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for you bismuth and carbonate of soda。 Also in this weather it seems
difficult to imagine such a thing。 Look now； Miss Clifford；〃 he added；
with a note of enthusiasm in his voice； pointing towards the east；
〃look。〃
Her eyes followed his outstretched hand； and there； above the level
ocean； rose the great orb of the African moon。 Lo！ of a sudden all
that ocean turned to silver； a wide path of rippling silver stretched
from it to them。 It might have been the road of angels。 The sweet soft
light beat upon their ship； showing its tapering masts and every
detail of the rigging。 It passed on beyond them； and revealed the low；
foam…fringed coast…line rising here and there； dotted with kloofs and
their clinging bush。 Even the round huts of Kaffir kraals became
faintly visible in that radiance。 Other things became visible also
for instance； the features of this pair。
The man was light in his colouring； fair…skinned； with fair hair which
already showed a tendency towards greyness； especially in the
moustache； for he wore no beard。 His face was clean cut； not
particularly handsome； since； their fineness notwithstanding； his
features lacked regularity； the cheekbones were too high and the chin
was too small； small faults redeemed to some extent by the steady and
cheerful grey eyes。 For the rest； he was broad…shouldered and well…
set…up； sealed with the indescribable stamp of the English gentleman。
Such was the appearance of Robert Seymour。
In that light the girl at his side looked lovely； though； in fact； she
had no real claims to loveliness； except perhaps as regards her
figure； which was agile； rounded； and peculiarly graceful。 Her
foreign…looking face was unusual； dark…eyed； a somewhat large and very
mobile mouth； fair and waving hair； a broad forehead； a sweet and at
times wistful face； thoughtful for the most part； but apt to be
irradiated by sudden smiles。 Not a beautiful woman at all； but
exceedingly attractive； one possessing magnetism。
She gazed； first at the moon and the silver road beneath it； then；
turning； at the land beyond。
〃We are very near to Africa； at last；〃 she said。
〃Too near； I think；〃 he answered。 〃If I were the captain I should
stand out a point or two。 It is a strange country； full of surprises。
Miss Clifford； will you think me rude if I ask you why you are going
there？ You have never told mequite。〃
〃No； because the story is rather a sad one； but you shall hear it if
you wish。 Do you？〃
He nodded； and drew up two deck chairs； in which they settled
themselves in a corner made by one of the inboard boats； their faces
still towards the sea。
〃You know I was born in Africa；〃 she said； 〃and lived there till I was
thirteen years oldwhy； I find I can still speak Zulu； I did so this
afternoon。 My father was one of the early settlers in Natal。 His
father was a clergyman； a younger son of the Lincolnshire Cliffords。
They are great people there still； though I don't suppose that they
are aware of my existence。〃
〃I know them；〃 answered Robert Seymour。 〃Indeed； I was shooting at
their place last Novemberwhen the smash came；〃 and he sighed； 〃but
go on。〃
〃Well； my father quarrelled with his father； I don't know what about；
and emigrated。 In Natal he married my mother； a Miss Ferreira； whose
namelike mine and her mother'swas Benita。 She was one of two
sisters； and her father； Andreas Ferreira； who married an English
lady； was half Dutch and half Portuguese。 I remember him well； a fine
old man with dark eyes and an iron…grey beard。 He was wealthy as
things went in those daysthat is to say； he had lots of land in
Natal and the Transvaal； and great herds of stock。 So you see I am
half English； some Dutch； and more than a quarter Portuguesequite a
mixture of races。 My father and mother did not get on well together。
Mr。 Seymour； I may as well tell you all the truth： he drank； and
although he was passionately fond of her； she was jealous of him。 Also
he gambled away most of her patrimony； and after old Andreas
Ferreira's death they grew poor。 One night there was a dreadful scene
between them； and in his madness he struck her。
〃Well； she was a very proud woman； determined； too； and she turned on
him and saidfor I heard her'I will never forgive you； we have done
with each other。' Next morning； when my father was sober； he begged
her pardon； but she made no answer； although he was starting somewhere
on a fortnight's trek。 When he had gone my mother ordered the Cape
cart； packed up her clothes； took some money that she had put away；
drove to Durban； and after making arrangements at the bank about a
small private income of her own； sailed with me for England； leaving a
letter for my father in which she said that she would never see him
again； and if he tried to interfere with me she would put me under the
protection of the English court； which would not allow me to be taken
to the home of a drunkard。
〃In England we went to live in London with my aunt； who had married a
Major King； but was a widow with five children。 My father often wrote
to persuade my mother to go back to him； but she never would； which I
think was wrong of her。 So things went on for twelve years or more；
till one day my mother suddenly died； and I came into her little
fortune of between ￡200 and ￡300 a year； which she had tied up so that
nobody can touch it。 That was about a year ago。 I wrote to tell my
father of her death； and received a pitiful letter； indeed； I have had
several of them。 He implored me to come out to him and not to leave
him to die in his loneliness； as he soon would do of a broken heart；
if I did not。 He said that he had long ago given up drinking； which
was the cause of the ruin of his life； and sent a certificate signed
by a magistrate and a doctor to that effect。 Well； in the end；
although all my cousins and their mother advised me against it； I
consented； and here I am。 He is to meet me at Durban； but how we shall
get on together is more than I can say； though I long to see him； for
after all he is my father。〃
〃It was good of you to come； under all the circumstances。 You must
have a brave heart；〃 said Robert reflectively。
〃It is my duty；〃 she answered。 〃And for the rest； I am not afraid who
was born to Africa。 Indeed； often and often have I wished to be back
there again； out on the veld； far away from the London streets and
fog。 I am young and strong； and I want to see things； natural things
not those made by man； you knowthe things I remember as a child。 One
can always go back to London。〃
〃Yes； or at least some people can。 It is a curious thing； Miss
Clifford； but as it happens I have met your father。 You always
reminded me of the man； but I had forgotten his name。 Now it comes
back to me； it /was/ Clifford。〃
〃Where on earth？〃 she asked； astonished。
〃In a queer place。 As I told you； I have visited South Africa before；
under different circumstances。 Four ye