reckage?'

'Don't let that distress you. Everybody understands that he belongs to
the other party. If he were of the party in power he would be howling
for the Reformers. Remember, Mrs. Hammond, that our system of party
politics seems to call for such attitudes of injustice.' I didn't
quite understand the argument, but the gentleman spoke with
conviction, and I was willing to accept his proffered comfort.

In our quiet home at Park Town we had settled down to domestic
routine. The guard had gone to housekeeping in a tent under the
dining-room window. They had made friends with Totsey, and then with
Totsey's master, little Jack. Although I never recognised them beyond
a formal bow, in answer to their salute as we drove in and out of the
grounds, I realised that they were kind-hearted men. They were
Burghers belonging to the Volunteer Corps, and were quite a different
grade altogether from the men who composed our guard at Pretoria. At
first we had thirteen, then the number was diminished to nine. Each
man was paid $5.00 a day out of my good man's pocket, fed, and cab
fare provided (to fetch and carry the relief squad from and to the
town).

It was very like boiling a kid in its mother's milk, but I had the
gratification of remarking once or twice with casual superiority
during conjugal conversation, that revolutions were expensive things,
and that was _some_ comfort.

My invalid's health, which at first showed a decided change for the
better, began to wane again. Massage was tried, and tonics were freely
administered. Dr. Murray and I thought of Cape Town and the sea; but I
must own up, it was _the officer in charge_ who was most influential
in obtaining a permit for my husband to leave the Transvaal. The bail
bond was increased to a hundred thousand dollars. Fearing _somebody_
might change his mind, I insisted on Dr. Murray's starting at once
with my husband for the Cape. Jacky was thrown in as a bonus. Parker
and I were to follow on the mail train two days later.

The guard, who were by this time genuinely attached to their charge,
begged him to be photographed in a group with themselves. To their
great pride this was done. I missed my husband just before his
departure, and Jacky, joining in my search from room to room, gave
the information, 'Papa is playing with his guard outside.' Weak though
he was, he had crawled out to the tent, with a big bottle of
champagne, and when I stepped to the study window I saw, in