e've just seen until I've had time to make a few inquiries."

She promised, of course, and as we took our way homeward in the
splendour of the clear African night we thought no more of the uncanny
episode we had just witnessed, except as something out of the common
which had lent an element of unexpected excitement to our walk.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

INTO EMPTY AIR.

I had completed my purchase of the farm, and was well satisfied with my
bargain. It was a nice place, and the homestead was in good repair and
very picturesquely situated, commanding a beautiful view. Aida would
revel in it. The veldt was good, and so were the faculties for stocking
water. Game too was plentiful, though the dark bushy kloofs
intersecting a high _rand_ on one side of the place gave promise of the
more undesirable kind from the stock-raiser's point of view--such as
leopards and wild dogs and baboons. However it would be hard if I
couldn't manage to keep the numbers of these down, and if they took toll
of a calf or two now and then, why one could take toll of them in the
way of sport--so that the thing was as broad as it was long.

Yes, I was well satisfied, and as I rode homeward I fell castle
building. The place would be a Paradise when I should take Aida there.
It was too marvellous. How could such a wealth of happiness come my
way? There was no cloud to mar it. Even as the vivid, unbroken blue of
the sky overhead so was this marvel of bliss which had come in upon my
life. There was no cloud to mar it.

I was not rich but I had enough. I had done myself exceedingly well in
the course of my ventures, and was beyond any anxiety or care for the
future from a pecuniary point of view. I had always lived simply and
had no expensive tastes. Now I was beginning to reap the benefit of
that fortunate condition of things. I could afford the luxury of castle
building as I cantered along mile after mile in the glorious sunlight.

I had not seen Aida for three whole days, it was that time since the
uncanny episode of the waterhole. Now I was treasuring up the
anticipation of our meeting, the light of glad welcome that would come
into her eyes, only a few hours hence, for I would call in at my own
place to see that things were all right, and get a bit of dinner, and
ride on immediately afterwards. So, mile upon mile went by and at last
shortly after mid-day I walked my horse up the long acclivity that led
to my trading store.