aving this part of the country.

But if we saw Piet's face no more, we could still feel the weight of
his hand, since from that time forward we began to suffer from thefts of
cattle and other troubles with the natives, which--so Sihamba learned
in her underground fashion--were instigated by him, working through his
savage tools, while he himself lay hidden far away and in safety. Also
he did us another ill turn--for it was proved that his money was at
the bottom of it--by causing Ralph to be commandeered to serve on some
distant Kaffir expedition, out of which trouble we were obliged to buy
him, and at no small cost.

All these matters weighed upon us much, so much, indeed, that I wished
Jan to trek from the Transkei and found a new home; but he would not,
for he loved the place which he had built up brick by brick, and planted
tree by tree; nor would he consent to be driven out of it through fear
of the wicked practices of Swart Piet. To one thing he did consent,
however, and it was that Ralph and Suzanne should be married as soon as
possible, for he saw that until they were man and wife there would be
little peace for any of us. When they were spoken to on the matter,
neither of them had anything to say against this plan; indeed, I believe
that in their hearts, for the first and last time in their lives, they
blessed the name of Black Piet, whose evil-doing, as they thought, was
hurrying on their happiness.

Now it was settled that the matter of this marriage should be kept
secret for fear it should come to the ears of Van Vooren through his
spies, and stir him up to make a last attempt to steal away Suzanne.
And, indeed, it did come to his ears, though how to this hour I do
not know, unless, in spite of our warning, the _predicant_ who was to
perform the ceremony, a good and easy man but one who loved gossip,
blabbed of it on his journey to the farm, for he had a two days' ride to
reach it.

It was the wish of all of us that we should continue to live together
after the marriage of Ralph and Suzanne, though not beneath the same
roof. Indeed, there would have been no room for another married pair in
that house, especially if children came to them, nor did I wish to
share the rule of a dwelling with my own daughter after she had taken
a husband, for such arrangements often end in bitterness and quarrels.
Therefore Jan determined to build them a new house in a convenient spot
not far away, and it was agreed that dur