his
attention. There was an ominous cloud of unrest hovering over South
Africa. It affected all, and filled them with anxious thoughts, for
none knew when it would burst and let loose the thunder and lightning of
a terrible war.

Already negotiations between the Boers and the British Government were
at a deadlock. Both sides were arming, the former with the absolute
certainty and wish for war, and the latter slowly and with evident
sorrow. Suspicion was in the air, and hatred between the two races
unconcealed. A conference at Bloemfontein had been held between Sir
Alfred Milner, the Governor of Cape Colony, and President Kruger, but
had led to no result, save a further deadlock. Kruger would make no
satisfactory proposals. He was firmly determined that the Transvaal
should be for Boers alone, and that no Englishman should have a voice in
the country. England asked for equal rights, and was laughed at--
defied. Yes, this small state, with a history which could only record
some two hundred years of peasant existence, and a total population less
than that of one of our big northern towns, had as good as cast down the
glove at the British Lion's feet. And the Lion still sat half-crouched,
silently waiting, and hoping that matters might be arranged for peace.

Opposed to England's forces was a minor state, which was snapping its
fingers at her and practically daring her to retaliate. Once before the
Transvaal had acted in a similar manner, and then, because there was
some doubt as to the justice of our cause, and because we have ever been
magnanimous, we made peace with her.

But, like a little dog, the South African Republic had continued yapping
at us, distracting our attention while she grew and thrived, and armed
herself to the teeth. And now that she had attained to full
proportions, the conceit of youth and the impetuous desire to play with
her new guns had led her to seek a quarrel, the result of which she
hoped would for ever free her from the hated British suzerainty, and
give her that independence for which she longed.

And on every side the world looked on and laughed in its sleeve at our
difficulties, while it openly upbraided us for having ulterior designs
on so small a state.

Matters could not remain as they were. Business was at a standstill,
and crowds of refugees were fleeing from the Transvaal. Then the Orange
Free State intimated that in the event of hostilities it would cast in
its l