-and he pointed to the tall Marie.

"What would any man want with such a one, save to marry her?" broke in
the Vrouw Prinsloo. "Now, commandant, listen while I set out the tale."

"All right, aunt, only be brief, for I have no time to spare."

She obeyed, but I cannot say that she was brief.

When at last the old lady paused, breathless, Retief said:

"I understand everything; there is no need for you young people to
talk. Now we will go and see Henri Marais, and, if he is not madder than
usual, make him listen to reason."

So we walked to where Marais's wagon stood at the end of the line,
and found him sitting on the disselboom cutting up tobacco with his
pocket-knife.

"Good-day, Allan," he said, for we had not met since my return. "Have
you had a nice journey?"

I was about to answer when the commandant broke in impatiently:

"See here, see here, Henri, we have not come to talk about Allan's
journey, but about his marriage, which is more important. He rides with
me to Zululand on Monday, as you do, and wants to wed your daughter
to-morrow, which is Sunday, a good day for the deed."

"It is a day to pray, not to give and be given in marriage," commented
Marais sulkily. "Moreover, Marie does not come of age before Monday, and
until then the oath that I made to God holds."

"My vatdoek for your oath!" exclaimed the vrouw, flapping that awful rag
in his face. "How much do you suppose that God cares what you in your
folly swore to that stinkcat of a nephew of yours? Do you be careful,
Henri Marais, that God does not make of your precious oath a stone to
fall upon your head and break it like a peanut-shell."

"Hold your chattering tongue, old woman," said Marais furiously. "Am I
to be taught my duty to my conscience and my daughter by you?"

"Certainly you are, if you cannot teach them to yourself," began the
vrouw, setting her hands upon her hips.

But Retief pushed her aside, saying:

"No quarrelling here. Now, Henri Marais, your conduct about these two
young people who love each other is a scandal. Will you let them be
married to-morrow or not?"

"No, commandant, I will not. By the law I have power over my daughter
till she is of age, and I refuse to allow her to marry a cursed
Englishman. Moreover, the predicant Celliers is away, so there is none
to marry them."

"You speak strange words, Mynheer Marais," said Retief quietly,
"especially when I remember all that this 'cursed Englishman' has done
fo