Still the western districts of Cape Colony were becoming pacified, so much so that Sir Charles Warren was able to leave for England, and the command of the troops in the Colony was given over to Sir F. Forestier Walker. On the 13th a sad discovery was made by Colonel Hickman. He came on the body of Colonel Helyar,[11] who had been reported missing since the end of July. The gallant officer, who had so nobly rendered his services in the hour of the nation's distress, was deeply regretted. He was buried with military honours, and Lord Roberts attended the impressive ceremony. General Paget's Brigade, which returned to Pretoria on the 14th, was followed on the 23rd by Colonel Mackinnon and a wing of his sturdy battalion of C.I.V. after a 224 mile march, accomplished in fourteen days, of which one was a halt. In telegrams home the Chief expatiated on the excellent and workmanlike appearance of the force and of the gallant 2nd Yorkshire Light Infantry and Munster Fusiliers, who had so distinguished themselves in operations around Bethlehem. While the military routine continued as usual, Pretoria was seething with inordinate emotion and excitement. Early in August an alarming conspiracy had been suddenly brought to light. The main feature of the plot was simultaneously to assassinate the British officers in Pretoria, and to carry off the Chief. The idea was to set fire to some big buildings on the west of the town, in the hope of drawing thither the troops for the purpose of extinguishing the flames. While this excitement distracted the attention of the British force, the Boers and their allies in the town, headed by the ringleader Cordua, were to combine and kidnap Lord Roberts, posting off with him, on fleet horses kept ready for the purpose, to join the nearest commando. The conspirators, about fifteen in number, ten of whom were immediately arrested, had taken the oath of neutrality, which especially stated that any contravention was liable to punishment under martial law. This diabolical development in the tactics of a supposed civilised belligerent naturally caused consternation not unmixed with rage, and there was a general outcry against the leniency which had made an abuse of trust possible, and a universal demand for more drastic measures in dealing with an enemy who had descended from the level of fine fighters to that of marauders and assassins. The trial of the ringleader, Hans Cordua, a youth of twenty-three, formerly lieutenant of the Staats Artillery, was opened on the 16th. The prisoner was charged with having broken his parole, and attempted to abduct British officers, to which charges he pleaded guilty. Evidence was then brought forward to prove the extent and ramifications of the plot, the complicity of Botha and others therein. The prisoner was ably defended by Mr. Berrange, who endeavoured to show the complicity of the witness, Detective Gano, a clever Mexican, who was accused by Cordua of having been instigator of the plot.