rest in what seemed an interesting
character. Yet behind it was an unmistakable longing to see more of
her. The feeling rendered him vaguely uncomfortable.

He relit his pipe, and sat back to think. There came a tap at the door
and his clerk entered, bringing some official letters to be signed.

"Anything new. Prior?" he asked carelessly, when this process had been
accomplished.

"There is, sir. Teliso has come back, and there's been an infernal
rascally Ethiopian preacher stirring up Babatyana's location. He's gone
on to Nteseni's."

"I know. I captured that information from two fellows I was talking
with this morning. I'll see Teliso directly. But what can you do--at
this stage of affairs? I'm keeping my eyes open, but you mustn't be too
zealous in our Service, Prior, or you're bound to come out bottom dog.
The chap I want particularly looked after is this Manamandhla. He's a
crafty swine and not over here for any good. I had a talk with him the
other day and he's as slippery as the proverbial eel."

"Did you, sir? Well, I can tell you something about him. He's gone to
squat on old Thornhill's farm."

"To squat?"

"Yes, so they say. It seems fishy, to say the least of it."

"How so?"

"Why he's a biggish man over on the other side. What should he want to
come and squat here for?"

"What do you mean by `squatting,' Prior? I should say Thornhill was not
the sort of man to allow squatters on his place."

"Well, sir, that's what I've got at through the people. Anyway it
simplifies the watching part of the business, for we've got Manamandhla
bang under our noses."

Elvesdon sat meditatively, burning his middle finger into the bowl of
his lighted pipe. More and more was it brought home to him how anything
concerning the house of Thornhill spelt interest to him, even vivid
interest, he could not but own to himself. And Thornhill was rather a
mysterious personality, and his daughter even more out of the
commonplace. What did it all mean--what the very deuce did it all mean?
Then he said:

"I don't quite know what to make of it just now, Prior. Things are
shaping out. But you keep your ears open. You were born and bred on
this frontier, and you know these chaps and their ways a good deal
better than I do. You can grip things that I should probably miss
entirely. So don't let anything pass."

It was just by such frank and hearty appreciation of their capabilities
that Elvesdon endear