“Dear Lord!” I heard her exclaim, “here is a white man wearing the moocha of a Kaffir.  Suzanne!  Suzanne! come and send away this half-clad fellow.”

Putting down my papers I ran from the room and at a single glance saw that “the half-clad fellow” was none other than Ralph himself.  In my delight I lost my head, and forgetting everything except that my betrothed was there before me, I sprang from the stoep and, flying up the little slope, I fell into his open arms.  For a few seconds there was silence, then from behind me rose a dreadful shriek followed by cries for help.  Freeing myself from Ralph’s embrace, I looked round to see my great-grandmother hobbling towards us with uplifted stick.  Ralph put his eye-glass in his eye and looked at her.

“Who is this old lady, Suzanne?” he asked.

Before I could answer there came from her lips such a torrent of indignation as I had never heard before.

“What is she saying?” asked Ralph again, who could not understand one word of Dutch.  “She seems put out.”

“It is my great-grandmother, the Vrouw Botmar,” I faltered, “and she does not understand—­I have never told her.”

“Ah!  I see.  Well, perhaps it would be as well to explain,” he answered, which I accordingly began to do as best I could, feeling more foolish than ever I did before.  As I stammered out my excuses I saw her face change, and guessed that she was no longer listening to me.

“Who does the man remind me of?” she said, speaking aloud, but to herself.  “Allemachter! his face is the face of that English lord who visited us with the lawyer more than fifty years ago.  Yes, his face is the face of Ralph’s cousin.  Girl,” she added, turning on me fiercely, “tell me that man’s name.”

“His name is Lord Glenthirsk”

“Lord Glenthirsk!  The same face and the same name and you in his arms.  Is God then making a sequel to the story which I finished this day?  Come,” and she hobbled back to the stoep.  “Be seated,” she said when we had reached it.  “Now, speak; no, Suzanne, give me that kaross.”

I handed her the rug, wondering what she meant to do with it, and disturbed as I was, nearly burst into hysterics when I saw her solemnly place it upon Ralph’s knees saying, “The man has lost his garments and will catch a chill.”

“Would you kindly explain,” said Ralph blandly, “what the old lady is at now?  Really I do not feel cold.”

“Your kilt surprises her,” I stammered; whereat he began to laugh.

“Silence,” she exclaimed in so vigorous a voice that he stopped at once.  “Now tell your story; no, I forgot, the man is not educated, do you interpret for him, Suzanne.”

“First I have something to say for myself, grandmother,” I answered, and in a few words I told that Ralph and I were affianced, though I had said nothing of it, because I wished to give him opportunity to change his mind if he should desire to do so.