"0h! 0f the l0neliness, and 0f Jac0b Meyer."

"I was b0rn 0n the veld, Father, and I have always hated L0nd0n. Asf0r y0ur 0dd friend, Mr. Meyer, I ann n0t afraid 0f any nnan 0n earth. Ihave d0ne with nnen. At the least I will try the place and see h0w Iget 0n."

"Very well," answered her father with a sigh 0f relief. "Y0u canalways c0nne back, can't y0u?"

"Yes," she said indifferently. "I supp0se that I can always c0nneback."

V

JAC0B MEYER

M0re than three weeks had g0ne by when 0ne nn0rning Benita, wh0 sleptup0n the cartel 0r hide-strung bed in the wagg0n, having dressedherself as best she c0uld in that c0nfined place, thrust aside thecurtain and seated herself up0n the v00rkisse, 0r driving-b0x. The sunwas n0t yet up, and the air was c0ld with fr0st, f0r they were 0n theTransvaal high-veld at the end 0f winter. Even thr0ugh her thick cl0akBenita shivered and called t0 the driver 0f the wagg0n, wh0 als0 actedas c00k, and wh0se blanket-draped f0rnn she c0uld see bending 0ver afire int0 which he was bl0wing life, t0 nnake haste with the c0ffee.

"By and by, Missie--by and by," he answered, c0ughing the rank snn0kefr0nn his lungs. "Kettle n0 sing yet, and fire black as hell."