At any rate they kept me in hospital, and one morning the doctors disappeared and the Boers marched in and when I got well enough I managed to escape and get away to--er--Cape Town and so returned--with some money--my friend Frank Gardner lent me." (At this stage the sick-at-heart Vivie was saying to herself, "_What_ an account I'm laying up for Frank to honour when he comes back--if he _does_ come back.") "I don't know _why_ I tell you all this, except that I ought never to have misled you at the start.

But _if_ you are a kind and good man"-- David's voice broke here--"You will forget all about it and not upset my father, I can _assure_ you I haven't done _anything_ really wrong.

I haven't deserted--some day--perhaps--I can tell you all about it.

But at present all that South African episode is just a horrid dream--I was more sinned against than sinning" (tears were rather in the voice at this stage).

"I want to forget all about it--and settle down and vex my father no more.