cornerwise； and Weldon had difficulty in impressing upon her that handsprings were not an approved form of cavalry tactics。 Nevertheless； he did it with a word of apology。 For the moment； the broncho was not wholly responsible for her return to evil ways。
Over their breakfast； next morning； his five tentmates fell to catechising him as to his pensive mood； and their catechism was largely intermingled with chaff。
〃Paddy's compliments； and roll up for your tucker；〃 the mess orderly proclaimed； as he came into the tent； brandishing a coffee pot in one hand； the frying pan in the other。
Fork in hand； Carew nevertheless paused to take exception to the word。
〃I confess I can't see why Tucker； when it is supposed to untuck the creases of us；〃 he observed。 〃Hermit； shall I serve you in the corner； or will you deign to join us about the festive frying pan？〃
〃What's the matter with Weldon； anyhow？〃 another of the group queried； as dispassionately as if the subject of discussion had been absent in Rhodesia。 〃His face is a yard long； and his lips hang down in the slack of the corners。〃
〃Brace up； man； and get over your grouch；〃 a third adjured him。 〃You are worse than O'Brien was； the morning after he was shoved in kink。 Were you in Cape Town； last night？〃
〃Not a bit of it；〃 Carew put in hastily； while he buried his knife… blade in the nearest pot of jam。 〃My left ear can prove an alibi for him。 From taps till midnight； Weldon discoursed of all the grewsome things in the human calendar。〃
The smallest of the group turned himself about and peered up into Weldon's face。
〃Homesick； man？〃 he queried。
〃Sure；〃 Weldon replied imperturbably。
〃Oh。 Then get over it。 Just dream of the days when the bronchos cease from bucking and the Stringies shoot no more。 Meanwhile； if you could look pleasant； as the photographers say； it would help on things wonderfully。〃
But the mess orderly interrupted。 He had tidings to impart； and they burned upon his tongue。
〃Have you heard about Eaton…Hill？〃 he asked； in the first pause that offered itself。
Five faces turned to him with gratifying expectancy。 Eaton…Hill had come out on the Dunottar Castle。 He was known to them all as the acknowledged exquisite of the entire camp。
〃What about him？〃
〃C。 B。 I met him coming out of the orderly room。〃
〃Hm！ Camp scavenger。 Eaton…Hill will like that；〃 Weldon commented dryly。 〃What's the row about？〃
〃Cupid apparently。 He went calling in Cape Town； last night； without leave； stayed till past eleven and undertook to come in by sea。 He shipped in a leaky boat with a crew composed of one Kaffir boy； the Kaffir funked the surf； they had an upset and Eaton…Hill waked up the picket by the fervor of his swearing at the half…drowned Kaffir。〃
〃Poor Eaton…Hill！ Both his morals and his clothes must have suffered；〃 Carew suggested。 〃Weldon； take warning。 Next time you go to call on Miss Arthur； start early and be sure you have your pass pinned to the lining of your coat。〃
〃Who is Miss Arthur？〃 demanded the chorus。
Deliberately Carew helped himself to the last of the bacon。 Then he made answer； with equal deliberation；
〃Miss Arthur is Weldon's lawful chaperon。〃
At four o'clock； that afternoon； Weldon arose reluctantly from his seat on the western end of the Dents' veranda。
〃Parade at five； Miss Dent； and Maitland Camp is four miles away。〃
Without rising； she smiled up into his waiting eyes。
〃You made more than four miles an hour； when Captain Frazer and I were watching you； the other day； Mr。 Weldon。〃
〃Yes； twenty at least。 Still； as you may have noticed； my mount doesn't always choose the straightest course。 If she elects to go to Maitland by way of Durban； it will take me all of the hour to make the journey。〃
She laughed at his words。 Then of a sudden her face grew grave。
〃They've no right to give you such a horse； Mr。 Weldon。〃
〃Right？ Oh； I beg pardon。 I chose it。〃
〃Is your life so unhappy？〃 she questioned； in mocking rebuke。
〃It is no suicidal mania； Miss Dent；〃 he reassured her。 〃I like the rush and excitement of it all； but I had a summer on a ranch； and I learned the trick of sitting tight until the beast tires itself out。 Broncho…busting is only a concrete form of philosophy； after all。〃
〃And must you really go？〃 she asked him。
He lingered and hesitated。 Then； with a glance at the horse fastened to a post in the drive below； he straightened his shoulders。
〃I must。〃
She rose to her feet。
〃Good afternoon； then。〃
〃And good by；〃 he added。
〃What does that mean？〃
〃That we leave Maitland Camp in the morning。〃
〃I am sorry；〃 she said； and her voice showed her regret。 〃Where are you going？〃
〃To Maitland station。 Then into a train。 Beyond that； I do not know。〃
〃I am sorry；〃 she repeated； 〃but very glad。 It is time you were doing something。 I know you didn't take all this journey out here for the sake of being drilled in Maitland Camp until the end of time。 We shall miss you； but you will come back to us； some day； and tell us all the story of your deeds。 Success to you； Trooper Weldon！〃
She gave him her hand； then stood looking after him； as he went down the steps。 Once in the saddle； he turned back to wave a farewell to the tall girl framed in the arching greenery that sheltered the broad veranda。 Then； urging on his horse； he went galloping away； his boyish face turned resolutely towards the front。
Careless of the oldtime superstition； the girl watched him out of sight。 Then slowly she moved back to their deserted corner where she sat long； her elbows on the arms of her chair and her chin resting on her hands。 Her eyes were held steadily on Table Bay； but her thoughts followed along the road to Maitland Campand beyond。
CHAPTER FIVE
That January had brought the second irruption of Boers into Cape Colony。 In reality； they were near Calvinia； but； by the middle of the month； rumor had so far out…stripped fact that certain refugee Uitlanders were ready to affirm that Table Mountain was held by an invading army who patrolled the summit； coffee pot in one hand and Bible in the other。 Under these conditions； the little Dutch church at Piquetberg Road had become； in all truth； the abiding…place of the Church Militant。
In deference to tradition； the altar had been promptly pulled down and its ornaments stowed away to be safe from possible desecration。 The altar rail was left； however； and Weldon sat leaning against it； his eyes vaguely turned upwards to the organ in the farther end of the church。 From the open floor between； the buzz of many voices and the smoke of many pipes rose to the roof； from the vestry room behind him； he heard the cleaner…cut accent of the officers。 Outside； above the light spatter of rain on the windows； he could hear the horses stamping contentedly in the leafy avenue without the churchyard wall； and the brawl of the stream beyond。 The twilight lay heavy over the church； heaviest of all over the distant organ gallery； where Weldon could barely make out a single figure moving towards the bench。 There was a rattle of stops； a tentative chord or two and then a few notes of this or that melody； as if the player； albeit a musician； found himself continually thwarted by the darkness and the absence of any printed notes。
〃Who is up there； Weldon？〃 Carew asked； as he peered up into the dimness。
〃Shut up； can't you？〃 Weldon ordered him abruptly。
And Carew subsided； just as the unseen organist； apparently abandoning his more ambitious efforts； with sure touch swept into the familiar harmonies of the Eventide Hymn； and then； still with his hymnal in mind； jerked out the dozen stops and set the air rocking to the steady beat of Onward； Christian Soldiers。
As he listened； Weldon's mind went backward to his last Sunday evening in the cathedral at home。 He had known why the old rector had chosen that time…worn hymn for a recessional； he could still feel the stir of the congregation as he passed them； still see the scarlet blot of color made by his own hymnal against his stiffly starched cotta； still see his mother； erect and pale； staring at him with a resolute bravery which matched his own。 Since then； he had been inside no church until to…day。 It was a far cry from worshipping in the Gothic cathedral to camping in the simple little Dutch church； but in each the air was vibrating to the same martial hymn。
Little by little； the groups scattered over the floor fell into silence。 Here and there； one took up the refrain； now humming it softly； now singing it with full voice。 Then the refrain died away； there was an instant's hush； an instant's modulation； and； as a man； the crowd beneath rose to their feet and stood； pipe in hand； while slowly； steadily from the organ came rolling down the familiar notes of God Save the Queen。
The organ was closed with a muffled clatter； the organist rose and slowly came down to the floor。 With a friendly word here and there； he passed among the troopers who saluted him and then settled themselves again for comfort and their pipes。 Last of all； he paused beside Weldon。
〃It is good to put my fingers on the keys again；〃 he said； as he sat down for a moment on the low rail。 〃We had an organ at home； and I miss it。 I builded better than I knew； when I chose this place for our barracks。 One rarely finds an organ out here。〃
Just then an orderly lighted the chancel where they stood。 The organist gave a slight exclamation of surprise。
〃Isn't this Trooper Weldon？〃
The speaker's face was in shadow。 Only the starred shoulder straps gave Weldon any clue to the rank of his companion。
〃It is；〃 he answered briefly。
〃Miss Dent has spoken of you。 In fact； we were together at Maitland Camp； last week； when you tried issues with the little gray broncho。〃
As he spoke； he moved slightly； and the light fell full upon his yellow hair and on his blue eyes； dark and fringed with long black lashes。 Weldon looked up at him with a smile of recognition。
〃It is Captain Frazer； then？〃
〃Yes。 I am congratulating you on having won your way into Miss Dent's good graces。 She tells me you were most thoughtful for her； all the way out。〃
〃You have known Miss Dent for a long time？〃 Weldon queried。
Captain Frazer answer