is blood should be upon our hands. Now I will get
up and try to show no fear. I am sure that is best, and perhaps we shall
be able to escape somehow. Meanwhile, let us humour him, and pretend to
go on looking for this horrible treasure."

So Benita rose to discover that, save for her stiffness, she was but
little the worse, and finding all things placed in readiness, set to
work with her father's help to cook the evening meal as usual. Of Meyer,
who doubtless had placed things in readiness, she saw nothing.

Before nightfall he came, however, as she knew he would. Indeed,
although she heard no step and her back was towards him, she felt his
presence; the sense of it fell upon her like a cold shadow. Turning
round she beheld the man. He was standing close by, but above her, upon
a big granite boulder, in climbing which his soft veld schoons, or hide
shoes, had made no noise, for Meyer could move like a cat. The last rays
from the sinking sun struck him full, outlining his agile, nervous shape
against the sky, and in their intense red light, which flamed upon him,
he appeared terrible. He looked like a panther about to spring; his eyes
shone like a panther's, and Benita knew that she was the prey whom he
desired. Still, remembering her resolution, she determined to show no
fear, and addressed him:

"Good-evening, Mr. Meyer. Oh! I am so stiff that I cannot lift my neck
to look at you," and she laughed.

He bounded softly from the rock, like a panther again, and stood in
front of her.

"You should thank the God you believe in," he said, "that by now you are
not stiff indeed--all that the jackals have left of you."

"I do, Mr. Meyer, and I thank you, too; it was brave of you to come out
to save us. Father," she called, "come and tell Mr. Meyer how grateful
we are to him."

Mr. Clifford hobbled out from his hut under the tree, saying:

"I have told him already, dear."

"Yes," answered Jacob, "you have told me; why repeat yourself? I see
that supper is ready. Let us eat, for you must be hungry; afterwards I
have something to tell you."

So they ate, with no great appetite, any of them--indeed Meyer touched
but little food, though he drank a good deal, first of strong black
coffee and afterwards of squareface and water. But on Benita he pressed
the choicest morsels that he could find, eyeing her all the while, and
saying that she must take plenty of nutriment or her beauty would suffer
and her strength wane. Benita