VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER TWELVE.
A WILD NIGHT.
The morning after the hunt was gloomy and dispiriting, for the weatherhad undergone a complete change daring the night, and now, instead ofblue sky and a sunny landscape, a dense vaporous curtain hung over thekloofs, everywhere thick, heavy and impenetrable, while from the dullgrey sky fell a continuous and soaking drizzle.
"I say, but it'll be poor fun riding back in this," exclaimed Hicks,contemplating the spongy ground splashed by the drippings from the ironroof. "We shall have to wait until it clears."
"Shall we? Speak for yourself, Mr Hicks. _We_ are not made of sugar,"said Ethel, mockingly. She was in high spirits this morning andbrimming over with mischief.
"Now that _is_ rational," put in a voice behind her. "Hadn't we betterstart at once?"
She turned. "Oh, so you are afraid of the elements, too. Then out ofconsideration for you two, we shall have to wait. Or shall we go on andleave them, Laura?"
"They deserve it," said Laura. Then dubiously: "It's a nuisance,though, because I know aunt will be expecting us back."
"Now look here," rejoined Claverton, quietly. "Your aunt speciallyauthorised me to see that you did nothing rash. Getting wet throughunder circumstances totally unnecessary is an eminently rash proceeding.Wherefore I am constrained to lay an embargo on anything of the kind.More especially as by two o'clock there will not be a cloud in the sky."
"Won't there? Two to one there will. What shall it be?" cut inArmitage.
"Jack never bets. At least I heard him not many days ago striving hardto convince a Methodist parson of that fact," said Claverton, appealingto the company in general.
"Wanted to throw him off his guard and book the devil-dodger for aventure. Besides, it wasn't a parson, it was only that humbugging oldGarthorpe, who goes about preaching, and--"
"I should have thought you had found out he wasn't such an ass as helooked, Jack," said Naylor, significantly.
Armitage looked rather foolish at this; and one or two who knew the joketittered slightly.
"Hallo, what's the jest? Trundle it up, Naylor, we don't often catchJack napping," said Claverton.
"Oh, I'll tell you myself," exclaimed the victim of it, airily. "Well,you know, I was down at Thorman's place one evening, and old Garthorpecame jogging up on that spindle-shanked nag of his. It was just aboutfeeding time, so he off-saddled and got his head well into the trough inno time. Daring the evening we were talking a lot about the war scare,and the old chap stuck out that it was all bosh, in fact insinuated thatwe were a pack of funks. _He_ wasn't afraid of the Kafirs, he said, notone of them would hurt him, and so on. This rather put our backs up,you know; there was myself, and Johnson, and Gough, and a couple ofDutchmen, so we hit upon a little scheme to give the old fellow a bit ofa funk when he left. It was as dark as pitch--"
"`And smelt of cheese,'" put in Claverton. "Why not do justice to thequotation?"
"Confound it, if you can spin the yarn better than I can, do so, by allmeans," retorted Armitage, in mock dudgeon.
"He wants to get out of it," said Ethel. "It won't do, though, weinsist upon hearing it."
"Well, then, as I was saying, when that fellow interrupted me, it was asdark as pitch, but the moon would soon be up. I and Johnson laid ourheads together, and arranged that we two and Gough should blacken ourfaces and go and waylay old Garthorpe in the drift about half a milefrom the house. Well, we slipped out one by one and got ourselves up instyle, red blankets and all, looked as thorough-paced cut-throats asever you clapped eyes on--"
"Can quite believe it," murmured the former interrupter.
"There he is again," exclaimed Armitage, wrathfully. "Well, we got downinto the drift and soon we heard the horse's feet, and old Garthorpecame mooning along, concocting some sermon or other for the next day,which was Sunday. The moon had just risen, but was not bright enough tobetray our identity. We jumped out of the bush. Johnson collared thebridle, and the other two of us drew up in line across the path. Whatdoes the old chap do, but quick as lightning pull out a revolver andpoke it into Johnson's face. He dropped the bridle like a hot potatoand skipped into the bush, and then old Garthorpe levels it dead at us.We looked sharp to follow Johnson's example, and then the old chap rodequietly on, chuckling to himself. Gough swears he heard him say`somethinged scoundrels,' but that may have been part of the sermon hewas concocting. Anyhow, he turned the tables on us most completely."
"Probably the revolver wasn't loaded," suggested Claverton.
"Revolver! Sorra a bit. It was a pipe-case. We three skedaddled forour lives before a preaching old humbug at the fag-end of an oldpipe-case."
A roar went up from his auditors at the picture.
"Fact," repeated Armitage. "Tell you what, though; that thing lookedplaguey like a pistol in the moonlight. Besides, it's just the sort ofthing a fellow would bring out, you know, under the circumstances. OldGarthorpe went bragging about it all over the shop, and very soon thejoke got wind. But this is all very well. How about our bet,Claverton?"
"Oh, all right, I'll take you. Two to one in half-crowns there won't bea cloud in the sky by two o'clock."
"Done," said Armitage. "Any one else game?"
But no one was. "We are not going to encourage anything so disreputableas that betting mania of yours," said Ethel.
"Well, good people," called out Jim's jovial tones, as he swung himselfout of his dripping mackintosh, and stamped and scraped to rid his bootsof the mud before entering, "how about a start this morning? Not muchchance of it, is there, unless you are ready to swim for it."
"Well, _we_ must," said Naylor; "I must be home to-day. I'm expectingSmith round my way about those slaughter-oxen this afternoon, and if I'mnot there, away goes a good bargain."
"Besides, we shall be all right in the trap," said his wife. "Laura,why not come with us, if you are in a hurry to get back? We couldmanage to make room for you and Ethel, and your horses could be led."
"Thanks; but I don't think we ought to desert our escort in that way,"she answered. The plan suggested in no wise fell in with her views--nor, we may add, with those of Ethel.
"It'll be outrageously shabby of you if you do, and in fact we shan'tallow it," said Claverton.
"The damned Britishers are made of salt--afraid of a little rain,"growled Thorman, in a low tone, at the other side of the room.
Jeffreys, to whom the remark was addressed, and who had reasons of hisown for abhorring the "imported" element, acquiesced in the sneer, andjust then they were summoned to breakfast. It cleared in the afternoonwith startling suddenness, and as the equestrians started for home, theblue sky was without a cloud.
"This is lovely," exclaimed Ethel, as they cantered along; "but,"--andthe bright laughing face clouded--"isn't it a nuisance? Will Jeffreysis going back with us."
"What, all the way?" said Claverton. "I thought we were going to chokehim off at Van Rooyen's, where we picked him up."
"No such luck. He's going back to Seringa Vale; at least, so MrArmitage says."
"Oh, that may be only Jack's chaff; but--"
He checked himself as something seemed to strike him. "Bosh!" hethought, "Jack only sees that she rather hates the bullet-headed fool,and is trying to take a rise out of her." Then aloud: "That fellow Jackis a confounded nuisance at times, and yet on the whole I think he's anacquisition."
"Oh, yes; he makes one laugh so often, which is a great thing. Justlook at him now, for instance."
Both turned to watch the interesting object of their discussion, who wasevidently about to keep up his reputation--for Allen, whose decrepitsteed had gone dead lame, and was incapable of carrying him, hadreceived the loan of the volatile Waschbank, which sprightly quadrupedwas evidently rather more than a handful to him. Armitage perceivingthis, delighted to get behind and by dint of sundry clicking noises,softly articulated, to induce the already excited animal to plunge andshake his head frantically, and mak
e violent attempts at bolting, to thedire discomfiture of the rider, who clutched the bridle spasmodicallywith both hands, holding on, as it were, "by the skin of his teeth."
"It's rather a shame," mused Claverton, as they contemplated theperformance. "Why can't he let the poor devil alone, even for half anhour? Allen isn't a bad fellow, although he's an ass in some things."
"Look out, Allen. Hold on, pay out your rein, or, by George, he'll haveyou off!" Armitage was saying, while Jeffreys rode behind sardonicallyenjoying the other's discomfiture. And the warning came none too soon,for Waschbank, finding the increased pressure of the rather sharp curb,which his rider was bearing on more and more heavily, defied his franticattempts at a bolt, sought to vary the entertainment by suddenlyrearing. Then as Allen, in a panic, quickly slackened the reins,grasping at the same time a bit of the mane, away went Waschbank with arush and a snort, his rider still clinging on like grim Death. But thiswas not to last long, for one of the said rider's long spurs diggingviolently into his flank, the animal put down his head, and springinginto the air, all four feet at once, promptly shot the hapless Alleninto space and a thorn-bush which grew handy. Then after vainlyendeavouring in the course of half-a-dozen more "bucks" to rid himselfof his saddle, the amiable brute gave a loud snort and started for homeat a hand gallop.
"Hallo, Allen!" cried Claverton, dismounting to haul him out of thebush. "Jump up, old man. Not hurt, are you? That's it?" as the otherstaggered to his feet groaning and wincing; as well he might, for his"continuations" were stuck as full of thorns as a well-stockedpincushion is of pins. "Better thorns than broken bones, you know.What's to be done? At the rate that brute's going he'll be within ahundred yards of Buffel's Kloof by now, or we might have exchanged.Sticks is as quiet as a village scold on board the ducking-stool."
"Plenty more thorn-bushes," sneered Jeffreys, in a load aside. "Butit's a safe enough offer now that Waschbank's gone home."
"I say," began Jack, in mock concern, "what are we to do? Toss up whoshall pursue the absconding Waschbank with a pinch of salt, eh?"
"Humbugging apart, though," said Claverton, "we are only about a milefrom Van Rooyen's; the best thing for Allen to do will be to walk onthere, and the Dutchman will be able to rig him out with some sort of amount to take him home."
This was arranged, and they rode on.
"I think Jack carries his jokes too far sometimes," remarked Claverton."He'll find his level some day."
They soon arrived at Van Rooyen's, and the Dutchman, having enjoyed ahearty laugh over poor Allen's mishap, sent for the steadiest oldroadster in his paddock and mounted the dethroned hero thereon; andafter resting an hour, which somehow had nearly dragged itself out totwo, the party were in the saddle again, bound for their respectivehomes. But it is the Seringa Vale quartette--for the obnoxious Jeffreyshad, after all, left them at Van Rooyen's--whom we shall now follow. Itwas late when they left Buffel's Kloof, and now, as they rode over therising ground which shut the Dutchman's farmstead from sight behind, thevery short gloaming of a South African day was already drawing in.
"I don't know how it is; as a rule I enjoy a ride at night," said Ethel,"but this evening I can't help wishing we were safe at home, I feelquite low and nervous;" and she shivered.
"I know how it is. You've caught cold," replied her companion. "It's aparticularly warm evening, and you're shivering as if it weremid-winter. Here--wait a bit--and put this on."
In a trice he had unstrapped an ample waterproof cloak from his saddle,and, dismounting, wrapped it twice round her, tightly and securely, yetso as not to impede the management of the reins.
"Thanks. No, I wasn't cold--it's very absurd--but I feel as ifsomething dreadful was going to happen. A kind of presentiment."
"Nonsense, child. You have been catching cold; but we shall both becatching it hot soon for being so outrageously late. Come along, here'sa nice level bit, and those two are a good mile ahead."
"Yes, it's too absurd of me," she said, as they cantered on; "but--Ifelt a drop of rain."
They looked up. Sure enough the sky had suddenly clouded over, andseveral large raindrops splashed down upon the road.
"We are in for a shower, I'm afraid," said Claverton. "Nothing for itbut leg-bail. However, that ancient garment will keep you as dry as achip, unless it has suddenly performed the feat in physiology which HolyWrit associates with the Ethiopian."
They rode on with heads bent forward, for a fierce gust drove the rain,which had now increased to a deluging shower, right into their faces.
"Look at that!" exclaimed Ethel, in a terrified voice, as a vivid flashplayed around them, causing the horses to start and swerve. It wasfollowed by a deep roll of thunder--long, loud, and startlingly near.
"Who'd have thought it?" said her companion. "It may be just a passingflash or so, and we shall ride through it in a minute." He spokecheerfully; nevertheless, there was anxiety in the quick, half-furtiveglance which he cast upwards and around.
"Do you think so? It may not be much, after all; and I'm an awfulcoward," she answered, trying to laugh; but her voice shook withapprehension, and her face was pale in the vivid gleam which fell aroundthem, and faded, leaving the gathering gloom almost pitchy fromcontrast. "Do let's go back," she added.
"Too late. It would take almost as long to get back to Van Rooyen's, asto reach home. Besides, we should get into the thick of it--it's allbehind us."
They rode on. The path lay along a high ridge, and the surrounding_veldt_ looked indescribably desolate as a furious blast tore and howledover the wild waste, driving the rain into their eyes. But suddenlywind and rain alike ceased; and lo! a great stream of jagged fire shotdown upon the road in front, accompanied by a terrific crash--a crash asthough the earth had yawned asunder and they were floating in a sea offlame. The horses, affrighted by the appalling sight and the strongsmell of burning which was plainly perceptible, snorted and plunged, andthen stood still, trembling in every limb.
"We had better leave the road," said Claverton. "We shall be safeenough down in the kloof; though here it _is_ a trifle nasty."
"Shall I dismount?" she asked.
"No; sit still and follow me. Can you steer your horse all right, orwould you rather I led him?"
"Oh, no; I can manage."
They went down and down, deeper and deeper through the long, wet grassand dripping bushes; and now and again a flash would light up the fardepths of the great, dark kloof with a blue gleam, and the thunderroared and reverberated among the rocks and krantzes beyond. Beforethey had gone far, Claverton dismounted and kept a firm hand on hiscompanion's bridle, for the horse slipped and stumbled over the wetstones on the steep side of the kloof. Ethel did not speak, but herlips would convulsively tighten with fear as each vivid lightning-flashplayed around them, with its terrific accompaniment. She was horriblyafraid of thunderstorms, even when safe at home, but to be benightedthus in the open _veldt_, in the midst of such a one as this, was simplyappalling.
"At any rate we are safe enough here, though it is infamously wet," saidher escort, reassuringly; "and--by George, we are in luck's way--there'sa house!"
A roof became apparent at the bottom of the ravine, and in a few minutesthey had reached it. But disappointment was in store, for the welcomehaven of refuge turned out to be an old disused shanty, formerly run upfor the accommodation of some road party, or possibly had served as anout-station for those in charge of grazing stock. Nevertheless, thougha tumble-down and sorry-looking tenement, yet it would afford atolerably substantial shelter from the drenching fury of the storm.Claverton lifted his companion from her saddle, and pushing open themouldering door, which creaked with an unearthly noise on its rustyhinges, they stood inside.
"Not exactly the marble halls of the poet's dream--deuced cold they musthave been at times--but it's wet outside and dry in here, which makesall the difference," he remarked, as he struck a match and surveyed theinterior of the sorry apartment. The dilapidated that
ch hung incobwebbed festoons, throwing out ghostly, waving shadows in theflickering light; and a cockroach or two, alarmed by this suddenintrusion, scurried along the worm-eaten beams. "Wait half a second,"he went on, "while I just go and hitch up the horses, and then we'llproceed to make ourselves as comfortable as circumstances will allow."
"Oh, Arthur, don't leave me alone, even for a moment! I am sofrightened!" she exclaimed, clinging to his arm. The name slipped outin her terror, but she was quite unhinged, and noticed it not.
"Frightened? You foolish child," he answered, reassuringly; "there'snothing to be afraid of now--Look. We can afford to laugh at the stormhere, and will be as snug as anything directly."
"But it's so dark, and--"
"Dark. Well, yes; unfortunately the last tenant forgot to leave anycandles for our benefit, which was uncivil of him, to say the least ofit. However, `the Heaven above' is kindly doing its best to supply thedeficiency, and we'll meet it half-way by starting a famous blaze."
So saying, he gathered together some old bits of board which lay about,and, chipping them into small fragments, built up a fire well in themiddle of the room--for the fireplace was choked up with dust and fallenbricks--and, lighting it, the flames darted up, crackling andsputtering, and diffusing a genial and revivifying warmth.
"There. The smoke will go out through the thatch, and at any rate itwon't be worse than in a Kafir hut. You're not very wet, are you? No,I thought my old poncho hadn't lost its cunning. And now you won't beafraid to stay by yourself a minute while I look after the horses. It'sdark as pitch outside, and the brutes will be wandering Heaven knowswhere if I don't make them fast at once."
He went out, and leading the horses round to the back of the houseproceeded to secure them in a sheltered place. While thus engaged a lowscream, emanating from the room he had just quitted, fell on his ear.
Left alone, Ethel drew the cloak tighter round her, and crouched overthe bright, dancing flames; but in spite of their cheery glow sheshivered. How long would it be before he came back? He had hardly beengone a minute, and it seemed an age. Then a flash and a loudthunderpeal made her start, and her face blanched, and she hid it in theample cloak, and cowered down in mortal dread. How long would he be?Supposing the horses had strayed, and he had gone after them, and hadlost his way, and should be unable to find the hut again. Oh, horror ofhorrors! if she were to be left alone there all night, alone, in thesilence of that deserted place--a silence only broken by an occasionaland mysterious rustle or creaking--and at the very thought of it herbrain reeled and sickened, and the muffled patter of the rain upon thethatch sounded like the dull roar of many waters, and--Oh, Heavens! whatwas that?
For a growl, as of some wild beast, fell upon her terrified ears. Shedared not raise her head, and again that grisly sound arose--long, low,and menacing.
Opposite to where she sat was a doorway leading into another compartmentof the hovel. This was nearly concealed when the door by which they hadentered stood open, being behind it; but now that the entrance was shutthe gap yawned, dark and shadowy. And as Ethel glanced towards it, hergaze fell upon two glaring eyes in the blackness beyond. Was shedreaming? No, there they were--two scintillating green stars--theirawful gaze fixed upon her with a terrible stare. The blood curdled inher veins; she tried to scream, but her tongue refused to fulfil itsoffice; her limbs shook, and had she been standing she would have fallento the earth prone as a log. And still that piercing, baleful stareshone through the blackness--and--God!--was she going mad? Her heartbeat as if it would burst; every second was a lifetime; every pulsationof her throbbing temples seemed like the blow of a sledge-hammer, andher glance was fixed upon those terrible orbs with basilisk fascination.Then the sound of Claverton's voice outside apostrophising the horses,broke the spell, and she uttered the scream of helpless terror whichcaught his attention.
Quickly, yet quietly, the door was opened, and he stood beside her.
"What is it?" he asked, in the calmest of tones.
"Look!" was all she could reply; but there was no necessity forfollowing the direction of her dilated eyes, for at that moment thedreaded sound came through the doorway louder than ever.
"Oh!--That all?" he said. "Now, look here, child, don't be in the veryleast afraid, there's nothing to be afraid of, and we'll soon put anextinguisher on that. It's only some half-starved Kafir mongrel that'sgot in." His ear detected fear rather than rage in the snarl which toher overwrought senses had sounded so dread and menacing. He stretchedout his hand towards the gun, which he had placed against the wall onentering. "Now, sit still, and don't be afraid," he reiterated; butbefore he could bring it to bear, there was a loud yell and a rush;something large and heavy sprang into the room, cannoning against hislegs, and nearly overturning him, then sped out through the half-opendoor into the rain and the darkness, while poor Ethel, who had had asmuch fright as she could stand, fell backward in a dead faint.
Quickly he held his handkerchief beneath the dripping thatch before thedoor, and in a moment it was soaked through and through. Then,supporting her head, he placed the cold wet bandage upon her temples,and drawing forth his pocket-flask, which was about a third full ofbrandy and water in equal proportions, he poured a little of the potentmixture between her lips. A deep sigh of returning consciousness, thelong lashes unfolded, and the blue eyes looked wonderingly into his.Then, with a start, she made as if she would rise, but he restrainedher.
"Don't be in a hurry," he said. "Take it easy for a little whilelonger--there's lots of time."
She shivered. "Oh, I've had an awful fright! What was it?" she said,with a shudder.
"Nothing. Nothing whatever, except that your too-lively imagination ranriot with you. Anyhow, it's all right now, so what you've got to do isjust to keep perfectly still until I tell you to move. By-and-by I'mgoing to read you a lecture."
"But you won't leave me alone again," she entreated.
"No, not as long as you do what I tell you!"
She was silent, for she felt very weak and helpless after her fright.
"Take some more of this," he said.
"No, thanks."
"But you must."
She obeyed him passively. Then revived by the invigorating spirit, shesat up.
Her companion looked at her.
"Ethel," he said, "you're an awful little coward. You're worse than anytown-bred English girl, getting into such a fright about nothing--absolutely nothing--upon my word you are. I shouldn't have thought itof you, you know, I shouldn't, really."
He spoke in a serio-jesting tone of expostulation, not actually meaningwhat he said, or that she had had no real cause for alarm. But he didnot want her mind to revert too much to what had happened; wherefore hetreated the occurrence as a mere hallucination. The line he adopted hadthe desired effect, for a gleam of her old self shot from the blue eyesas she answered:
"You had no business to leave me all alone, then. And, do go and seethat there's nothing in that other room."
"All right," and he got up to comply; but she followed him.
"I can't remain here by myself," she pleaded.
"Can't you? Well, but you see, you can't go with me. So we'll solvethe difficulty by fastening up both doors, and we'll make ourselvescomfortable here till that jolly old sun sneaks up again;" and in amoment he had secured the doors, and was beside her again.
"But--I am so hungry," she laughed.
"H'm, that's unfortunate, because there's nothing to eat unless we fallto on the stirrup-leathers. Wait a bit, though. By Jove!" He fumbledin one of the numerous pockets of his shooting-coat, and produced apacket done up in whitey-brown paper, which being unfolded, disclosed alarge and somewhat demoralised sandwich, considerably the worse forwear. "Not a very inviting morsel," he remarked, surveying the batteredcomestible. "Yet it may do at a pinch to keep the wolf from the door.Though,"--he added to himself--"that amiable quadruped is likely to givethe door a deuced wide berth considering the mor
tal funk he was in whenhe shot through it just now."
The girl laughed, quite in her old joyous, light-hearted way. "I shouldthink so," she cried. "We'll go halves."
"We'll do nothing of the sort," said her companion. "I'll give you tenminutes, and if there's a crumb left of that antique sandwich by thenI'll--well, I'll go out again and see how the horses are getting on."
"But--"
"No `buts.' Really I'll go."
This awful threat was effective, and being ravenously hungry, Ethelspeedily made short work of the sandwich, protesting to the last againstthe other's decision. But he was firm.
"Two people under one umbrella, both get wet," he observed,sententiously. "What will feed one will starve two. I'm going to havea pipe instead. Lucky that greedy beggar Jack didn't know I had anymore provender yesterday, or he would inevitably have cadged it. I hadforgotten it myself till this moment."
"I wonder what has become of the others," said Ethel.
"Safe at home, long ago. They'll think we went back to Van Rooyen's,"he replied.
"But we might, you know; the storm seems to be over now."
"Not to be dreamt of," answered he, decisively. "It's pitch dark, andraining in a way that would set the patriarch Noah spinning yarns aboutold times if he were with us. We should be wandering about the _veldt_all night, instead of being snug by a good fire."
"I suppose so," acquiesced the girl, "and, do you know, I'm getting sosleepy."
"Glad to hear it," was the reply; and placing one of the saddles nearthe fire, Claverton arranged a corner of his ample cloak over it so asto form a pillow. "Lie down here," he said, "you can imagine yourselfin a railway carriage or anywhere else that's infamously uncomfortable;"and as she obeyed he wrapped the cloak well round her, and returned tohis former place.
Presently she opened her eyes--"Arthur."
"Well?"
"Promise you won't leave me--or I shan't be able to sleep a wink."
"Why, I thought you were fairly off. It's twelve o'clock."
"No--I'm not--Promise!"
"All right--I won't budge."
"Thanks;" and in a few moments her regular breathing told that she hadforgotten her troubles in sleep.
Claverton piled some more wood on to the fire and drew in closer,shivering slightly, the fact being that he was nearly wet through--having given up his cloak as we have seen. Then he proceeded to fillhis pipe.
"Poor little thing," he mused, contemplating the slumbering form of hiscompanion in adversity. "What a fright she was in--and small blame toher. Wonder what the beast could have been," and getting up, he wentand examined the soft ground by the door to see if it had left anyspoor. "Yes--I thought so: a wolf, and a damned big wolf, too." [Note1.]
He returned to his seat by the fire and sat dreamily smoking. "What apretty picture she makes," he thought; and in good truth she did, as thelong lashes lay in a dark semicircle on the rounded cheek, while thefull red lips were parted ever so lightly, and the firelight danced andflickered with a ruddy glow on the golden head of the sleeper.
"Very good fun now, no doubt, that is if it were not so infernallycold," he went on, "but the situation may begin to look awkward in themorning, when we are besieged by the kind inquiries of friends.However, the gentle sex knows devilish well how to take care of itself,that's one comfort. `Self-preservation is the first law of woman,' Itruly believe to have been the original rendering of the proverb--thereason of its alteration is but too obvious. But assuredly the childwould have been dead, or deuced near it, by morning if we hadn't foundthis place, whereas now, in half-a-dozen hours' time she'll wake upfresh as paint, and probably abuse me like the prince of pickpockets,and swear it would have been much better to have slept out in the_veldt_ all night. That's the way of them."
A flash of lighting lit up the room with a fitful gleam, and a loud rollof thunder shook the old house to its very foundations. The storm, asfrequently happens in those regions, had been travelling in a kind ofcircle, and was now returning in all its former fury.
"Will it wake her? She has had enough scare for one night," he thought,uneasily glancing towards her. But no; thoroughly wearied out, Ethelnever moved as the rickety casements rattled to the fierce gusts whichhowled round the building, and Claverton felt relieved. Presently hegot up and went to the window. All was pitch dark outside, but everynow and then the sky would be ablaze with a sudden flash--blue,plum-coloured, and gold, in its vivid incandescence--the hill tops stoodout as if cut in steel against the misty background, while beneathyawned the intersecting rifts of black, chasm-like kloofs, every leafand twig wet and shining, as clearly definable as at noonday. Apanorama of weirdness and desolation. Then pitchy blackness and thelong heavy roll of the storm king's artillery. Claverton resumed hisseat, and the thunder crashed and roared outside, the lightning playedin vivid gleams, and the rain fell in torrents with a noise like therush of many waters; but within, silence, only broken by the soft,regular breathing of the sleeper, and the plash of a big drop on thefloor, for the tattered thatch was not so watertight as might be wished.And the night wore on. The fire burnt low, leaving the angles of theghostly old room in shadowy darkness, while now and again a scratchingnoise might be heard as some creeping thing made its way through thethatch or along the beams. The storm lulled, and then passed, and, savefor the murmur of falling rain, perfect silence prevailed outside, andstill the chilled watcher sat there, upright and motionless. Then hefell into a doze. The dismal bark of a jackal was now and again bornefrom the lonely bush; but not a sound escaped him as he sat there, tillat last the first faint shiver of dawn thrilled upon the hushened air; ared glow in the east, then a blood-coloured streak on the few lightclouds which,--but for the soaked earth, were the sole traces of a nightof fierce tempestuousness.
Claverton rose and went out softly, so as not to arouse his companion,to where he had tied up the horses. Those long-suffering animalspricked up their ears and whinnied at his approach, and, except that oneof them had got its leg over the reim, were just as they had been leftthe night before. Then he went back to awaken Ethel. A smile was uponher lips, and as he stood over her a gleam of sunlight shot in at theopen door and played upon the beautiful face. He lingered a fewmoments, for he could hardly bring himself to arouse her; but time wasflying, the sun was up, and they must be going. So he said, quietly butdistinctly: "Time to be off, Ethel."
The girl started slightly, opened her eyes, then started again inbewilderment. He watched her with an amused expression.
"Where am I?" she exclaimed, sitting upright and looking round. "Oh, Iremember. I thought it was all a dream."
"Well, we must be getting home. I'm just going to take the horses downinto the kloof and give them a drink, and then we'll make tracks."
He went out, and Ethel got up and looked around. "What a selfish littlewretch I am!" she thought, as her eyes rested on the relics of thenight's doings, the dying embers of the fire, beside which lay the emptypocket-flask, and the bit of paper and string whence the opportunesandwich had been extracted, and then on the cloak which she had justthrown off. "I took everything from him, and left him to sit there allnight, cold and wet and hungry. I wish it had to come all over again,that I might sit out in the rain and the thunder and lightning allnight. That's what I'd do, I swear I would," she ended, vehemently.
A trampling of hoofs outside showed that the object of her meditationswas returning.
"Now then, I'll just put the saddles on and we shall get home in nicetime for breakfast," he said; "but, first of all, we'll see how ourfriend of last night got in."
"What, did that actually happen? I thought I dreamt it."
Claverton laughed. "I intended you should," he said. "It would neverhave done for you to have thought about it all night long; but it was afact, nevertheless. Come and look here."
He pointed out three great footmarks just inside the doorway, left bythe terrified animal as it rushed out; then bursting open
the door ofthe other room, they went in.
"There's no outlet," he said, looking around. "Stay--yes, here's a holebehind the fireplace; but it could never have got in there. No; here'sthe key to the mystery," as they came upon the mangled carcase of ahalf-grown kid. "This little brute must have got in somehow, and thewolf, attracted by its yelling, charged through that door," showing onewhich opened into the room from without; "then it must have banged toand caught him in a trap. Pity I wasn't able to shoot the scoundrel!"
Ethel shuddered at the recollection. "Let's start," she said, turningtowards the door.
He put her into her saddle and they left their opportunely-foundshelter. The sun was now up, and, as they ascended the side of thekloof, the whole landscape sparkled and glowed beneath the scorchingbeams, every leaf and blade of grass studded with diamonds; and thebirds carolled forth gaily in the glad morning air, and doves shook outtheir soft plumage, and cooed to each other on the wet sprays, and itwas difficult to realise such a culmination to a night of storm andterror. Just before they reached the road a strange fancy movedClaverton to turn and look back upon their late haven of refuge, andthen a clump of bush hid it from view. He little thought when and underwhat circumstances he should see it again.
"What was the joke just now, when I woke you up?" he asked, as they rodealong.
"Joke? Why--when?" she exclaimed, wonderingly.
"Oh, only that you were having a downright good laugh all to yourself.I thought it a pity to disturb you, so had the grace to give you a fewminutes longer, in reward for which I claim to know what it was about."
She looked at him curiously for a moment, and a faint flush suffused hercheek; then she broke into a ringing laugh. "I don't believe I waslaughing at all," she said; "and, if I was, I intend to keep the fun allto myself this time. But what will uncle and aunt say when we gethome?"
"Say? Oh, that the very best thing we could do was to have--gone backto Van Rooyen's--got under cover like sensible people," answered he, ina cool, matter-of-fact tone.
Ethel was silent for a few moments. She was not quite easy in her mind."I was in a great hurry to get home last night, but now it doesn't seemquite so delightful," she thought, with a sort of strange bitterness;and she wondered how in the world she could ever have allowed herself tobe so frightened. But meanwhile there was Seringa Vale, and theadventure, or misadventure, was at an end.
Greatly to Ethel's relief, neither anxiety nor surprise were manifestedon their return.
"Hullo!" sang out Hicks. "You were fortunate in being so far behind.We thought of going back, too; but it seemed no use, so we rode on ashard as we could, and got here in the thick of the storm, wet through."
"Ethel doesn't like Dutch houses, but she had to sleep in a worse onethan Van Rooyen's once," said Mrs Brathwaite. "There were only tworooms, and five of us had to turn into one, while all the men tookpossession of the other. But it was such a place! We couldn't sleepall night."
"I suppose not," said Claverton. If they were at cross purposes, it wasnot his business to go out of his way to enlighten them, especially as,in this instance, cross purposes were best.
And Ethel evidently thought so too.
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Note 1. The large striped hyaena is called "wolf" in South Afrioa, justas the panther is always referred to as "tiger." Both terms are, ofcourse, zoologically erroneous.
The Fire Trumpet: A Romance of the Cape Frontier Page 12
