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wait for those six months； if； on his part； he promises that he will
then do nothing to prevent our marriage。〃
〃Ja； ja； I promise that then I will do nothing to prevent your
marriage；〃 answered Marais eagerly； like one who has suddenly seen some
loophole of escape from an impossible position； adding； as though to
himself； 〃But God may do something to prevent it； for all that。〃
〃We are every one of us in the hand of God；〃 she replied in her sweet
voice。 〃Allan； you hear； my father has promised？〃
〃Yes； Marie； he has promisedafter a fashion；〃 I replied gloomily； for
somehow his words struck a chill through me。
〃I have promised； Allan； and I will keep my promise to you； as I have
kept my oath to God； attempting to work you no harm； and leaving all in
His hands。 But you； on your part； must promise also that； till she is
of age； you will not take Marie as a wifeno； not if you were left
alone together in the veld。 You must be as people who are affianced to
each other； no more。〃
So； having no choice； I promised； though with a heavy heart。 Then； I
suppose in order to make this solemn contract public； Marais called the
surviving Boers； who were loitering near； and repeated to them the terms
of the contract that we had made。
The men laughed and shrugged their shoulders。 But Vrouw Prinsloo； I
remember； said outright that she thought the business foolish； since if
anyone had a right to Marie； I had； wherever I chose to take her。 She
added that； as for Hernan Pereira； he was a 〃sneak and a stinkcat；〃 who
had gone off to save his own life； and left them all to die。 If _she_
were Marie； should they meet again； she would greet him with a pailful
of dirty water in the face； as she herself meant to do if she got the
chance。
Vrouw Prinsloo； it will be observed； was a very outspoken woman and； I
may add； an honest one。
So this contract was settled。 I have set it out at length because of
its importance in our story。 But now I wishah！ how I wish that I had
insisted upon being married to Marie then and there。 If I had done so；
I think I should have carried my point； for I was the 〃master of many
legions〃 in the shape of cattle； food and ammunition； and rather than
risk a quarrel with me； the other Boers would have forced Marais to give
way。 But we were young and inexperienced； also it was fated otherwise。
Who can question the decrees of Fate written immutably； perhaps long
before we were born； in the everlasting book of human destinies？
Yet； when I had shaken off my first fears and doubts； my lot and Marie's
were very happy； a perfect paradise； indeed； compared with what we had
gone through during that bitter time of silence and separation。 At any
rate； we were acknowledged to be affianced by the little society in
which we lived； including her father； and allowed to be as much alone
together as we liked。 This meant that we met at dawn only to separate
at nightfall； for； having little or no artificial light； we went to rest
with the sun； or shortly after it。 Sweet； indeed； was that
companionship of perfect trust and love； so sweet； that even after all
these years I do not care to dwell upon the holy memory of those blessed
months。
So soon as the surviving Boers began to recover by the help of my stores
and medicines and the meat which I shot in plenty； of course great
discussions arose as to our future plans。 First it was suggested that
we should trek to Lorenzo Marquez； and wait for a ship there to take us
down to Natal； for none of them would hear of returning beggared to the
Cape to tell the story of their failure and dreadful bereavements。 I
pointed out； however； that no ship might come for a long while； perhaps
for one or two years； and that Lorenzo Marquez and its neighborhood
seemed to be a poisonous place to live in！
The next idea was that we should stop where we were； one which I rather
welcomed； as I should have been glad to abide in peace with Marie until
the six months of probation had gone by。
However； in the end this was rejected for many good reasons。 Thus half
a score of white people； of whom four were members of a single family；
were certainly not strong enough to form a settlement； especially as the
surrounding natives might become actively hostile at any moment。 Again；
the worst fever season was approaching； in which we should very possibly
all be carried off。 Further； we had no breeding cattle or horses； which
would not live in this veld； and only the ammunition and goods that I
had brought with me。
So it was clear that but one thing remained to be done； namely； to trek
back to what is now the Transvaal territory； or； better still； to Natal；
for this route would enable us to avoid the worst of the mountains。
There we might join some other party of the emigrant Boersfor choice；
that of Retief； of whose arrival over the Drakensberg I was able to tell
them。
That point settled； we made our preparations。 To begin with； I had only
enough oxen for two wagons； whereas； even if we abandoned the rest of
them； we must take at least four。 Therefore； through my Kaffirs； I
opened negotiations with the surrounding natives； who； when they heard
that I was not a Boer and was prepared to pay for what I bought； soon
expressed a willingness to trade。 Indeed； very shortly we had quite a
market established； to which cattle were brought that I bargained for
and purchased； giving cloth； knives； hoes； and the usual Kaffir goods in
payment for the same。
Also； they brought mealies and other corn； and oh！ the delight with
which those poor people； who for months and months had existed upon
nothing but flesh…meat； ate of this farinaceous food。 Never shall I
forget seeing Marie and the surviving children partake of their first
meal of porridge； and washing the sticky stuff down with draughts of
fresh； sugared milk； for with the oxen I had succeeded in obtaining two
good cows。 It is enough to say that this change of diet soon completely
re…established their health； and made Marie more beautiful than she had
ever been before。
Having got the oxen； the next thing was to break them to the yoke； for；
although docile creatures enough； they had never even seen a wagon。
This proved a long and difficult process； involving many trial trips；
moreover； the selected wagons； one of which had belonged to Pereira；
must be mended with very insufficient tools and without the help of a
forge。 Indeed； had it not chanced that Hans； the Hottentot； had worked
for a wagon…maker at some indefinite period of his career； I do not
think that we could have managed the job at all。
It was while we were busy with these tasks that some news arrived which
was unpleasing enough to everyone； except perhaps to Henri Marais。 I
was engaged on a certain evening in trying to make sixteen of the Kaffir
cattle pull together in the yoke； instead of tying themselves into a
double knot and over…setting