"

"Oh, you shan't walk," said Thornhill, drily, over his shoulder.

He soon returned, and the two sat chatting over things in general and
the neighbourhood in particular; as to which latter Elvesdon was loud in
his appreciation. It was delightful country, he declared, and this farm
especially was charmingly situated. The other smiled.

"Well, ride over whenever you feel inclined. We shall always be
delighted to see you," the speaker had grown grave, and his hearer knew
what he was thinking about. "I don't know if you're very hard-worked.
I know that outlying Civil servants are not as a rule--your predecessor
certainly wasn't. So whenever you don't know what else to do with
yourself, why this isn't an overpoweringly long ride. We might get up a
day in the kloofs when the close time is over."

Elvesdon jumped at this, and then Edala reappeared, stating two
indisputable facts--that it was cooler, and, incidentally, tea-time. At
last, with many a qualm of reluctance, he got up and declared it was
time to go.

"Must you?" said the girl, with a quick lift of the eyes which he
thought infinitely captivating.

"I'm afraid so, Miss Thornhill, though I do it with reluctance. Stern
duty calls, you see. There's no moon, and I don't know this part of the
country at all yet. I should get hopelessly entangled for the night in
some most impenetrable part of the kloofs, and I have to hold Court
early to-morrow; for there happens to be rather a lot to get through."

"Edala, dear," said Thornhill, "just sing out to them at the back to put
Mr Elvesdon's saddle on--the horse I told them."

The girl reappeared in a moment, and then good-byes were interchanged.
To Elvesdon's relief nothing more was said on the subject of his timely
aid, but he was appreciative of a great cordiality of manner.

"Here's something that'll carry you, Mr Elvesdon," said Thornhill, as a
horse was brought round to the stoep, a well groomed, capable looking
beast with good paces. "You needn't trouble to send him back again, if
you'll oblige me by accepting him. You lost your own on my account you
know."

But the other began to protest. Why all the horses in the world would
be cheap at the price of what his own had been able to effect, he
declared with, at that stage, somewhat unnecessary vehemence. Besides
it seemed too much like accepting a reward for what he had done, though
this he did not say.

"You are not offended, are you?" said Tho