OUR SERVANTS. 193 



leaves the latter in the lurch in a less offensive, thouL'"h 

 even more heartless manner. She does not ask for a 

 holiday, but announces her intention of taking one ; 

 faithfully promises to return at the end of four days, 

 and departs, ridings astride on a lean and raofored scare- 

 crow of a horse, brought for her by a party of 

 Hottentot friends. It is true she leaves no possessions 

 behind to ensure her coming back ; for she never has 

 any luggage, and her wardrobe, being of the scantiest, 

 is all well contained in the handkerchief-bundle which 

 jogs at her side as she trots off. But new chums, fresh 

 from England, and innocent of the ways of the Karroo, 

 are always taken in the first time the trick is played 

 on them ; and as the queer-looking cavalcade departs, 

 bearing in its midst the giggling Phillis, no disquieting 

 suspicions cross the mistress's mind. She determines 

 to make the best of it for those four days, and goes 

 bravely to work ; either single-handed, or with the so- 

 called help of a small Hottentot girl, who comes just 

 when she chooses — sometimes remaining away a whole 

 day, sometimes arriving in the afternoon when most of 

 the work is done — and who lives so far ofi' that o-oinar 

 after her would be useless waste of time. The hours 

 are counted to the time appointed for Phillis's return, 

 but — needless to state — she is never again seen or heard 

 of ; and the victim of her fraud learns by experience 

 that as soon as a servant talks of a holiday it is time to 

 begin the weary search for a successor ; never found 

 without plenty of riding about the country, much in- 

 quiring on neighbouring and distant farms, and many 

 disappointments. 



