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ew　and　a　lot　of　the　other　fellows；　watching　the　town　show　up。　It　was　mighty　interesting；　too；　this　getting　one's　first　glimpse　of　a　new　corner　of　the　earth。〃

Most　men　would　have　seemed　penitent　over　their　absorption　in　other　things。　Weldon　merely　acknowledged　it　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　allowed　the　girl　to　draw　her　own　conclusions。　She　drew　them　accordingly。　At　first；　they　antagonized　her。　Later　on；　she　admitted　their　justice。　Meanwhile；　she　kept　her　momentary　antagonism　quite　to　herself；　as　she　looked　up　into　the　face　of　her　companion；　an　earnest；　manly　face；　in　spite　of　its　boyish　outlines。

〃It　is　hard　for　me　to　realize　that　you　are　a　stranger　here；〃　she　answered　him。　〃All　the　way　out；　you　have　given　the　impression　of　having　made　the　voyage　any　number　of　times。〃

〃In　what　way？〃

〃In　the　way　of　getting　what　you　wish　in　an　utterly　matter…of…course　fashion。〃　Her　laugh　belied　her　London　exterior　and　belonged　to　the　broad　felt　hat　and　the　soft　blouse　of　the　past　two　weeks。

〃That　is　the　one　compliment　I　most　value；　Miss　Dent。〃

〃See　that　you　continue　to　live　up　to　it；　Mr。　Weldon。〃

For　an　instant；　they　faced　each　other；　a　merry　boy　and　girl。　Then　Weldon's　lips　straightened　resolutely；　and　he　bowed。

〃I　will　do　my　best；〃　he　answered　slowly。

Half　an　hour　later；　he　joined　her　at　the　gangway　and　took　forcible　possession　of　her　hand　luggage。

〃Surely；〃　he　said；　in　answer　to　her　objections；　〃you　will　let　me　do　you　this　one　last　little　service。〃

〃Not　if　you　call　it　that；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Our　acquaintance　is　only　just　beginning。　If　you　are　to　be　in　Cape　Town　for　a　day　or　two；　come　and　let　my　mother　thank　you　for　your　kindness　to　me；　all　the　way　out。〃

He　took　her　hand；　outstretched　in　farewell。

〃Even　if　I　come　as　Trooper　Weldon？〃　he　asked　with　a　smile。

And　she　answered；　with　a　prophecy　of　whose　truth　she　was　as　yet　in　ignorance；

〃Trooper　Weldon　will　always　be　a　welcome　guest　in　our　home。〃

Then　her　father　came　to　claim　her。　When　she　emerged　from　his　welcoming　embrace；　she　saw　Weldon；　cap　in　hand；　bowing　to　her　from　what　appeared　a　most　unseemly　distance。　The　next　moment；　he　had　vanished　in　the　crowd。



CHAPTER　THREE


According　to　one's　individual　point　of　view；　Cape　Town；　on　that　New　Year　morning　of　nineteen　hundred　and　one；　was　either　a　point　of　departure　for　the　front；　or　a　city　of　refuge　for　the　sleek　and　portly　Uitlanders　who　thronged　the　hotels　and　made　too　audible　mourning　for　their　imperiled　possessions。　Viewed　in　either　light；　it　was　hot；　crowded　and　unclean。　From　his　caricature　of　a　hansom；　Weldon　registered　his　swift　impression　that　he　wished　to　get　off　to　the　front　as　speedily　as　possible。　The　hansom　contributed　to　this　impression　no　less　than　did　the　city。　Out　of　a　multitude　of　similar　vehicles；　he　had　chosen　this　for　its　name；　painted　across　its　curving　front。　The　Lady　of　the　Snows　had　obviously　been　christened　as　a　welcome　to　the　scores　of　his　fellow　colonials　who　had　gone　that　way　before；　and　he　and　Carew　had　dashed　past　Killarney　and　The　Scotch　Thistle；　to　take　possession　of　its　padded　interior。

It　was　almost　noon；　as　they　drove　through　the　Dock　Gates；　past　the　Amsterdam　Battery；　and　turned　eastward　towards　Adderley　Street　and　the　Grand　Hotel。　It　was　nightfall　before　their　luggage　was　safe　through　the　custom　house　and　in　their　room。　Carew　eyed　his　boxes　askance。　Weldon　attacked　the　straps　of　his　nearest　trunk。

〃Wherefore？〃　Carew　queried　languidly　from　the　midst　of　a　haze　of　smoke。

〃To　take　account　of　stock。〃

〃What's　the　use？〃

〃To　find　out　what　we　need；　of　course。〃

〃But　we　don't　need　anything。　We've　tobacco　for　our　pipes　and　quinine　for　our　stomachs　and　fuller's　earth　for　our　feet。　What　more　can　a　man　need？〃　As　he　spoke；　Carew　hooked　his　toe　around　a　second　chair；　drew　it　towards　him　and　promptly　converted　it　into　a　foot…rest。　〃Besides；〃　he　added　tranquilly；　〃to…morrow　is　Boxing　Day；　and　the　bank　won't　be　open　until　the　day　after。　You　know　you　can't　buy　anything　more　than　a　pink…bordered　handkerchief　out　of　your　present　supplies。〃

Weldon　laughed。

〃Don't　be　too　sure　I　can　make　out　even　that；〃　he　said；　as　he　dived　into　the　trunk　and　pulled　out　a　Klondyke　sleeping…bag。

Carew　watched　him　from　between　half…closed　lids。

〃Going　beddy？〃　he　inquired。

〃Confound　it；　no！　I　thought　my　calling　kit　was　in　there。〃　A　pair　of　dark　gray　blankets　landed　in　the　corner　on　top　of　the　sleeping…bag。

〃That　looks　jolly　comfortable。　You'd　better　bunk　in　there；　and　leave　the　bed　to　me；〃　Carew　advised　him。　〃You're　in　the　wrong　trunk　for　your　calling　clothes；　anyway。　What　under　heaven　do　you　want　of　them；　Weldon？〃

〃I　don't　want　them　to　lie　all　in　a　heap。〃

〃They'll　lie　in　heaps　for　a　good　long　time；　before　you　are　out　of　this　country；〃　Carew　predicted　cheerfully。　〃Moreover；　from　the　look　of　the　place；　you　could　make　calls　in　either　pajamas　or　khaki；　and　it　would　pass　muster。　I　saw　one　fellow；　this　noon；　in　evening　clothes　and　a　collar　button。　Besides；　there　isn't　anybody　for　us　to　call　on。〃

Weldon　smiled　contentedly；　as　he　drew　out　a　frock…coat　and　inspected　its　satin…faced　lapels。

〃Not　for　you；　perhaps；〃　he　observed　quietly。

〃Oh；　I　see。〃　Carew　puffed　vigorously。　〃So　you　have　a　bidding　to　call　upon　Miss　Dent。〃

Weldon　dislodged　Carew's　feet　from　the　extra　chair　and　utilized　the　chairback　as　a　temporary　coat…rack。

〃No；　quite　the　contrary；〃　he　replied。　〃I　am　invited　to　call　upon　Miss　Ophelia　Arthur。　Now　you　will　please　to　keep　quiet；　for　I　think　I　shall　go　to　bed。〃

In　silence；　Carew　watched　him　half　through　the　process　of　undressing。　Then；　emptying　his　pipe　and　snapping　open　its　case；　he　rose　and　faced　his　friend。

〃Weldon；〃　he　said　sententiously；　〃we　don't　care　to　hang　around　this　place　longer　than　we　must；　and　we　shall　have　all　we　can　do　to　get　ourselves　enlisted　and　our　horses　into　condition。　We　haven't　time　for　much　else。　I　hope　you　will　remember　that　you　came　out　here；　not　to　fuss　the　girls；　but　for　the　fuss　with　the　Boers。〃

From　his　seat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　Weldon　eyed　him　amicably。

〃Don't　preach；　Carew；〃　he　answered　coolly。　〃It　doesn't　do　my　soul　any　good；　and　it　only　renders　you　a　bore。　It　has　always　been　a　clause　of　my　creed　that　two　good　things　are　better　than　one。〃

Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　his　haste　to　unpack　his　calling　clothes；　it　was　full　three　days　later　that　Weldon　turned　his　face　eastward　in　search　of　the　home　of　Ethel　Dent。　Moreover；　in　all　those　three　days；　he　had　given　scarcely　a　thought　to　the　companion　of　his　voyage。　Notwithstanding　his　first　impressions；　Weldon　had　found　much　to　interest　him　in　Cape　Town。　The　streets；　albeit　unlovely；　were　full　of　novel　sights　and　the　patter　of　novel　tongues。　Cape　carts　and　Kaffirs；　traction　engines　and　troopers；　khaki　everywhere　and　yet　more　khaki；　and；　rising　grimly　behind　it　all；　the　naked　face　of　Table　Mountain　covered　with　its　cloth　of　clouds！　It　was　all　a　tumult　of　busy　change；　bounded　by　the　unchanging　and　the　eternal。　For　one　entire　morning；　Weldon　loitered　about　the　streets；　viewing　all　things　with　his　straightforward　Canadian　gaze；　jostling　and　jostled　by　turns。　War　had　ceased　to　be　a　myth；　and；　of　a　sudden；　was　become　a　grim　reality；　yet　in　the　face　of　it　all　his　courage　never　faltered。　His　sole　misgivings　concerned　themselves　with　the　contrast　between　the　seasoned　regulars　marching　to　their　station；　and　his　boyish　self；　full　of　eager　enthusiasm；　but　trained　only　in　the　hunting　field；　the　polo　ground　and　the　gymnasium。　Then；　gripping　his　hope　in　both　hands；　he　resolutely　shouldered　his　way　into　the　nearest　recruiting　office。　He　went　into　the　office　as　Harvard　Weldon；　amateur　athlete　and　society　darling　of　his　own　home　city。　He　came　out　as　Trooper　Weldon　of　the　First　Regiment　of　Scottish　Horse。

He　spent　the　next　morning　in　sorting　over　his　miscellaneous　luggage。　In　the　light　of　Cape　Town　and　the　practical　advice　which　had　been　his　for　the　asking；　his　outfit　appeared　comically　complete。　Two　thirds　of　it　must　be　stored　in　Cape　Town；　of　the　other　third；　one　full　half　must　be　left　with　the　negro　servants　at　the　hotel。　His　toilet　fixtures　would　have　been　adequate　for　a　Paris　season；　his　superfluous　rugs　would　have　warmed　him　during　a　winter　on　the　apex　of　the　North　Pole。　It　was　with　something　between　a　smile　and　a　sigh　that　he　stowed　away　the　greater　part　of　his　waistcoats　and　neckties；　in　company　with　the　silver…mounted　medicine　chest　by　which　his　mother　had　set　such　store。　It　was　as　Carew　had　said：　quinine　and　tobacco　were　the　main　essentials。

Then；　for　the　last　time　in　many　months；　he　arrayed　himself　in　black　cloth　and　fine　linen；　chose　his　stick　and　gloves　with　care；　and；　leaving　Adderley　Street　behind　him；　turned　eastward　towards　the　home　of　the　Dents。

He　found　Ethel　on　the　broad　veranda；　bordered　with　flower…boxes　and　overlooking　the　garden　and　the　blue　waters　of　Table　Bay。　Dressed　in　a　thin　white　gown　which；　to　Weldon's　mind；　was　curiously　out　of　keeping　with　all　his　preconceived　notions　of　January　weather；　she　rose　and　came　forward　to　greet　him　at　the　top　of　the　steps。

〃At　last；〃　she　said　cordially；　while　she　gave　him　her　hand。　〃I　began　to　fear　you　had　already　gone　to　the　front。〃

〃Not　without　seeing　you　again；〃　he　answered；　as　he　followed　her　back　to　the　bamb