Two hours later a gaunt, haggard figure stumbled down the hill-sidetowards the site of Mooifontein, bearing something in his arms. Thewhole place was in commotion. Here and there were knots of Boers talkingexcitedly, who, when they saw the man coming, hurried up to learn whoit was and what he carried. But when they knew, they fell back awed andwithout a word, and John too passed through them without a word. Fora moment he hesitated, seeing that the house was burnt down. Then heturned into the waggon-shed, and laid his burden down on the saw-benchwhere Frank Muller had sat as judge upon the previous day.
Now at last John spoke in a hoarse voice: "Where is the old man?"
One of them pointed to the door of the little room.
"Open it!" he said, so fiercely that again they fell back and obeyed himwithout a word.
"John! John!" cried Silas Croft, rising amazed from his seat upon asack. "Thank God--you have come back to us from the dead!" and tremblingwith joy and surprise he would have fallen on his neck.
"Hush!" he answered; "I have brought the dead with me."
And he led him to where Jess lay.
Jess Page 45