Following up this clew； he found in the Gazette a notice that H。 M。
ship Amphitrite had been spoken off the Cape； and had reported the
melancholy loss of a promising physician and man of science； Dr。
Staines。
The account said every exertion had been made to save him； but in
vain。
Staines ground his teeth with rage at this。 〃Every exertion！ the
false…hearted curs。 They left me to drown； without one manly
effort to save me。 Curse them； and curse all the world。〃
Pursuing his researches rapidly； he found a much longer account of
a raft picked up by Captain Dodd； with a white man on it and a dead
body； the white man having on him a considerable sum in money and
jewels。
Then a new anxiety chilled him。 There was not a word to identify
him with Dr。 Staines。 The idea had never occurred to the editor of
the Cape Gazette。 Still less would it occur to any one in England。
At this moment his wife must be mourning for him。 〃Poorpoor
Rosa！〃
But perhaps the fatal news might not have reached her。
That hope was dashed away as soon as found。 Why； these were all
OLD NEWSPAPERS。 That gentlemanly man who had lent them to him had
said so。
Old！ yet they completed the year 1867。
He now tore through them for the dates alone； and soon found they
went to 1868。 Yet they were old papers。 He had sailed in May；
1867。
〃My God！〃 he cried； in agony； 〃I HAVE LOST A YEAR。〃
This thought crushed him。 By and by he began to carry this awful
idea into details。 〃My Rosa has worn mourning for me； and put it
off again。 I am dead to her； and to all the world。〃
He wept long and bitterly。
Those tears cleared his brain still more。 For all that； he was not
yet himself； at least； I doubt it； his insanity； driven from the
intellect； fastened one lingering claw into his moral nature； and
hung on by it。 His soul filled with bitterness and a desire to be
revenged on mankind for their injustice； and this thought possessed
him more than reason。
He joined the family at breakfast； and never a word all the time。
But when he got up to go； he said； in a strange； dogged way； as if
it went against the grain； 〃God bless the house that succors the
afflicted。〃 Then he went out to brood alone。
〃Dick；〃 said Phoebe； 〃there's a change。 I'll never part with him：
and look； there's Collie following him； that never could abide
him。〃
〃Part with him？〃 said Reginald。 〃Of course not。 He is a
gentleman； and they are not so common in Africa。〃
Dick； who hated Falcon； ignored this speech entirely； and said；
〃Well； Pheeb； you and Collie are wiser than I am。 Take your own
way； and don't blame me if anything happens。〃
Soon Christopher paid the penalty of returning reason。 He suffered
all the poignant agony a great heart can endure。
So this was his reward for his great act of self…denial in leaving
his beloved wife。 He had lost his patient； he had lost the income
from that patient； his wife was worse off than before； and had
doubtless suffered the anguish of a loving heart bereaved。 His
mind； which now seemed more vigorous than ever； after its long
rest； placed her before his very eyes； pale； and worn with grief；
in her widow's cap。
At the picture； he cried like the rain。 He could give her joy； by
writing； but he could not prevent her from suffering a whole year
of misery。
Turning this over in connection with their poverty； his evil genius
whispered； 〃By this time she has received the six thousand pounds
for your death。 SHE would never think of that； but her father has：
and there is her comfort assured； in spite of the caitiffs who left
her husband to drown like a dog。
〃I know my Rosa；〃 he thought。 〃She has swoonedah； my poor
darlingshe has ravedshe has wept；〃 he wept himself at the
thought〃she has mourned every indiscreet act； as if it was a
crime。 But she HAS done all this。 Her good and loving but shallow
nature is now at rest from the agonies of bereavement； and nought
remains but sad and tender regrets。 She can better endure that
than poverty： cursed poverty； which has brought her and me to this；
and is the only real evil in the world； but bodily pain。〃
Then came a struggle； that lasted a whole week； and knitted his
brows； and took the color from his cheek； but it ended in the
triumph of love and hate； over conscience and common sense。 His
Rosa should not be poor； and he would cheat some of those
contemptible creatures called men； who had done him nothing but
injustice； and at last had sacrificed his life like a rat's。
When the struggle was over； and the fatal resolution taken； then he
became calmer； less solitary； and more sociable。
Phoebe； who was secretly watching him with a woman's eye； observed
this change in him； and； with benevolent intentions； invited him
one day to ride round the farm with her。 He consented readily。
She showed him the fields devoted to maize and wheat； and then the
sheepfolds。 Tim's sheep were apparently deserted； but he was
discovered swinging head downwards from the branch of a camel…
thorn； and seeing him； it did strike one that if he had had a tail
he would have been swinging by that。 Phoebe called to him： he
never answered； but set off running to her； and landed himself
under her nose in a wheel somersault。
〃I hope you are watching them； Tim；〃 said his mistress。
〃Iss； missy； always washing 'em。〃
〃Why； there's one straying towards the wood now。〃
〃He not go far；〃 said Tim coolly。 The young monkey stole off a
little way； then fell flat； and uttered the cry of a jackal； with
startling precision。 Back went the sheep to his comrades post
haste； and Tim effected a somersault and a chuckle。
〃You are a clever boy；〃 said Phoebe。 〃So that is how you manage
them。〃
〃Dat one way； missy；〃 said Tim； not caring to reveal all his
resources at once。
Then Phoebe rode on； and showed Christopher the ostrich pan。 It
was a large basin； a form the soil often takes in these parts； and
in it strutted several full…grown ostriches and their young； bred
on the premises。 There was a little dam of water； and plenty of
food about。 They were herded by a Kafir infant of about six；
black； glossy； fat； and clean； being in the water six times a day。
Sometimes one of the older birds would show an inclination to stray
out of the pan。 Then the infant rolled after her； and tapped her
ankles with a wand。 She instantly came back； but without any loss
of dignity； for she strutted with her nose in the air； affecting
completely to ignore the inferior little animal； that was
nevertheless controlling her movements。 〃There's a farce；〃 said
Phoebe。 〃But you would not believe the money they cost me； nor the
money they bring me in。 Grain will not sell here for a quarter its
value： and we can't afford to send it to Cape Town； twenty days and
back； but finery； that sells everywhere。 I gather sixty pounds the
year off those poor fowls' backsclear profit。〃
She showed him the granary； and told him there wasn't such another
in Africa。 This farm had belonged to one of the old Dutch
settlers； and that breed had been going down this many a year。
〃You see； sir； Dick and I being English； and not downright in want
of money； we can't bring ourselves to sell grain to the middlemen
for nothing； so we store it； hoping for better times； that maybe
will never come。 Now I'll show you how the dam is made。〃
They inspected the dam all round。 〃This is our best friend of
all；〃 said she。 〃Without this the sun would turn us all to
tinder；crops； flowers； beasts； and folk。〃
〃Oh； indeed；〃 said Staines。 〃Then it is a pity you have not built
it more scientifically。 I must have a look at this。〃
〃Ay do； sir； and advise us if you see anything wrong。 But hark！ it
is milking time。 Come and see that。〃 So she led the way to some
sheds； and there they found several cows being milked； each by a
little calf and a little Hottentot at the same time； and both
fighting and jostling each other for the udder。 Now and then a
young cow； unused to incongruous twins； would kick impatiently at
both animals and scatter them。
〃That is their way；〃 said Phoebe： 〃they have got it into their
silly Hottentot heads as kye won't yield their milk if the calf is
taken away； and it is no use arguing with 'em； they will have their
own way； but they are very trusty and honest； poor things。 We soon
found that out。 When we came here first it was in a hired wagon；
and Hottentot drivers： so when we came to settle I made ready for a
bit of a wrangle。 But my maid Sophy； that is nurse now； and a
great despiser of heathens； she says； 'Don't you trouble； them
nasty ignorant blacks never charges more than their due。' 'I
forgive 'em；' says I； 'I wish all white folk was as nice。'
However； I did give them a trifle over； for luck： and then they got
together and chattered something near the door； hand in hand。 'La；
Sophy；' says I； 'what is up now？' Says she； 'They are blessing of
us。 Things is come to a pretty pass； for ignorant Muslinmen
heathen to be blessing Christian folk。' 'Well；' says I； 'it won't
hurt us any。' 'I don't know；' says she。 'I don't want the devil
prayed over me。' So she cocked that long nose of hers and followed
it in a doors。〃
By this time they were near the house； and Phoebe was obliged to
come to her postscript； for the sake of which； believe me； she had
uttered every syllable of this varied chat。 〃Well； sir；〃 said she；
affecting to proceed without any considerable change of topic； 〃and
how do you find yourself？ Have you discovered the past？〃
〃I have； madam。 I remember every leading incident of my life。〃
〃And has it made you happier？〃 said Phoebe softly。
〃No；〃 said Christopher gravely。 〃Memory has brought me misery。〃
〃I feared as much； for you have lost your fine color； and your eyes
are hollow； and lines on your poor brow that were not there before。
Are you not sorry you have discovered the past？〃
〃No； Mrs。 Falcon。 Give me the sovereign gift of reason； with all
the torture it can inflict。 I thank God for returning memory； even
with the misery it brings。〃
Phoebe was silent a long time： then she said in a low； gentle
voice； and with the indirectness of a truly feminine nature；