Part 12 (1/2)

”And I, I swear also,” I broke in

”Nay, swear nothing While I live I know that you will love me, and if I should be taken, it is ood woht that man should live alone With us inning to crow, and soon there will be light You must bide here with your father

If possible, I rite to you fro you where we are and hoe fare But if I do not write, know that it is because I cannot, or because I can find no o into wild countries, ao?” I asked

”I believe up towards the great harbour called Delagoa Bay, where the Portuguese rule My cousin Hernan, who accompanies us”--and she shi+vered a little in uese He tells the Boers that he has relations there who have written hiood country to dwell in where we cannot be followed by the English, whom he and my father hate so much”

”I have heard that is all fever veld, and that the country between is full of fierce Kaffirs,” I said with a groan

”Perhaps I do not know, and I do not care At least, that is the notion in e it

I will try to let you know, Allan, or if I do not, perhaps you will be able to find out for yourself Then, then, if we both live and you still care for e, you will join us and, say and do what they may, I will marry no other man And if I die, as may well happen, oh! then my spirit shall watch over you and wait for you till you join o Farewell, my love, ain, as ether and kissed,broken words, and then she tore herself froone But oh! as I heard her feet steal through the dew-laden grass, I felt as thoughrent from my breast I have suffered much in life, but I do not think that ever I underwent a bitterer anguish than in this hour offrom Marie For when all is said and done, what joy is there like the joy of pure, first love, and what bitterness like the bitterness of its loss?

Half an hour later the flowering trees of Maraisfontein were behind us, while in front rolled the fire-swept veld, black as life had becoht later Marais, Pereira and their companions, a little band in all of about twenty men, thirty women and children, and say fifty half-breeds and Hottentot after-riders, trekked from their homes into the wilderness I rode to the crest of a table-topped hill and watched the long line of wagons, one of the Marie, craay northward across the veld a allop after them and seek a last intervieith her and her father But iven out that if I cahter he would have me beaten back with ”sja of our last farewell in the peach orchard I do not know But I do know that if anyone had lifted a sjambock on me I should have answered with a bullet

Then there would have been blood between us, which is worse to cross than whole rivers of wrath and jealousy So I just watched the wagons until they vanished, and galloped ho that the horse would stumble and break lad that it had not done so, as I founda letter that had been brought by a mounted Hottentot

It was from Henri Marais, and ran thus:--

”'REVEREND HEER AND FRIEND QUATERMAIN,--I send this to bid you farewell, for although you are English and we have quarrelled at times, I honour you inwords lie on me like lead, I know not why But what is done cannot be undone, and I trust that all will coht If not, it is because the Good Lord wills it otherwise'”

Here my father looked up and said: ”When men suffer from their own passion and folly, they always lay the bla out the letter:

”'I fear your boy Allan, who is a brave lad, as I have reason to know, and honest, ratitude But I have only done what Iand stubborn in mind, swears that she will et all that, especially as such a fine husband waits for her hand So bid Allan forget all about her also, and when he is old enough choose soreat oath before hter withbecause I trust you ents Half the price, a very poor one, that I have for my farm is still unpaid to me by Jacobus van der Merve, who relish, due this day year, and I enclose you power of attorney to receive and give receipt for the same

Also there is due to me from your British Government 253 on account of slaves liberated which orth quite 1,000 This also the paper gives you authority to receive As regards ainst the said cursed Governht onthat the attack was caused by the Frenchood reason,” commented my father

”'When you have received these monies, if ever, I pray you take so them to me, wherever I h by that tiain and not to need money Farewell and God be with you, as I hope He will be with me and Marie and the rest of us trek-Boers The bearer will overtake us with your answer at our first outspan

”'HENRI MARAIS'”