Augusta Goold looked past them, over them, sometimes it seemed through them, while they spoke, but made them no answer whatever.
At last Mr.O'Rourke shrugged his shoulders, and withdrew to his chair with a sulky scowl.
'I wish,' said Augusta Goold, 'to ask a simple question of your chairman.' Mr.O'Rourke rose.
'This meeting,' he said, 'is convened for the purpose of raising funds for the carrying on of the national business in the House of Commons.

If Miss Goold's question relates to the business in hand, I shall be most happy to answer it.

If not, I am afraid I cannot allow it to be asked here.

At another time and in another place I shall be prepared to listen to what Miss Goold has to say, and in the meantime if she will take her seat on the platform she will be heartily welcome.' 'My question,' said Augusta Goold, 'is intimately connected with the business of the meeting.

It is simply this: Are you, Mr.O'Rourke, prepared to give any portion of the money entrusted to you by the Irish people to assist the Boers in their struggle for freedom ?' It was manifestly absurd to ask such a question at all.