that for a prime way of taking a change?"

"Quite good. But what about the business side of it?"

"Oh, that's all right. I've thoroughly fixed up all that. But it's
rather a joke, you know, effecting a complete disappearance."

Then he went on to tell her a good deal about himself, yet without
seeming to do so egotistically, of his early struggles, of his now
assured position, of many an incident and more than one crisis in his
life. To all of which she listened with vivid interest, with
appreciation and sympathy.

"I am boring you, I'm afraid--" he broke off.

"No, indeed. I am very much interested. What a hole and corner sort of
life mine must seem to you!"

"Do you know you are a very great puzzle to me?"--he had nearly said
"Verna."

"Yes. Why?"

"You might have been everywhere, seen everything, from the way in which
you talk. How on earth did you pick it up?--and you say you have never
been outside Natal, except to the Rand."

"Well, it's true," she answered, looking pleased. "I accept your
verdict--as another compliment--and feel only proud."

The constraint was broken down between them now, and they talked on and
freely. There was that in the fact of her companion having told her so
much about his life that wonderfully fascinated Verna. What was there
about her that this strong, capable man of the world should take her
into his confidence, especially on such short acquaintance? More and
more she felt drawn towards him. How strange it must have been, she was
thinking, before this new companionship had come into her life! And yet
it was barely more than a week old.

And Denham? As he sat there chatting easily, the rings of blue smoke
floating off lazily upon the still air, he too was thinking--and
thinking pretty much the same thing. Again this new experience had come
to him just at the right time. There was nothing to mar his enjoyment
of it. A very short while earlier--well--there might have been. But
not now. Yet while they talked he was studying his companion keenly.
There was no posing, no little coquettish touches. She was perfectly
natural.

"What a splendid thing it is to feel quite easy in one's mind!" he went
on, in pursuance of the subject of having, as he said, "buried" himself.
"I can afford to feel that way just now, and it's real luxury. I
haven't always been able to, no, not by any means."

He broke off suddenly, then, as though moved by some strange impulse,
w