ess for their living. Home
Rule means ruining it and starving them. I don't like fighting, but,
by God, I'll fight before I submit to Home Rule."

Lord Moyne looked slowly round the room. His face was quite pale. It
seemed to me that his eyes had grown larger. They had a look of terror
in them. His hands trembled among the papers in front of him. He saw
at once what the result of a vote would be. He looked at me. I shook
my head. It was quite plain that nothing I could say would influence
the meeting in the least.

"Gentlemen," said Moyne, "are we to attempt to hold our meeting
to-morrow? Those who are in favour of doing so say 'Aye.'"

Cahoon, McNeice, Malcolmson, the Dean and Conroy voted "aye."

"The 'ayes' have it," said Moyne.

"Before we part," said Babberly, "I wish to say that I leave Belfast
to-night--"

Malcolmson muttered something. Babberly held up his hand.

"No," he said. "You are wrong. I'm not afraid. I'm not taking care of
my own skin. But I have lived a loyal man and I mean to die a loyal
man. I decline to take part in the rebellion."

I have heard Babberly speak on various occasions and admired his
eloquence. This time I recognized his sincerity. He was speaking the
truth.

"I shall go back to England," he said, "and, of this you may rest
assured, that I shall do what can be done in Parliament and elsewhere
to save you and the men whom I must call your victims from the
consequences of to-day's madness and to-morrow's crime."

He left the room. The five men who had voted "Aye" were gathered in a
knot talking eagerly. I took Moyne's arm and we went out together.

"Her ladyship must be got away," he said. "And your daughter, Kilmore.
She's here, isn't she? This town will be no place for women to-morrow.
Luckily I have the car. You'll take them, won't you? Castle Affey will
be the best place for the present."

"What are you going to do yourself?" I asked.

We passed through the door and down the flight of steps to the street.
The crowd outside caught sight of us at once. Some one shouted aloud.

"More traitors!"

The news of the result of the meeting and the part we took in it had
somehow reached the people already. An angry roar went up from the
crowd. Those who were nearest to us cursed us. A police-officer with
eight men forced a way through the crowd. At a word from their officer
the men drew their batons and stood in front of us.

"I think, my lord," said the officer to Moyne, "th