had moved him or was capable of moving him.  No pity, no sympathy, had ever complicated this man’s aims or crippled his achievements.  He had a clear, substantial reason for everything that he did.  It had pleased him to bring Guy back to life, and so he had not scrupled as to the means he had employed to do so.  He had practically forced her into a position which circumstances had combined to make her retain.  He had probably, she reflected now, urged Guy upon every opportunity to play the traitor to his best friend.  He had established over him an influence which she felt that it would take her utmost effort to overthrow.  He had even forced him into the quagmire of crime.  For that Guy had done this thing, or would ever have dreamed of doing it, on his own initiative she did not believe.  And it was that certainty which had sent her from his empty hut on the sand in pursuit of him, daring all to win him back ere he had sunk too deep for deliverance.  She had ridden to Ritzen by way of the Vreiboom’s farm, half-expecting to find Guy there.  But she had seen only Kieff and Piet Vreiboom.  Her face burned still at the memory of the former’s satirical assurance that Guy was but a few miles ahead of her and she would easily overtake him.  He had translated this speech to Piet Vreiboom who had laughed, laughed with a sickening significance, at the joke.  In her disgust she had ridden swiftly on without stopping to ascertain if Guy had gone to Ritzen or had decided to ride the whole forty miles to Brennerstadt.

The lateness of the hour, however, had decided her to make for the former place since she knew she could get a train there on the following morning and she could not face the long journey at night alone on the veldt.  It had been late when she reached Ritzen, but she had thankfully found accommodation for the night at the by no means luxurious hotel in which she had slept on the night of her arrival so long ago.

Now in the early morning she was ready to start again, having regretfully left her horse, Diamond, in the hotel-stable to await her return.

If all went well, she counted upon being back, perhaps with Guy accompanying her, in the early afternoon.  And then she would probably be at Blue Hill Farm again before Burke’s return.  She hoped with all her heart to accomplish this.  For though it would be impossible to hide the fact of her journey from him, she did not want him to suspect the actual reason that had made it so urgent.  Let him think that anxiety for Guy—­their mutual charge—­had sent her after him!  But never, for Guy’s sake, let him imagine the actual shameful facts of the case!  She counted upon Burke’s ignorance as the strongest weapon for Guy’s persuasion.  Let him but realize that a way of escape yet remained to him, and she believed that he would take it.  For surely—­ah, surely, if she knew him—­he had begun already to repent in burning shame and self-loathing.