The innuendo was one of the most heinous untruths ever invented by his crowd of sycophants.
An opportunity came my way, by which I was able to convince myself how false was the belief nourished by Rhodes against Milner.

During the course of a conversation with Sir Alfred, I boldly asked him whether he was really such an enemy of Rhodes as represented.

I was surprised by the moderate tone in which he replied to my, after all, impertinent question.
The remarks which we then exchanged filled me with the greatest admiration for the man who so nobly, and so worthily, upheld British prestige in South Africa under the most trying circumstances.

Milner was an entirely honest man--the rarest thing in the whole of Cape Town at that anxious period--and after one had had the advantage of discussing with him the political situation, one could only be filled with profound respect for him and for his opinions, actions and conduct.

Far from working against Rhodes, as Sir Alfred had been represented to me as doing, I convinced myself that he was keenly anxious to be on good and, what is more important, on sincere terms with him.