e caught Jess by the hand,
dragging her away from the wall, and presently she was once more
ascending the hill-side towards the Hottentot's kennel. She had desired
to find out how matters stood, and she had found out indeed. To attempt
to portray the fury, the indignation, and the thirst to be avenged upon
this fiend who had attempted to murder her and her lover, and had bought
her dear sister's honour at the price of their innocent old uncle's
life, would be impossible. Her weariness had left her; she was mad with
all she had seen and heard, with the knowledge of what had been done
and of what was about to be done. She even forgot her passion in it, and
swore that Muller should never marry Bessie while she lived to prevent
it. Had she been a bad woman herein she might have seen an opportunity,
for Bessie once tied to Muller, John would be free to marry her, but
this idea never even entered her mind. Whatever Jess's errors may have
been she was a self-sacrificing, honourable woman, and one who would
have died rather than profit thus by circumstance. At length they
reached the shelter again and crept into it.

"Light a candle," said Jess.

Jantje hunted for and struck a match. The piece of candle they had been
using, however, was nearly burnt out, so from the rubbish in the corner
he produced a box full of "ends," some of them three or four inches
long. In the queer sort of way that trifles do strike us when the mind
is undergoing a severe strain, Jess remembered instantly that for years
she had been unable to discover what became of the odd bits of the
candles used in the house. Now the mystery was explained.

"Go outside and leave me. I want to think," she said.

The Hottentot obeyed, and seated upon the heap of skins, her forehead
resting on her hand and her fingers buried in her silky rain-soaked
hair, Jess began to review the position. It was evident to her that
Frank Muller would be as good as his word. She knew him too well to
doubt this for a moment. If Bessie did not marry him he would murder
the old man, as he had tried to murder herself and John, only this time
judicially, and then abduct her sister afterwards. She was the only
price that he was prepared to take in exchange for her uncle's life. But
it was impossible to allow Bessie to be so sacrificed; the thought was
horrible to her.

How, then, was it to be prevented?

She thought again of confronting Frank Muller and openly accusing him
of her attem