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may guess； having just been almost beggared； I desire no unpleasantness
with the only rich member of my family。〃
I replied I was sure I did not wish to be the cause of any。 It seemed
to me； however； that the Heer Pereira wished to make a mock of me and to
bring it home to me what a poor creature I was compared to himselfI a
mere sick boy who was worth nothing。
〃I know；〃 said Marais uneasily； 〃my nephew has been too fortunate in
life； and is somewhat overbearing in his manner。 He does not remember
that the battle is not always to the strong or the race to the swift； he
who is young and rich and handsome； a spoiled child from the first。 I
am sorry； but what I cannot help I must put up with。 If I cannot have
my mealies cooked； I must eat them green。 Also； Allan； have you never
heard that jealousy sometimes makes people rude and unjust？〃 and he
looked at me meaningly。
I made no answer； for when one does not quite know what to say it is
often best to remain silent； and he went on：
〃I am vexed to hear of this foolish shooting match which has been
entered into without my knowledge or consent。 if he wins he will only
laugh at you the more； and if you win he will be angry。〃
〃It was not my fault； mynheer；〃 I answered。 〃He wanted to force me to
sell the mare； which he had been riding without my leave； and kept
bragging about his marksmanship。 So at last I grew cross and challenged
him。〃
〃No wonder； Allan； I do not blame you。 Still； you are silly； for it
will not matter to him if he loses his money； but that beautiful mare is
your ewe…lamb； and I should be sorry to see you parted from a beast
which has done us so good a turn。 Well； there it is； perhaps
circumstances may yet put an end to this trial； I hope so。〃
〃I hope they won't；〃 I answered stubbornly。
〃I dare say you do； being sore as a galled horse just now。 But listen；
Allan； and you； too； Predicant Quatermain； there are other and more
important reasons than this petty squabble why I should be glad if you
could go away for a while。 I must take counsel with my countrymen about
certain secret matters which have to do with our welfare and future；
and； of course they would not like it if all the while there were two
Englishmen on the place； whom they might think were spies。〃
〃Say no more； Heer Marais；〃 broke in my father hotly； 〃still less should
we like to be where we are not wanted or are looked upon with suspicion
for the crime of being English。 By God's blessing； my son has been able
to do some service to you and yours； but now that is all finished and
forgotten。 Let the cart you are so kind as to lend us be inspanned。 We
will go at once。〃
Then Henri Marais； who was a gentleman at bottom； although； even in
those early days； violent and foolish when excited or under the
influence of his race prejudices； began to apologise quite humbly；
assuring my father that he forgot nothing and meant no offence。 So they
patched the matter up； and an hour later we started。
All the Boers came to see us off； giving me many kind words and saying
how much they looked forward to meeting me again on the following
Thursday。 Pereira； who was among them； was also very genial； begging me
to be sure and get well； since he did not wish to beat one who was still
crippled； even at a game of goose shooting。 I answered that I would do
my best； as for my part； I did not like being beaten it any game which I
had set my heart on winning； whether it were little or big。 Then I
turned my head； for I was lying on my back all this time； to bid
good…bye to Marie； who had slipped out of the house into the yard where
the cart was。
〃Good…bye； Allan；〃 she said； giving me her hand and a look from her eyes
that I trusted was not seen。 Then； under pretence of arranging the
kaross which was over me； she bent down and whispered swiftly：
〃Win that match if you love me。 I shall pray God that you may every
night； for it will be an omen。〃
I think the whisper was heard； though not the words； for I saw Pereira
bite his lip and make a movement as though to interrupt her。 But Pieter
Retief thrust his big form in front of him rather rudely； and said with
one of his hearty laughs：
〃Allemachte！ friend； let the missje wish a good journey to the young
fellow who saved her life。〃
Next moment Hans； the Hottentot； screamed at the oxen in the usual
fashion； and we rolled away through the gate。
But oh！ if I had liked the Heer Retief before； now I loved him。
CHAPTER V
THE SHOOTING MATCH
My journey back to the Mission Station was a strange contrast to that
which I had made thence a few days before。 Then； the darkness； the
swift mare beneath me rushing through it like a bird； the awful terror
in my heart lest I should be too late； as with wild eyes I watched the
paling stars and the first gathering grey of dawn。 Now； the creaking of
the ox…cart； the familiar veld； the bright glow of the peaceful
sunlight； and in my heart a great thankfulness； and yet a new terror
lest the pure and holy love which I had won should be stolen away from
me by force or fraud。
Well； as the one matter had been in the hand of God； so was the other；
and with that knowledge I must be content。 The first trial had ended in
death and victory。 How would the second end？ I wondered； and those
words seemed to jumble themselves up in my mind and shape a sentence
that it did not conceive。 It was： 〃In the victory that is death；〃
which； when I came to think of it； of course； meant nothing。 How
victory could be death I did not understandat any rate； at that time；
I who was but a lad of small experience。
As we trekked along comfortably enough； for the road was good and the
cart； being on springs； gave my leg no pain； I asked my father what he
thought that the Heer Marais had meant when he told us that the Boers
had business at Maraisfontein； during which our presence as Englishmen
would not be agreeable to them。
〃Meant； Allan？ He meant that these traitorous Dutchmen are plotting
against their sovereign； and are afraid lest we should report their
treason。 Either they intend to rebel because of that most righteous
act； the freeing of the slaves； and because we will not kill out all the
Kaffirs with whom they chance to quarrel； or to trek from the Colony。
For my part I think it will be the latter； for； as you have heard； some
parties have already gone； and； unless I am mistaken； many more mean to
follow； Marais and Retief and that plotter； Pereira； among them。 Let
them go； I say； the sooner the better； for I have no doubt that the
English flag will follow them in due course。〃
〃I hope that they won't；〃 I answered with a nervous laugh； 〃at any rate；
until I have won back my mare。〃 （I had left her in Retief's care as
stakeholder； until the match should be shot off。）
For the rest of that two and a half hours' trek my father； looking very
dignified and patriotic； declaimed to me loudly about the bad behaviour
of the Boers； who hated and traduced missionaries； loathed and
abominated British rule and permanent officials； loved slavery and
killed Kaffirs whenever they got the chance。 I listened to him
politely； for it was not wise to cross my parent when he was in that
humour。 Also； having mixed a great deal with the Dutch； I knew that
there was another side to the question； namely； that the missionaries
sometimes traduced them （as； in fact； they did）； and that British rule；
or rather； party government； played strange tricks with the interests of
distant dependencies。 That permanent officials and im…permanent ones
toosuch as governors full of a little brief authorityoften
misrepresented and oppressed them。 That Kaffirs； encouraged by the
variegated policy of these party governments and their servants；
frequently stole their stock； and if they found a chance； murdered them
with their women and children； as they had tried to do at Maraisfontein；
though there； it is true； they had some provocation。 That British
virtue had liberated the slaves without paying their owners a fair price
for them； and so forth。
But； to tell the truth； it was not of these matters of high policy；
which were far enough away from a humble youth like myself； that I was
thinking。 What appealed to me and made my heart sick was the reflection
that if Henri Marais and his friends trekked； Marie Marais must perforce
trek with them； and that whereas I； an Englishman； could not be of that
adventurous company； Hernando Pereira both could and would。
On the day following our arrival home； what between the fresh air；
plenty of good food； for which I found I had an appetite； and liberal
doses of Pontaca generous Cape wine that is a kind of cross between
port and BurgundyI found myself so much better that I was able to hop
about the place upon a pair of crutches which