k terror to the hearts of many waverers had it been put to
practice by the Boer leaders, after she had successfully carried it
out.

At her instance a trusted mechanic, working secretly at dead of night,
made half a dozen tiny branding-irons in the form of a cross, to be
used for branding the traitors between the eyes, when captured
red-handed. This drastic measure was, however, not resorted to.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: "Zak-patriotten."]

CHAPTER XVI

A CONSIGNMENT OF EXPLOSIVES

The following story was related to Hansie by her mother soon after her
return from the Irene Camp, and must be repeated here for its
connection with subsequent events.

One afternoon in June Mrs. van Warmelo had been visited by a young
friend, Miss F., with a man whom she introduced as her brother, an
unexpected arrival from Europe.

"Indeed!" Mrs. van Warmelo exclaimed. "What a delightful surprise it
must have been to you!"

"Yes, but he is leaving again very, very soon. In fact"--here Miss
F.'s manner became mysterious--"he is here on a mission and we shall
see very little of him."

Mrs. van Warmelo expressed her regret at this, and the conversation
naturally turned to the general topic, the war.

Leading questions were put to Mrs. van Warmelo, and she felt that her
assistance was required for some purpose or other; but being too
discreet to invite her visitors' confidence, she waited.

After beating about the bush a good deal, Miss F. remarked:

"You know the Zoutpansberg District very well, do you not?"

"Yes," Mrs. van Warmelo answered; "we lived there formerly."

"Then you will perhaps know trustworthy people in Pietersburg, people
on whom one can thoroughly rely in these days."

Mrs. van Warmelo answered hesitatingly:

"Yes--there is one, at least, on whom I can depend."

"Would there be much risk and difficulty in communicating with General
Botha through such a person?" Miss F. inquired.

"General Botha!" Mrs. van Warmelo exclaimed. "But he is not in the
north. He is on the High Veld, somewhere south-east of Transvaal, and
much easier to communicate with than if he had been in Zoutpansberg."

"How could one get a message through to him?" Miss F. asked, and her
hostess decided to beat about the bush no longer.

"Do you not think it would be better to trust me and tell me what you
wish to do? I would be better able to answer and help you."

Miss F. then turned to her brother and said:

"Mrs. van War