Then seeing it, with her face as pale as death, she learned forward and touched his lips with hers, whereon he seized her round the middle, and, drawing her to him, covered her with kisses till even the brutes with him called to him not to push his jest too far and to let the girl go.

This he did, uttering words which I will not repeat, and so weak was Suzanne with shame that when his arms were taken from her she fell to the ground, and lay there till the old Hottentot, her servant, ran to her, cursing and weeping with rage, and helped her to her feet.

For a while she stood saying nothing, only wiping her face, as though filth had bespattered it, with the sun _kapje_ which had fallen from her head, and her face was whiter than the white cap.

At last she spoke in a hoarse voice: "Loose that woman," she said, "who has cost me my honour." They obeyed her, and snatching up her skin rug Sihamba turned and fled swiftly down the valley.

Then Suzanne went to her horse, but before she mounted it she looked Swart Piet straight in the eyes.