e advance-guard.
Five miles of the journey had perhaps been made--at least it was at
the third halt that word was passed up that the brigadier wanted to
see the Intelligence officer. The brigadier had dismounted at the head
of the battery.

"Hulloo, Mr Intelligence, we have got the sniper--and it would beat a
very Solomon to give judgment in a like case. Strike a match."

The little flame burned up and declared to the astonished view of the
Intelligence officer the face and figure of his guide's weeping bride.
There was no sign of tears now. The girl stood with her hands clasped
behind her back, her mouth firmly closed, and looked her captors full
in the face. It was a fine figure, seen for a moment in the uncertain
light of the lucifer shaded from the wind. _Cappie_ blown back behind
her head, ill-concealing the wealth of glistening hair, pale
determined face, full of defiance, and thrown-out chest across which
the leather bandolier still hung in damnatory evidence. How different
to the limp and weeping woman of the afternoon. A second and the
little slip of pinewood had burnt out.

_Brigadier._ "What do you make of it?"

_Intelligence Officer._ "Magnificent woman--damnable undertaking."

_Bystander._ "Magnificent she-cat!"

_Prisoner._ "You steal my husband, and because I would do my best to
stop you, when the men were afraid to attack and offered you food
instead, you call me names. Give me back my husband and let me go, or
if you would shoot me, shoot and be finished with it."

_Brigadier._ "My dear young lady, no one will hurt you or call you
names. You shall have your husband back as soon as we have finished
with him. Until that time, I am afraid that you must stay with us, but
you shall be properly looked after. I cannot afford to let you again
be as naughty as you have been to-night. Hand her over to the supply
officer,--he's acting provost-marshal, is he not? (_Then turning to
his staff_) What a little vixen! That gives you a very considerable
insight into the temper of these loyal Cape colonists: to think that
while we were supping with this young lady's mamma she was planning a
little sniping party, as a revenge against us for breaking in upon her
honeymoon!"...

FOOTNOTES:

[32] Dutch method of describing a woman's husband.

[33] Maize.

[34] British cavalry at this period of the campaign were armed with
rifle and bayonet.

X.

JOG-TROT.

True to that instinct which finds the Bo