men? Why do you not cut your
stick the same length as theirs, Allan Quatermain? I tell you that your
verdomde honesty will be your ruin. You remember my words later on," and
she marched off in high dudgeon.

When she had gone I went to my wagons, where Hans was waiting for me
with a detailed and interminable report of everything that had happened
in my absence. Glad was I to find that, except for the death of one
sickly ox, nothing had gone wrong. When at length he had ended his long
story, I ate some food which Marie sent over for me ready cooked, for
I was too tired to join any of the Boers that night. Just as I had
finished my meal and was thinking of turning in, Marie herself appeared
within the circle of the camp-fire's light. I sprang up and ran to her,
saying that I had not expected to see her that evening, and did not like
to come to the house.

"No," she answered, drawing me back into the shadows, "I understand.
My father seems very much upset, almost mad, indeed. If the Vrouw
Prinsloo's tongue had been a snake's fang, it could not have stung him
worse."

"And where is Pereira?" I asked.

"Oh! my cousin sleeps in the other room. He is weak and worn out. All
the same, Allan, he wanted to kiss me. So I told him at once how matters
stood between you and me, and that we were to be married in six months."

"What did he say to that?" I asked.

"He turned to my father and said: 'Is this true, my uncle?' And my
father answered: 'Yes, that is the best bargain I could make with the
Englishman, seeing that you were not here to make a better.'"

"And what happened then, Marie?"

"Oh, then Hernan thought a while. At last he looked up and said: 'I
understand. Things have gone badly. I acted for the best, who went away
to try to find help for all of you. I failed. Meanwhile the Englishman
came and saved you. Afterwards he saved me also. Uncle, in all this
I see God's hand; had it not been for this Allan none of us would be
alive. Yes, God used him that we might be kept alive. Well, he has
promised that he will not marry Marie for six months. And you know,
my uncle, that some of these English are great fools; they keep their
promises even to their own loss. Now, in six months much may happen; who
knows what will happen?'"

"Were you present when you heard all this, Marie?" I asked.

"No, Allan; I was the other side of the reed partition. But at
those words I entered and said: 'My father and Cousin Hernan, please
u