Part 21 (1/2)
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
GOOD NEWS--AND SOME BAD
”Here comes a felloho looks as if he didn't want to use his horse again for a day or two” And Brian shaded his eyes to watch a , but still at a considerable distance
The hour was just before sunrise, a couple of s after our visit to Kuliso, and the two of us were standing on the stoep drinking our early cup of coffee
”Why, it's Revell,” he went on, as a look through the field-glasses revealed the identity of the horse round a bend of the hillside ”You can see the flao! I hope there's nothing wrong He's going at a hard gallop Look, dad,” he called through the”Co up the kloof at such a pace you'd think the joker whose naing us soht to be ready for anything”
The dogs charged forith open- hoof-strokes, and in a few minutes the horseman dashed up to the stoep
”News!” he shouted ”News for you!”
”Bad, I suppose?” said Septimus Matterson
”No Good First-rate”
Even while dis in his pocket, and now held out a long blue envelope I believed I could see the recipient's fingers slightly treh as he read out its contents, which set forward in terse official phraseology that _in re_ The Queen _versus_ George Matterson, the Solicitor-General, having examined the evidence, did not consider the facts such as to warrant a crie Matterson had been released accordingly, and handed over to the care of his sister The writer then had the honour to be the recipient's obedient servant, John Shattuck, Resident Magistrate
”Hip--hip--hooray!” whooped Revell, flourishi+ng his hat in the air, a proceeding which caused his steed, which was standing, veldt-fashi+on, with round, to throw up its head and trot away down the kloof again, snorting vehey of purpose which nearly bore disastrous fruit
”You are a good chap to bring us the news, Revell,” said Brian
”_Magtig_, _kerel_! but you've ridden your horse to death!”
”Well, it was good enough, wasn't it? Bliss Matterson was keen on letting you know at once, but couldn't get hold of any one co out this way, so I volunteered I said I'd be the first to bring the news, and I have,” concluded this prince of good fellows quite delightedly
”Now come inside and have soee looked after You ht”
”So I did What of it? You'd do as much for Miss Beryl, wouldn't you?
Man, but the nipper was jolly glad to get out of the _tronk_, I can tell you Shattuck had no business ever to have put hi when Miss Beryl went to fetch him”
”Who did? Shattuck?” I said
”Eh? Oh, shut up, Holt Don't you try to co retort ”By the way, Mr Matterson--what a blundering ass I aht out your post while I was about it”
Beryl's note was merely a repetition of the official intimation, and was coupled with a request that some one should come in to Fort Laed it better to co notice at thatso trivial as the mere weekly post The two or three letters forat the addresses Business, of course, but not of urgent importance On a day like this it could keep
It was decided that Brian should start with the Cape cart soon after breakfast He would be at Fort Lamport early in the afternoon, and could even coht, and if they did that, and slept at a friend's farm, why, they would all be back by this tieain This time to-morrow! Why, it was hardly credible It seemed a year since we had been without her Not even until this time to-morroould _I_ wait, however, for already I was busy for out at so to ht It was like a story, by Jove it was; and now this tirow under one well Kuliso and his clan were satisfied with their co to do was to try and forget the whole unfortunate affair all round And, I hoped--very strongly hoped-- I would soon be in a position to help one of theet it