might
be."

"So it might. But what I wonder at, Elvesdon, is that this affair
should be all news to you. Why it caused some considerable kick up at
the time."

"At the time. That's just it. It must have been during the couple of
years I was over in England and the States.--Come in," as a knock came
at the door.

"Please sir," said the native constable, who was proud of airing his
English, "dere's one lady--like see _Nkose_."

"One lady? Look here Isaac. Do you mean a `lady' or some _bywoner
vrouw_, come for a summons against somebody?"

"Dis one lady, sir. She ask for Mr Elvesdon, not for de magistrate."

"Oh, show her in. Don't go, doctor, till we see what she wants."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

THE NEW ARRIVAL.

The native constable was holding open the door. There was a soft rustle
of feminine attire as its wearer crossed the empty Court room, and the
newcomer entered.

"Mr Elvesdon, I believe?" she said, after a rapid glance at both men,
and easily identifying the right one. "I must introduce myself. My
name is Carden--Evelyn Carden--and you may have heard of me from Mr
Thornhill. He lives near here, does he not?"

"Yes. About two hours. Sit down, Miss Carden," handing her a chair.
"As a matter of fact I have heard of you. The Thornhills have been
wondering that they did not--after your letter."

The newcomer's eyebrows went up in surprise.

"The Thornhills not heard!" she exclaimed wonderingly. "But they must
have. Why I wired from Durban here, just as I was directed; but it was
to put off coming just then. And they never received it?"

"No. I can answer for that. Er--by the way, did you send it yourself,
Miss Carden?"

"Well, no. The fact is I didn't. I gave it, the wire, and also a
letter, to a coolie porter at a station just this side of Pinetown--I
forget the name--to send for me."

Elvesdon smiled.

"That accounts for the whole trouble," he said.

All this time he had been taking stock of the newcomer. She was of fair
height, and plainly but unmistakably well dressed. She had straight
features and a reposeful expression, an abundance of light brown hair,
and clear grey eyes. She had just missed being exactly pretty, yet the
face was an attractive one, and there was an atmosphere of refinement
and _savoir faire_ about her that left no room for doubt as to her
standing in the social scale. She seemed about two or three and thirty
in point of age--in reality she was n