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rest； or read； or think； so I came back here。 I knew you were not here but
it seemed as though I should be nearer you； and it is you I wantyou that
the other people suggest to me； but cannot give。〃
He had filled all the sheets he had taken； and now lifted down the last
from the mantelpiece。 Em had dropped asleep； and lay slumbering peacefully
on the skin before the fire。 Out of doors the storm still raged； but in a
fitful manner； as though growing half weary of itself。 He bent over his
paper again； with eager flushed cheek； and wrote on。
〃It has been a delightful journey； this journey home。 I have walked on
foot。 The evening before last； when it was just sunset； I was a little
footsore and thirsty； and went out of the road to look for water。 I went
down into a deep little kloof。 Some trees ran along the bottom； and I
thought I should find water there。 The sun had quite set when I got to the
bottom of it。 It was very stillnot a leaf was stirring anywhere。 In the
bed of the mountain torrent I thought I might find water。 I came to the
bank； and leaped down into the dry bed。 The floor on which I stood was of
fine white sand； and the banks rose on every side like the walls of a room。
〃Above there was a precipice of rocks； and a tiny stream of water oozed
from them and fell slowly on to the flat stone below。 Each drop you could
hear fall like a little silver bell。 There was one among the trees on the
bank that stood cut out against the white sky。 All the other trees were
silent； but this one shook and trembled against the sky。 Everything else
was still； but those leaves were quivering； quivering。 I stood on the
sand； I could not go away。 When it was quite dark； and the stars had come；
I crept out。 Does it seem strange to you that it should have made me so
happy？ It is because I cannot tell you how near I felt to things that we
cannot see but we always feel。 Tonight has been a wild； stormy night。 I
have been walking across the plain for hours in the dark。 I have liked the
wind； because I have seemed forcing my way through to you。 I knew you were
not here； but I would hear of you。 When I used to sit on the transport
wagon half…sleeping； I used to start awake because your hands were on me。
In my lodgings； many nights I have blown the light out； and sat in the
dark； that I might see your face start out more distinctly。 Sometimes it
was the little girl's face who used to come to me behind the kopje when I
minded sheep； and sit by me in her blue pinafore； sometimes it was older。
I love both。 I am very helpless； I shall never do anything； but you will
work； and I will take your work for mine。 Sometimes such a sudden gladness
seizes me when I remember that somewhere in the world you are living and
working。 You are my very own； nothing else is my own so。 When I have
finished I am going to look at your room door〃
He wrote； and the wind； which had spent its fury； moaned round and round
the house； most like a tired child weary with crying。
Em woke up； and sat before the fire； rubbing her eyes； and listening； as it
sobbed about the gables； and wandered away over the long stone walls。
〃How quiet it has grown now；〃 she said； and sighed herself； partly from
weariness and partly from sympathy with the tired wind。 He did not answer
her； he was lost in his letter。
She rose slowly after a time； and rested her hand on his shoulder。
〃You have many letters to write；〃 she said。
〃No；〃 he answered； 〃it is only one to Lyndall。〃
She turned away； and stood long before the fire looking into it。 If you
have a deadly fruit to give； it will not grow sweeter by keeping。
〃Waldo； dear；〃 she said； putting her hand on his； 〃leave off writing。〃
He threw back the dark hair from his forehead and looked at her。
〃It is no use writing any more；〃 she said。
〃Why not？〃 he asked。
She put her hand over the papers he had written。
〃Waldo；〃 she said； 〃Lyndall is dead。〃
Chapter 2。XII。 Gregory's Womanhood。
Slowly over the flat came a cart。 On the back seat sat Gregory； his arms
folded； his hat drawn over his eyes。 A Kaffer boy sat on the front seat
driving； and at his feet sat Doss； who； now and again； lifted his nose and
eyes above the level of the splashboard； to look at the surrounding
country； and then； with an exceedingly knowing wink of his left eye； turned
to his companions； thereby intimating that he clearly perceived his
whereabouts。 No one noticed the cart coming。 Waldo； who was at work at
his carpenter's table in the wagon…house； saw nothing； till chancing to
look down he perceived Doss standing before him； the legs trembling； the
little nose wrinkled； and a series of short suffocating barks giving
utterance to his joy at reunion。
Em； whose eyes had ached with looking out across the plain； was now at work
in a back room； and knew nothing till； looking up； she saw Gregory； with
his straw hat and blue eyes； standing in the doorway。 He greeted her
quietly； hung his hat up in its old place behind the door； and for any
change in his manner or appearance he might have been gone only the day
before to fetch letters from the town。 Only his beard was gone； and his
face was grown thinner。 He took off his leather gaiters； said the
afternoon was hot and the roads dusty； and asked for some tea。 They talked
of wool； and the cattle； and the sheep； and Em gave him the pile of letters
that had come for him during the months of absence； but of the thing that
lay at their hearts neither said anything。 Then he went out to look at the
kraals； and at supper Em gave him hot cakes and coffee。 They talked about
the servants； and then ate their meal in quiet。 She asked no questions。
When it was ended Gregory went into the front room； and lay in the dark on
the sofa。
〃Do you not want a light？〃 Em asked； venturing to look in。
〃No；〃 he answered； then presently called to her； 〃Come and sit here； I want
to talk to you。〃
She came and sat on a footstool near him。
〃Do you wish to hear anything？〃 he asked。
She whispered：
〃Yes； if it does not hurt you。〃
〃What difference does it make to me？〃 he said。 〃If I talk or am silent； is
there any change？〃
Yet he lay quiet for a long time。 The light through the open door showed
him to her； where he lay； with his arm thrown across his eyes。 At last he
spoke。 Perhaps it was a relief to him to speak。
To Bloemfontein in the Free State； to which through an agent he had traced
them； Gregory had gone。 At the hotel where Lyndall and her stranger had
stayed he put up； he was shown the very room in which they had slept。 The
coloured boy who had driven them to the next town told him in which house
they had boarded； and Gregory went on。 In that town he found they had left
the cart； and bought a spider and four greys； and Gregory's heart rejoiced。
Now indeed it would be easy to trace their course。 And he turned his steps
northward。
At the farmhouses where he stopped the ooms and tantes remembered clearly
the spider with its four grey horses。 At one place the Boer…wife told how
the tall； blue…eyed Englishman had bought milk； and asked the way to the
next farm。 At the next farm the Englishman had bought a bunch of flowers；
and given half a crown for them to the little girl。 It was quite true； the
Boer…mother made her get it out of the box and show it。 At the next place
they had slept。 Here they told him that the great bulldog； who hated all
strangers； had walked in in the evening and laid its head in the lady's
lap。 So at every place he heard something； and traced them step by step。
At one desolate farm the Boer had a good deal to tell。 The lady had said
she liked a wagon that stood before the door。 Without asking the price the
Englishman had offered a hundred and fifty pounds for the old thing； and
bought oxen worth ten pounds for sixteen。 The Dutchman chuckled； for he
had the Salt…riem's money in the box under his bed。 Gregory laughed too；
in silence； he could not lose sight of them now； so slowly they would have
to move with that cumbrous ox…wagon。 Yet； when that evening came； and he
reached a little wayside inn； no one could tell him anything of the
travellers。
The master； a surly creature； half stupid with Boer…brandy； sat on the
bench before the door smoking。 Gregory sat beside him； questioning； but he
smoked on。 He remembered nothing of such strangers。 How should he know
who had been there months and months before？ He smoked on。 Gregory； very
weary； tried to wake his memory； said that the lady he was seeking for was
very beautiful； had a little mouth； and tiny； very tiny； feet。 The man
only smoked on as sullenly as at first。 What were little； very little；
mouths and feet to him。 But his daughter leaned out in the window above。
She was dirty and lazy； and liked to loll there when travellers came； to
h