of the determined and partially
successful attempt at wholesale murder of which they had been the
victims. She saw, too, why her old uncle had been condemned to death--it
was to be used as a lever with Bessie; the man was capable even of that.

Yes, she saw it all as clear as daylight; and in her heart she swore,
helpless as she seemed to be, that she would find a way to prevent it.
But what way? what way? Ah, if only John were here! but he was not, so
she must act without him if only she could see the road to action. She
thought first of all of going down boldly to face Muller and denounce
him as a murderer before his men; but a moment's reflection showed that
this was impracticable. For his own safety he would be obliged to
stop her mouth somehow, and the best she could expect would be to be
incarcerated and rendered quite powerless. If only she could manage to
communicate with Bessie! At any rate it was absolutely necessary that
she should know what was happening. She might as well be a hundred miles
away as a hundred yards.

"Jantje," she said, "tell me where the Boers are."

"Some are in the waggon-house, missie, some are on sentry, and the rest
are down by the waggon they brought with them and outspanned behind the
gums there. The cart is there, too, that came just before you did, with
the clergyman in it."

"And where is Frank Muller?"

"I don't know, missie; but he brought a round tent with him in the
waggon, and it is pitched between the two big gums."

"Jantje, I must go down there and find out what is going on, and you
must come with me."

"You will be caught, missie. There is a sentry at the back of the
waggon-house, and two in front. But," he added, "perhaps we might get
near. I will go out and look at the night."

Presently he returned and said that a "small rain" had come on, and the
clouds covered up the stars so that it was very dark.

"Well, let us go at once," said Jess.

"Missie, you had better not go," answered the Hottentot. "You will get
wet, and the Boers will catch you. Better let me go. I can creep about
like a snake, and if the Boers catch me it won't matter."

"You must come too, but I am going. I must find out."

Then the Hottentot shrugged his shoulders and yielded, and, having
extinguished the candle, silently as ghosts they crept out into the
night.

CHAPTER XXXII

HE SHALL DIE

The night was still and very dark. A soft cold rain, such as often falls
in the Wakker