went
hers. But the past and secret trouble left its mark on both. Leonard
became sterner, more silent, watchful, and suspicious. Juanna grew
suddenly from a girl into a woman of presence and great natural dignity.
She did not often laugh during those months as had been her wont, she
only smiled, sadly enough at times. Her thoughts would not let her
laugh, for they were of what her life might have been had no such person
as Jane Beach existed, and of what it must be because of Jane Beach.
Indeed this unknown Jane took a great hold of her mind--she haunted her.
Juanna pictured her in a dozen different shapes of beauty, endowed with
many varying charms, and hated each phantasm worse than the last.

Still, for a while she would set it up as a rival, and try to outmatch
its particular fancied grace or loveliness--a strange form of jealousy
which at length led Otter to remark that the Shepherdess was not one
woman but twenty women, and, therefore, bewitched and to be avoided. But
these fits only took her from time to time. For the most part she moved
among them a grave and somewhat stately young lady, careful of
many things, fresh and lovely to look upon, a mystery to her white
companions, and to the natives little short of a goddess.

But wherever Juanna moved two shadows went with her--her secret passion
and the variable image of that far-off English lady who had robbed her
of its fruit.

CHAPTER XVII

THE DEATH OF MAVOOM

One more day's journeying brought the party to the ruined Settlement,
which they found in much the same condition as the Arabs had left it a
few weeks before. Fortunately the destruction was not nearly so great
as it appeared. The inside of the house, indeed, was burnt out, but its
walls still remained intact, also many of the huts of the natives were
still standing.

Messengers who left the canoes at dawn had spread the news of the rescue
and return of the Shepherdess among the people of the neighbouring
kraals, who flocked by scores to the landing-place. With these were at
least a hundred of Mr. Rodd's own people, who had escaped the clutches
of the slaver-traders by hiding, absence, and various other accidents,
and now returned to greet his daughter and their own relatives as they
would have greeted one risen from the grave. Indeed the welcome accorded
to Juanna was most touching. Men, women, and children ran to her, the
men saluting her with guttural voices and uplifted arms, the women and