guage of the
Englanders evoked her surprise, but the painful squeeze he gave her arm
compelled attention. "Next time the English Commandant to the house shall
come, you to listen at the keyhole is."

"Wot for?"

"For what have you before at keyholes listened, little fool?"

"To find out when they was goin' to sack me, so's to git me own notice in
fust--see? Then you can say to the lydy at the Registry Office--and don't
they give theirselves hairs!--as wot you're leaving because the place
don't suit. Twiggy?"

"You for yourself did listen, then. Goed. Now it is for me you listen
will, if you a true Boer's vrouw wish to become by-and-by."

She rose to the immemorial allure that is never out of season in angling
for her simple kind.

"That word you said means--wife, don't it, deer?" Her voice trembled; the
joyous, longed-for haven of marriage--was it possible that it might be in
sight?

"It shall mean wife, if you obey me--ja!--otherwise it will be that I
shall marry the daughter of a good countryman of mine, who many sheep has,
and much land, and plenty of money to give his daughter when she a husband
gets!"

Her underlip dropped pitifully, and the tears welled up. It was too dark
to see her crying, but he heard her sob, and grinned, himself unseen.

"I'll do anything for you, deer! Only don't tyke an' 'ave the other One.
She may be a Dutchy, but she won't never care for you like wot I do. Don't
you know it, Walt?"

"I shall it know when I hear what you have found out," proclaimed the
Slabberts grimly.

There was a boiling W. Keyse in the deep shadow of the tall
corrugated-iron fence, who restrained with difficulty a snort of
indignation.

"On'y tell me, deer. I'll find out anythink you want me to." Before her
spread a lovely vista of floors--her own floors--to scrub, and a kitchen
range--hers, too--which should cook dinners nice enough to make any
husband adore you.

"You shall for me find out what that Commandant of the rooineks is up to
under his Flag of the Red Cross."

"He didn't say nothink about no Red Cross, darlin'."

"Stilte! They will the Red Cross Flag hoist, I tell you, and it will
cover more than a parcel of nuns and schoolgirls. That Commandant is so
verdoemte slim! Tell me, do you cartridges well know when you shall see
them? Little brown rolls with at one end a copper cap--and at the other a
bullet. And gunpowder--you have that seen also?"

She quavered.

"Yes; but you don't want m