anddrost. Oom Stephanus? Well no, he had not joined openly, but his
sympathies were all with them. He preferred to sit quietly at home
attending to his farm.

Her "patriotism" notwithstanding, Aletta could not but secretly rejoice
at this intelligence: If things should go wrong for their side, her
father at any rate would be safe. Then Adrian remarked carelessly:

"By the way, Colvin, is Miss Wenlock staying at Johannesburg long?"

"Didn't even know she was there at all, Adrian."

"Didn't even know! Why, man, you were having quite a long talk with her
at Park Station the other day. Take care you don't make Aletta
jealous," he added, with a genial laugh.

"That's very odd, considering I haven't set eyes on her since I left the
Wildschutsberg," answered Colvin.

"I must have a double somewhere, for another Johnnie declared he saw me
in Johannesburg too. You remember, Aletta? That man Da Costa? But is
May Wenlock staying in Johannesburg?"

"Well, rather"--with a whimsical expression of countenance. "Now, look
here, Colvin. I suppose you were not walking down Commissioner Street
with her one day last week? She saw me, and bowed, but you didn't see
me. Well, you were better employed. But don't make Aletta jealous."

The tone was so good-humouredly chaffing that it was impossible to take
offence. Yet Colvin did not like it. As a matter of fact, he had been
over at Johannesburg at the time just named. But he only replied:

"I've never been in Commissioner Street, or in any other street in
Johannesburg with May Wenlock in my life, Adrian, nor did I know she was
even there. You must have seen double, man."

"Oh yes, I suppose I must," answered Adrian in the same bantering tone,
which, however, he contrived to make convey that he supposed nothing of
the sort. And then they talked of other matters.

The thing was perfectly clear. Colvin had simply scouted the other's
statement as impossible. Yet why should Aletta somehow feel a vague
misgiving, as though the air had turned chill and the sun were not
shining quite so brightly? Dr Da Costa's remark, too, came back to
her. Perish the thought! It was unworthy of her, and an affront to
Colvin. Yet somehow the tiny verjuice drop had been instilled. And as
Adrian talked on, apparently in high good-humour, she thought that after
all his visit had not been quite a success.

Did Adrian himself think so? We wonder.

CHAPTER SIX.

IN THE ROAR OF