he heat of the sun was intense, notwithstanding the shelter
afforded by the hood of the cart. The air seemed to quiver above
the burning earth. She felt after a time as if her eyes could
endure the glare no longer. The rapid, bumping progress faded into
a sort of fitful unpleasant dream through which the only actual
vivid consciousness that remained to her centred in the man beside
her. She never lost sight of his presence. It dominated all
besides, though he drove almost entirely in silence and never
seemed to look her way.

At the end of what appeared an interminable stretch of time during
which all her sensibilities had gradually merged into one vast
discomfort, Burke spoke at her side.

"We've got a bit of tough going before us. Hang on tight! We'll
have a rest after it."

She opened her eyes and saw before her a steep slant between
massive stones, leading down to a wide channel of running water.
On the further side a similar steep ascent led up again.

"Ritter Spruit," said Ranger. "It's not deep enough to be
dangerous. Hold on! We shall soon be through."

He spoke to the horses and they gathered themselves as if for a
race. They thundered down the incline and were dashing through the
stony watercourse almost before Sylvia, clinging dazed to her seat,
realized what was happening. Her sensations were indescribable.
The water splashed high around them, and every bone in her body
seemed to suffer a separate knock or jar. If Ranger had not
previously impressed her with his level-headedness she would have
thought him mad. But her confidence in him remained unshaken, and
in a very few seconds it proved to be justified. They were through
the spruit and halfway up the further side before she drew breath.
Then she found that they were slackening pace.

She turned to Ranger with kindling eyes. "Oh, you are a
sportsman!" she said. "How I should love to be able to drive like
that!"

He smiled without turning his head. "I'm afraid this last is a
man's job. So you are awake now, are you? I was afraid you were
going to tumble out."

She laughed. "The heat makes one drowsy. I shall get used to it."

He was pulling in the horses. "There's some shade round the
corner. We'll rest for an hour or two."

"I shall like that," said Sylvia.

A group of small larch-trees grew among the stones at the top of
the slope, and by these he stopped. Sylvia looked around her with
appreciation as she alighted.