her--never that!--but for
her. Once more she was a laughter to her enemies.

X.

THE GUNS AT RIETFONTEIN.

A COLUMN ON THE MOVE--THE NIMBLE GUNS--GARRISON GUNNERS AT
WORK--THE VELDT ON FIRE--EFFECTIVE SHRAPNEL--THE VALUE OF THE
ENGAGEMENT.

LADYSMITH, _Oct. 26._

The business of the last few days has been to secure the retreat of the
column from Dundee. On Monday, the 23rd, the whisper began to fly round
Ladysmith that Colonel Yule's force had left town and camp, and was
endeavouring to join us. On Tuesday it became certainty.

At four in the dim morning guns began to roll and rattle through the
mud-greased streets of Ladysmith. By six the whole northern road was
jammed tight with bearer company, field hospital, ammunition column,
supply column--all the stiff, unwieldy, crawling tail of an army.
Indians tottered and staggered under green-curtained doolies; Kaffir
boys guided spans of four and five and six mules drawing ambulances,
like bakers' vans; others walked beside waggons curling whips that would
dwarf the biggest salmon-rod round the flanks of small-bodied,
huge-horned oxen. This tail of the army alone covered three miles of
road. At length emerging in front of them you found two clanking
field-batteries, and sections of mountain guns jingling on mules. Ahead
of these again long khaki lines of infantry sat beside the road or
pounded it under their even tramp. Then the General himself and his
Staff; then best part of a regiment of infantry; then a company, the
reserve of the advanced-guard; then a half-company, the support; then a
broken group of men, the advanced party; then, in the very front, the
point, a sergeant and half-a-dozen privates trudging sturdily along the
road, the scenting nose of the column. Away out of sight were the
horsemen.

Altogether, two regiments of cavalry--5th Lancers and 19th Hussars--the
42nd and 53rd Field Batteries and 10th Mountain Battery, four infantry
battalions--Devons, Liverpools, Gloucesters, and 2nd King's Royal
Rifles--the Imperial Light Horse, and the Natal Volunteers. Once more,
it was fighting. The head of the column had come within three miles or
so of Modderspruit station. The valley there is broad and open. On the
left runs the wire-fenced railway; beyond it the land rises to a high
green mountain called Tinta Inyoni. On the left front is a yet higher
green mountain, double-peaked, called Matawana's Hoek. Some call the
place Jonono's,