It was as Carew had said: quinine and
tobacco were the main essentials.
Then, for the last time in many months, he arrayed himself in black
cloth and fine linen, chose his stick and gloves with care, and,
leaving Adderley Street behind him, turned eastward towards the home
of the Dents.
He found Ethel on the broad veranda, bordered with flower-boxes and
overlooking the garden and the blue waters of Table Bay. Dressed in
a thin white gown which, to Weldon's mind, was curiously out of
keeping with all his preconceived notions of January weather, she
rose and came forward to greet him at the top of the steps.
"At last," she said cordially, while she gave him her hand. "I began
to fear you had already gone to the front."
"Not without seeing you again," he answered, as he followed her back
to the bamboo chairs at the shaded western end of the veranda. "In
fact, I began to be rather afraid I should never see the front at
all."
"What do you mean?" she asked quickly. "Has something happened since
I saw you?"
"A great deal has happened. The thing I referred to was my first
sight of British regulars."
Her face cleared.
"Oh, is that all?"
"It is a good deal," he assured her, as he sat down.
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