Part 62 (1/2)
”Yes, sir: here it is!”
”Where?” said the Commandant, glancing down at the stained tunic on the bed.
”Open it now, sir,” said West to the doctor, who took out his knife again, slit the cloth, and drew out the big letter, terribly soaked with its bearer's blood.
”Bravo! Brave messenger!” cried the Commandant, grasping West's hand before tearing open the packet and finding enough of the despatch unstained to allow him to decipher the princ.i.p.al part of the text.
”Hah!” he cried, when he had finished, ”on the whole good news; but,” he continued, glancing at the date, ”you have been a long time coming.”
”Have I, sir? We lost no time!”
”The poor fellow has been lying here for a fortnight, sir,” said the surgeon.
”A fortnight ago? Why, that was the day when the reconnoitring party returned with the captured sheep and cattle. Yes, I remember now: they had a brush with the Boers up the river. Of course, yes: they were attracted by the firing, and saved two young Englishmen. You are one of them?”
”Yes, sir.”
”Well done, then! Our raiding party did good work, though they did have a desperate fight afterwards to get through the Boer lines. Getting better?”
”Yes, sir,” said West, with a sigh of relief: ”now that I have got my despatch safely into your hands!”
”But what about your bad character?”
”It was a false accusation, sir!” cried West indignantly. ”The man who denounced me was the criminal himself.”
”Well, you have done your duty so truly that I believe you in preference to him.”
”But I shall be able to fully clear myself, sir, soon, for this man is a prisoner now with the cavalry brigade. Has that come into the town yet, sir, with the prisoners, guns, and the convoy they captured?”
”Hah!” cried the Commandant: ”this is news indeed! Has the brigade captured all you say?”
”Yes, sir,” said West, and he told all that had taken place up to the time of he and Ingleborough being cut off and chased by the Boers.
”We knew nothing of this!” said the Commandant. ”We are prisoners ourselves; but your news gives us hope of a speedy release, for the General is not one to let the gra.s.s grow under his feet.”
”He is not, sir!” said West. ”Then you shall bring me and the man who accused me face to face.”
”The sooner the better, my lad!” said the Commandant warmly. ”How soon will he be up, doctor?”
”Within a fortnight, I hope, sir!” was the reply.
”Then goodbye for the present, my lad!” said the Commandant. ”Your long-delayed despatch will send a thrill of hope through all here in Kimberley, for it breathes nothing but determination to hold the Boers at bay.”
”May I say one word more, sir?” said West excitedly.
”What do you think, doctor?”
”He has said enough, sir, and if he talks much more we shall have the fever back. Well, perhaps he'll fret if he does not get something off his mind.”
”What is it, then?” said the Commandant.