getting up a petition, which she would take to England to the Queen.
It was to be headed with my name, as wife of one of the leaders: Mrs.
Lionel Phillips being in Europe, and Mrs. George Farrar at the Cape;
Colonel Rhodes a bachelor. I had small hopes of the success of things
which had to be sent to Court, or placed before Courts. The subject
was dismissed.

Then there was another plan thought out by a very shrewd man, and
brought to my bedside, 'news which concerns your husband' being a
passport to any one. I was to go at once to Cape Town, see Mr. Cecil
Rhodes, and demand one hundred thousand dollars from him.

'What for?' I asked.

'You see,' said the gentleman, 'your husband and those other men are
going to be tried _sure_, and we need money to lobby Pretoria.'

I was stupid--it was my first Revolution--and I hadn't the least idea
what lobbying Pretoria meant. My friend gave me a sketchy view of its
meaning, and assured me it was usually done in grave cases.

'But it will kill me to leave my bed and start for Cape Town
to-morrow,' I exclaimed.

My adviser delicately hinted that my husband's life was of more value
than my own. On this point we agreed. I was to make Mr. Rhodes
understand that we didn't want any more 'tom-fool military men up here
to ball up the game.'

He was to give the money to me unconditionally, to be disbursed as my