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vegetationand not much of that。 Not a word more； Phoebe； if you
please。 I am a good； easy； affectionate husband； but I am a man；
and not a child to be tied to a woman's apron…strings； however much
I may love and respect her。〃
Dick put in his word： 〃Since you are so independent； you can WALK
to the Vaal river。 I can't spare a couple of horses。〃
This hit the sybarite hard； and he cast a bitter glance of hatred
at his brother…in…law； and fell into a moody silence。
But when he got Phoebe to himself； he descanted on her selfishness；
Dick's rudeness； and his own wounded dignity； till he made her
quite anxious he should have his own way。 She came to Staines；
with red eyes； and said； 〃Tell me； doctor； will there be any women
up thereto take care of you？〃
〃Not a petticoat in the place； I believe。 It is a very rough life；
and how Falcon could think of leaving you and sweet little Tommy；
and this life of health； and peace； and comfort〃
〃Yet YOU do leave us； sir。〃
〃I am the most unfortunate man upon the earth； Falcon is one of the
happiest。 Would I leave wife and child to go there？ Ah me！ I am
dead to those I love。 This is my one chance of seeing my darling
again for many a long year perhaps。 Oh； I must not speak of HER
it unmans me。 My good； kind friend； I'll tell you what to do。
When we are all at supper； let a horse be saddled and left in the
yard for me。 I'll bid you all good…night； and I'll put fifty miles
between us before morning。 Even then HE need not be told I am
gone； he will not follow me。〃
〃You are very good； sir；〃 said Phoebe； 〃but no。 Too much has been
said。 I can't have him humbled by my brother； nor any one。 He
says I am selfish。 Perhaps I am； though I never was called so。 I
can't bear he should think me selfish。 He WILL go； and so let us
have no ill blood about it。 Since he is to go； of course I'd much
liever he should go with you than by himself。 You are sure there
are no women up thereto take care ofyouboth？ You must be
purse…bearer； sir； and look to every penny。 He is too generous
when he has got money to spend。〃
In short； Reginald had played so upon her heart； that she now urged
the joint expedition； only she asked a delay of a day or two to
equip them； and steel herself to the separation。
Staines did not share those vague fears that overpowered the wife；
whose bitter experiences were unknown to him； but he felt
uncomfortable at her conditionfor now she was often in tearsand
he said all he could to comfort her； and he also advised her how to
profit by these terrible diamonds； in her way。 He pointed out to
her that her farm lay right in the road to the diamonds； yet the
traffic all shunned her； passing twenty miles to the westward。
Said he； 〃You should profit by all your resources。 You have wood；
a great rarity in Africa； order a portable forge； run up a building
where miners can sleep； another where they can feed； the grain you
have so wisely refused to sell； grind it into flour。〃
〃Dear heart！ why； there's neither wind nor water to turn a mill。〃
〃But there are oxen。 I'll show you how to make an ox…mill。 Send
your Cape cart into Cape Town for iron lathes； for coffee and tea；
and groceries by the hundredweight。 The moment you are readyfor
success depends on the order in which we actthen prepare great
boards； and plant them twenty miles south。 Write or paint on them；
very large； 'The nearest way to the Diamond Mines； through Dale's
Kloof； where is excellent accommodation for man and beast。 Tea；
coffee； home…made bread； fresh butter； etc。； etc。' Do this； and
you will soon leave off decrying diamonds。 This is the sure way to
coin them。 I myself take the doubtful way； but I can't help it。 I
am a dead man； and swift good fortune will give me life。 You can
afford to go the slower road and the surer。〃
Then he drew her a model of an ox…mill； and of a miner's dormitory；
the partitions six feet six apart； so that these very partitions
formed the bedstead； the bed…sacking being hooked to the uprights。
He drew his model for twenty bedrooms。
The portable forge and the ox…mill pleased Dick Dale most； but the
partitioned bedsteads charmed Phoebe。 She said；〃 Oh； doctor； how
can one man's head hold so many things？ If there's a man on earth
I can trust my husband with； 'tis you。 But if things go cross up
there； promise me you will come back at once and cast in your lot
with us。 We have got money and stock； and you have got headpiece；
we might do very well together。 Indeed； indeed we might。 Promise
me。 Oh； do； please； promise me！〃
〃I promise you。〃
And on this understanding； Staines and Falcon were equipped with
rifles； pickaxe； shovels； waterproofs； and full saddle…bags； and
started； with many shakings of the hand； and many tears from
Phoebe； for the diamond washings。
CHAPTER XXI。
Phoebe's tears at parting made Staines feel uncomfortable； and he
said so。
〃Pooh； pooh！〃 said Falcon； 〃crying for nothing does a woman good。〃
Christopher stared at him。
Falcon's spirits rose as they proceeded。 He was like a boy let
loose from school。 His fluency and charm of manner served；
however； to cheer a singularly dreary journey。
The travellers soon entered on a vast and forbidding region； that
wearied the eye； at their feet a dull； rusty carpet of dried grass
and wild camomile； with pale…red sand peeping through the burnt and
scanty herbage。 On the low mounds； that looked like heaps of
sifted ashes； struggled now and then into sickliness a ragged；
twisted shrub。 There were flowers too； but so sparse； that they
sparkled vainly in the colorless waste； which stretched to the
horizon。 The farmhouses were twenty miles apart； and nine out of
ten of them were new ones built by the Boers since they degenerated
into white savages： mere huts； with domed kitchens behind them。 In
the dwelling…house the whole family pigged together； with raw flesh
drying on the rafters； stinking skins in a corner； parasitical
vermin of all sorts blackening the floor； and particularly a small；
biting； and odoriferous tortoise； compared with which the insect a
London washerwoman brings into your house in her basket； is a
stroke with a featherand all this without the excuse of penury；
for many of these were shepherd kings； sheared four thousand
fleeces a year； and owned a hundred horses and horned cattle。
These Boers are compelled； by unwritten law； to receive travellers
and water their cattle； but our travellers； after one or two
experiences； ceased to trouble them； for； added to the dirt； the
men were sullen； the women moody； silent； brainless； the whole
reception churlish。 Staines detected in them an uneasy
consciousness that they had descended； in more ways than one； from
a civilized race； and the superior bearing of a European seemed to
remind them what they had been； and might have been； and were not；
so； after an attempt or two； our adventurers avoided the Boers； and
tried the Kafirs。 They found the savages socially superior； though
their moral character does not rank high。
The Kafir cabins they entered were caves； lighted only by the door；
but deliciously cool； and quite