quite willing
to learn anything, and I am very strong."

"You are very brave," he said, almost as if he spoke in spite of
himself. "But--you've got to be sensible too. You won't marry
him?"

She hesitated. "I must see him. I must judge for myself."

He nodded, still frowning. "Very well,--if you must. But you
won't marry him as a way out of your difficulties? You've got to
promise me that."

"Why?" she said.

He answered her with that sudden force which before had startled
her. "Because I can't stand by and see purity joined to
corruption. Some women will sacrifice anything for sentiment. You
wouldn't do anything so damn' foolish as that."

"No," said Sylvia.

"Then it's a promise?" he said.

She held out her hand to him with her brave little smile. "I
promise you I won't do anything damn' foolish for the sake
of--sentiment. Will that do?"

He gripped her hand for a moment. "Yes. I think it will," he said.

"And thank you for being so good to me," she added.

He dropped her hand, and turned away. "As to that--I please
myself," he said briefly. "Be ready to start in an hour from now!"

CHAPTER VIII

THE COMRADE

That twenty-mile ride in Burke Ranger's high cart, with a pair of
skittish young horses pulling at the reins, was an experience never
to be eradicated from Sylvia's memory. They followed a course
across the veldt that began as a road and after a mile or two
deteriorated into a mere rough track. Up and down many slopes they
travelled, but the far hills never seemed to draw any nearer. Here
and there they passed kopjes stacked against the blazing blue of
the sky. They held a weird attraction for her. They were like the
stark bones of the earth pushing up through the coarse desert
grasses. Their rugged strength and their isolation made her
marvel. The veldt was swept by a burning wind. The clouds of the
night before had left no rain behind.

Sylvia would have liked to ask many things of her companion but his
attention was completely absorbed by the animals he drove. Also
talking was wellnigh impossible during that wild progress, for
though the horses presently sobered down somewhat, the roughness of
the way was such that most of the time her thoughts were
concentrated upon maintaining her seat. She clung to her perch
with both hands, and mutely admired Burke Ranger's firm control and
deftness. He seemed to know by instinct when to expect any sudden
strain.

T