orse were in a condition of great
exhaustion, enhanced in her own case by want of food and trouble of
mind. But she was a strong woman, with a will like iron, and she held
on when most girls would have died. Jess meant to get to Mooifontein
somehow, and she knew that she would get there. If only she could reach
the place and find help to send to her lover, she did not greatly care
what happened to her afterwards. The pace of the horse she was riding
grew slower and slower. From the ambling canter into which at first she
managed occasionally to force it, and which is the best pace to travel
at in South Africa, it relapsed continually into a rough short trot,
which was agony to her, riding as she was, and from the trot into a
walk. Indeed, just before sunset, or a little after six o'clock, the
walk became final. At last they reached the rising ground that stretched
up the slope of the Mooifontein hill, and here the poor beast fell down
utterly worn out. Jess slipped off and tried to drag it up, but failed.
It had no strength left in it. So she did what she could, pulling off
the bridle and undoing the girth, so that the saddle would fall off
if the horse ever managed to rise. The animal watched her go with
melancholy eyes, knowing that it was being deserted. First it neighed,
then with a desperate effort it struggled to its feet and trotted after
her for a hundred yards or so, only to fall down again at last. Jess
turned and saw it, and, exhausted as she was, she positively ran to get
away from the look in those big eyes. That night there was a cold rain,
in which the horse perished, as "poor" horses are apt to do.

It was nearly dark when at length Jess reached the top of the hill and
looked down. She knew the spot well, and from it she could always see
the light in the kitchen window of the house. To-night there was no
light. Wondering what it could mean, and feeling a fresh chill of doubt
creep round her heart, she scrambled on down the hill. When she was
about half-way a shower of sparks suddenly shot into the air from the
spot where the house should be, caused by the fall of a piece of wall
into the smouldering embers beneath. Again Jess paused, wondering and
aghast. What could have happened? Determined at all hazards to discover,
she crept on very cautiously. Before she had gone another twenty yards,
however, a hand was laid suddenly upon her arm. She turned quickly, too
paralysed with fear to cry out, and a voice th