On his belly Dirk reached for the pitchfork against the wall, but

braided leather exploded around his wrist.  He shouted again and rolled

on his side to nurse the hand against his chest.

Ruth hit him and he writhed across the floor towards her like a wounded

leopard with its hindquarters shattered by buckshot.

Step by step Ruth retreated before him, and the long lash hissed and

cracked.

Without mercy she beat him until his shirt hung in tatters from his

waist and shoulders, exposing the smooth white skin with the fat

crimson welts superimposed upon it.

She beat him until his shouts turned to shrieks and finally to

sobbing.

She beat him until he lay shivering, moaning, moving feebly with his

blood sprinkled in dark blobs on the stone paving around him.

Then she folded the whip and turned to open the door.  In the stable

yard, standing in silent curiosity, were gathered a the grooms and the

household servants.

Ruth selected four of them.

'Take the Nkosikana to his room.'

Then to one of the grooms' 'Ride to the Nkosi.  Tell him to come

quickly.'

Sean came quickly; he came wild with anxiety and nearly tore the door

off Dirk's bedroom in his haste.  He stopped dead on the threshold and

stared aghast at Dirk's back.

Stripped to the waist, Dirk lay face downwards on his bed and Ruth

worked over him with a sponge.  On the table beside her stood a

steaming basin and the pungent reek of antiseptic filled the room.

'Good God!  What happened to him?'

'I beat him with a stock whip- Ruth answered him calmly and Sean gaped

at her, then dropped his gaze to Dirk

'You did that?'

'Yes.

The anger tightened Sean's mouth.

'Jesus God!  You've cut him to pieces.  You've half killed him.

' And he glanced at Ruth.  'Why?'

'It was necessary.'  The absolute assurance and lack of remorse in her

reply confused Sean.  He was suddenly uncertain in his anger.

'What did he do?'

'I can't tell you that.  It is something private between us.  You must

ask Dirk.  ' Sean crossed quickly to the bed and knelt beside it.

'Dirk.  Dirkie, my boy, what happened?  What did you do?'

And Dirk lifted his face from the pillow and looked at his father, 'It

was a mistake.  It doesn't matter.  ' Then he buried his face in the

pillow once more, and his voice was muffled, so Sean had excuse for not

believing that he had heard correctly.

'What did you say?'  he demanded, and there was a short delay before

Dirk replied quite distinctly.

'I said-it was my fault.  ' 'That's what I thought you said.  ' Sean

stood up with a puzzled expression on his face.  'Well, I don't know

why you sent for me, Ruth.  You seem to have the situation fairly well

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