With these were
well-to-do storekeepers, with their wives and families, together with
mining officials, miners, and mechanics of all kinds. Piles of baggage
rendered movement difficult, for many had supposed that the regular
trains were still running, and that they would be able to carry away
with them the greater portion of their belongings. The scenes at the
departure of the previous trains roughly awakened them to the fact that
all this must be abandoned, and women were crying and men cursing below
their breath at this last evidence of Boer indifference to the
sufferings of those by whose work they had so greatly benefited. Mr.
King soon found that the manager was still there, but on speaking to him
he shrugged his shoulders, and said:
"I do not see what I can do. Look at the crowd there. When the waggons
come up there will be a rush, and I have no men here to keep such a
number in order."
"I see that, Mr. Viljoen, but if you would send a man with us to where
the waggons are standing in readiness to come up, my wife could take her
place then."
"Yes, I will do that at once. You had better go with her outside the
station, and the porter shall take you on from there. If you were to get
off the platform here and walk up the lines, others would notice it, and
there would be an immediate rush.
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