ited locality--there were not wanting some--not many
it is true, but still some--who saw in the above arrangement something
to wag a scandalous tongue over. Carhayes was a prosaic and rather
crusty personage, many years older than his wife. Eustace Milne was
just the reverse of this, being imaginative, cultured, even tempered,
and, when he chose, of very attractive manner; moreover, he was but
three or four years her senior. Possibly the rumour evolved itself from
the disappointment of its originators, as well as from the insatiable
and universal love of scandal-mongering inherent in human nature, for
Eustace Milne was eminently an eligible _parti_, and during nearly a
year's residence at Anta's Kloof had shown no disposition to throw the
handkerchief at any of the surrounding fair. But to Carhayes, whom
thanks to his known proclivity towards punching heads this rumour never
reached, no such nice idea occurred, for with all his faults or failings
there was nothing mean or crooked-minded about the man, and as for
Eanswyth herself, we should have been uncommonly sorry to have stood in
the shoes of the individual who should undertake to enlighten her of the
same, by word or hint.

As she stood there watching for the return of those who came not,
Eanswyth began to feel vaguely uneasy, and there was a shade of anxiety
in the large grey eyes, which were bent upon the surrounding _veldt_
with a now growing intensity. The return of the flock, combined with
the absence of its master to count in, was not a reassuring
circumstance. She felt inclined to send for the herd and question him,
but after all it was of no use being silly about it. She noted further
the non-appearance of the other flock. This, in conjunction with the
prolonged absence of her husband and cousin, made her fear that
something had gone very wrong indeed.

Nor was her uneasiness altogether devoid of justification. We have said
that Tom Carhayes was not on the best of terms with his barbarous
neighbours. We have shown moreover that his choleric disposition was
eminently calculated to keep him in chronic hot water. Such was indeed
the case. Hardly a week passed that he did not come into collision with
them, more or less violently, generally on the vexed question of
trespass, and crossing his farm accompanied by their dogs. More than
one of these dogs had been shot by him on such occasions, and when we
say that a Kafir loves his dog a trifle more dea