six o’clock
If only she could reach the place and find help to send to her lover , she did not greatly care what happened to her afterwards . The pace of the horse she was riding grew slower and slower . From the ambling canter into which at first she managed occasionally to force it , and which is the best pace to travel at in South Africa , it relapsed continually into a rough short trot , which was agony to her , riding as she was , and from the trot into a walk . Indeed , just before sunset , or a little after six o'clock , the walk became final . At last they reached the rising ground that stretched up the slope of the Mooifontein hill , and here the poor beast fell down utterly worn out . Jess slipped off and tried to drag it up , but failed . It had no strength left in it .