anguine nature. Troubles sink into the souls of some like water
into a sponge, and weight them down almost to the grave. From others
they run off as the water does if poured upon marble, merely wetting the
surface.

Bessie belonged to neither of these classes, but was of a substance
between the two--a healthy, happy-hearted woman, full of beauty and
vigour, made to bloom in the sunshine, not to languish in the shadow
of some old grief. Women of her stamp do not die of broken hearts or
condemn themselves to life-long celibacy as a sacrifice to the shade of
the departed. If unfortunately No. 1 is removed, as a general rule they
shed many a tear and suffer many a pang, and after a decent interval
very sensibly turn their attention to No. 2.

Still it was but a pale-faced, quiet Bessie who went to and fro about
the place after the visit of the one-eyed Kafir. All her irritability
had left her now; she no longer reproached her uncle because he had
despatched John to Pretoria. Indeed, on that very evening after the evil
tidings came, he began to blame himself bitterly in her presence for
having sent her lover away, when she stopped him.

"It is God's will, uncle," she said quietly. "You only did what it was
ordained that you should do." Then she came and laid her sunny head upon
the old man's shoulder and cried a little, and said that they two were
all alone in the world now; and he comforted her in the best fashion
that he could. It was a curious thing that they neither of them thought
much of Jess when they talked thus of being alone. Jess was an enigma, a
thing apart even from them. When she was there she was loved and allowed
to go her own way, when she was not there she seemed to fade into outer
darkness. A veil came down between her and her belongings. Of course
they were both very fond of her, but simple-natured people are apt to
shrink from what they cannot understand, and these two were no exception
to the rule. For instance, Bessie's affection for her sister was a poor
thing compared to the deep and self-sacrificing, though often secret
love that her sister showered upon her. She loved her old uncle far more
dearly than she loved Jess, and it must be owned that he returned her
attachment with interest, and in those days of heavy trouble they drew
nearer to each other than ever they were before.

But as time went on they began to hope again. No confirmation of John's
death reached them. Was it not possible then, a