watch at Government House as well as at Groote Schuur, and in
doing so added to the tension which, up to the last moment of Sir Alfred's
tenure of office at Cape Town, existed between him and Cecil Rhodes. Too
courteous to tell his redoubtable adversary that he had better mind his
own business, convinced, on the other hand, of the latter's great
capacities and great patriotism, Sir Alfred was constantly doing all that
he could do in reason to pacify him. Cecil Rhodes used to make most bitter
and untrue remarks as to the stupidity of the Imperial Government at home
and the incapacity of the men in charge of its armies in South Africa. All
this was repeated right and left with the usual exaggeration, and reached,
as perhaps was intended, those whom it concerned. The result was that
Rhodes found himself tabooed at Pretoria. This he said was due to the
great fear which his influence over public opinion in South Africa
inspired among those in command there.

The big trouble with Rhodes was that he would never own himself in the
wrong. He quibbled, he hesitated, he postponed replies to questions
submitted for his consideration. He wearied everybody around him with his
constant prevarications in regard to facts he ought to have accepted
without flinching if he wanted to regain some of his lost prestige.
Unfortunately for himself and for the cause of peace in South Africa,
Rhodes fancied himself immensely clever at "biding his time," as he used
to say. He had ever lurking somewhere in his brain the conviction that one
day the whole situation at Cape Town and Pretoria would become so
entangled that they would have to send for him to beg him as a favour to
step round and by his magic touch unravel all difficulties. His curious
shyness, his ambition and his vanity battled with each other so long that
those in authority at last came to the sad conclusion that it was far
better to look elsewhere for support in their honest efforts at this
important moment in the existence of the African Continent.

One last attempt was made. It was backed up by people in London, among
others by Stead. Stead liked the Great Imperialist as well as one man can
like another, and had a great and justified confidence in Rhodes' good
heart as well as in that indefinable nobility which manifested itself at
times in his strange, wayward nature. Moreover, being gifted with a keen
sense of intuition, the famous journalist realised quite well the immense
work t