mself, as one does who feels that a great struggle is at
hand, upon the issue of which everything depends.

"Do not be angry with me," he answered. "I cannot bear it. It hurts--ah!
you don't know how it hurts. Well, I will tell you, and before your
father, for that is more honourable. I dare--for your sake."

"For my sake? How can it benefit me to be cooped up in this horrible
place with you? I would rather trust myself with the Makalanga, or
even," she added with bitter scorn, "even with those bloody-minded
Matabele."

"You ran away from them very fast a little while ago, Miss Clifford. But
you do not understand me. When I said for your sake, I meant for my
own. See, now. You tried to leave me the other day and did not succeed.
Another time you might succeed, and then--what would happen to me?"

"I do not know, Mr. Meyer," and her eyes added--"I do not care."

"Ah! but I know. Last time it drove me nearly mad; next time I should go
quite mad."

"Because you believe that through me you will find this treasure of
which you dream day and night, Mr. Meyer----"

"Yes," he interrupted quickly. "Because I believe that in you I shall
find the treasure of which I dream day and night, and because that
treasure has become necessary to my life."

Benita turned quickly towards her father, who was puzzling over the
words, but before either of them could speak Jacob passed his hand
across his brow in a bewildered way and said:

"What was I talking of? The treasure, yes, the uncountable treasure of
pure gold, that lies hid so deep, that is so hard to discover and to
possess; the useless, buried treasure that would bring such joy and
glory to us both, if only it could be come at and reckoned out, piece by
piece, coin by coin, through the long, long years of life."

Again he paused; then went on.

"Well, Miss Clifford, you are quite right; that is why I have dared to
make you a prisoner, because, as the old Molimo said, the treasure is
yours and I wish to share it. Now, about this treasure, it seems that it
can't be found, can it, although I have worked so hard?" and he looked
at his delicate, scarred hands.

"Quite so, Mr. Meyer, it can't be found, so you had better let us go
down to the Makalanga."

"But there is a way, Miss Clifford, there is a way. You know where it
lies, and you can show me."

"If I knew I would show you soon enough, Mr. Meyer, for then you could
take the stuff and our partnership would be at an en