red he did not know
when he would be in. 'Very well, then; I'll wait until he does come
in.'

I was given a comfortable chair, and a dictionary was dusted and
placed under my feet. Mr. Rose Innes at length appeared. He was
greatly astonished to find me waiting for him. I began abruptly: 'Dear
Mr. Innes, I am in need of a friend; my distress is so great that I
can no longer distinguish right from wrong.' I told him everything;
showed him the letters which I had received, and, facing him, asked,
'What is my duty? I can appeal to my husband--for my sake, to save
the life of our child--and perhaps dissuade him! _My God, it is a
temptation!_'

Mr. Rose Innes sat deep in thought.

'If you think his going back is a needless throwing away of a valuable
life,' I began, with a timid hope beginning to grow in my heart--'I
will chloroform him and have him taken to sea!'

Mr. Rose Innes leaned forward, and took my hand gently between his
own: 'Mrs. Hammond, your husband is doing the right thing in going
back; don't try to dissuade him. If he were my own brother I would say
the same'--and I accepted his decision.

For a further strong but ineffectual effort to gain a few days' longer
leave of absence for Mr. Hammond, I am indebted to this good friend.
Also for many personal kindnesses which I can never forget. Miss
Louisa Rhodes was a most helpful friend as well; the anxiety in
common brought us very close together. She was a veritable
fairy-godmother, bringing us wines and dainty food from Groote
Schuur's well-stocked larder to tempt us to eat.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 8: Cablegram of the High Commissioner to Mr. Chamberlain,
January 8, 1896:--

'I intend, if I find that the Johannesburg people have substantially
complied with the Ultimatum, to insist on the fulfilment of promises
as regards prisoners and consideration of grievances, and will not
allow, at this stage, the introduction of any fresh conditions as
regards the London Convention of 1884. Do you approve?']

IX

At Cape Town I saw the High Commissioner--a gentle old man with
delicate hands. He had lived two-thirds of his life, and passed the
virile period.

The responsibility of taking my husband to Pretoria was more than I
could assume alone; my strength was nearly spent. Doctors Thomas and
Scholtz assisted me in every way. Although called separately, and not
in consultation, these two gentlemen were far too broad-minded and
generously interested