"I don't know," he said.

"There are some kinds of stains that don't wash out, but you're only wishing to be kind to me because you understand all that better than I do in the old country." The girl glanced aside and dropped her needle, while when she spoke her voice was a trifle strained.

"Do you know that you bushmen have made me ashamed once or twice ?" she said.

"I am afraid there is a great disappointment waiting for you when you see us as we are." Alton rose as her father and Seaforth came in, with a curious little inclination of his head which came well from him.

"That simply couldn't be," he said.