fixed me with his shrewd glance. 'Where were you?' he asked abruptly.

'I was in Johannesburg with my husband.'

'Were you not afraid?'

'Yes, those days have robbed me of my youth.'

'What did you think I was going to do?'

'I hoped that you would come to an understanding with the Reformers.'

His face darkened.

'I was disappointed that the Americans went against me,' he said.

Mr. Sammy Marx rose and left the room. I was seized with one of those
sudden and unaccountable panics, and from sheer embarrassment--my mood
was far too tragic to admit of flippancy--blurted out, 'You must come
to America, Mr. President, as soon as all this trouble is settled, and
see how _we_ manage matters.'

Kruger's face lighted up with interest. 'I am too old to go so far.'

'No man is older than his brain, Mr. President'; and Kruger, who knew
that in all the trouble he had shown the mental vigour of a man in his
prime, accepted my praise with a hearty laugh. This was joined in by
the Boers from the other end of the room.

Mrs. Kruger refused to see me, and I liked her none the less for her