Part 63 (2/2)

His family were in the outer room, when they were startled by a hoa.r.s.e cry from the bedroom. He was a short-tempered, imperious man, accustomed to yell at his wife and children when he needed them; but this cry was of an unusual character, it had in it the ring of alarm. His wife went to him to inquire what was the matter. She found the old Boer sitting up in bed with one leg extended, his face like dirty stained leather, his eyes starting out of his head, and his mouth opening and shutting, lifting and depressing his s.h.a.ggy, grey beard, as though he were trying to speak, but could not utter words.

”Pete!” she called to her eldest son, ”come here, and see what ails your father.”

Pete and others entered, and stood about the bed, staring stupidly at the old man, unable to comprehend what had come over him.

”Fetch him some brandy, Pete,” said the mother; ”he looks as if he had a fit.”

When some spirits had been poured down his throat the farmer was revived, and said huskily: ”Take it away! Quick, take it off!”

”Take what away?”

”The white flag.”

”There is none here.”

”It is there--there, wrapped about my foot.”

The wife looked at the outstretched leg, and saw nothing. Jacob became angry, he swore at her, and yelled: ”Take it off; it is chilling me to the bone.”

”There is nothing there.”

”But I say it is. I saw him come in----”

”Saw whom, father?” asked one of the sons.

”I saw that Rooinek lieutenant I shot when he was bringing me drink, thinking I was wounded. He came in through the door----”

”That is not possible--he must have pa.s.sed us.”

”I say he did come. I saw him, and he held the white rag, and he came upon me and gave me a twist with the flag about my foot, and there it is--it numbs me. I cannot move it. Quick, quick, take it away.”

”I repeat there is nothing there,” said his wife.

”Pull off his stocking,” said Pete Van Heeren; ”he has got a chill in his foot, and fancies this nonsense. He has been dreaming.”

”It was not a dream,” roared Jacob; ”I saw him as clearly as I see you, and he wrapped my foot up in that accursed flag.”

”Accursed flag!” exclaimed Samuel, the second son. ”That's a fine way to speak of it, father, when it served you so well.”

”Take it off, you dogs!” yelled the old man, ”and don't stand staring and barking round me.”

The stocking was removed from his leg, and then it was seen that his foot--the left foot--had turned a livid white.

”Go and heat a brick,” said the housewife to one of her daughters; ”it is just the circulation has stopped.”

But no artificial warmth served to restore the flow of blood, and the natural heat.

Jacob pa.s.sed a sleepless night.

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