rtunity he had no sort of doubt. Let her alone for
that. But would he be equally fortunate?

After breakfast he was taken possession of by his host. With accurate
instinct he realised that at any rate during the earlier half of the
morning, when the ladies were busy with household details, the presence
of a man and a stranger whom they would feel more than half bound not to
neglect, could be nothing other than an unmitigated nuisance. So he
submitted to his host's "showing around" with the best grace he could
muster, and the three men hindered forth, strolling around in that easy,
pleasant, dawdling fashion, dear to the heart of the prosperous colonial
farmer who can afford to take it easy from time to time when he has a
congenial guest and an appreciative listener--and Christopher Selwood
had both on his hands that morning.

Yes, it was pleasant enough wandering around in the sunshine, looking at
this and looking at that, stopping every now and then for a lounge
against a wall, or in some shady nook while fresh pipes were filled and
lighted. It was all pleasant enough, but by the time they had inspected
the stables and the kraals, the garden and the cultivated lands, and had
visited certain traps and spring-guns placed along the fences of the
latter for the benefit of invading bucks or porcupines, and had,
moreover, talked stock and wild sport unlimited, it was uncommonly near
the "middle of the morning," and they were some distance from the house.
Sellon began to feel at his wits' end.

"_The middle of the morning. Watch me. V_." It was already the first,
and as for the second, how could he watch her when he was nearly a mile
away, pinned fast on the top of a stone wall, listening to an otherwise
interesting disquisition from his host upon the habits of certain wild
game? Renshaw it was who came to the rescue.

"I expect we are boring Sellon to death, with all the `shop' we've been
talking," he said, noting the "cornered" expression in the latter's
face.

"Not a bit--not in the least," was the hurried reply; "quite the
contrary. Only--the fact is, though I don't like owning to it, I'm a
trifle headachy this morning."

"Well, you were out rather early, which I dare say you're not much used
to," said Christopher. "Look here, now, Sellon. If you're tired cut
off to the house and take it easy. You'll find the drawing-room cool
and quiet, and there's a lot of stuff to read in the shelves."

"Well, I th