h such confidence,
such knowledge. How could she know? he thought. Had Roux or Delport
been bragging in their cups? As a matter of fact, however, she was
merely shooting a random bolt.

"I think you must have taken leave of your senses, Aletta," he answered.
Then changing his tone, as the sight of her standing before him stirred
up all the old jealous rage against this English interloper, he went on:
"And what if I did? What if I did? He will be shot anyhow."

"Adrian, I never thought to have to name you a cowardly murderer--one
who kills not openly, but by lies and plots."

"I don't mind that. What about this valiant Englishman who sneaks in
between you and me, and steals away your love from me, only to make a
plaything of it? Yes, for it would have been mine, I know it would.
And we should have been happy--ah yes, happy. This English dog! What
name have you for such as he? And have you forgotten, Aletta, that
little talk we had one day in the garden at Ratels Hoek? I told you
then that the man who should come between you and me had better look
after himself, whoever he might be. I told you that, did I not? Well,
this man has come between you and me, and in less than twelve hours he
will be dead!--Dead--do you hear?"

His voice had taken on a sort of growl, and his face was hard and set
with hate and passion.

"No, he will not be," she answered. "For I will save him. Yes--I.
This very night I will go and plead with the Commandant. He will listen
to me for my father's sake. If the worst comes to the worst, I will
denounce you as the real offender. For I can convince him that you
are."

"No--no. I think not," replied Adrian jeeringly. "Schoeman is as hard
as iron, and you might plead with him until the Day of Judgment for all
you would effect. The fact of you being your father's child would not
move him an inch. He would be more likely to say it was a shameful and
scandalous thing for a girl to thrust herself forward in such a matter.
But if you want to make perfectly sure, come with me and I will take you
to his tent now. All the same, by going there you will be destroying
any slender chance Colvin might have."

His words, his confident manner, had their weight with Aletta. It was
exceedingly probable she might fail to move the Commandant. She had
another card in her hand--a better trump she thought--and she decided to
throw it.

"Oh, Adrian, I fear you are right," she said softly, sti