Events had placed him beyond suspicion.
Then he fell to thinking of the fruits of his honest labours, and Muller's cheek grew warm with the mounting blood, and his eyes flashed with the fire of youth.

In two days--forty-eight hours--at the outside, Bessie would be in his arms.

He could not miscarry now, for was he not in absolute command?
Besides, Hendrik had read it in his omens long ago.[*] Mooifontein should be stormed on the morrow, if that were necessary, and _Oom_ Silas Croft and Bessie should be taken prisoners; and then he knew how to deal with them.

His talk about shooting on the previous night had been no idle threat.

She should yield herself to him, or the old man must die, and then he would take her.