Walter Pieterse Part 11

"And the prize-- Pretty eyes----"

"Did you ever hear the like--he has scarcely shed his milk teeth!"

"And the prize-- Pretty eyes-- She was bought with steel----"

"With ste-e-l!"

"And the prize-- Pretty eyes-- She was bought with steel; I bore her away to the cave just to feel How it seemed."

"Heavenly grace, what is he going to do in the cave?"

"In my arm, Free from harm Lay the maid as we sped; Her cries, sweet complaints, and the tears----"

"Oh, blessed peace, and the poor thing crying!"

"Her cries, sweet complaints, and the tears she shed-- O, delight!"

"And he calls that delight! I'm getting right cold."

"Then again, O'er the plain----"

"Holy Father, there he goes again!"

"Then again, O'er the plain.

Right and left, nothing spurned, Here a villa destroyed or a cloister burned For fun."

"The Devil is in that boy. For fun!"

"Farther yet, I forget-- But the deeds they were dire, And the road was marked with blood and fire And revenge!"

"Mercy on us! What had they done to him!"

"Revenge's sweet, And is meet For the King of the World----"

"Is he crazy? I'll make him a king!"

"Revenge's sweet And is meet For the King of the World, Who alone is supreme, with a banner unfurled Forever!"

"What sort of a thing is he talking about?"

"All! Hurrah!

But, I say----"

Everybody shuddered.

"All! Hurrah!

But, I say No pardon shall be lavished, The men shall be hanged and the women----"

"Trudie, Trudie, the camphor bottle! You see--I----"

"The men shall be hanged and the women ravished----"

"The camphor bottle! Trudie, Trudie!"

"For pleasure!"

"For pleasure," repeated the teacher in a grave-yard voice, "for pleasure!"

"He--does--it--for--pleasure!"

The company was stupefied. Even Stoffel's pipe had gone out.

But Walter's was not a nature to be easily disturbed. After his mother had beaten him till she came to her senses again, he went to bed in the little back room, far from dissatisfied with the day's work, and was soon dreaming of Fancy.

CHAPTER XI