heir testimony exactly
corresponded with that of Adrian! They were somewhat heavy-looking
young men--brothers, named Hattingh. Asked what the drink consisted of,
they thought it was whisky. It was not square-face or _dop_? No; they
were sure it was whisky. All Englishmen drank whisky; therefore,
decided the hearers, the man who gave them the drink must have been this
Englishman.

Both brothers had the same tale to tell, and they told it so glibly, so
naturally, as to puzzle even the accused himself. They were of the type
that do not make good liars--that is, in the sense of ability to sustain
a series of consistent and circumstantial lies; indeed, had he been an
impartial auditor of their testimony, instead of one vitally concerned
therewith, he was forced to own to himself that he would have believed
it. Such being the case, it was hardly to be wondered at if those who
heard it believed every word.

These witnesses knew this Englishman, but not very well. They had seen
him sometimes about the camp, and when he came up and chatted to them,
and offered them something to drink, they were only too glad, for the
nights up here in the Wildschutsberg were chilly, and a drop of
something warmed a man.

And here we will digress briefly to explain that what would have been a
very serious offence for all concerned, in the British regular, or even
irregular forces, constituted just no offence at all in a Boer commando.
For a Boer commando represents a chronic state of "marching-at-ease,"
and the fact of a couple of sentries having a chat with a comrade and a
"nip" out of his flask was nothing.

Both these men Colvin cross-questioned, not at any length, and in a
conciliatory tone, and his main points were as to how they could be sure
of his identity in the dark, especially as they had owned to being
personally unacquainted with him. But the questions seemed genuinely to
surprise them. For one thing, it was not so dark. The stars were
shining very brightly. A Boer was not an Englishman that he could not
see out of doors by starlight.

Then followed Gideon Roux, who testified that Colvin had spent at least
two hours at his house the evening before. He would have left about the
time named by Adrian De la Rey, but he could not say for certain within
half an hour or so.

What had the accused to go upon? One after another of these men came
forward unhesitatingly to swear away his life, for that is what he fully
real