orgot, I must not ask you that. Well then, what was the
meaning of that dreadful noise we heard going on at the gaol just now,
for we could hear it all the way from here?"

"Only a fellow getting a licking in due course of law--a Hottentot, for
sheep-stealing," answered the doctor. "The other nigger took it like a
man."

"Oh, how dreadful! And do you mean to say you went to see that?"

"I had to. You see I am compelled to be present on such occasions,"
answered Lambert; with a stress on the pronoun, as if to convey the idea
that the other was not, which, strictly speaking, was the case.

"What horrid creatures men are!"

"I agree; they are," said Roden. "The remark is made so often that it
must be true."

Then he went indoors, and Mona, thus deprived of all opportunity of
reply, did not know whether to feel angry or not. For these two had
seen something of each other daring the three weeks which had elapsed
since Roden's first visit to the Suffields. In fact, there were not
lacking ill-natured people, who declared that Mona had got a new string
to her bow, or rather, a new bow to a very well-worn string.

The young doctor, however, who had met her once before, had, for his
part, been very much struck at first sight, as was the wont of Mona's
admirers: they were apt to cool off later, but that was her fault.

Now being left with the coast clear, Lambert laid himself out to be
excessively agreeable, and the bell having rung, hurried them in to
dinner, in order to secure the seat next to Mona before the
objectionable Musgrave should reappear. But the latter did not seem to
care two straws, when he came in presently with Suffield, whom he had
picked up in the bar.

"So he took it well, did he?" that worthy was saying as they sat down.
"Gonjana is a good bit of a _schelm_, but Kaffirs are generally plucky.
Talking of that, there's rumour of a scare in the Transkei."

"There always is a scare in the Transkei," struck in Jones, the
landlord, who was carving.

"Well, scare or no scare, it wouldn't affect us much," said Suffield.

"Oh, wouldn't it? I don't know so much about that. There's them
Tambookie locations out Wildschutsberg way; they're near enough to make
it lively, I imagine."

"That's where you get your best custom from, eh, Jones? They'll come to
you first, if only that they know the way to your grog. What's this,
eh? Not mutton. Buck, isn't it?"

"Yes, rhybok. Mr Musgrave shot it yest