Mona, still furtively engaged in the favourite pastime Lambert
had come upon her more actively pursuing--viz., lying in a hammock
admiring her own magnificent proportions. The doctor's infatuation,
fired to fever heat over the symmetrical and sensuous grace of this
splendid creature, had taken words, and we have just come in for the end
of his proposal and--rejection.

"Of course, some one else," he jerked out bitterly, after a few moments
of silence. "Lucky chap, anyhow; only, don't take too much on trust in
that quarter," with a sneer.

She half started up in her hammock, and her eyes flashed. The
compression of her lips, together with the hardening of the lower half
of her face, was not now attractive; to an impartial spectator, it would
have bordered on the repellent. But Lambert was not an impartial
spectator, being madly in love.

"That's right," she retorted. "Pray go on. Just like all you men,"
with bitter, stinging emphasis. "When you can't have everything as you
want it you swing round and become insulting."

"Oh, I had no intention that way," he returned quickly, half cowed by
the lash of her anger. "I made the remark simply and solely in your own
interest."

"My own interest is very well able to take care of itself." Then
relenting, for she felt mercifully disposed towards this fresh victim.
"Never mind. You are very much upset. I can see that. We will think
no more about it."

He made no reply, but sat looking straight in front of him. The molten
glare of afternoon was merging into the slanting rays of approaching
sunset. From the scorching stoniness of the hillside the screech of
crickets rang out in endless vibration--varied now and again by the
drowsy hum of winged insects, or the "coo" of a dove from the willows
overhanging the dam. A shimmer of heat lay over the wide veldt, and a
thundercloud was gathering black upon the craggy turrets cresting the
distant spurs of the Stormberg mountains.

"You are right. I am rather--er--well, not quite myself," said Lambert
jerkily. "I think I had better go."

Mona's face softened. She had refused him, it was true, but she was not
going to dismiss him altogether. That was not her way, being a young
woman who thoroughly believed in proving the fallaciousness of the
proverb about not being able to eat your cake and have it too.

"Don't go away angry," she said, throwing a deft plaintiveness into her
pleading. "We have been such good frie