‘Rot!’ was the irreverent reply of Bock. ‘I do not believe that there is such a thing as God, beyond the godliness there is in Nature. There is no such thing as a God that answers prayer, or punishes blasphemy.’ ‘I am sorry for you,’ was Steve’s gentle reply; ‘for the day shall come when you shall _know_ that there is a God of Wrath, who punishes blasphemy as well as a God of Love, who answers prayer.’ Bock answered with a roaring and mocking laugh, and said, ‘Well, I shall prove to you that there is no such God as you worship. _If there be a God, Who punishes blasphemy, I call upon Him to strike me dead, now or within forty-eight hours._ There, I have thrown the gauntlet down, let your God pick it up. I have given Him time enough to do it in.’ Steve answered by jumping up from his seat and running towards the door, where he stood looking at Bock with terror in his face. ‘What is the matter with you now?’ inquired Bock, laughing. ‘I fear me that God may take you at your word, and in your doom include me, for being in such evil company. For your soul’s sake speak not thus, but at least treat your Maker with reverence.’ Even the others present were shocked at Bock’s blasphemy, and seemed to share the fear of Steve to be punished for being in the same room with such a tempter of God; for they now rose and strolled out of the room, leaving Bock alone. The following day Steve went for a long and extended stroll. He was surprised to see--all considered--the bustle and life still to be seen in the streets of Johannesburg; and he could hardly believe that he was walking in a city whose revolutionary state, a few weeks previously, was the talk of the world. He had no doubt that business men and the mining interest were still feeling the effects of the crisis severely; but the crowds in the streets seemed to hurry and bustle, with the usual intentness in their own missions in life incident to a large and busy city. Steve had lunch at some restaurant, and then journeyed towards Auckland Park; and after a lengthy stroll about, was thinking of returning, and hailed a passing cab to do so, when he felt the earth tremble under him, and the glass of a house opposite fell crashing to the ground, and a noise as of distant thunder or artillery was heard. ‘Is it an earthquake, or Johannesburg fighting in earnest at last?’ Steve asked himself. He jumped into the cab, and told the driver to drive his best. A cloud of smoke was now seen ascending the sky; and after a few minutes a party in a cab was hailed and asked for information, as they seemed to be coming from the direction of the smoke. The driver replied that he ‘expected some magazine had blown up, as a stone had fallen from the sky a few yards from his cab.’