—* the predikanti’s sen?” She made a little moue of distaste. “Cornelius du Toit? No. He—” ‘““Y’m glad of that. He and his father— the white-livered curs—are no true burgh- ers. hands with the Rooineks. Then who is the man? I must see him and tell him to take no notice of the whims of a foolish girl who says she will not opsit. Who is he?” “He ”—she hesitated as if reluctant to give the name—“ he is coming to see you to-night when the moon is up.” “So-a! But his name, Katje, his name,” “ John ”—she cowered in fear before his intense, burning gaze — “ John Hamilton, srandfather. He—don’t—” But she could say no more. Oom Piet’s arms shot out with the rapid- ity of striking snakes, and his big hands closed around her throat. She gureled incoherently and struggled courageously for a few moments—kicking, clawing, and then she fainted. “ Almighty,” Oom Piet said dully, and stood regarding her with eyes red-rimmed with anger, his matted eyebrows twitching spasmodically, his big chest heaving and falling with his long, labored breaths. Resting his shagey head on her bosom “ QOh—I believe you Know what, Katje? What They were among the first to jom® ¥ ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. he listened apprehensively to the beating cf her heart, and, satisfied at length that she had only swooned, he picked her up and carried her into the house, up the nar- row stairs into her room. There he placed her gently on the bed and sat down beside her—thinking, planning, cursing . the Reooimek who was the cause of all this. Suddenly deciding to follow some well- defined course, he tore up the sheets, and, with the strips, bound the girl hand and foot; he also fashioned a gag which he forced into her mouth. “She will forgive by and by,” he said, as with heavy tread he slowly descended the stairs. ‘“ Old Oom Piet knows what is best for her. Almighty—yes.” A few minutes later he was giving orders to his native servants. Til, THE moon was high above the horizon when John Hamilton rode up to the Van aSlyke homestead. There was no one te take his horse when he dismounted, the house was in darkness, and after waiting for a while for some one to —— he called softly— “ Katje,” and started at the grotesque shadow which appeared suddenly on the ground beside his own. He turned and looked up into the face of Oom Piet and his hand dropped in- stinctively to his revolver holster. But the other’s words and the tone of his voice reassured him. “You are Jan Hamilton, yes? Do you speak the Taal?” “Ja, mynheer.” “That is good—so we can talk. You called Katje?” “ Yes—I—we—” He stopped, confused. Then, overcom- ing his embarrassment, he recommenced: ‘“T have heard, Oom Piet, that you hate all English—and perhaps you have good cause. But can’t we be friends? Won't you forget the mistakes of yesterday?” He held out his hand. “Ja,” Qom Piet said stolidly, ignoring the other’s outstretched hand. “ Katje told me about you. Se you are going to ‘take comichooks (EO)