bout it, Jemima, but twice I've brought her letters from the
post in a gentleman's hand, and I'm sure they were both from the same
person, because I noticed every little mark, even the dotting of the
i's.

"Of course it's nothing to me; but for Em's sake I can't help feeling an
interest in her, however much I may dislike her myself; and I hope she's
up to nothing. I pity the man who marries her; I wouldn't be him for
anything. If I had a wife with pride I'd make her give it up, sharp. I
don't believe in a man who can't make a woman obey him. Now Em--I'm very
fond of her, as you know--but if I tell her to put on a certain dress,
that dress she puts on; and if I tell her to sit on a certain seat,
on that seat she sits; and if I tell her not to speak to a certain
individual, she does not speak to them. If a man lets a woman do what he
doesn't like he's a muff.

"Give my love to mother and the children. The veld here is looking
pretty good, and the sheep are better since we washed them. Tell father
the dip he recommended is very good.

"Em sends her love to you. She is making me some woollen shirts; but
they don't fit me so nicely as those mother made me.

"Write soon to

"Your loving brother, Gregory.

"P.S.--She drove past just now; I was sitting on the kraal wall right
before her eyes, and she never even bowed. G.N.R."

Chapter 2.VI. A Boer-wedding.

"I didn't know before you were so fond of riding hard," said Gregory to
his little betrothed.

They were cantering slowly on the road to Oom Muller's on the morning of
the wedding.

"Do you call this riding hard?" asked Em in some astonishment.

"Of course I do! It's enough to break the horses' necks, and knock one
up for the whole day besides," he added testily; then twisted his head
to look at the buggy that came on behind. "I thought Waldo was such a
mad driver; they are taking it easily enough today," said Gregory. "One
would think the black stallions were lame."

"I suppose they want to keep out of our dust," said Em. "See, they stand
still as soon as we do."

Perceiving this to be the case, Gregory rode on.

"It's all that horse of yours: she kicks up such a confounded dust, I
can't stand it myself," he said.

Meanwhile the cart came on slowly enough.

"Take the reins," said Lyndall, and "and make them walk. I want to rest
and watch their hoofs today--not to be exhilarated; I am so tired."

She leaned back in her corner, and Waldo drove on slo