lay upon one of the half-empty sacks of
mealies, apparently half asleep, for she opened her wide blue eyes and
looked round apprehensively like one suddenly awakened. Her golden curls
were in disorder and falling over her fair forehead, and her face was
very pale and troubled, and marked beneath the eyes with deep blue
lines. Catching sight of her visitor she rose hurriedly and retreated as
far from him as the pile of sacks and potatoes would allow.

"What is it?" she asked in a low voice. "I gave you my answer. Why do
you come to torment me again?"

He placed the lantern upon an upright sack of mealies, and carefully
balanced it before he answered. Jess could see that he was taking time
to consider.

"Let us recapitulate," he said at length, in his full rich voice. "The
position is this. I gave you this morning the choice between consenting
to marry me to-morrow and seeing your old uncle and benefactor shot.
Further, I assured you that if you would not consent to marry me your
uncle should be shot, and that I would then make you mine, dispensing
with the ceremony of marriage. Is that not so?"

Bessie made no answer, and he continued, his eyes fixed upon her face,
and thoughtfully stroking his beard.

"Silence gives consent. I will go on. Before a man can be shot according
to law he must be tried and condemned according to law. Your uncle has
been tried and has been condemned."

"I heard it all, cruel murderer that you are," said Bessie, lifting her
head for the first time.

"So! I thought you would, through the crack. That is why I had you put
into this place; it would not have looked well to bring you before the
court;" and he took the light and examined the crevice. "This wall is
badly built," he went on in a careless tone; "look, there is another
space there at the back;" and he actually came up to it and held the
lantern close to the airhole in such fashion that its light shone
through into Jess's eyes and nearly blinded her. She shut them quickly
so that the gleam reflected from them should not betray her, then held
her breath and remained still as the dead. In another second Muller took
away the light and replaced it on the mealie bag.

"So you say you saw it all. Well, it must have shown you that I was in
earnest. The old man took it well, did he not? He is a brave man, and
I respect him. I fancy that he will not move a muscle at the last. That
comes of English blood, you see. It is the best in the worl