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doubtless by now he was dead； so what was the good of bothering about
him？
These sentiments appeared to appeal to the Boers； for they remarked：
〃Ja； what is the good？〃
〃Is it right；〃 asked Marais； 〃to abandon a comrade in misfortune； one of
our own blood？〃
〃Mein Gott！〃 replied Vrouw Prinsloo； 〃he is no blood of mine； the
evil…odoured Portuguee。 But I admit he is of yours； Heer Marais； being
your sister's son； so it is evident that you should be the one to go to
seek after him。〃
〃That seems to be so； Vrouw Prinsloo；〃 said Marais in his meditative
manner； 〃yet I must remember that I have Marie to look after。〃
〃Ach！ and so had he； too； until he remembered his own skin； and went off
with the only horse and all the powder； leaving her and the rest of us
to starve。 Well； you won't go； and Prinsloo won't go； nor my boy
either； for I'll see to that； so Meyer must go。〃
〃Nein； nein； good vrouw；〃 answered Meyer； 〃I have those children that
are left to me to consider。〃
〃Then；〃 exclaimed Vrouw Prinsloo triumphantly； 〃nobody will go； so let
us forget this stinkcat； as he forgot us。〃
〃Does it seem right；〃 asked Marais again； 〃that a Christian man should
be left to starve in the wilderness？〃 and he looked at me。
〃Tell me； Heer Marais；〃 I remarked； answering the look； 〃why should I of
all people go to look for the Heer Pereira； one who has not dealt too
well with me？〃
〃I do not know； Allan。 Yet the Book tells us to turn the other cheek
and to forget injuries。 Still； it is for you to judge； remembering that
we must answer for all things at the last day； and not for me。 I only
know that were I your age and not burdened with a daughter to watch
over； _I_ should go。〃
〃Why should you talk to me thus？〃 I asked with indignation。 〃Why do you
not go yourself； seeing that I am quite ready to look after Marie？〃
（Here the Vrouw Prinsloo and the other Boers tittered。） 〃And why do you
not address your remarks to these other heeren instead of to me； seeing
that they are the friends and trek…companions of your nephew？〃
At this point the male Prinsloos and Meyer found that they had business
elsewhere。
〃It is for you to judge； yet remember； Allan； that it is an awful thing
to appear before our Maker with the blood of a fellow creature upon our
hands。 But if you and these other hard…hearted men will not go； I at my
age； and weak as I am with all that I have suffered； will go myself。〃
〃Good；〃 said Vrouw Prinsloo； 〃that is the best way out of it。 You will
soon get sick of the journey； Heer Marais； and we shall see no more of
the stinkcat。〃
Marais rose in a resigned fashion； for he never deigned to argue with
Vrouw Prinsloo； who was too many for him； and said：
〃Farewell； Marie。 If I do not return； you will remember my wishes； and
my will may be found between the first leaves of our Holy Book。 Get up；
Klaus； and guide me to your master；〃 and he administered a somewhat
vicious kick to the gorged and prostrate Hottentot。
Now Marie； who all this while had stood silent； touched me on the
shoulder and said：
〃Allan； is it well that my father should go alone？ Will you not
accompany him？〃
〃Of course；〃 I answered cheerfully； 〃on such a business there should be
two； and some Kaffirs also to carry the man； if he still lives。〃
Now for the end of the story。 As the Hottentot Klaus was too exhausted
to move that night； it was arranged that we should start at dawn。
Accordingly； I rose before the light； and was just finishing my
breakfast when Marie appeared at the wagon in which I slept。 I got up
to greet her； and； there being no one in sight； we kissed each other
several times。
〃Have done； my heart；〃 she said； pushing me away。 〃I come to you from
my father； who is sick in his stomach and would see you。〃
〃Which means that I shall have to go after your cousin alone；〃 I replied
with indignant emphasis。
She shook her head； and led me to the little shanty in which she slept。
Here by the growing light； that entered through the doorway for it had
no window； I perceived Marais seated upon a wooden stool with his hands
pressed on his middle and groaning。
〃Good morning； Allan；〃 he said in a melancholy voice； 〃I am ill； very
ill； something that I have eaten perhaps； or a chill in the stomach；
such as often precedes fever or dysentery。〃
〃Perhaps you will get better as you walk； mynheer；〃 I suggested； for； to
tell the truth； I misdoubted me of this chill； and knew that he had
eaten nothing but what was quite wholesome。
〃Walk！ God alone knows how I can walk with something gripping my inside
like a wagon…maker's vice。 Yet I will try； for it is impossible to
leave that poor Hernan to die alone； and if I do not go to seek him； it
seems that no one else will。〃
〃Why should not some of my Kaffirs go with Klaus？〃 I asked。
〃Allan；〃 he replied solemnly； 〃if you were dying in a cave far from
help； would you think well of those who sent raw Kaffirs to succour you
when they might have come themselves； Kaffirs who certainly would let
you die and return with some false story？〃
〃I don't know what I should think； Heer Marais。 But I do know that if
_I_ were in that cave and Pereira were in this camp； neither would he
come himself； nor so much as send a savage to save _me_。〃
〃It may be so； Allan。 But even if another's heart is black； should
yours be black also？ Oh！ I will come； though it be to my death；〃 and；
rising from the stool with the most dreadful groan； he began to divest
himself of the tattered blanket in which he was wrapped up。
〃Oh！ Allan； my father must not go； it will kill him；〃 exclaimed Marie；
who took a more serious view of his case than I did。
〃Very well； if you think so；〃 I answered。 〃And now； as it is time for
me to be starting； good…bye。〃
〃You have a good heart； Allan；〃 said Marais； sinking back upon his stool
and resuming his blanket； while Marie looked despairingly first at one
and then at the other of us。
Half an hour later I was on the road in the very worst of tempers。
〃Mind what you are about；〃 called Vrouw Prinsloo after me。 〃It is not
lucky to save an enemy； and if I know anything of that stinkcat； he will
bite your finger badly by way of gratitude。 Bah！ lad； if I were you I
should just camp for a few days in the bush； and then come back and say
that I could find nothing of Pereira except the dead hyenas that had
been poisoned by eating him。 Good luck to you all the same； Allan； may
I find such a friend in need。 It seems to me that you were born to help
others。〃
Beside the Hottentot Klaus； my companions on this unwelcome journey were
three of the Zulu Kaffirs； for Hans I was obliged to leave in charge of
my cattle and goods with the other men。 Also； I took a pack…ox； an
active beast that I had been training to carry loads and； if necessary a
man； although as yet it was not very well broken。
All that day we marched over extremely rough country； till at last
darkness found us in a mountainous kloof； where we slept； surrounded by
watch…fires because of the lions。 Next morning at the first light we
moved on again； and about ten o'clock waded through a stream to a little
natural cave； where Klaus said he had left his master。 This cave seemed
extremely silent； and； as I hesitated for a moment at its mouth； the
thought crossed my mind that if Pereira were still there； he must be
dead。 Indeed； do what I would to suppress it； with that reflection came
a certain feeling of relief and even of pleasure。 For well I knew that
Pereira alive was more dangerous to me than all the wild men and beasts
in Africa put together。 Thrusting back this unworthy sentiment as best
I could； I entered the cave alone； for the natives； who dread the
defilement of the touch of a corpse； lingered outside。
It was but a shallow cavity washed out of the overhanging rock by the
action of water； and as soon as my eyes grew accustomed to its gloom； I
saw that at the end of it lay a man。 So still did he lie； that now I
was almost certain that his troubles were over。 I went up to him and
touched his face； which was cold and clammy； and then； quite convinced；
turned to leave the place； which； I thought； if a few rocks were piled
in the mouth of it； would make an excellent sepulchre。
Just as I stepped out into the sunlight； and was about to call to the
men to collect the rocks； however； I thought that I heard a very faint
groan behind me； which at the moment I set down to imagination。 Still；
I returned； though I did not much like the job； knelt down by the
figure； and waited with my hand over its heart。 For five minutes or
more I stayed here； and then； quite convinced； was about to leave again
when； for the second time； I heard that faint groan。 Pereira was not
dead； but only on the extreme brink of death！
I ran to the entrance of