I went over to the store in reasonably good spirits, leaving Wardlaw busy on the penitential Psalms.
The post-runner had brought the mail as usual, and there was one private letter for me.

I opened it with great excitement, for the envelope bore the stamp of the firm.

At last Colles had deigned to answer.
Inside was a sheet of the firm's notepaper, with the signature of Colles across the top.

Below some one had pencilled these five words: 'The Blesbok[1] are changing ground.' I looked to see that Japp had not suffocated himself, then shut up the store, and went back to my room to think out this new mystification.
The thing had come from Colles, for it was the private notepaper of the Durban office, and there was Colles' signature.

But the pencilling was in a different hand.