ell a short
silence while he read. Sylvia took up her duster again. Her hands
were trembling.

In a moment Burke spoke. "Yes, it's from Merston. The poor chap
has had an accident, fallen from his horse and badly wrenched his
back. His overseer is away, and he wants to know if I will go over
and lend a hand. I must go of course." He turned round to her.
"You'll be able to manage for a day or two?"

Her breathing came quickly, nervously. She felt oddly uncertain of
herself, as if she had just come through a crisis that had bereft
her of all her strength,

"Of course," she said, not looking at him. "Of course."

He stood for a moment or two, watching her. Then he moved to her
side.

"I'm leaving you in charge," he said, "But you won't overdo it?
Promise me!"

She laughed a little. The thought of his going was a vast relief
to her at that moment. She yearned to be alone, to readjust her
life somehow before she met him again. She wanted to rebuild her
defences. She wanted to be quite sure of herself.

"Oh, I shall take great care of myself," she said. "I'm very good
at that."

"I wonder," said Burke, And then he laid his hand upon the flicking
duster and stopped her quivering activity. "Are you still--hating
me?" he said.

She stood motionless, and still her eyes avoided his. "I'll tell
you," she said, "when we meet again."

"Does that mean that I am to go--unforgiven?" he said.

Against her will she looked at him. In spite of her, her lip
trembled,

He put his arm round her. "Does it?" he said.

"No," she whispered back.

In that moment they were nearer than they had been through all the
weeks of Guy's illness, nearer possibly than they had ever been
before. It would have been so easy for Sylvia to lean upon that
strong encircling arm, so easy that she wondered afterwards how she
restrained the impulse to do so. But the moment passed so quickly,
sped by the sound of Kelly's feet upon the _stoep_, and Burke's arm
pressed her close and then fell away.

There was neither disappointment nor annoyance on his face as he
turned to meet his guest. He was even smiling.

Sylvia recalled that smile afterwards--the memory of it went with
her through all the bitter hours that followed.

CHAPTER IX

FOR THE SAKE OF THE OLD LOVE

Kelly accompanied Burke when, after hurried preparation and
consultation with Schafen, he finally took the rough road that
wound by the _kopje_ on his way t