, on a
remote Dutch farm in the Wildschutsbergen. And she was "only a Boer
girl!"

CHAPTER TEN.

"IF--."

"Well, child, and what do you think of `our only Englishman'?" said Mrs
De la Rey, as they were putting away the "early coffee" things the
following morning.

"I like him, mother," replied Aletta. "I oughtn't to because I have
heard so much about him. That is sure to start one with a prejudice
against anybody. Still, I think I shall. Oh, wasn't Tant' Plessis
killing about `the only Englishman' and `the only English girl'? By the
way, was there anything in it?"

"Don't ask me. _I_ don't know," laughed her mother. "Only he seemed a
little too anxious to deny it. One can never tell. May Wenlock is a
very pretty girl."

"Is she? I never saw her. I remember Frank Wenlock--a good sort of
boy, but something of a lout. Now, this one is ever so different."

"_Oh, mijn Vaterland_!" grunted a voice from the armchair. "There they
are, jabbering English again--a tongue only fit for baboons."

Mother and daughter looked round quickly, exchanged a meaning smile, and
went on with their subject. They were accustomed to the old woman's
growls, and took no more notice of them than if she had been a
discontented child.

"Let's drive over and see the Wenlocks one day, mother," said Aletta.
"I am curious to see the only English girl here. Besides, I shall be
able to see in a moment whether there is really any fire beneath Tant'
Plessis' smoke. Yes--that will be great fun."

"What sort of ideas have you brought back with you from Cape Town,
child?" cried Mrs De la Rey, apparently shocked though really intensely
amused.

"That's all right, old mother. I have become `advanced'--in fact, down
there everybody took me for an English girl. And I have learnt to ride
a bicycle. No, really, I wish I had one here. Only imagine Tanta's
face if I went skimming along the road there down to the gate and back
on two wheels. Heavens, I believe it would kill her. She'd get a fit,"
And again that silvery peal rang out long and clear.

"Aletta! Don't make such a noise, child. Why, you have quite startled
Mr Kershaw--look, away down there at the bottom of the garden. He is
looking up this way, quite startled."

"Is he? Where? Oh, I see," following her mother's glance through the
window. "I think I'll go and talk to him. He is going to be fun, I
believe. You know, I like the English--those of the better sor