f Wales.

Having settled all these matters to his satisfaction, and certainly
to that of the Revd. Cadwalladr Jones (who succeeded as Vicar of
Pontystrad by a wise nudging and monetary pressure on the part of
the late Vicar's son), David returned to London at the close of
1910, took off his clothes and shed his personality. It was bruited
that he had gone abroad to nurse a health that was seriously
impaired through his incredible exertions over the Shillito case. He
left his cousin Vivie free to espouse the Suffrage cause, even unto
the extremest militancy.

CHAPTER XIII

THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT

The Conciliation Bill which was intended to give the Parliamentary
Vote to a little over one million women had passed its Second
reading on July 12, 1910, by a majority of 110 votes; in spite of
the bitter opposition of the Premier, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, the Home Secretary, the President of the Board of Trade,
and the Secretary for the Colonies. The Premier's arguments against
it were, firstly, that "Women were Women"--this of course was a
deplorable fact--and that "the balance of power might fall into
their hands without the physical force necessary to impose their
decisions, etc., etc."; and finally "that in Force lay the ultimate
appeal" (rather a dangerous incitement to the sincere militants).
The Chancellor of the Exchequer took up a more subtle attitude than
the undisguised, grumpy hostility of his leader.

His arguments at the time reminded me of an episode in East Africa
thirty years ago. A certain independent Chief tolerated the presence
on his territory of a plucky band of missionary pioneers. He did not
care about Christianity but he liked the trade goods the
missionaries brought to purchase food and pay for labour in the
erection of a station. These trade goods they kept in a storehouse
made of wattle and daub. But this temporary building was not proof
against cunning attempts at burglary on the part of the natives. The
missionaries at length went to the Chief (who was clothed
shamelessly in the stolen calicoes) and sought redress. "All
right," said the potentate, who kept a fretful realm in awe, "_But_
you have no proof it _is_ my people who break in and steal. You just
catch one in the act, and _then_ you'll see what I'll do."

So the Oxford and Cambridge athletic missionaries sat up night after
night under some camouflage and at last their patience was rewarded
by the capture of a naked,