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food； food！_〃
Then Marais burst into tears and flung himself upon my breast； nearly
knocking me down。 I wrenched myself free of him and ran to Marie； who
was lying face upwards on the ground。 She seemed to hear my step； for
her eyes opened and she struggled to a sitting posture。
〃Is it really you； Allan； or do I dream？〃 she murmured。
〃It is I； it is I；〃 I answered； lifting her to her feet； for she seemed
to weigh no more than a child。 Her head fell upon my shoulder； and she
too began to weep。
Still holding her； I turned to the men and said：
〃Why do you starve when there； is game all about？〃 and I pointed to two
fat elands strolling among the trees not more than a hundred and fifty
yards away。
〃Can we kill game with stones？〃 asked one of them； 〃we whose powder was
all burnt a month ago。 Those buck；〃 he added； with a wild laugh； 〃come
here to mock us every morning； but they will not walk into our pitfalls。
They know them too well； and we have no strength to dig others。〃
Now when I left my wagons I had brought with me that same Purdey rifle
with which I had shot the geese in the match against Pereira； choosing
it because it was so light to carry。 I held up my hand for silence； set
Marie gently on the ground； and began to steal towards the elands。
Taking what shelter I could； I got within a hundred yards of them； when
suddenly they took alarm； being frightened； in fact； by my two Zulu
servants； who were now arriving。
Off they galloped； the big bull leading； and vanished behind some trees。
I saw their line； and that they would appear again between two clumps
of bush about two hundred and fifty yards away。 Hastily I raised the
full sight on the rifle； which was marked for two hundred yards； lifted
it； and waited； praying to God as I did so that my skill might not fail
me。
The bull appeared； its head held forward； its long horns lying flat upon
the back。 The shot was very long； and the beast very large to bring
down with so small a bullet。 I aimed right forwardclear of it；
indeedhigh too； in a line with its backbone； and pressed the trigger。
The rifle exploded； the bullet clapped； and the buck sprang forward
faster than ever。 I had failed！ But what was this？ Suddenly the great
bull swung round and began to gallop towards us。 When it was not more
than fifty yards away； it fell in a heap； rolled twice over like a shot
rabbit； and lay still。 That bullet was in its heart。
The two Kaffirs appeared breathless and streaming with perspiration。
〃Cut meat from the eland's flank； don't stop to skin it；〃 I said in my
broken Zulu； helping the words out with signs。
They understood； and a minute later were at work with their assegais。
Then I looked about me。 Near by lay a store of dead branches placed
there for fuel。
〃Have you fire？〃 I asked of the skeleton Boers； for they were nothing
more。
〃Nein； nein；〃 they answered； 〃our fire is dead。〃
I produced the tinder…box which I carried with me； and struck the flint。
Ten minutes later we had a cheerful blaze； and within three…quarters of
an hour good soup； for iron pots were not wantingonly food to put into
them。 I think that for the rest of that day those poor creatures did
little else but eat； sleeping between their meals。 Oh！ the joy I had in
feeding them； especially after the wagons arrived； bringing with them
salthow they longed for that salt！sugar and coffee。
CHAPTER IX
THE PROMISE
Of the original thirty…five souls； not reckoning natives； who had
accompanied Henri Marais upon his ill…fated expedition； there now
remained but nine alive at the new Maraisfontein。 These were himself；
his daughter； four Prinsloosa family of extraordinary
constitutionand three Meyers； being the husband of the poor woman I
had seen committed to the grave and two of her six children。 The rest；
Hernan Pereira excepted； had died of fever and actual starvation； for
when the fever lessened with the change of the seasons； the starvation
set in。 It appeared that； with the exception of a very little； they had
stored their powder in a kind of outbuilding which they constructed；
placing it at a distance for safety's sake。 When most of the surviving
men were away； however； a grass fire set light to this outbuilding and
all the powder blew up。
After this； for a while they supplied the camp with food by the help of
such ammunition as remained to them。 When that failed they dug pits in
which to catch game。 In time the buck came to know of these pits； so
that they snared no more。
Then； as the 〃biltong〃 or sun…dried meat they had made was all consumed；
they were driven to every desperate expedient that is known to the
starving； such as the digging up of bulbs； the boiling of grass； twigs
and leaves； the catching of lizards； and so forth。 I believe that they
actually ate caterpillars and earthworms。 But after their last fire
went out through the neglect of the wretched Kaffir who was left to
watch it； and having no tinder； they failed to relight it by friction；
of course even this food failed them。 When I arrived they had
practically been three days without anything to eat except green leaves
and grass； such as I saw the child chewing。 In another seventy hours
doubtless every one of them would have been dead。
Well； they recovered rapidly enough； for those who had survived its
ravages were evidently now impervious to fever。 Who can tell the joy
that I experienced as I watched Marie returning from the very brink of
the grave to a state of full and lovely womanhood？ After all； we were
not so far away from the primitive conditions of humanity； when the
first duty of man was to feed his women and his children； and I think
that something of that instinct remains with us。 At least； I know I
never experienced a greater pleasure than I did； when the woman I loved；
the poor； starving woman； ate and ate of the food which _I_ was able to
give hershe who for weeks had existed upon locusts and herbs。
For the first few days we did not talk much except of the immediate
necessities of the hour； which occupied all our thoughts。 Afterwards；
when Marais and his daughter were strong enough to bear it； we had some
conversation。 He began by asking how I came to find them。
I replied； through Marie's letter； which； it appeared； he knew nothing
of； for he had forbidden her to write to me。
〃It seems fortunate that you were disobeyed； mynheer；〃 I said； to which
he answered nothing。
Then I told the tale of the arrival of that letter at the Mission
Station in the Cape Colony by the hand of a wandering smous； and of my
desperate ride upon the swift mare to Port Elizabeth； where I just
succeeded in catching the brig Seven Stars before she sailed。 Also I
told them of the lucky chances that enabled me to buy the wagons and
find a guide to their camp； reaching it but a few hours before it was
too late。
〃It was a great deed；〃 said Henri Marais； taking the pipe from his
mouth； for I had brought tobacco among my stores。 〃But tell me； Allan；
why did you do it for the sake of one who has not treated you kindly？〃
〃I did it；〃 I answered； 〃for the sake of one who has always treated me
kindly；〃 and I nodded towards Marie； who was engaged in washing up the
cooking pots at a distance。
〃I suppose so； Allan； but you know she is affianced to another。〃
〃I know that she is affianced to me； and to no other；〃 I answered
warmly； adding； 〃And pray where is this other？ If he lives I do not see
him here。〃
〃No；〃 replied Marais in a curious voice。 〃The truth is； Allan； that
Hernan Pereira left us about a fortnight before you came。 One horse
remained； which was his； and with two Hottentots； who were also his
servants； he rode back upon the track by which we came； to try to find
help。 Since then we have heard nothing of him。〃
〃Indeed； and how did he propose to get food on the way？〃
〃He had a rifle； or rather they all three had rifles； and about a
hundred charges between them； which escaped the fire。〃
〃With a hundred charges of powder carefully used your camp would have
been fed for a month； or perhaps two months；〃 I remarked。 〃Yet he went
away with all of themto find help？〃
〃That is so； Allan。 We begged him to stay； but he would not； and； after
all； the charges were his own property。 No doubt he thought he acted
for the best； especially as Marie would have none of him；〃 Marais added
with emphasis。
〃Well；〃 I replied； 〃it seems that it is I who have brought you the help；
and not Pereira。 Also； by the way； mynheer； I have brought you the
money my father collected on your account； and some #500 of my own； or
what is left of it； in goods and gold。 Moreover； Marie does not refuse
me。 Say； therefore； to which of us does she belong？〃
〃It would seem that it should be to you；〃 h