er with natives. He would
sooner resign, and they know it; and fortunately they recognise his
value and meet him somehow. Of course, he isn't in the Native
Department, properly speaking, but he has done a lot of work with them
for some time."

"And what do you think he is down here for now?"

"I don't know; but it is some abuse or other that has reached the ears
of the administration. This sort of thing happens among the
short-sighted, small-minded Native Commissioners. There was a man a
short time back who charged his house boys five shillings for
everything they broke. At the end of six months they had had no pay at
all, and were pretty heavily in debt. He was magistrate as well as
commissioner and had them brought before his court, and promptly
sentenced them to work six months for nothing."

"What a shame!" she burst out indignantly.

"Or a Native Commissioner may terrorise a native into selling cattle
to him for a mere song by nothing but a look. Of course, they are not
allowed to buy cattle really, but if they are married their wives buy
them instead sometimes, and then the Commissioner in an outlying
district can fairly easily fix the price, if he has made himself a
dread to all the kraals round. He can collect taxes, too, not strictly
just, to make his accounts look well at headquarters."

"But I thought Native Commissioners were always gentlemen?"

"They are generally, but they don't all live up to the usually
accepted standard. Some of them seem rather to glory in behaving like
bounders and treating the native unjustly. It is bad for the country,
but things are improving. Almost all new appointments now are made
among public-school boys and Varsity men."

"And do you think Major Carew is here about some such matters?"

"Yes; but it isn't given out so, and no one knows just what. But the
natives are fortunate to have him on their side. He is not in the
least afraid, and he won't shelter any unjust steward. On the other
hand, whatever complaints there are against the natives will be just
as honestly examined, and woe betide the kraals that are in the wrong!
He is no Exeter Hall sentimentalist, and they must know it pretty well
by now."

"Why do you think he is out here at all? Surely he might have been a
general with his K.C.M.G. if he had stayed in the army?"

"I rather fancy Carew would think that a small thing compared to what
he has done in Rhodesia. After all, K.C.M.G.'s are pretty cheap
nowada