The result of the trial was as great a surprise for Lawless as it had been for Theodore Smythe. Lawless had ridden into Stellenbosch daily for the paper, and had scanned the columns eagerly for any mention of the case. On the day that he read of Van Bleit's acquittal he sent off the telegram, the receipt of which had decided Van Bleit on a change of air. He had ridden into town alone; Tottie, who usually accompanied him, had remained at home to attend, as she informed him, to the ravages her wardrobe had sustained through the hard wear of the veld. When Lawless got back he flung the paper in through the open doorway and rode on to the stable, where he off-saddled, and then returned to the house. Tottie, when he entered, was seated at the table in her favourite attitude, with her elbows upon it and her chin in her hands, devouring the paper with avidity. She looked up as his tall figure blocked the doorway and laughed. "He's got the devil's own luck," she said. "But this is all right for you, old man." Lawless walked up to the table. "I've sent off a wire asking him here," he said. She laughed again. "You don't lose time... And what's to become of me? Plainly, you wouldn't expose me to such a risk as that." "I shall banish you to the hut we looked at on our arrival. It's quarter of a mile away, and the bush just behind it. You'll sleep there and spend your days in the bush." "What a lively programme!" she ejaculated. "Fairly dull--yes." He went nearer to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not going to pretend that you'll get much joy of it," he said. "But you wanted to help me." She looked up and nodded. "Yes, I wanted to help... If I had to spend my nights as well as my days in the bush, I'd do it." His hand gripped her shoulder till it hurt. "You're the right stuff," he said,--"the best stuff. You and I together will pull this off." That night was destined to be a night of surprises. Hardly had they supped, while they yet lingered at the table discussing their plans, a sound broke suddenly upon the silence, a sound so unusual that Lawless stopped abruptly in the middle of his talk, and Tottie's head went up with a jerk like the head of a wild thing scenting danger. And so they remained for a while listening in attitudes of strained attention. The sounds were unmistakably made by the heavy creaking wheels of a waggon travelling towards them across the veld. Tottie looked at her companion inquiringly. "It's a surprise party, baas," she said. "They've seen our light and are for outspanning." For answer Lawless pushed back his chair, and, rising, started to clear away the evidence of the _tete-a-tete_ meal. She helped him swiftly and in silence, pausing every now and again to listen to the sounds that were gradually getting nearer, growing momentarily louder and more distinctive. The cracking of a whip was heard, and above it the noise of men's voices raised in a rollicking song.