ebody. Who could it be?
Aletta's face flushed. Was it Adrian back again? He had been there
that morning and had ridden off, very moody and sullen. Had he thought
better of it and returned? Was it Adrian--or--And then the flush which
had spread over her cheeks and throat deepened, and her eyes shone with
a glad light, for there was a hoof-stroke or two hard by--on this side,
not on the opposite bank where she had expected the new-comer, whoever
it might be, first to show, and then the identity of the latter was
exactly as she could have wished.

"I am in luck's way this morning," said Colvin, dismounting. "Are you
indulging in a solitary meditation, Miss De la Rey?"

She answered in the affirmative. The while he had taken in at a glance
the whole picture: the tall, graceful figure against the background of
trees, the lighting up of the hazel eyes, the flush of colour which
rendered the face, framed within an ample white "kapje," wonderfully
soft and winning, as its owner stood, with her head thrown ever so
slightly back, there before him. Something or other--perhaps it was the
"kapje" she was wearing--recalled to his mind a somewhat similar meeting
in which May Wenlock constituted the other party to the transaction;
but, if so, it was only to think what a long time ago that seemed, and
what a change had come into and over his life since.

Then, as her glance fell upon his horse, and some birds dangling from
the saddle:

"Why, you have been shooting already. Tell me, do you even go to bed
with a cartridge-belt on? How many birds have you got?"

"Brace of partridges and two koorhaan. One is a _vaal_ koorhaan, and a
fine one too. It took an astonishingly long shot to bring him down. I
could have brought along a blekbok, but thought I'd let him go."

"Why?"

"Oh, I didn't want the bother of loading him up--and the rest of it. He
got up right under Punch's feet just after I turned into the gate of the
third camp. It was impossible to have missed him, for Punch is as
steady as a rock. So he stood, or rather ran, reprieved. No. I
couldn't be bothered with him to-day."

"Why--to-day?"

But with the words she dropped her eyes. Was it before something in his
glance? Immediately, however, she raised them again and met his fully,
bravely.

"Listen, Aletta. I have something to tell you, and it strikes me first
as a splendid augury that I should have found you like this all alone.
It is of no use beat