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〃Is dead。〃
He sat down on the bench before the fire。
〃The cakes are almost ready；〃 she said； 〃I will get you something to eat。
Where have you been wandering all this while？〃
〃Up and down； up and down；〃 he answered wearily； 〃and now the whim has
seized me to come back here。 Em；〃 he said； putting his hand on her arm as
she passed him； 〃have you heard from Lyndall lately？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Em； turning quickly from him。
〃Where is she？ I had one letter from her； but that is almost a year ago
nowjust when she left。 Where is she？〃
〃In the Transvaal。 I will go and get you some supper； we can talk
afterward。〃
〃Can you give me her exact address？ I want to write to her。〃
But Em had gone into the next room。
When food was on the table she knelt down before the fire； turning the
cakes； babbling restlessly； eagerly； now of this； now of that。 She was
glad to see himTant Sannie was coming soon to show her her new babyhe
must stay on the farm now； and help her。 And Waldo himself was well
content to eat his meal in silence； asking no more questions。
〃Gregory is coming back next week；〃 she said； 〃he will have been gone just
a hundred and three days tomorrow。 I had a letter from him yesterday。〃
〃Where has he been？〃
But his companion stooped to lift a cake from the fire。
〃How the wind blows！ One can hardly hear one's own voice；〃 she said。
〃Take this warm cake； no one's cakes are like mine。 Why； you have eaten
nothing！〃
〃I am a little weary；〃 he said； 〃the wind was mad tonight。〃
He folded his arms； and rested his head against the fireplace； whilst she
removed the dishes from the table。 On the mantelpiece stood an inkpot and
some sheets of paper。 Presently he took them down and turned up the corner
of the tablecloth。
〃I will write a few lines；〃 he said； 〃till you are ready to sit down and
talk。〃
Em； as she shook out the tablecloth； watched him bending intently over his
paper。 He had changed much。 His face had grown thinner； his cheeks were
almost hollow； though they were covered by a dark growth of beard。
She sat down on the skin beside him； and felt the little bundle on the
bench； it was painfully small and soft。 Perhaps it held a shirt and a
book； but nothing more。 The old black hat had a piece of unhemmed muslin
twisted round it； and on his elbow was a large patch so fixed on with
yellow thread that her heart ached。 Only his hair was not changed； and
hung in silky beautiful waves almost to his shoulders。
Tomorrow she would take the ragged edge off his collar； and put a new band
round his hat。 She did not interrupt him； but she wondered how it was that
he sat to write so intently after his long weary walk。 He was not tired
now； his pen hurried quickly and restlessly over the paper； and his eye was
bright。 Presently Em raised her hand to her breast； where lay the letter
yesterday had brought her。 Soon she had forgotten him； as entirely as he
had forgotten her； each was in his own world with his own。 He was writing
to Lyndall。 He would tell her all he had seen； all he had done； though it
were nothing worth relating。 He seemed to have come back to her； and to be
talking to her now he sat there in the old house。
〃and then I got to the next town； and my horse was tired； so I could go
no further； and looked for work。 A shopkeeper agreed to hire me as
salesman。 He made me sign a promise to remain six months； and he gave me a
little empty room at the back of the store to sleep in。 I had still three
pounds of my own； and when you just come from the country three pounds
seems a great deal。
〃When I had been in the shop three days I wanted to go away again。 A clerk
in a shop has the lowest work to do of all the people。 It is much better
to break stones； you have the blue sky above you； and only the stones to
bend to。 I asked my master to let me go； and I offered to give him my two
pounds； and the bag of mealies I had bought with the other pound； but he
would not。
〃I found out afterward he was only giving me half as much as he gave to the
othersthat was why。 I had fear when I looked at the other clerks that I
would at last become like them。 All day they were bowing and smirking to
the women who came in； smiling； when all they wanted was to get their money
from them。 They used to run and fetch the dresses and ribbons to show
them； and they seemed to me like worms with oil on。 There was one
respectable thing in that storeit was the Kaffer storeman。 His work was
to load and unload； and he never needed to smile except when he liked； and
he never told lies。
〃The other clerks gave me the name of Old Salvation； but there was one
person I liked very much。 He was clerk in another store。 He often went
past the door。 He seemed to me not like othershis face was bright and
fresh like a little child's。 When he came to the shop I felt I liked him。
One day I saw a book in his pocket； and that made me feel near him。 I
asked him if he was fond of reading； and he said； yes； when there was
nothing else to do。 The next day he came to me； and asked me if I did not
feel lonely； he never saw me going out with the other fellows； he would
come and see me that evening； he said。
〃I was glad； and bought some meat and flour； because the grey mare and I
always ate mealies； it is the cheapest thing； when you boil it hard you
can't eat much of it。 I made some cakes； and I folded my great coat on the
box to make it softer for him； and at last he came。
〃'You've got a rummy place here；' he said。
〃You see there was nothing in it but packing…cases for furniture； and it
was rather empty。 While I was putting the food on the box he looked at my
books； he read their names out aloud。 'Elementary Physiology；' 'First
Principles。'
〃'Golly！' he said； 'I've got a lot of dry stuff like that at home I got for
Sunday…school prizes； but I only keep them to light my pipe with now； they
come in handy for that。' Then he asked me if I had ever read a book called
the 'Black…eyed Creole。' 'That is the style for me；' he said； 'there where
the fellow takes the nigger…girl by the arm； and the other fellow cuts it
off！ That's what I like。'
〃But what he said after that I don't remember； only it made me feel as if I
were having a bad dream； and I wanted to be far away。
〃When he had finished eating he did not stay long； he had to go and see
some girls home from a prayer…meeting； and he asked how it was he never saw
me walking out with any on Sunday afternoons。 He said he had lots of
sweethearts； and he was going to see one the next Wednesday on a farm； and
he asked me to lend my mare。 I told him she was very old。 But he said it
didn't matter； he would come the next day to fetch her。
〃After he was gone my little room got back to its old look。 I loved it so；
I was so glad to get into it at night； and it seemed to be reproaching me
for bringing him there。 The next day he took the grey mare。 On Thursday
he did not bring her back； and on Friday I found the saddle and bridle
standing at my door。
〃In the afternoon he looked into the shop； and called out： 'Hope you got
your saddle； Farber？ Your bag…of…bones kicked out six miles from here。
I'll send you a couple of shillings tomorrow； though the old hide wasn't
worth it。 Good morning。'
〃But I sprung over the counter； and got him by his throat。 My father was
so gentle with her； he never would ride her up hill； and now this fellow
had murdered her！ I asked him where he had killed her； and I shook him
till he slipped out of my hand。 He stood in the door grinning。
〃'It didn't take much to kill that bag…of…bones； whose master sleeps in a
packing…case； and waits till his company's finished to eat on the plate。
Shouldn't wonder if you fed her on sugar…bags；' he said； 'and if you think
I've jumped her； you'd better go and look yourself。 You'll find her along
the road by the aasvogels that are eating her。'
〃I caught him by his collar； and I lifted him from the ground； and I threw
him out into the street； half…way across it。 I heard the bookkeeper say to
the clerk that there was always the devil in those mum fellows； but they
never called me Salvation after that。
〃I am writing to you of very small things； but there is nothing else to
tell； it has been all small and you will like it。 Whenever anything has
happened I have always thought I would tell it to you。 The back thought in
my mind is always you。 After that only one old man came to visit me。 I
had seen him in the streets often； he always wore very dirty black clothes；
and a hat with crepe round it； and he had one eye； so I noticed him。 One
day he came to my room with a subscription…list for a minister's salary。
When I said I had nothing to give he looked at me with his one eye。
〃'Young man；' he said； 'how is it I never see you in the house of