Walters.
And take what money you want, and send what is necessary up
here. Steal what you must, you hound, but leave us short of
nothing, or my big cousins here will cut you to ribbons. Is
that not so, Barend?'

"'Whenever you please, Emmanuel,' said Barend.

"The man Jim took the money and went, and

Emmanuel lay in Peter's arm, picking at the gold.

"'Shall I count it for you?' said Peter at last.

"'God, no!' said Emmanuel. 'Leave it, man. It's luxury not
to know how much it is.' A dribble of coins tinkled from
the blanket to the floor. 'Don't pick them up,' he cried,
as Barend stooped. 'This is like water in a long trek to
me.' He picked up a handful of money and strewed it abroad.
'I can die,' he said, 'now I've money to throw away, and
tonight there'll be the end.'

"It was an orgy that evening. There came men and women to
that high room, where the evil man Jim had already disposed
of bottles of spirits and of wine. The big Boers stood
there like trees among poppies. 'Tis an evil, leering
flower, the poppy, with its color of blood and love mounted
on its throat of death. Barend and Peter, upright and
still, stood at the head of the bed watching them as they
entered, lean, cruel-mouthed dogs of the city, whose eyes
went to the gold on the blanket ere they greeted the man
that had bidden them thither. Emmanuel, propped in his
pillows, his face a mask of hard mastery, his eyes like
blurs of fire on a burned stick, looked at them as they
came in, yet ever his eyes returned to the door, as though
he sought some one who should yet come.

"Women spoke to him--handsome bold women with free lips, and
eyes that commanded eyes of men, and these he barely
answered. But a crisp step on the stairs brought the death
spot hot and quick to his fevered cheeks, and there entered
a man.

"A small man, a dark man! Barend, talking afterwards, with
a pucker of wonder between his brows, said he was smooth.
He had a face that was keen and alert without being hard;
eyes that were quiet and yet judged; lips upon which there
dwelt an armed peace and also a humorous curve. He seemed
to have his own world, to blot from his consciousness that
which displeased him; yet he himself was for those who
looked upon him a man blocking the horizon of life. A great
man, I judge--that is, a man great in the qualities which
need but an aim to move mountains. God gives few such men
an aim, or there would be more gods.

"Emmanuel spoke ver