e soldier. She did not like
his face at all, and changed her mind about what she meant to say to
him.

"Why don't you do as I tell you? Take off that ribbon at once," he
commanded.

"Why don't you go and conquer the Transvaal?" she asked.

"I have my orders," he said, with a black look, "and if you don't
remove those colours from your hat immediately, I shall send some one
to take them off by force."

"Take the Transvaal first," she said persuasively, "then you will be
quite welcome to my bit of ribbon."

He wheeled round suddenly and tore off to the Sunnyside Charge Office,
lashing his poor horse savagely and looking round at her with a
watchful eye every few yards.

Hansie walked faster, and had nearly reached the side gate of the
Consulate, when she saw him returning with two other mounted soldiers.

She dived through the gate, and running through the garden,
unceremoniously entered the house at a side door.

"Oh, Celeste!" she said to the astonished Miss Cinatti, "there are
three men after me!"

"Three men after you! What do you mean?"

"They want my precious 'Vierkleur.' What shall I do?"

"Take it off!"

"Never!"

Here they were joined by Mr. Cinatti, who waved his arms and stamped
his feet when he heard the story, and got so excited and indignant
that he spluttered even more than usual in his broken English.

"What meant it all? What impudent impertinence was dis? It was nothing
but one big mean trick, a prying trap," etc., etc.

When the storm was over (and his storms were usually of brief
duration) he asked Hansie, with a gesture of comical despair:

"What are we going to do now?"

"I don't know."

"Will you take off dat ribbon?"

"I will not."

Hugely delighted, he clasped his hands in well-assumed agony of mind.

"Stay here and go home in de dark?"

"No," Hansie laughed.

"I'll tell you. Celeste will give you anudder ribbon to put over dat
one."

"Thank you very much," Hansie said. "Yes, that is a good idea."

Miss Cinatti fastened a broad white ribbon over the "Vierkleur," and
Hansie bade her an affectionate farewell. The Consul escorted her to
the gate, where they found one of the mounted soldiers guarding the
entrance, while the second had been stationed at the side gate into
which Hansie had been seen to disappear. The man who had addressed her
first was nowhere to be seen. Mr. Cinatti glared at the soldier, who
backed away from the entrance, and allowed the girl to pass