“Tell father my hire of the ground will not be out for six months, and before that Em and I will be married. My pair of birds is breeding now, but I haven’t been down to see them for three days. I don’t seem to care about anything any more. I don’t know what it is: I’m not well. If I go into town on Saturday I will let the doctor examine me; but perhaps she’ll go in herself. It’s a very strange thing, Jemima, but she never will send her letters to post by me. If I ask her she has none, and the very next day she goes in and posts them herself. You mustn’t say anything about it, Jemima, but twice I’ve brought her letters from the post in a gentleman’s hand, and I’m sure they were both from the same person, because I noticed every little mark, even the dotting of the t’s. Of course it’s nothing to me; but for Em’s sake I can’t help feeling an interest in her, however much I may dislike her myself; and I hope she’s up to nothing. I pity the man who marries her; I wouldn’t be him for anything. If I had a wife with pride I’d make her give it up, sharp. I don’t believe in a man who can’t make a woman obey him. Now Em — I’m very fond of her, as you know — but if I tell her to put on a certain dress, that dress she puts on; and if I tell her to sit on a certain seat, on that seat she sits; and if I tell her not to speak to a certain individual, she does not speak to them. If a man lets a woman do what he doesn’t like he’s a muff.

“Give my love to mother and the children. The ‘veld’ here is looking pretty good, and the sheep are better since we washed them. Tell father the dip he recommended is very good.

“Em sends her love to you. She is making me some woollen shirts; but they don’t fit me so nicely as those mother made me.

“Write soon to

“Your loving brother,

“GREGORY.

“P.S. — She drove past just now; I was sitting on the kraal wall right before her eyes, and she never even bowed.

“G. N. R.”

CHAPTER VI

A BOER-WEDDING

“I didn’t know before you were so fond of riding hard,” said Gregory to his little betrothed.

They were cantering slowly on the road to Oom Muller’s on the morning of the wedding.

“Do you call this riding hard?” asked Em in some astonishment.