"I don't feel hungry, uncle."
"Oh, nonsense! You must eat."
As soon as he had helped Yorke he cut off a large chunk of meat and a slice of bread and carried them out to Hans.
"That is right, lad," he said, when Yorke had made a good meal, for he had found his appetite when he once began to eat. "Now, put this cheque into your pocket, it is for one hundred pounds; you may want to get uniform, and may in any case have to wait some little time before you can arrange matters. Here are twenty pounds for your expenses on the road. In the envelope with the cheque is a note to the manager of the bank, authorizing him to allow you to draw on me up to another hundred pounds should you require it. There, I don't want any thanks, lad. You know how we stand now, and the sooner you are off the better."
"Do you think my aunt would like me to say good-bye to her? I should certainly like to do so. She has been very kind while I have been here."
"I will ask her, Yorke, but I don't think she will. However, it is just as well to make the offer."
Rather to Yorke's surprise, Mrs. Allnutt came into the room a minute later. "Good-bye, Yorke!" she said gravely. "I cannot say, after what has happened, that I am sorry that you are going, but I am very sorry for the circumstances that have caused you to go. You have been very nice in the house since you came. I had thought, before you arrived, that I should not like it, but it has made things pleasant, and I came to like you. Good-bye! I hope you will do well. Some day, perhaps, I may see you again, if not here, perhaps at Cape Town."
"Good-bye, aunt! I am very much obliged to you for the kindness you have shown me since I have been here. I cannot say how sorry I am that things should have turned out as they have. No one can possibly regret it more than I."
Five minutes later Yorke and Hans mounted and started on their journey.