t. It was silly to faint, but he kicked all the
breath out of me," and she got up and danced a little on the grass to
show him. "My word, though, I am sore! You must take my arm, that's all;
that is if you don't mind?"

"Oh dear no, indeed, I don't mind," he said laughing; and so they
started, arm affectionately linked in arm.

CHAPTER II

HOW THE SISTERS CAME TO MOOIFONTEIN

"Captain Niel," said Bessie Croft--for she was named Bessie--when they
had painfully limped one hundred yards or so, "will you think me rude if
I ask you a question?"

"Not at all."

"What has induced you to come and bury yourself in this place?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I don't think that you will like it. I don't think," she added
slowly, "that it is a fit place for an English gentleman and an army
officer like you. You will find the Boer ways horrid, and then there
will only be my old uncle and us two for you to associate with."

John Niel laughed. "English gentlemen are not so particular nowadays, I
can assure you, Miss Croft, especially when they have to earn a living.
Take my case, for instance, for I may as well tell you exactly how I
stand. I have been in the army fourteen years, and I am now thirty-four.
Well, I have been able to live there because I had an old aunt who
allowed me 120 pounds a year. Six months ago she died, leaving me the
little property she possessed, for most of her income came from an
annuity. After paying expenses, duty, &c., it amounts to 1,115 pounds.
Now, the interest on this is about fifty pounds a year, and I can't live
in the army on that. Just after my aunt's death I came to Durban with
my regiment from Mauritius, and now they are ordered home. Well, I liked
the country, and I knew that I could not afford to live in England, so I
got a year's leave of absence, and made up my mind to have a look round
to see if I could not take to farming. Then a gentleman in Durban told
me of your uncle, and said that he wanted to dispose of a third interest
in his place for a thousand pounds, as he was getting too old to manage
it himself. So I entered into correspondence with him, and agreed to
come up for a few months to see how I liked it; and accordingly here I
am, just in time to save you from being knocked to bits by an ostrich."

"Yes, indeed," she answered, laughing; "you've had a warm welcome at any
rate. Well, I hope you _will_ like it."

Just as he finished his story they reached the top of the r