When Susannah reached the camp with the afterglow of her lover's kisses
still upon her lips, she found that dinner was over. There was a new
look upon her face and a light in her eye, which were not lost on any
member of the family. She took a rusk from the cupboard and then went
to the scherm for a cup of coffee which Katryn, the Hottentot
servant-girl, had saved for her. Katryn had seen Max follow Susannah to
the kopje, and, as she noticed the new look upon the girl's face, had
drawn her own conclusions. After pouring out the coffee she shot an
extremely sly glance at Susannah's face and then turned away, her
shoulders shaking with laughter.
Old Schalk turned to his wife, who was sitting beside him in the
mat-house, hemming an apron--
"Wife, did you see how strange she looked? I wonder what she and the
Jew have been doing on the kopje?"
"Let us call her and ask. Susannah!"
"Yes, aunt."
"Where have you been that you did not come to dinner?"
"At the koekerboom on the top of the kopje, aunt."
"Who was with you?"
"Max, aunt."
"What happened to make you look so strange?"