"It is what I have heard my father say, and others also, but progress is very slow. There is much racial hatred rampant still."
"It will yield gradually. The fittest must prevail in the end; but obviously that fittest will prove to be neither Dutch nor English, but South African."
"How do you think it will prevail?" She was white now, and her eyes were gazing very straight out into the night.
"By intermarriage chiefly. It is almost the only solution to the problem. Speaking one tongue, owning one country, will never help it, as Dutch and English interests united upon one hearth. That is why you must be patient, and just go steadily on, avoiding dissension as much as possible, while trying to raise the tone of both races on every side."
There was a little tremor in her voice as she said, "And are we to take it just meekly when Englishmen are ousted for Dutchmen and loyal service ignored?"
"I think you can only be patient at present. The strong part will lie with you, though the others seem to triumph. If the party in power find the country is at a standstill, and not progressing as they want it to, they will end by rearranging the public posts, and the Englishmen will come back because they are the fittest. As a race, you know, we are inclined to be domineering and somewhat overbearing. We certainly have ourselves to thank for some of the trouble. Probably while the Dutchman is 'top dog' he is having his fling, and we are learning a little wholesome wisdom. When the reaction comes the country will be the gainer."
"And in the meantime intermarriage?" she questioned slowly.
"In the meantime intermarriage," he said, with quiet emphasis.
But he little dreamt that at the cross-roads he was pointing her to a path of tears.
They heard Diana returning, and he moved restlessly.