rsons
with whom she came in contact was a very earnest and excellent old
priest of her own faith. The end of this intimacy was much what might
have been expected. Very soon Inez determined to renounce the world,
which I think never had any great attractions for her, and entered a
sisterhood of an extremely strict Order in Natal, where, added to her
many merits, her considerable possessions made her very welcome indeed.

Once in after years I saw her again when she expected before long to
become the Mother-Superior of her convent. I found her very cheerful and
she told me that her happiness was complete. Even then she did not ask
me the true story of what had happened to her during that period when
her mind was a blank. She said that she knew something had happened but
that as she no longer felt any curiosity about earthly things, she did
not wish to know the details. Again I rejoiced, for how could I tell
the true tale and expect to be believed, even by the most confiding and
simple-minded nun?

To return to more immediate events. When we had been at Strathmuir for
a day or two and I thought that her mind was clear enough to judge of
affairs, I told Inez that I must journey on to Natal, and asked her what
she wished to do. Without a moment's hesitation she replied that she
desired to come with me, as now that her father was dead nothing would
induce her to continue to live at Strathmuir without friends, or indeed
the consolations of religion.

Then she showed me a secret hiding-place cunningly devised in a sort of
cellar under the sitting-room floor, where her father was accustomed to
keep the spirits of which he consumed so great a quantity. In this hole
beneath some bricks, we discovered a large sum in gold stored away,
which Robertson had always told his daughter she would find there, in
the event of anything happening to him. With the money were his will
and securities, also certain mementos of his youth and some love-letters
together with a prayer-book that his mother had given him.

These valuables, of which no one knew the existence except herself, we
removed and then made our preparations for departure. They were simple;
such articles of value as we could carry were packed into the waggon and
the best of the cattle we drove with us. The place with the store and
the rest of the stock were handed over to Thomaso on a half-profit
agreement under arrangement that he should remit the share of Inez twice
a year to