nother, and when she
reached Mrs. Malan's house she was told that the three men had decided
to risk the dangers of the street and to leave immediately. In this
they were impelled, not so much by the consideration of their own
safety, as the thought of the perils to which they exposed the Malans
by remaining in their house. When Hansie told them she was procuring
residential passes for them, they held a short consultation and
eventually decided to wait another half-hour. With passes in their
pockets they would be comparatively safe.

Promising to come back immediately, Hansie rushed to F.'s rooms, where
she met him coming through the gate with D. and G.

"F.," she whispered, "be quick. They are on the point of leaving."

He drew her aside and said: "I am very sorry, Hansie. The fellows
refuse to lend you their passes."

"Refuse!" she echoed in miserable incredulity. "Refuse! oh Heaven, and
this means life or death to those men! They _cannot_ appear on the
streets to-night without passes."

"It is a great thing to ask, Hansie. You cannot blame them."

"F., I must once again remind you of your promise. Help me now. I am
not pleading for myself."

He drew his residential pass from his pocket and placed it in her
hand, motioning her to go. She gave him a quick look of gratitude, but
returned the pass with the words, "No good to me unless I have three.
Think of something else."

He called to the two other young fellows who were standing moodily
apart and ordered them to think.

They thought. Perhaps they would have been standing there thinking
still, if F. had not suddenly burst out with:

"Look here, you fellows, it is not safe to stand out here like this,
and we are losing time. Let us go into my room and talk this thing
over."

They walked rapidly towards the house, where a number of bachelors
lived together, and reached the room unobserved.

F. drew the blinds, locked the door, and placed Hansie in an easy
chair, while he and D. rummaged in a writing-table for some papers. G.
sat on the bed with his long legs stretched out in front of him.

The two young men were whispering together, bending eagerly over some
papers they had found.

"This one will do," Hansie heard F. say, "but it will take some time."

"Don't you think I ought to go and tell the men to wait?" she asked.

"No, better not be seen walking in and out here. We will make haste!"

Ah, why did Hansie not obey the warning voice within, and go