telling her everything-about the leg, how it was when they were
children, and finally, about Michael. She was quiet for a while, and
he could see the hurt in her eyes that Sean had been another woman's
lover. At last she asked: 'Does Garry know that Michael is your
son?'
'Yes. Anna told him one night. She told him the night I left
Ladyburg-he wanted to kill me.'
'Why did you leave?
'I couldn't stay on. Garry hated me for siring his son,- and anna
hated me because I would not go to her.'
'She still wanted you, then?'
'Yes. That night-the night I left, Anna came to me and
'Yes.'
Ruth nodded, hurt still and jealous, but making the effort to
understand.
'I refused her-and she went to Garry and, in spite, she told him about
the child. My God, what a poisonous bitch she is!'
'But if she wanted you, why did she marry Garry?'
'She was with child. She thought I had been killed in the Zulu war-she
married him to provide a father for her child.'
'I see, ' Ruth murmured. 'But why do you tell me this?
'I wanted you to understand how I feel about Garry. After What he did
to you at that meeting I can't expect you to have much sympathy for
him,- but he wasn't trying to hurt you, he asked me to .
Sean paused. 'You know what I mean.
was aiming at me. I owe him so much, I now seem able to pay him.
That's why . . . ' 'That's why you are glad he won today?' Ruth
finished for him.
'Yes,' Sean answered eagerly. 'You see, don't you, how important this
must have been to him. For the first time he was able to ... able to
... Sean fluttered his hands in confusion as he sought the words.
'He was able to compete with you on equal terms,' Ruth supplied them
for him.
'Exactly!' Sean struck the arm of his chair with clenched fist.
'When I went to congratulate him, he was ready to meet me. He invited
me out to Theuniskraal-just then that evil, bloody woman interfered and
took him away. But somehow I know it's going to be all right now. ' A
knock on the outer door interrupted him, and Ruth jumped up from his
lap.
'That will be the waiter with the lunch,' but before she was half-way
across the room, the knock was repeated with such Insistence that it
threatened to loosen the plaster.
'I'm coming.' Irritated, Ruth raised her voice and swung the door
open.
Led by Bob Sampson a flood of men rushed into the room; jabbering and
gesticulating they bore down on Sean.
'What the hell's going on?' he demanded.
'You've won!' shouted Bob. 'A recount, you won on a recount-by ten
votes!'
'My God!' breathed Sean, and then so softly that only Ruth heard
