Peters' party duly reached Gandela--not without incident, for on one occasion it had to fight its way through. And then there were great rejoicings, and a reunion which was too sacred for us to meddle with. Then, too, came about the formation of that hard-bitten corps, `Lamont Tigers,' and tigers indeed the savage enemy was destined to find them, until eventually he sullenly laid down his arms at the Matopo Peace. And with their departure, pain and black anxiety deepened down once more--but--such was the common lot. EPILOGUE. "Heard the latest, Violet?" said Squire Courtland, as they got up from lunch. "There are so many latests," was the reply, somewhat acidly made. "So there are. But this is a local `latest,' and touches a nearish neighbour. What do you think of Lamont?" "I never do think of him," she answered, even more acidly. "Well, he's coming home. His place is being done up, and they've got people working at it night and day. He's not only made a big name for himself as a fighter, but he appears to have struck a gold mine into the bargain, and now he's cleared off all the encumbrances and is having the place put into tip-top order. What do you think of that?" "I don't think anything of it either way. In fact the matter has no earthly interest for me whatever," snapped Violet, with her nose in the air. "Not? That's lucky. You did make a mess of your chances there, Violet, and no mistake." "Did I? I don't know that I agree, and at any rate it's all ancient history, and like most ancient history rather flat and stale and humdrum. Anyway the whole subject has lost all interest for me." Squire Courtland looked at his daughter, with a mischievous pucker round his eyes. "What instinctive liars all women are," he was saying to himself. Violet made some excuse, and took herself out of his presence. She had to, or her temper would have got the upper hand: result--a stormy scene, recrimination on her part; cold, withering sarcasm on that of her father; then rancour and bitterness for days. She knew he had never forgiven her for breaking off her engagement with Lamont; less, that she had done so than her manner of doing it. And the worst of it was, he seemed determined never to allow her to forget it; and now the man was coming back--coming to settle down at his ancestral home, almost, so to say, next door to them. And--he was bringing with him a bride.