fore have known better than to betray it
into the hands of the cruel, godless English? For, gentlemen, though
that charge is not laid against him, we must remember, as throwing light
upon his general character, that the prisoner was one of those vile men
who betrayed the land to Shepstone. Is it not a most cruel and unnatural
thing that a father should sell his own children into slavery?--that
a father of the land should barter away its freedom? Therefore on this
point too does justice temper mercy."

"That is so," echoed the chorus with particular enthusiasm, most of them
having themselves been instrumental in bringing the annexation about.

"Then one more thing: this man has a niece, and it is the care of
all good men to see that the young shall not be left destitute and
friendless, lest they should grow up bad and become enemies to the
well-being of the State. But in this case that will not be so, for the
farm will go to the girl by law; and, indeed, she will be well rid of so
desperate and godless an old man.

"And now, having set my reasons towards one side and the other before
you, and having warned you fully to act each man according to his
conscience, I give my vote. It is"--and in the midst of the most intense
silence he paused and looked at old Silas, who never even quailed--"it
is _death_."

There was a little hum of conversation, and poor Bessie, surveying the
scene through the crack in the store-room wall, groaned in bitterness
and despair of heart.

Then Hans Coetzee spoke. "It cut his bosom in two," he said, "to have to
say a word against one to whom he had for many years been as a brother.
But, then, what was he to do? The man had plotted evil against their
land, the dear land that the dear Lord had given them, and which they
and their fathers had on various occasions watered, and were still
continuing to water, with their blood. What could be a fitting
punishment for so black-hearted a traitor, and how would it be possible
to insure the better behaviour of other damned Englishmen, unless they
inflicted that punishment? There could, alas! be but one answer--though,
personally speaking, he uttered it with many tears--and that answer was
_death_."

After this there were no more speeches, but each man voted, according to
his age, upon his name being called by the president. At first there
was a little hesitation, for some among them were fond of old Silas,
and loth to destroy him. But Frank Muller ha