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me。 Say； therefore； to which of us does she belong？〃
〃It would seem that it should be to you；〃 he answered slowly； 〃since you
have shown yourself so faithful； and were it not for you she would now
be lying yonder；〃 and he pointed to the little heaps that covered the
bones of most of the expedition。 〃Yes； yes； it would seem that it
should be to you； who twice have saved her life and once have saved mine
also。〃
Now I suppose that he saw on my face the joy which I could not conceal；
for he added hastily： 〃Yet； Allan； years ago I swore on the Book before
God that never with my will should my daughter marry an Englishman； even
if be were a good Englishman。 Also； just before we left the Colony； I
swore again； in her presence and that of Hernan Pereira； that I would
not give her to you； so I cannot break my oath； can I？ If I did； the
good God would be avenged upon me。〃
〃Some might think that when I came here the good God was in the way of
being avenged upon you for the keeping of that evil oath；〃 I answered
bitterly； glancing； in my turn； at the graves。
〃Yes； they might； Allan；〃 he replied without anger； for all his troubles
had induced a reasonable frame of mind in himfor a while。 〃Yet； His
ways are past finding out； are they not？〃
Now my anger broke out； and； rising； I said：
〃Do you mean； Mynheer Marais； that notwithstanding the love between us；
which you know is true and deep； and notwithstanding that I alone have
been able to drag both of you and the others out of the claws of death；
I am never to marry Marie？ Do you mean that she is to be given to a
braggart who deserted her in her need？〃
〃And what if I do mean that； Allan？〃
〃This： although I am still young； as you know well I am a man who can
think and act for himself。 Also； I am your master hereI have cattle
and guns and servants。 Well； I will take Marie； and if any should try
to stop me； I know how to protect myself and her。〃
This bold speech did not seem to surprise him in the least or to make
him think the worse of me。 He looked at me for a while； pulling his
long beard in a meditative fashion； then answered：
〃I dare say that at your age I should have played the same game； and it
is true that you have things in your fist。 But； much as she may love
you； Marie would not go away with you and leave her father to starve。〃
〃Then you can come with us as my father…in…law； Mynheer Marais。 At any
rate； it is certain that I will not go away and leave her here to
starve。〃
Now I think that something which he saw in my eye showed him that I was
in earnest。 At least； he changed his tone and began to argue； almost to
plead。
〃Be reasonable； Allan；〃 he said。 〃How can you marry Marie when there is
no predicant to marry you？ Surely； if you love her so much； you would
not pour mud upon her name； even in this wilderness？〃
〃She might not think it mud；〃 I replied。 〃Men and women have been
married without the help of priests before now； by open declaration and
public report； for instance； and their children held to be born in
wedlock。 I know that； for I have read of the law of marriage。〃
〃It may be； Allan； though I hold no marriage good unless the holy words
are said。 But why do you not let me come to the end of my story？〃
〃Because I thought it was ended； Mynheer Marais。〃
〃Not so； Allan。 I told you that I had sworn that she should never marry
you with my will。 But when she is of age； which will be in some six
months' time； my will counts no longer； seeing that then she is a free
woman who can dispose of herself。 Also I shall be clear of my oath； for
no harm will come to my soul if that happens which I cannot help。 Now
are you satisfied？〃
〃I don't know；〃 I answered doubtfully； for somehow all Marais's
casuistry； which I thought contemptible； did not convince me that he was
sincere。 〃I don't know；〃 I repeated。 〃Much may chance in six months。〃
〃Of course； Allan。 For instance； Marie might change her mind and marry
someone else。〃
〃Or I might not be there to marry； mynheer。 Accidents sometimes happen
to men who are not wanted； especially in wild countries or； for the
matter of that； to those who are。〃
〃Allemachte！ Allan； you do not mean that I〃
〃No； mynheer；〃 I interrupted； 〃but there are other people in the world
besides yourselfHernan Pereira； for example； if he lives。 Still； I am
not the only one concerned in this matter。 There is Marie yonder。
Shall I call her？〃
He nodded； preferring probably that I should speak to her in his
presence rather than alone。
So I called Marie； who was watching our talk somewhat anxiously while
she went about her tasks。 She came at once； a very different Marie to
the starving girl of a while before； for although she was still thin and
drawn； her youth and beauty were returning to her fast under the
influences of good food and happiness。
〃What is it； Allan？〃 she asked gently。 I told her all； repeating our
conversation and the arguments which had been used on either side word
for word； as nearly as I could remember them。
〃Is that right？〃 I asked of Marais when I had finished。
〃It is right； you have a good memory；〃 he answered。
〃Very well。 And now what have you to say； Marie？〃
〃I； dear Allan？ Why； this： My life belongs to you； who have twice saved
this body of mine from death； as my love and spirit belong to you。
Therefore； I should have thought it no shame if I had been given to you
here and now before the people； and afterwards married by a clergyman
when we found one。 But my father has sworn an oath which weighs upon
his mind； and he has shown you that within six monthsa short six
monthsthat oath dies of itself； since； by the law； he can no longer
control me。 So； Allan； as I would not grieve him； or perhaps lead him
to say and do what is foolish； I think it would be well that we should
wait for those six months； if； on his part； he promises that he will
then do nothing to prevent our marriage。〃
〃Ja； ja； I promise that then I will do nothing to prevent your
marriage；〃 answered Marais eagerly； like one who has suddenly seen some
loophole of escape from an impossible position； adding； as though to
himself； 〃But God may do something to prevent it； for all that。〃
〃We are every one of us in the hand of God；〃 she replied in her sweet
voice。 〃Allan； you hear； my father has promised？〃
〃Yes； Marie； he has promisedafter a fashion；〃 I replied gloomily； for
somehow his words struck a chill through me。
〃I have promised； Allan； and I will keep my promise to you； as I have
kept my oath to God； attempting to work you no harm； and leaving all in
His hands。 But you； on your part； must promise also that； till she is
of age； you will not take Marie as a wifeno； not if you were left
alone together in the veld。 You must be as people who are affianced to
each other； no more。〃
So； having no choice； I promised； though with a heavy heart。 Then； I
suppose in order to make this solemn contract public； Marais called the
surviving Boers； who were loitering near； and repeated to them the terms
of the contract that we had made。
The men laughed and shrugged their shoulders。 But Vrouw Prinsloo； I
remember； said outright that she thought the business foolish； since if
anyone had a right to Marie； I had； wherever I chose to take her。 She
added that； as for Hernan Pereira； he was a 〃sneak and a stinkcat；〃 who
had gone off to save his own life； and left them all to die。 If _she_
were Marie； should they meet again； she would greet him with a pailful
of dirty water in the face； as she herself meant to do if she got the
chance。
Vrouw Prinsloo； it will be observed； was a very outspoken woman and； I
may add； an honest one。
So this contract was settled。 I have set it out at length because of
its importance in our story。 But now I wishah！ how I wish that I had
insisted upon being married to Marie then and there。 If I had done so；
I think I should have carried my point； for I was the 〃master of many
legions〃 in the shape of cattle； food and ammunition； and rather than
risk a quarrel with me； the other Boers would have forced Marais to give
way。 But we were young and inexperienced； also it was fated otherwise。
Who can question the decrees of Fate written immutably； perhaps long
before we were born； in the everlasting book of human destinies？
Yet； when I had shaken off my first fears and doubts； my lot and Marie's
were very happy； a perfect paradise； indeed； compared with what we had
gone through during that bitter time of silence and separation。 At any
rate； we were acknowledged to be affianced by the little society in
which we lived； including her father； and allowed to be as much alone
together as we liked。 This meant that we met at dawn only to separate
at nightfall； for； having little or no artificial light； we went to