else, I suppose. They are all rebels
at heart, I believe, and he's as great a rebel as any. Yes? Come in."

Again the Court constable entered.

"Mynheer Grobbelaar wishes to see you, sir."

"Grobbelaar? Is it Jan Grobbelaar?"

"Yes, sir."

"Show him in. This is getting warm, Morkel. Another damned
Field-cornet. I suppose _he_ wants to resign now."

Swaart Jan entered, his projecting buck-teeth more prominent than ever
in an oily grin, as he shook hands with the two officials. Jelf's
manner was short, and he wasted no time in preliminaries.

"Well, Mynheer Grobbelaar, and what can I do for you?"

"Nay, Mynheer, thank you. I have not called on business; just to make a
little friendly visit."

"Oh, not on business?" said the magistrate, greatly relieved in his own
mind, yet wishing his visitor at the devil, bothering in like that
during office hours. But he changed his mind when the Boer explained
that he had been shooting a few springbuck lately, and he had brought in
a little matter of a saddle and a couple of haunches, which Mrs Jelf
might find good for roasting. It was from a young buck, and would eat
well--he went on, in his shambling, diffident way.

Jelf thawed at once, and thanked his visitor. Here was another
opportunity of getting at the state of Dutch feeling; and by way of
preliminary he told the other about Stephanus' resignation, adding, with
a laugh:

"I thought you had come to resign too, Mynheer Grobbelaar."

But the little man deprecated the possibility of any such idea having
entered his head. It was a pity Stephanus had resigned, though. In
answer to other questions--yes, there was some foolish talk among the
Boers around him, but it was only talk, and they were young men. The
Patriot? Oh, yes, he had visited some of them, but only on a flying
visit. Held meetings? Oh, no--and here Swaart Jan's hands went up in
pious horror. What did Mynheer think of him, and those around him, to
imagine that he, or they, would countenance such a thing for a single
moment?

Jelf felt intensely relieved. Here was loyalty at last, anyhow--another
item for his report. And he and his visitor parted with the most
cordial of farewells; and Field-cornet Jan Marthinus Grobbelaar, _alias_
Swaart Jan, went out grinning till his tusks nearly came below the level
of his chin, as he thought of the cases of Mauser rifles snugly stored
in a safe recess within his house, and the ammunition, a quanti