glittered.

"There was a bloke that used to hang around the place--kind of coloured
loafer, with Dutch blood, overgiven to Squareface and whisky. He got going
gay with the girl----"

She stood like a statue of ebony and ivory. Only by the deep breaths that
heaved her broad bosom could you tell she lived--by that, and by the
unswerving watchfulness of those burning eyes.

"And Bough, when he caught them together, got mad, being a respectable
man, and let her taste the sjambok. Then she ran away."

He coughed, and shifted again from one foot to the other. He would have
preferred a woman who had loaded him with invectives, and told him that he
lied like hell.

"The man that had left her to Bough's guardianship was a sort of
broken-down English officer by the name of Mildare----"

Her bosom heaved more stormily, but her intense and scorching regard of
him never wavered.

"--Mildare. He left a hundred pounds with Bough, to be kept for her till
she was twenty. There was a waggon and team Bough was to have had to sell,
and use the money for the girl's keep, but a thief of a Dutch driver
waltzed with them--took 'em up Johannesburg way, and melted 'em into
dollars. Bough got nothing for all his kindness--not a tikkie. But he's
ready to hand over the hundred, her being so nigh come to age. There's a
locket with a picture in it, and brilliants round, that may be worth
seventy pounds more. All Bough wants is to do the square thing. This is
the message he sends her now. The money and the jewels will be handed
over, as in duty bound; and, since she's turned respectable and got
education, I was to say there's an honest man--widower now, and well
off--that's ready to hang up his hat for her, and wipe all old scores off
the slate in the regular proper way...."

She said in tones that were of ice:

"Bough is the honest man?..."

"Just Bough.... 'Maybe, in my decent anger at her goings on,' he says, 'I
went a bit too far. Well! I'm ready to make amends by making her my
wife.'"

The lioness crouched and leapt.

"You are Bough! You are the evil man, the servant of Satan, who wrought
abomination upon a helpless child!"

The onslaught came so suddenly that he was staggered. Then he swore.

"Not me, by G----!"

She pointed her long arm at him, and some strange force seemed to be
wielded by that unweaponed woman-hand that struck him and pierced him
through flesh, and bone and marrow....

"You are the man!" She stretched h