her beautiful eyes. And indeed in another
second it would have been all over had not the elder man who inspected
the pass interposed. In fact he had witnessed the proceedings which led
to his follower's discomfiture, and, being a decent person at bottom,
strongly disapproved of them.

"Leave them alone and put down those guns," he shouted. "It served
Jacobus right; he was trying to push the girl from her horse! Almighty!
it is not wonderful those English call us brute beasts when you boys do
such things. Put down your guns, I say, and one of you help Jacobus up.
He looks as sick as a buck with a bullet through it."

Accordingly the row passed over, and the playful Jacobus--whom Jess
noted with satisfaction seemed exceedingly ill and trembled in every
limb--was with difficulty hoisted on to his horse, to continue his
journey with not a single bit of fun left in him.

A little while after this Jess pointed out a long low hill that lay upon
the flat veldt, a dozen miles or so away, like a stone upon a stretch of
sand.

"Look," she said, "there is Mooifontein at last!"

"We are not there yet," remarked John sadly.

Another weary half-hour passed, and then on passing over a crest
suddenly they saw Hans Coetzee's homestead lying down by the water in
the hollow. So that was whither they were being taken.

Within a hundred yards of the house the Boers halted and consulted,
except Jacobus, who went on, still looking very green. Finally the elder
man came to them and addressed Jess, at the same time handing her back
the pass.

"You can go on home," he said. "The Englishman must stay with us till we
find out more about him."

"He says that I can go. What shall I do?" asked Jess. "I don't like
leaving you with these men."

"Do? why, go, of course. I can look after myself; and if I can't,
certainly you won't be able to help me. Perhaps you will be able to get
some help from the farm. At any rate, you must go."

"Now, Englishman," said the Boer.

"Good-bye, Jess," said John. "God bless you."

"Good-bye, John," she answered, looking him steadily in the eyes for a
moment, and then turning away to hide the tears which would gather in
her own.

And thus they parted.

She knew her way now even across the open veldt, for she dared not go
by the road. There was, however, a bridle path that ran over the hill at
the back of Mooifontein, and for this she shaped her course. It was five
o'clock by now, and both she and her h