The ragged edge : stories of South Africa

Preface

TO THE NEW ^DITION.

The moment is propitious for the re-issue of these stories " of real life " in South Africa.

War, red-handed, relentless, is rampant in many of the scenes and places herein depicted.

Suffering, bloodshed, and death will purge the Transvaal of the Curse of the Canteen. Vanquished for ever, let us hope, will be the Scalawag Journalist who sells the freedom of the press for golden place-money.

The Uitlander will be off the Ragged Edge of his grievances, and official corruption no longer the persecutor of the good-natured but Ubiquitous Jew-boy.

The sons of Nell and Kitty will have no need to carry their millions to London.

For —

When Britain rings the bugle-call of victory, it will resound over a new Transvaal !

{Nee Dunphie).

Loudon, October, 1899.

Contents

The Ragged Edge ....

PAGE

i

Part I

' Dear God ! will there never be an end to this ? '

' It appears not, my Nell. We've come to the end of everything else but our bad luck ! '

The man laughed harshly, and helped himself to another drink of whisky from the bottle on the table at his elbow.

' Dear God ! dear God ! dear God ! ' murmured the girl with dreary reiteration, as though keeping time to the listless motion of one small foot hanging over the side of the rough deal table on which she was perched. Her slight figure took up little room on her improvised seat, as convenient as it was original, since there was no

A chair in this shabby room other than that on which her companion sprawled lazily.

'Will there — ever — be — an — end— to this?' she repeated, emphasising each word by bringing her hand down with a bang on the table.

The man appeared indifferent to her vehemence. He gave no response, but puffed away at his pipe with renewed energy, sending a faint glow through the smouldering ashes therein.

Nell's dejected mien became more dejected. Her pretty mouth drooped like a half-wilted rose, whilst her big grey eyes seemed brimming with tears that never fell, as her gaze wandered over the room, carpetless and bare of furniture save the bed in one corner, the table and soli tary chair.

An old, gaudily-coloured Kaffir blanket served as a drapery to the window. Perfectly guiltless of paint or varnish were the plank walls, which reflected, in fantastic figures, Nell's distorted shadow cast by the dull light of the oil lamp on the table, where she rocked backwards and forwards in a nervous effort to keep down an ( -ccasional sob

Although Nell had just returned from ' The Camp/ as Johannesburg was called in those early mining days, her companion said nothing on the subject of the business on which she had gone.

The first glance at her sweet face, as she burst into the shanty and without removing hat or jacket jumped into her favourite seat, closed his lips, for he knew that she had been unsuccessful in her voluntary mission.

Suddenly a rush of wind swept round the shanty, shaking it to its frail foundations, rousing the man from his brooding, and startling Nell out of her approaching fit of hysterics.

' Thank God ! you've escaped that Nell. There is a storm coming on that will last till morning,' he exclaimed, with evident relief at the interruption which enabled him to escape from his thoughts, and delay at least for the time, Nell's disclosures.

' You must be hungry, little woman ; I'll forage for a bit of supper for you.' He arose and, turning up the light a trifle higher, observed with an attempt at gaiety, — ' I must be quick about it, or you'll have to cat by the light of the moon, love! That's the last of the oil ! '

' Thank: von, Tack,' said the girl .with a note of tenderness in her voice that was not lost upon the ether as he opened a door behind him, which revealed an inner room — a stort of half outhouse and kitchen combined. 'Don't trouble, dearest, I'm not a bit hungry,' Nell called after him. Then, as another terrible rust of wind dashed against the shanty, she exclaimed, — ' Oh ! I am glad I got back before the storm. It would have been too horrible to be caught in that awful whirlwind of dust. I should have been lost down one of the mining pits, or have tumbled into a sluit in the dark. The moon was rising when I left " Camp," but I knew by the smell in the airthat a storm was coming up, so 1 tore along, ran near!)' all the way, and got here just in time.'

This speech seemed to rouse Nell from her melancholy She jumped from her perch on the table and threw her hat en the bed ; her /.civet next followed to keep it company, then she turned her attention to a small fragment of looking-glass, which in lieu of a frame was ingeniously supported against the wall by a couple of old horseshoes, and proceeded to arrange her tumbled golden hair with the aid of a brush and comb suspended in a wall-pocket beneath this improvised mirror.

Nell's greatest charm was her wonderful hair It fell like a glittering veil over her shoulders as she took out the hairpins, which she placed between her teeth for lack of a more appropriate place. The dull rays of the lamp seemed to catch a momentary brightness from those sunny tresses.

She made a sweet picture in the dingy room, as she stood for a moment with the glittering mass coiled around her uplifted hands, her slender neck bent forward, and every curve of her pretty figure, from the gently swelling bust to rounded hips and lissom limb, distinctly outlined beneath her shabby gown.

The picture was not lost upon Jack, who had been hurriedly arranging the supper, and it smote his heart to the quick as he thought of the fai'hful love of this fair young creature who preferred to half starve with him rather than exchange her squalid surroundings for the comfort, nay luxury, which awaited her at any moment in the Camp should she abandon him. He had been harsh with her now and then almost to brutality when in the drunken fits brought on by his continuous bad luck. The thought smote him again with a twinge of shame, and, moved by a tender impulse, he suddenly pressed his lips to the nape of her white neck in a kiss.

1 You old silly ! ' said Nell, giving him a rap over the shoulders with the hair-brush, although her cheeks flamed for a moment with pleasure at the unexpected caress.

This little exchange of love-making over, Jack proceeded to arrange the tin platter, which did service for a plate, and the coarse metal knife and fork — the kind of table ware used by the miners in those days — on the table. Then flinging the old towel, with which he had cleaned up the foregoing, over his arm, he struck an attitude, and with all the grace of a Piccadilly waiter, announced, —

1 Supper is served, my lady.'

Nell's eyes brightened with a smile at Jack's clever imitation of a waiter, as she took the chair which he offered with affected politeness.

' Dear old Jack,' she said as she sat down. ' You are so clever. Ah ! why did you leave the stage? ' and her eyes dimmed again.

' Let the stage go to the devil ! ' he cried roughly. Then, in a softer tone, 'There, eat your supper, little woman, then let me hear what happened in Camp, and how those brutes received you.'

Without further delay, Nell set about enjoying the very curious supper laid before her. It was made up of a variety of half empty tins containing an assortment of delicacies in the shape of pdte-de-fois-gras, asparagus, tongue, galantine of chicken and biscuits — the usual fare of the Camp, owing to the scarcity of fresh meat and vegetables. Nell ate ravenously of this feast.

' I say, Jack, how did you manage it ? This p&td is delicious — urn, it's just scrumptious,' she said between every mouthful ' I declare I never suspected I had such an appetite — I am as hungry as a Kaffir I '

'Go ahead, little woman, and enjoy yourself. You won't have such a feed in another fortnight. I "jumped" the whole blooming lot from Monty's shanty whilst you were away. He's just laid in a new store of stuff from Kimberley — the waggon was unloading whilst I was there, so he's none the worse.' Then, with a sudden affectation of haste, he offered to help her to some whisky and soda, saying, ' Allow me — say when !

' Jack, put down that towel this minute ! ' cried Nell, laughing, ' and stop playing the waiter, or I shall choke ; you are too funny for anything. Oh, why did you leave the stage ? '

'There you go again, Nell,' retorted he impatiently, as he flung aside the towel and dropped his assumed character. Then pushing a box forward, he sat down and leaned his elbows on the table, his whole manner changed as he stared moodily at the girl. ' Why do you drag up the stage at every moment, and throw it in my face? You know better than anyone else my reasons for giving it up. I was a fool, no doubt, to chuck it, and sink all my pile in this damned stand ; but I wanted to get rich too fast — for your sake, Nell — and you know it. Then why make me feel the bitterness of all this miserable failure over and over again by throwing the stage into my face ! '

Nell grew very grave during this vehement speech. She laid down her knife and fork, and, pushing aside the platter, said quietly, — ' I am sorry, Jack, dearie, if I wound you — but — something must be done to keep us from starvation, and the stage is now the only thing you have to fall back upon.'

' And a pretty chance I have to get back to it at present!' exclaimed Jack, 'with every company in South Africa gone to smash through these-infernal bad times. Even Jones, the most blackguardly fraud in the Transvaal, can't keep afloat the cheap company he has brought out here — a disgraceful lot which he trumped up from all the stage-door-hangers-on and doubtful actresses in London. They are a jo THE RAGGED EDGE

dead frost, with all their show of legs and diamonds.'

Nell made no reply as Jack rose and stamped about the room in a fever of impatience. Her eyes followed him with a look of pity, and she began to nervously toy with the solitary bangle on her wrist. But she made no attempt to interrupt his speech or soothe his mood.

' I tell you, Nell, it is no use — no earthly use my — of thinking of the stage. All that is left me to do is to hang on to this stand, to work it with whatever machinery I can beg, borrow or steal, until I get enough quartz to pan out a decent show of gold. Then I'll get plenty of help in the way of shareholders.'

Here Jack broke off and, with a change of voice and manner, sat down opposite Nell. He stretched forth his hand and took hers with a return of tenderness, as he said, —

'Why — Nell, darling — I thought I would keep the secret a little longer — but — Nell — I cannot. I turned out enough gold yesterday from that shaky old battery to justify all our h>pcs. Oh! if I could only get a ten-stamp

THE RAGGED EDGE n

battery, I would float the mine in a month — so don't say anything more about stage business to me.'

Nell's face grew pale although her heart jumped with joy at the news of this happy consummation of all the past weary months of Jack's patient work. She had done her share, by parting with her jewels and trinkets, to keep the old battery in fuel, and now a feeling of despair crept over her although she spoke quietly enough.

' I am glad to hear something has come of your work, Jack — and — shall I tell you what I did in Camp ? '

' You take the good news very coolly, little woman,' said Jack, dropping her hand in his disappointment. ' But that does not matter. Go on.'

' I met with no success at Height's,' began Nell in a low tone. ' The flashy barmaid from London got the place. Billy brought her over, and she arrived by the coach yesterday.' Then with a sob, — ' I was terribly disappointed. I was sure old Height would give the place to me.

I J-

I felt like coming straight back, but the thought of how badly you need money gave me courage, then I applied at the Bodega with no success ; they are reducing the staff. Next I called in at Billings' Chambers to see Frank for you, but he had gone to Kimberley for a fortnight. But Gubbins was in Camp, and on the chance of getting a loan from him I waited four hours until he turned up. I begged him to help you. He is a good sort, Jack, for he seemed much distressed because he could not oblige you. He has no money till Frank returns from Kimberley, and declares that he is living on " tick " at the Grand. Then — oh, Jack ! '

Here Nell completely broke down and, resting her head on the table, burst into tears.

' My poor Nell ! don't fret,' said Jack, trying to soothe her. ' Don't cry ! You need rest. Go to bed and forget all about this bother and worry until to-morrow.'

' No, no ! ' sobbed Nell, ' I must tell you all — the worst is yet to come — it is that which is breaking my heart. If you had not found the gold — I would not care — '

' The worst ? What do you mean, Nell ? '

' Gubbins told me to tell you so that you might not be taken unawares. He told me that — oh ! Jack ! — Jack ! — that the licence of your stand is over-due, and Ike Simonson has paid up and is coming to ' Jump ' this place to-morrow ! '

' My God ! ' gasped Jack, ' it is only too true, and I have not a shilling to save what has cost me all that I had in the world to secure. I never supposed that my stand would attract those money-sucking Jews, who pounce on a stand the moment it is forfeited — and just as I find the first grains of gold ! Oh, God ! what's to be done ? what's to be done ? '

* You have until noon to-morrow to pay up — to settle with Simonson,' said Nell, terrified out of her sobbing by the man's despair.

' Pay up — with what ? ' cried Jack, stung to fury by the knowledge of his helplessness. ' Oh, Nell ! Nell ! we are on the ragged edge, and there is nothing for us to do but to sink into the depths of ruin and despair— slink out of sight like dogs, and die anywhere — anywhere. Oh, God ! what's to be done ? '

During this scene the storm raging outside had lashed itself into a furious gale, which shook the building like a tinder-box. It tore at the roof and window with terrific force, and sent bang after bang on the door. The tumult in Jack's mind rendered him oblivious to the tumult without, until a louder and stronger bang caught his ear at last. He listened a moment, and then beckoned Nell to his side.

' There's someone at the door,' she whispered, as she drew close to him. ' I'm frightened, Jack.'

' It's only the storm,' said Jack. * The wind is blowing a hurricane — ah ! there it is again ! Yes, that is someone knocking — one of the boys from the Jumper's mine caught in the storm — I'll let him in.'

Suiting the action to the word, Jack strode to the door and pulled back the bolt. A in an lurched heavily forward into the room and before Jack had time to invite him to enter the door burst open beneath the man's weight, and he sprawled on the floor.

' Why don't you let a fellow in ? ' growled the man, as he staggered to his feet. ' I have been knocking at this confounded door for an hour. Why don't you let a fellow in ? '

Jack was not disturbed by the gruff insolence of the intruder, as he saw at the first glance that he was under the influence of a too generous supply of whisky. He also recognised him as a well-known mining expert, a man of rough but honest ways, who travelled much in his capacity of expert from mine to mine, and who was no doubt on his road to some mine near by when he lost his way in the storm.

' That's all right, MacPherson,' said Jack sociably, as he assisted him to a seat on the chair. ' Sit down ; make yourself at home. It is a beastly night. Will you have a whisky?'

' Of course I'll have a drink if there is any to be got in this hole-end of the earth. It'll work some of that damned sand out of my throat. Ugh!'

He lurched heavily backwards and forwards in his effort to sit steady, and, as he took the glass of whisky, looked at Jack with a stupid stare, whilst he spluttered out the words,—

' Who the devil are you, anyhow ? I don't remember your face. What's your name?'

' Williamson, answered Jack, as he helped himself sparingly to the whisky.

' Williamson ? ' repeated the other ; ' why, that's the name of the Johnnie whose claim Ike Simonson jumped. Are you the fellow?'

' I'm the man,' answered Jack, his brow darkening.

MacPherson appeared disconcerted for a moment, then he blurted out with drunken candour, —

'Well, I'll be square. I was looking for this identical stand when I was caught in the storm. I told my partner I was going by coach to Pretoria for a day or two, to put him off his guard — I (.'oii't let him know all mv bh: — and I started to look up these diggings before Ike came in the morning. Any gold about? — for if there is, I'll buy him off and give you a bonus.'

' You'll have to find that out yourself,' said Jack gruffly, as he realised the true bu>ine>> at his gue.^t.

' Oh. I say, no offence. Would you make me a shake-down till morning, and we can arrange matters then— to our mutual satisfaction, you bet.'

Meanwhile Nell had retired to the darkest corner of the room, to avoid the man, whose condition filled her with disgust. She hoped he would leave without seeing her, or fall asleep till morning, but Jack's request for her to make a temporary bed or shake-down of a blanket and kaross on the floor, brought her out of her corner

' Hello ! who have we here ? ' exclaimed Mac- Pherson, as Nell proceeded to follow out Jacks order. ' What a devilish fine girl you are, to be sure,' he said, with a leer at Nell ; and then, with a wink at Jack, ' Your missus, I suppose?'

' Yes,' answered Jack, curtly.

'Then you are a lucky duffer.'

' No compliments, if you please,' said Ja^k, in a tone which warned the man, drunk as he was, to be careful.

MacPhcrson had sense enough left to heed the voice and look, and, with a cunning affectation of indifference, turned his attention to the tumbler of whisky, which he drank off, but without re-

h

moving his gaze from Nell. Then he looked at the bottle, and, seeing that it was empty, damourcd for another drink. The ruse was iiccessful, as Jack, impatient to get him to ^' x-p and out of the way, left the room to look for a possible buttle amid the empty store outside.

The next moment Nell, who was busily arranging the improvised couch on the floor, fell" h nself imprisoned in a pair of arms, whilst a shower of rude kisses made a disgusting onslaught over her face and neck. For an instant licr fright overcame her and she could make no resistance. Then the embrace became closer, and she realised the dreadful purpose of the drunken libertine, and with all her strength she sought to free herself from MacPherson before jack returned.

With womanly instinct she wished to spare lack the sight of the insult offered to her, and p event the terrible consequences should he dis- \ jver MacPherson's conduct. But her struggles v.- ere of no avail, and a sickening sensation crept over her as she felt her strength failing.

In another second she would be lost, desecrated by the brutal passion of the man who held her in his strong embrace. One last effort to free her hands, which he had pinioned to her sides with his arm. But it was useless. The wretch only tightened his hold, his foul lips sought hers ; she could keep silence no longer. Half fainting, she gasped wildly, —

' Jack — Jack — save me ! '

Her cry was followed by the sound of a crash in the outer room. Jack rushed in, to stand for an instant paralysed with astonishment at the sight of MacPherson with Nell in his arms. Then all the blood in his body rushed to his head, and he dashed at MacPherson with a shout of rage.

His strong fingers closed over the throat of the miscreant, who, on his side, was determined not to yield Nell up. It was a terrible moment for the poor girl. MacPherson tightened his hold until her heart almost ceased to beat. He was mad now with drink and passion, and resolved to possess her at any cost.

But the clutch of Jack's fingers closed like a

2l; THE RAGGED EDGE

grip of steel. MacPherson's face grew purple whilst his eyes seemed starting from his head Then at last he released Nell, only to throw one arm round Jack's waist, whilst with the other he encircled his neck in a vice-like grip. It was now a silent and deadly fight between the two men.

Nell sank faint and giddy on the shake-down, the room swam round and round, and for a few seconds she lost consciousness. A crash aroused her. It was the falling of the table, and she was just in time to put out the flame of the over-turned lamp. In the darkness .she heard Jack's voice calling hoarsely, —

' Nell— Nell— open the door ! '

With tottering steps she groped for the door, and, drawing the bolt, threw it wide open. A flood of pale golden light filled the room, for the storm of wind and dust had passed, and Ihe moon was full in the cloudless sky.

The light revealed the upturned faces of the men ; MacPherson's swollen and purple, with a deadly glare in the projecting eyes, Jack's white and fixed, with a look that made

Nell shudder and bury her face in her hands as she cowered behind the door.

She did not dare to look again, but she could hear their laboured breathing, as she men reeled and rocked, stumbled and tore through the room in their terrible combat. She heard them struggle out through the door and over the veld, then the sound of their feet tearing up the loose soil. Once a hoarse cry smote her ear, then groans, and gradually all grew still with that death-like silence of the desert veld.

How long she crouched there in the shadow of the door, trying to murmur a prayer, and motionless with terror, she knew not. It might have been hours, and it might have been but a few moments, when the sound of Jack's voice aroused her.

' Nell ! ' he called, ' where are you ? '

She stirred, and he was by her side.

' Nell — Nell ! ' he whispered.

His voice had a note of fear and awe in it Nell knew what had happened. She rose and, putting her hand on his breast, answered,—

'Jack!'

' Are you game, Nell ? '

' I am ! ' she said steadily.

' Then come — quick — for God's sake ! '

But he paused and took her face between his hands. They were moist with a sticky substance that made Nell shudder, but she did not move her face.

' Look at me in the eyes, Nell ! ' he said.

She returned his gaze unflinchingly.

' I have killed him. God ! I am a murderer ! Will you stand by me ? '

A violent spasm of trembling seized upon him, and he almost sank to the ground, but Nell's sustaining arms upheld him. Then he burst into a paroxysm of weeping. The sight restored all Nell's courage.

'No, Jack — you are no murderer!' she said, calmly and firmly. ' You killed him in selfdefence, lie would have killed you and done worse than kill me.'

' We must bury him at once — cover up this night's work — for no one would believe that it was a fair fight. I'm too p or to defend myself. Oh, Nell. I would never have done for him if he had left you alone ; but to insult you — to try to drag you down to the level of those painted drabs that haunt the canteens ! My Nell, my poor, little, true-hearted Nell, whose only fault is loving me ! I have been a drunken brute to you sometimes, Nell, but I have loved you through it all, and I'll make an honest woman of you after this night. No man could blame me for protecting you and giving the wretch a beating ; but — Nell — oh, God ! I did not mean to kill him ! '

' No man would blame you, Jack,' said Nell, soothingly. ' He brought his fate upon himself. Where is he, Jack ? '

' I dragged him to the sluit — we must bury him there. Give me some whisky first, Nell, if there is any left ; my heart is like water.'

Jack staggered to the chair, whilst Nell groped for the matchbox on the wall against the window, and went into the other room, not daring to strike a light through fear of attracting some wandering Kaffirs on the veld. How stil! and cold the little chamber seemed. As the match flickered in her fingers, ghostly shadows

:s THE RAGGED EDGE

s?emed to start up around her. A half-empty bottle of whisky rewarded her search, the one jack had dropped on the floor when he heard her cry.

' My last drink,' he said, as Nell gave him the tumbler. ' I'll never trust myself to drink again after this night's work.

' Come,' urged Nell, ' we have no time to lose!'

Together they went forth into the moonlight, Jack leading the way across the veld in the direction of his small workshop, beside the deep sluit. The night was exceedingly still. No house was visible, and the storm had frightened away any prowlers. Far in the distance loomed, like ghostly masts at sea, the shafts of the Langaargte Mine.

There was not a single kopje in sight to relieve the monotony of the silvery horizon, or conceal a lurking witness of the strange movements of the pair.

The shut was some little distance from the shanty, and as they nearcd it Nell's eye quickly discerned a motionless heap near the wdgc

She knew what it was and her heart sank for a moment, only to rise again with renewed courage to meet the dreadful task before her.

The dead man lay on his back, the face distorted and the eyes half-closed, whilst a thin line of blood was beginning to tinge the swollen lips and protruding tongue.

' We must be quick about it,' said Jack in a low, hoarse voice. ' Lift the head, Nell. Don't let it drag on the veld. I'll do the rest.'

Nell, with white, set lips, prepared to obey Jack's instructions, when he stopped her, say-

' I must take off the outer garments ; it will remove all chance of identification — the asvogels will do the rest ! '

Jack had now regained his courage, and with steady hands soon removed the coat, vest, trousers and boots. Then together they lifted the body and rolled it over into the sluit. It sank without a sound on the soft bed of the sluit, and lay there with upturned face, an easy bait for the hideous birds of prey whose ravenous beaks would soon destroy what was left of the unfortunate MacPherson, before the sun rose and the rains came to wash away the bones.