He faced about, and without a word strode out into the sunshine.
It was rather a silent ride they took—that last ride together into Stellenbosch. Lawless was preoccupied, and the woman too appeared busy with her thoughts. She asked him once what he purposed doing if Van Bleit decided not to come up, and he answered shortly:
“If he doesn’t come to me, I go to him.”
She looked him straight in the eyes.
“You mean to best him, Grit,” she said.
“Yes.”
“Remember, I’m your lieutenant.”
“Yes,” he said again. And they fell into silence as before.
Van Bleit’s answer acted somewhat as a set-back to their plans. Lawless had never contemplated the addition of Denzil to their numbers. It came altogether as a surprise.
“This complicates matters,” he said. “Looks fishy... rather as though he had his doubts of me. And yet I’ll swear when I last saw him—”