nd Jantje whispered together, after
which the Hottentot rose and crept away to find out what was passing
among the Boers below, and watch when Frank Muller retired to his tent.
So soon as he had marked him down it was agreed that he was to come back
and report to Jess.

When he was gone Jess gave a sigh of relief. This stirring up of Jantje
to the boiling-point of vengeance had been a dreadful thing to nerve
herself to do, but now at any rate it was done, and Muller's doom was
sealed. But what the end of it would be none could say. Practically she
would be a murderess, and she felt that sooner or later her guilt must
find her out, and then she could hope for little mercy. Still she had no
scruples, for after all Frank Muller's would be a well-merited fate.
But when all was said and done, it was a dreadful thing to be forced to
steep her hands in blood, even for Bessie's sake. If Muller were removed
Bessie would marry John, provided that John escaped the Boers, and be
happy, but what would become of herself? Robbed of her love and with
this crime upon her mind, what could she do even if she escaped--except
die? It would be better to die and never see him again, for her sorrow
and her shame were more than she could bear. Then Jess began to think
of John till all her poor bruised heart seemed to go out towards him.
Bessie could never love him as she did, she felt sure of that, and yet
Bessie was to have him by her all her life, and she--she must go away.
Well, it was the only thing to do. She would see this deed done, and set
her sister free, then if she happened to escape she would go at once--go
quite away where she would never be heard of again. Thus at any rate
she would have behaved like an honourable woman. She sat up and put her
hands to her face. It was burning hot though she was wet through, and
chilled to the bone with the raw damp of the night. A fierce fever of
mind and body had taken hold of her, worn out as she was with emotion,
hunger, and protracted exposure. But her brain was clear enough; she
never remembered its being so clear before. Every thought that came into
her mind seemed to present itself with startling strength, standing out
alone against a black background of nothingness, not softened down and
shaded one into another as thoughts generally are. She seemed to see
herself wandering away--alone, utterly alone, alone for ever!--while in
the far distance John stood holding Bessie by the hand, gazing a