onsider just would be carried out by
him. If sentence of death should be passed, he would not hesitate to
take his rifle and put an end to the lives of the accused. "We must," he
said, "put a stop to these treasonable acts." The poor prisoners
trembled from head to foot. No mercy! On being examined, they
acknowledged that they had forwarded treasonable reports to the enemy,
and began to plead for mercy. One of them asked us to bear in mind that
he was a poor man, and had a wife and a large family that would be left
destitute. Pretending to be quite in earnest, we assured him that we
were decided to take nothing into consideration, and would mete out
strict justice. They were then removed so that the court could decide on
their punishment. After a few minutes' consultation they were called in,
and asked to subscribe their names to a statement which ran as
follows:--

We, the undersigned, do hereby declare, that, as burghers of the
Orange Free State, we had no right to send reports to the British,
and, in doing so, we have committed High Treason.

When they had signed the paper one of the officers remarked that we must
have such a declaration signed by the accused to justify our actions
with regard to them before the Government. Another officer asked the
president whether the prisoners would be allowed to take leave of their
families. To which the president abruptly replied: "No; such characters
do not deserve any privileges." They were left under the awful
impression for two hours that both would be shot, and then released with
a warning to forward no reports to the enemy. Their anxiety must have
been intense; their joy on being acquitted no less.

Non-combatants frequently found themselves in an uneasy and perplexing
position. It was sometimes most difficult to differentiate between Boer
and Briton, especially in the night. The poor farmer was often at his
wits' end to know whom he was addressing, the more so when the British
ranks were swelled by Dutch colonists and national scouts. The
non-combatant farmer found it extremely difficult to steer a course
inoffensive to either side. He was between two fires, for when suspected
of disloyalty, either a Dutch or English trap might be laid for him. Not
a few were caught in such snares. Others were more careful. If they did
not know you personally, it was of no avail to tell them that you
belonged to such and such a commando or column. They simply professed t