Part 6 (1/2)
A glance of understanding, humorous withal, passed between brother and sister
”Beryl is just about a dead shot, Holt,” said the forainst a nu to say, Mr Holt,” supplied that equable, resolute voice, that had already begun to charhed Brian ”Are you afraid to throw up your hat in the air, Holt, now, just as we sit? But never mind It wouldn't be fair to spoil that new 'smasher' of yours Mine's a very old one Look now”
While he had spoken Beryl had disappeared within the house for aa revolver--no toy, mind, but a real effective and business-like six-shooter Up went Brian's hat, whirling in mid-air Just as it rested stationary for a fraction of a second at its highest flight, there was a sharp report; the hat gave a spasan to fall But before it touched ground there was another report Struck again, it gave a leap, and went skinificent, by Jove!” broke fro weapon, Beryl had notfro, Holt?” he cried, pointing out two clean bullet holes--one through the bri it wasn't yours, eh?”
”Yes, indeed”
”Brian, it's too bad of you, to make me show off in that way,” said Beryl ”I can't think why I did it Now I ry creatures will get nothing to eat to-night”
She disappeared, and as the playful, chiding tone, the lance ree impression
It seemed that all in a moment she had thrown aside that outer crust of reserve which she had worn for my benefit, and underneath I descried the real Beryl Matterson And into a very sweet and alluring personality did aze seem to penetrate
”Bushbuck chops, Holt,” said Brian, as we sat down to supper, in the snug, well-lighted dining-room, which in the comfort and refine genius--to wit, Beryl ”Rather out of season, buck, just now; still, we shoot one now and then, if only as a change frorub for you, eh?”
I did try the on the table was, and this was a fare scale I have since been at e scale where the appointments were slovenly in comparison But then such did not own Beryl Matterson as a presiding Goddess Afterwards we adjourned to the stoep
”Beryl will join us directly, Holt,” said Brian, as we lit our pipes
”She has to see to things a bit first Girls over here have to do that, you know I can tell you we should coot to my room at the end of the stoep, and turned in between snowy sheets, I appreciated what sos” on Beryl's part involved
”I expect the governor and George'll sleep at Trask's to-night, and turn up first thing in the ,” declared Brian as it waxed late And Beryl, who had long since joined us, concurred
It holly delightful as we sat there chatting, in the soft night air--the range of hills opposite silvered and beautiful in the e cry of bird or beast floating through the stillness, or the wailing whistle of plover circling above-- and to htful A day or two ago, I had felt lonely and forlorn indeed--a stranger in a strange land Yet now here I was, in the s beneath a hospitable roof whose inmates looked upon hly at holy And the fact that one of the said inirl did not, you may be sure, under the circuh and coive an to yawn
”Holt, old chap, you must excuse me,” he said ”We turn out early here and have to turn in tolerably ditto”
I professed myself quite in accord with the idea The fact was I felt just a little tiredand turn in”
If I have dwelt upon the incidents of that first evening, I suppose it is because upon such one's first and most vivid impressions are invariably based
CHAPTER EIGHT
A NEW LIFE
I awoke fro at the door Re my disclaimer of susceptibility, I hardly like to own the persistency ith my dreams were haunted by visions of my hostess But now the sun was already up, and as I shouted ”Co flash of his new-born radiance together with the for a cup of coffee Sounds, too, of busy life ca tub, and it did not take et into irl sweeping the stoep, but I heard voices in the direction of the kraals, and thither wending I ca squirt offorward As I cliate, the voices increased in voluhtme to move forward a little quicker
Brian Matterson was standing at the further end, and, confronting hi volubly in his own tongue, whose rolling bass seemed to convey a ferocity which even to my inexperienced ear was unurip upon a pair of hardwood sticks, which he held one in each hand But Brian, as totally unar quietly, and absolutely and entirely at his ease
Suddenly the savage, an evil-looking, ochre-smeared ruffian, raised his voice to a roar of h the air But Brian merely stepped back a pace, and then what folloas beautiful to behold His fists were playing like the dru assailant into the dust of the cattle kraal--then springing up, down he went again It was all done in a moment, before I could even reach the spot