Part 26 (1/2)

”I must see the Prime Minister early to-morrow. He must be persuaded--he must be forced if necessary--to telegraph orders to Belfast. Don't you realize? I don't blame you, I don't blame either of you for the failure of your meeting this afternoon. I'm sure you did your best. But--but what will happen here to-morrow? We can't leave the people to be shot down like dogs. After all, they're _our_ people.”

”But what can you do?” said Moyne. ”The Prime Minister won't see you.”

”If necessary I shall force him,” said Lady Moyne. ”He shall see me.”

Lady Moyne is, as I have always said, a remarkable woman. Many members of her s.e.x have been trying for years to force their way into the presence of the Prime Minister. They have hitherto failed.

”I am afraid,” I said, ”that Marion won't be much use to you if you're going to come into collision with the police in any way.”

Lady Moyne smiled.

”I hope I shan't be reduced to those methods,” she said; ”but if I am I shall leave Marion at home.”

I had not the slightest doubt that Lady Moyne would succeed in seeing the Prime Minister. He has probably sense enough to know that though he may resist other women successfully, he cannot possibly make head against her.

”If there is no rioting here to-night,” said Lady Moyne, ”I shall be in time. That young man, Mr. Power, seemed to think that everything would be quiet until to-morrow. I hope he's right.”

”He's sure to be,” I said. ”Conroy is running the revolution and settles exactly what is to happen.”

”He was very confident,” said Lady Moyne. ”Ah! here's Marion. Now we can start. Good-bye, Lord Kilmore. Do your best here. I'll make the best arrangement I can with the Prime Minister.”

CHAPTER XX

Moyne and I dined together in the hotel. We should have got a better dinner at the club, and I wanted to go there. But Moyne was afraid of the other men's talk. It was likely that there would be some very eager talk at the club; and Moyne, whose name still figured on placards as chairman of next day's meeting would have been a b.u.t.t for every kind of anxious inquiry.

We did not altogether escape talk by staying in the hotel.

Just as we were sitting down to dinner I was told that Bob Power wished to see me. Moyne wanted me to send him away; but I could not well refuse an interview to the man who was to be my son-in-law. I gave that as my excuse to Moyne. In reality I was filled with curiosity, and wanted to hear what Bob would say to us. I told the waiter to show him in. He carried no visible weapon of any kind, but he was wearing a light blue scarf round his left arm. I suppose I stared at it.

”Our nearest approach to a uniform,” he said. ”Something of the sort was necessary.”

”But why light blue?” I asked.

”Oh, I don't know. It's a good colour, easily seen. The men are to wear orange, of course. I'm an officer.”

”Captain or Colonel or Knight at Arms?” I asked.

”We haven't bothered about t.i.tles,” said Bob, who did not seem to recognize the question. ”We haven't had time to settle details of any sort. In fact I haven't much time now. I just dropped in to tell you that you needn't be nervous about to-night. We have our men well under control, and the police ought to be able to deal with the rabble. If they can't--if there's any sign of rioting--we step in and stop it at once.”

He pulled a revolver from his coat pocket as he spoke. It gave us the necessary information about the way in which rioting was to be stopped.

”I shall be on patrol all night,” he said. ”My orders--”

”By the way,” I said, ”excuse my asking a stupid sort of question. But who gives you your orders? Who is Commander-in-Chief?”

”Conroy, of course. Didn't you know? He organized the whole thing.

Wonderful head Conroy has. I don't wonder he became a millionaire. He has his men under perfect control. They may not look starchy when you see them in the streets, but they'll do what they're told. I thought you and Lord Moyne would be glad to know, so I dropped in to tell you.

I must be off now.”