melo is quite right. Tell her everything." Upon which the
young man explained that he had been sent out on a secret mission
connected with a consignment of dynamite which lay buried on the
eastern frontier. News had been received in Europe that there was a
dearth of explosives and, consequently, a temporary cessation of
adventures on the railway lines, and it was for the purpose of
communicating the fact that this consignment had arrived that he had
travelled to Pretoria via the East Coast and over Durban. How to get
into touch with some reliable person in Pretoria who was in direct
communication with the Boer forces had been his greatest problem, and
he was grateful indeed for Mrs. van Warmelo's guarded promise of
assistance.

"I cannot tell you anything now," she said, "but if you will leave the
matter in my hands I promise that you will hear from me to-morrow
morning."

Mr. F. then told her that he had brought with him a small quantity of
the dynamite, made up into two separate parcels, non-explosive apart,
but dangerous when mixed together in a certain way. He had been
deputed to instruct the Boers how to mix these ingredients.

He had with him, too, a large prospecting hammer, the long handle of
which was bound with leather and closely studded with nails. But the
handle was _hollow_ and contained a number of detonators, to be sent
out to the Boers for blowing up trains and for damaging the railway
lines and bridges. One other article of interest he had brought with
him, a huge Parisian hat for his sister, and he told Mrs. van Warmelo
how the polite inspector of goods on the frontier had held the lovely
headpiece up, admiring the pink roses nestling in black lace and
chiffon, and little dreaming that he was handling many yards of
dynamite fuse.

"A lovely hat!" he exclaimed when he put it back into the box, without
having noticed the _weight_, which alone would have betrayed it to any
one familiar with ladies' headgear.

Early next morning Mrs. van Warmelo sallied forth to the house of her
confederate, Mr. Willem Botha, at the other end of the town. He
listened to her story attentively and said, "There are spies in town
at this very moment, and they are leaving for the General's commando
to-night."

This was good news indeed, and Mrs. van Warmelo immediately made an
appointment with Mr. Botha to meet Mr. F. at Harmony that afternoon.

On her way home she called at Miss F.'s house, informing her of the
appo