r while Mr. Meyer was away, father; for if he had
seen me do so he would have guessed my reason; indeed, I dare say that
he will guess it now."

"What reason, Benita?"

"To see whether it would not be possible to escape down it in a boat.
But there is no chance. It is all rapids below, with hills and rocks and
trees on either bank."

"What need have you to escape at present?" he asked eyeing her
curiously.

"Every need," she answered with passion. "I hate this place; it is a
prison, and I loathe the very name of treasure. Also," and she paused.

"Also what, dear?"

"Also," and her voice sank to a whisper, as though she feared that he
should overhear her even at the bottom of the hill; "also, I am afraid
of Mr. Meyer."

This confession did not seem to surprise her father, who merely nodded
his head and said:

"Go on."

"Father, I think that he is going mad, and it is not pleasant for us to
be cooped up here alone with a madman, especially when he has begun to
speak to me as he does now."

"You don't mean that he has been impertinent to you," said the old man,
flushing up, "for if so----"

"No, not impertinent--as yet," and she told him what had passed between
Meyer and herself, adding, "You see, father, I detest this man; indeed,
I want to have nothing to do with any man; for me all that is over and
done with," and she gave a dry little sob which appeared to come from
her very heart. "And yet, he seems to be getting some kind of power over
me. He follows me about with his eyes, prying into my mind, and I feel
that he is beginning to be able to read it. I can bear no more. Father,
father, for God's sake, take me away from this hateful hill and its gold
and its dead, and let us get out into the veld again together."

"I should be glad enough, dearest," he answered. "I have had plenty of
this wildgoose chase, which I was so mad as to be led into by the love
of wealth. Indeed, I am beginning to believe that if it goes on much
longer I shall leave my bones here."

"And if such a dreadful thing as that were to happen, what would become
of me, alone with Jacob Meyer?" she asked quietly. "I might even be
driven to the same fate as that poor girl two hundred years ago," and
she pointed to the cone of rock behind her.

"For Heaven's sake, don't talk like that!" he broke in.

"Why not? One must face things, and it would be better than Jacob Meyer;
for who would protect me here?"

Mr. Clifford walked up and dow