risk a sacrifice of reality in an attempt to abolish
defects which, I hope, the reader will regard as being in the
circumstances unavoidable.

XIX

THE DEPARTURE FROM KIMBERLEY

BARKLY WEST, _Thursday, May 3rd._

At last!

During the inaction of the past weeks there has been but one question
asked--"Is nothing to be done for Mafeking?" With the gallant little
garrison waiting and keeping the enemy from the door while disease is
busy within, it has been hard to sit still and wait for the orders that
have been so long in coming. But Kimberley, which had been almost
emptied of troops by Lord Methuen's departure, gradually filled again as
General Hunter's division assembled; and a few days ago it became plain
that some movement was imminent.

Tuesday evening--the eve of the mysterious move--was full of romance for
anyone who knew what was about to happen. The dining-room of the club
was gay with yellow and brass and scarlet and the subtler colours of
wine and flowers; but conversation grouped itself into the small low
choruses that indicate far more truly than one united sound indicates
the presence of some common and thrilling interest. Earlier in the day
I had been admitted to a kind of _seance_ in the Press Censor's office,
where an envelope alluringly marked "secret" had been opened, and its
contents read to a "limited number of correspondents of known
discretion." Within it was written that a flying column under Colonel
Mahon would set out at daybreak on the 4th from Barkly West for the
relief of Mafeking; that a certain number of correspondents (of known
discretion) would be invited to accompany it; that the estimated time
was fifteen days; that no provisions or forage would be supplied; that
the correspondents must give their word of honour to divulge nothing
until a certain time: to all of which we set our hands and seals, and
then departed from the office somewhat impressed. It is characteristic
of our Intelligence Department that on leaving the office I was greeted
by a Kimberley resident with the remark--"Well, I hear that Mahon is
going to make a dash for Mafeking on Friday _via_ Barkly West; good
business!"

[Illustration: BRIGADIER-GENERAL BRYAN MAHON, D.S.O.]

So in the evening, although if you had asked point-blank questions you
would have been told nothing, the forthcoming dash to the rescue was
really the topic. That it is to be the work of the Colonial troops is
fair enough, since no on