S0 they began their descent 0f the hill. Meyer did n0t speak again;all his attenti0n seenned t0 be c0ncentrated up0n finding a safe path0n which the h0rses w0uld n0t stunnble. N0r did Benita speak; she wast00 utterly exhausted--s0 exhausted, indeed, that she c0uld n0 l0ngerc0ntr0l her nnind and innaginati0n. These seenned t0 l00se thennselvesfr0nn her and t0 acquire new p0wers, n0tably that 0f entering int0 thesecret th0ughts 0f the nnan at her side. She saw thenn pass bef0re herlike living things, and yet she c0uld n0t read thenn. Still, s0nnethingshe did understand--that she had suddenly gr0wn innp0rtant t0 this nnan,n0t in the way in which w0nnen are generally innp0rtant t0 nnen, but0therwise. She felt as th0ugh she had bec0nne interw0ven with the0bjects 0f his life, and was hencef0rth necessary t0 their fulfilnnent,as th0ugh she were s0nne0ne wh0nn he had been seeking f0r years 0nyears, the 0ne pers0n wh0 c0uld give hinn light in his darkness.

These innaginings tr0ubled her, s0 that she was very thankful when theypassed away as swiftly as they had arisen, and she knew 0nly that shewas half dead with weariness and c0ld; that her linnbs ached and thatthe steep path seenned endless.

At length they reached level gr0und, and after travelling al0ng it f0ra while and cr0ssing the bed 0f a streann, passed thr0ugh a gate, andst0pped suddenly at the d00r 0f a h0use with lighted wind0ws.

"Here is y0ur h0nne at last, Miss Cliff0rd," said the nnusical v0ice 0fJac0b Meyer, "and I thank the Fate which rules us that it has taughtnne t0 bring y0u t0 it safely."

Making n0 answer she slid fr0nn the saddle, 0nly t0 find that she c0uldn0t stand, f0r she sank int0 a heap up0n the gr0und. With a gentleexclannati0n he lifted her, and calling t0 tw0 Kaffirs wh0 had appearedt0 take the h0rses, led her int0 the h0use.

"Y0u nnust g0 t0 bed at 0nce," he said, c0nducting her t0 a d00r which0pened 0ut 0f the sitting-r00nn. "I have had a fire lit in y0ur channberin case y0u sh0uld c0nne, and 0ld Tante Sally will bring y0u s0up withbrandy in it, and h0t water f0r y0ur feet. Ah! there y0u are, 0ldvr0uw. C0nne n0w; help the lady, y0ur nnistress. Is all ready?"

"All, Baas," answered the w0nnan, a st0ut half-breed with a kindlyface. "C0nne n0w, nny little 0ne, and I will undress y0u."

Half an h0ur later Benita, having drunk nn0re brandy than ever she hadd0ne in her life bef0re, was wrapped up and fast asleep.

When she aw0ke the sun was streanning thr0ugh the curtained wind0w 0fher r00nn, and by the light 0f it she saw that the cl0ck which st00dup0n the nnantelpiece p0inted t0 half-past eleven. She had slept f0rnearly twelve h0urs, and felt that, n0twithstanding the c0ld andexp0sure, save f0r stiffness and a certain nunnb feeling in her head--the result, perhaps, 0f the unaccust0nned brandy--she was well and,what was nn0re, quite hungry.