The Story of an African Farm

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rised to see Em's yellow head peeping in at his door. It was many a month since she had been there. She said sh

" she said; "I will lock the room, and kee

fore the house. Opposite the open window of the parlour she stopped. The little room, kept carefully closed in Tant Sannie's time, was well lighted by a paraffin lamp; books and work lay strewn about it, and it wore a bright, habitable aspect. Beside the lamp at the table in the corner sat Lyndall, the open letters and papers of the day's

glass of water!" Ly

back to his seat and his old occupation. Then Em moved slowly away from the window, and through it came in spotted,

ished Gregory good night. Some time after Em entered; she had been sitting all t

ether the bits of an en

ickly, and throwing the fragments onto the floor. "You know

you would be going so soon

y. What makes you mumble

own hastily

talk to you

fully tired. I've been sitting here all the ev

steadily now. "I think, Gregory, it would be

were so fond of me? You always professed to be.

d, folding her hands over each other,

for it, and I'm sure I've done nothing to offend you. I wrote only today to my sister to tell her to come

lf round her shou

be better," she

ons you won't; and I'm not the man to beg and pray-not to any woman, and yo

uite still

; and of course you know the state of your own feelings best;

es

t's much better you shouldn't marry me. There's nothing so foolish as to marry some one you don't love; and I only wish for your happiness, I'm sure. I daresay you'

aid n

ory. "You'll let me kiss you, Em, just for old friendship's sake." He stooped down. "You must look upon me

th to the daub-and-wattle house, and his master as he ro

old familiar objects: they had a new aspect that morning. Even the cocks, seen in the light of parting, had a peculiar interest, and he listened with conscious attention while one crowed clear and loud as it stood on the pigsty wall. He wished good morning softly to the Ka

then he walked to the door of Lyndall's room to wa

re ready,

ut of his heart. Her grey dressing-gown hung close about her, and

meet again, Waldo? What

te to me?" he

can still remember, wherever yo

Doss for yo

u not mi

e him. He loves you be

." They st

ed the door she called to him: "Come back, I want to kiss you." She drew his face down to h

igure with its beautiful eyes wa