Camps in
Natal, and Mrs. Malan had procured, as a surprise for him, snapshots
of his dear ones taken in the Camp. When they were placed in his
hands he gazed on them for a long time in silence, finally muttering
under his breath, "For this the English must die!" and from that
moment he was moody and silent.

His thirst for information on the condition of the Irene Camp, as
Hansie had found it, was insatiable, and hours were spent in
discussing the subject and its probable effect on the duration of the
war.

"What do the men think of the Concentration Camps?" Hansie asked.
"Will they give in for the sake of the women and children?"

"No," was the emphatic answer--"never. We all feel that our first duty
is to fight until our independence is assured. _We_ are not
responsible for the fate of our women and children, and they let no
opportunity pass of urging us to be brave and steadfast in the
fulfilment of our duty to our country. Our spies come from the Camps
continually with messages of encouragement and hope; but that the
mortality among them is more bitter to bear than anything else, you
can understand...."

There was a long pause, and then, the Captain continued gloomily:

"I did not recognise my wife on that photo--she has become an old, old
woman.... Sometimes on commando we actually enjoy ourselves. You must
not think that it is all hardship and trouble! I gave a concert, quite
a good one, on the President's birthday, and occasionally, when we
come to a farm where there are still some girls left, we take them out
riding and driving."

CHAPTER XXXVI

A SILENT DEPARTURE. "FARE THEE WELL"

As the afternoon wore on, an extreme nervousness came over all at
Harmony, a feeling of tense anxiety which no words can describe, and
was betrayed in a restless flitting through the house, arranging
something here, peering through the blinds at the camp of the Military
Mounted Police.

Unconsciously voices were lowered and final instructions given in
hushed tones.

Only a few hours remained of the Captain's visit to Harmony and much
had still to be arranged.

The tension was broken by the arrival of Mrs. Malan, with large
parcels containing the articles of clothing, etc., ordered by
Naude--hats, boots, riding-suits, soap, matches, salt, and a number of
the small necessities of life. This gave the women something to do,
for everything had to be sorted and made up into smaller parcels as
compactly as possible,