Part 41 (1/2)
”The Vrouw Prinsloo wishes to ask my husband certain questions about his property here and what is to be done while he and her men are away at the main camp for the second trial, as I, whose heart is full of sorrow, have no head for such things Also the Hottentot et a horse to ride with hiood; it is no affair of ours, Vrouw Quater cloak of yours”
”Searchthe cloak, whereon, after a quick glance, he nodded and bade the:
”Mind, you are to coht in that house, or we shall have the little English”
Then they entered and foundnotes fordown the heads of the facts of aan, and the late Commandant Retief
Here I may state that my condition at the tination Indeed, I had not the slightest doubt but that when reat council, I should be able to establish es that had been brought against ested that I should try to escape, I begged her alain
”Run away!” I said ”Why, that would be to confess uilty run away What I want is to have all this business thrashed out and that devil Pereira exposed”
”But, Allan,” said Marie, ”how if you should never live to have it thrashed out? How if you should be shot first?” Then she rose, and having looked to see that the shutter-board was fast in the little -place and the curtain that she haddrawn over it, returned and whispered: ”Hans here has heard a horrible tale, Allan
Tell it to the baas, Hans”
So while Vrouw Prinsloo, in order to deceive any prying eyes if such by chance could see us, busied herself with lighting a fire on the hearth in the second room on which to warm the food, Hans told his story much as it has already been set out
I listened to it with growing incredulity The thing see, the latter probably, for well I knew the Hottentot powers of iination Or perhaps he was drunk; indeed, he sreat quantity without outward signs of intoxication
”I cannot believe it,” I said when he had finished ”Even if Pereira is such a fiend, as is possible, would Henri Marais, your father--who, at any rate, has always been a good and God-fearing hter's husband, though he does dislike him?”
”My father is not what he was, Allan,” said Marie ”Soone”
”He did not speak like a one this afternoon,” I replied ”But let us suppose that this tale is true, what is it that you wish me to do?”
”Allan, I wish you to dress up in -place which Hans and the vrou, leaving me here instead of you”
”Why, Marie?” I said ”Then youthat they ht and killed, as they would have a right to kill uise That is a ht to the commandant ad tell him all this story Or, if he will not listen to you, scream it out at the top of your voice so that everyone may hear, and then co I aht of , it will be abandoned You can refuse to say who told you the tale”
”Yes, please do that,” muttered Hans, ”else I know one ill be shot”
”Good, I will go,” said the vrouw, and she went, the guards letting her pass after a feords which we could not hear
Half an hour later she returned and called to us to open the door
”Well?” I asked
”Well,” she said, ”I have failed, nephew Except those sentries outside the door, the commandant and all the Boers have ridden off, I know not where, taking our people with theht they had not enough grass for their horses, or Heaven knohat they thought
Stay noill do souards, honest fellows in their hom I had known in past tiht tocamp to have my case inquired of by the council, but am to be shot down in cold blood when I co Is that true?”
”Allelishman!” answered one of them ”Do you take us for murderers? Our orders are to lead you to the commandant wherever he may appoint, so have no fear that we shall shoot you like a Kaffir Either you or they who told you such a story are ht, friends,” I answered ”But where is the commandant and where are the others? The Vrouw Prinsloo here has been to see theone”