that she had never once throughout the war entertained the idea,
the possibility, of the loss of her country's independence.

The blow, when it came, found her so far from the scenes of her recent
sufferings, as we shall see presently, that she was able to endure it,
as one, far removed from the death-bed of her best beloved, is spared
the crushing details, the cruel realities of that last parting scene.

The thought of the strong heart across the seas, waiting to receive
her, would have been of more support to her in those days had she
known by experience what it _could_ mean to a woman, tried as she had
been, to place herself and all her grief in the protecting,
understanding love of a good and noble man.

But even this comfort was denied to her; in fact, the thought of her
uncertain future, and her fear that the step she was about to take
might prove to be a great mistake in her abnormal condition, were an
added burden to our sorely tried and now completely broken-down
patriot.

Plans were made to send her out of the country.

Her sister, Mrs. Cloete, who had for some months been trying to
procure a permit to visit the Transvaal, was, after great trouble and
inconvenience, successful in her endeavours and arrived at Harmony on
Saturday, March 29th, 1902.

What words from my poor pen can describe the emotions of _that_
meeting?

Even Hansie's diary has nothing to say except "let us draw the veil,"
but memory is strong and the bands of love and kinship are
unbreakable, even under the adversities of long and bitter years--nay,
rather are they strengthened by the threads of common woe, woven into
their very fibre at such a time of bitter trial.

The mother spent hours with her elder daughter, happy beyond power to
express, relating her experiences and adventures, comparing notes and
making plans for their future.

All that month of April was filled with rumours of an early peace, and
hopes were buoyed up with the certainty that "peace with honour" would
and could be the only termination to the peace conferences. Incredible
as it may seem to some of my readers, the Boer opinion was that
England was about to end hostilities and that, under certain terms,
the independence of the two Republics would be assured.

No reliable information reached our friends at Harmony, for the
activities of the Secret Service had ceased entirely--at least, as far
as the town was concerned.

Uncertainty, excitement, expectation f