Part 4 (2/2)

”Reward! Virtue is its own reward, you silly boy,” answered Hermia, glancing up into his eyes, with her mocking ones. ”In this case, it will have to be.”

”Will it indeed?” he retorted shortly; and, stirred by the maddening proximity, likewise encouraged by a certain insidious yielding of her form within the enforced embrace, he dropped his lips on hers, and kissed them full, pa.s.sionately, again and again.

”There, that will do,” she gasped, striving to restrain the thrill that ran through her frame. ”I didn't say you might do that. Really, Justin, I shall have to forbid you the house. Let me go, do you hear?”

”Hear? Yes, but I don't intend to obey. Oh--d.a.m.n!”

The last remark was addressed at large as he changed his mind with marvellous alacrity, and, wheeling round, was endeavouring to hang the bandolier to the wall upon a pin that would hardly have held a Christmas card, as though his life depended upon it. For there had suddenly entered behind them one of the small Mashuna boys who did the house and other work--had entered silently withal, the sooty little rascal; and now his goggle eyes were starting from their sockets with curiosity as he went about doing whatever he had to do, sending furtive and interested glances at these two, whom he had surprised in such unwonted proximity.

”See, now, where your impulsiveness comes in,” said Hermia, when the interrupter had gone out.

”Is that the name of that small black n.i.g.g.e.r?” said Justin Spence, innocently. ”I always thought he was yours.”

”Don't be foolish, dear. It's a serious matter.”

”Pooh! Only a small black n.i.g.g.e.r. A thing that isn't more than half human.”

”Even a small black n.i.g.g.e.r owns a tongue, and is quite human enough to know how to wag it,” she reminded him.

”I'll cut it out for the young dog if he does,” was the ferocious rejoinder.

”Excellent, as a figure of speech, my dear Justin. Only, unfortunately, in real life, even in Mashunaland, it can't be done.”

”Well, shall I give him a scare over it?”

”You can't, Justin. In the first place, you could hardly make him understand. In the second, even if you could, you would probably make matters worse. Leave it alone.”

”Oh, it was on your account. It was of you I was thinking.”

”Then you don't mind on your own?”

”Not a hang.”

She glanced at him in silent approval. This straight, erect fearlessness--this readiness to defy the whole world for her sake appealed to her. She was of the mind of those women of other times and peoples--the possession of whom depended on the possessor's ability to take and keep.

”Well, I must leave you now for a little while,” she said. ”Those two pickannins are only of any use when I am looking after them. They haven't even learnt to lay a table.”

”Let me help you.”

”No. Candidly, I don't want you. Be a good boy, Justin, and sit still and rest after your walk. Oh, by the way--” And unlocking a cupboard, she produced a bottle of whisky. ”I was very forgetful. You'll like something to drink after the said walk?”

”No, thanks. Really I don't.”

”You don't? No wonder you've done no good prospecting. A prospector who refuses a drink after a hot afternoon's exertion! Why, you haven't learnt the rudiments of your craft yet. But you must want one, and so I'll fix it up for you. There, say when--is that right?” she went on brightly, holding out the gla.s.s. ”Yes, I know what you are going to say--of course it is, if I mixed it. You ought to be ashamed to utter such a threadbare ba.n.a.lity.”

He took the gla.s.s from her hand, but set it down untasted. The magnetism of her eyes had drawn him. It seemed to madden him, to sap his very reason, to stir every fibre in his body.

”No,” she said decidedly, deftly eluding the clasp in which he would fain have imprisoned her again, and extending a warning hand. ”No, not again,--so soon,” she added mentally. ”Remember, I have not forgiven you for that outrageous piece of impertinence, and don't know that I shall either. I am wondering how you could have dared.”

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