Then Hansie felt inclined to lie down and die. Fortunately there was no time for that. There was still something to be done, and, with the precious paper clasped to her heart, she could at least pursue the men. Perhaps she could overtake them before evil should befall them. "What direction did they take, and how many of them are there?" she asked. "Four," Mrs. Malan answered. "One has a residential pass. If they are held up, the other three will escape while he pretends to be searching for it. Go over the Sunnyside bridge and call 'Jasper' when you see four men----" Without waiting to hear more, Hansie turned and ran, stopping only a moment at F.'s gate to call out his name. She did not wait to see whether he had heard, but ran again, and he, sauntering towards the gate a moment later on the look-out for her, saw her flying form just disappearing in the darkness. "Something has evidently gone wrong," he muttered, and he, too, in his turn began to run, pursuing the figure of the girl as she sped after the Secret Service men. She did not stop when he caught up with her, pulling her arm through his, but ran on, telling him in brief sentences what had happened. Every few yards she called, "Jasper! Jasper!" in the vain hope that this might bring the fugitives forward, should they have concealed themselves behind the trees along the road. Poor Hansie was becoming thoroughly exhausted, when suddenly, as they neared the Sunnyside bridge, four men under the electric light became plainly visible. "You must run again, Hansie," F. said, and putting his arm around her, he literally carried her along. Alas! the figures proved to be four Kaffirs coming _towards_ them, and, with a broken sob, Hansie realised that all their efforts were in vain. It was no use running now. Sunnyside was badly lit, and one could barely see two yards ahead, so the plotters walked slowly to Harmony, encouraging one another with the thought that the men must already be beyond the outskirts of the town. "We have heard no shots, and that is a good sign," Hansie said, "for the men were armed, and in the event of a surprise they meant to fight for their lives." CHAPTER XXIX A WAR-BABY AND A CURIOUS CHRISTENING As far as was known, no men were arrested that night. The man who had escorted the spies through Sunnyside and over the railway line, the dauntless van der Westhuizen with the bandaged arm, had left them not far from the wire enclosure, and had then waited some time, listening for sounds of commotion. As no shots had broken the stillness of the night, he had every reason to believe that they had escaped with their lives. * * * * * For some weeks there was a "lull in spies." But there was no lack of other sensations, for September 1901 will ever be remembered as one of the most trying months throughout the year of the war.