t. Don't know that it's worth while, though. By the way,
Kingsland's a widower, and his pretty daughter keeps house for him.
Don't you go and fall in love with her--in view of the time our trip is
likely to last."

For reply Gerard laughed light-heartedly. It was not likely, he
thought, remembering that pair of blue eyes in the buggy.

After breakfast they saddled up the horses, and Dawes having given
Sintoba some final instructions, they started. The ride was a pleasant
enough one, though somewhat hot. Their way lay mostly at the bottom of
a long winding valley with great bush-clad slopes shooting up on either
hand, and the sunny air was alive with the piping whistle of spreuws and
the cooing of innumerable ringdoves.

"There's the house," said Dawes, as a curl of blue smoke rose from the
bush-clad hillside about a mile ahead. "And--there's Kingsland
himself," he added, as a shout from a little way off their road drew
their attention to a horseman who was riding towards them.

"Hallo, John Dawes!" cried the latter, as he joined them. "Where have
you dropped from now--and who have you got with you? Why, it's young
Ridgeley. Well, Ridgeley, I'm glad to see you, my boy. What have you
been doing with yourself all this time? By-the-by, didn't you get my
letter?"

"Letter? No," echoed Gerard, in some astonishment.

"Why, I wrote to you at Anstey's about a fortnight ago. Found out you
were there through the papers. That affair with the Zulu and the Umgeni
Fall went the round of the papers. Didn't you see it?"

"No," answered Gerard, still lost in astonishment. "I'm very sorry. I
don't know what you must have thought of me, Mr Kingsland, but--I never
had that letter. It must have come after I left, and--the fact is,
Anstey and I didn't part on very good terms."

"So? The paragraph said you were in his employ. Couldn't you get on
with him, or wasn't the work to your taste?"

"Anstey swindled him out of every shilling he had," put in Dawes, seeing
Gerard hesitate and look a trifle embarrassed. "Biggest blackguard in
this colony, is Anstey."

"So?" said Mr Kingsland again. "Well, we must hear all about your
experiences by-and-by, Ridgeley. Here we are at the house now--and
here's my little housekeeper come to see who I'm bringing home to
dinner," he added lovingly, as the figure of a girl appeared at the door
and came down the steps to meet them. "Ridgeley, this is my daughter
May," he went on,