inflicting pain upon a fellow-being, or
indeed upon any dumb animal, was hateful to him, and doubly so when, as
in this case, it was a helpless girl who was being tormented.

As he looked into the room, which was lit by a hanging lamp, he saw
Eileen Russel standing, violin in hand, in the opposite corner, the very
picture of terror, grief, and despair, playing an air which had been
popular in Johannesburg a few months before; while, seated round a
table, in all sorts of attitudes, were ten men, shouting the chorus in a
mixture of Dutch and English which grated on his ear.

Jack watched them closely, and recognised with another start that the
man in the centre, leaning back in his chair, with his legs upon the
table, was none other than the dapper English colonist who had
questioned them so closely at De Aar.

Satisfied with his inspection, he slipped back again, and a moment or
two later stood by Wilfred's side.

"We're going to stop here for a little while," he said shortly.
"There's a bit of bullying going on over there. Bring the ponies round
into the garden, and we'll tie them up at the back of the house."

Wilfred looked searchingly at his friend, but recognising from the
resolute tone that Jack meant every word he said, he sent the ponies
ahead, and soon had them at the back of the farmhouse.

"Look here, Wilfred," said Jack brusquely, as soon as the animals were
fastened to the rails, "there's a scandalous piece of business going on
in there. That spy fellow from De Aar is chief of the gang of Boers,
who are ill-treating Eileen Russel. She and her father have shown me
many a kindness, and I am going to repay it. There are ten of them
altogether. If you don't like the job you can slip outside and wait
till I've done with them."

"Of course I like it," Wilfred whispered back indignantly. "Shut up,
Jack! If there's a row on, of course I shall help you!"

"Then, come along, but don't do anything till I give the word."

Stealing across to the window, they raised their heads and looked in, to
find the Boers in much the same position, except that most of them were
drinking the contents of long tumblers of whisky and water, which "Tim",
a faithful Zulu servant of the Russels, had just placed in front of
them. Eileen had stopped her playing, and stood in her corner looking
like a hunted animal, while tears trickled down her cheeks.

"Here, you black animal! Go and fetch me some more drink," shouted the