t there aren't nearly enough of them. If you
really want to stop the meeting you'll have to get out the soldiers,
and even with them--"

"But we want to avoid bloodshed," said Clithering. "We cannot have the
citizens of Belfast shot down by the military. Think of the
consequences, the political consequences. A Tory Government might--but
we! Besides, the horrible moral guilt."

"It's no affair of mine," I said; "but I should have thought--I dare
say I am wrong. There may be no moral guilt about killing policemen."

"But they won't be killed," said Clithering. "Our one aim is to avoid
bloodshed."

"You're trying the police rather high," I said. "They'll do what you
tell them, of course. But I don't think it's quite fair to ask them to
face ten times their own number of men all armed with magazine rifles
when they have nothing but those ridiculous little carbines."

"Oh, but the police are not to have firearms," said Clithering.
"Strict orders have been given--batons ought to be quite sufficient.
We must avoid all risk of bloodshed."

"Good gracious!" I said. "Do you expect a handful of police with
small, round sticks in their hands--Oh! go away, Clithering. You mean
well, I dare say, but you're absurd."

It is very seldom that I lose my temper in this sudden way. I was
sorry a moment afterwards that I had given way to my feelings. Poor
Clithering looked deeply hurt. He turned from me with an expression of
pained astonishment and sat down by himself in a corner. I pitied him
so much that I made an effort to console him.

"I dare say it will be all right," I said. "The police will probably
have sense enough to go away before they're shot. Then the meeting
will be held quite peaceably. I don't know what the political
consequences of that may be, but you'll get off the moral guilt, and
there'll be no bloodshed."

This ought to have cheered and consoled Clithering; but it did not. It
made him more nervous than ever.

"I must go at once," he said, "and see the General in command.
Everything must be--"

He left the room hurriedly without finishing his sentence. This
annoyed me. I wanted to know what everything must be.

The reading-room of the club is on the first floor, and the window
commands an excellent view of Donegal Place, one of the principal
thoroughfares of Belfast. The club stands right across the eastern end
of the street, and the traffic is diverted to right and left along
Royal Avenue and High Str