The moment she had uttered the words she would have recalled them, for Guy made an abrupt movement and turned so white that she thought he would faint. His eyes went beyond her with a strained, glassy look, and for seconds he stood so, as one gone suddenly blind. Then with a jerk he pulled himself together, and gave her an odd smile that somehow cut her to the heart. "That was a straight hit anyway," he said. "And are you going to stick to him for the same reason?" She turned her face away with the feeling of one who dreads to look upon some grievous hurt. "No," she said, in a low voice. "Only because--I am his wife." Guy made a short, contemptuous sound. "And for that you're going to let him ride rough-shod over you--give him the right to control your every movement? Oh, forgive me, but you good people hold such ghastly ideas of right and wrong. And what on earth do you gain by it all? You sacrifice everything to the future, and the future is all mirage--all mirage. You'll never get there, never as long as you live." Again that quick note of passion was in his voice, and she tingled at the sound, for though she knew so well that he was wrong something that was quick and passionate within her made instinctive response. She understood him. Had she not always understood him? She did not answer him. She had given him her answer. And he, realizing this turned aside to open the window. Yet, for a moment he stood looking back at her, and all her life she was to remember the love and the longing of his eyes. It was as if for that second a veil had been rent aside, and he had shown her his naked soul. She wondered afterwards if he had really meant her to see. For immediately, as he went out, he broke into a careless whistle, and then, an instant later, she heard him fling a greeting to someone out in the blinding sunshine. An answer came back from much nearer than she had anticipated. It was in the guttural tones of Hans Schafen the overseer, and with a jerk she remembered that the man always sat on the corner of the _stoep_ to await Burke if he arrived before their return from the lands. It was his custom to wear rubber soles to his boots, and no one ever heard him come or go. For some reason this fact had always prejudiced her against Hans Schafen. CHAPTER V EVERYBODY'S FRIEND When Burke came in to lunch half an hour later, he found Sylvia alone in the sitting-room, laying the cloth. She glanced up somewhat nervously at his entrance. "I've frightened Rosamond away," she said. "Little cuss! Good thing too!" he said. She proceeded rapidly with her occupation. "I believe there's a sand-storm coming," she said, after a moment. "Yes, confound it!"' said Burke. He went to the window and stood gazing out with drawn brows. With an effort she broke the silence. "What has Schafen to report? Is all well?"