s he had
seen her before on the top of the hill on that memorable night in
Virginia. What had she said?--

"_If I stood in the pathway of liberty for one single instant, I should
despise the man who would not sweep me aside without a moment's
hesitation._"

Oh, Katharine, Katharine, he groaned in spirit, pressing his hands upon
his face in agony, while every breaking wave flung the words, "duty and
honor," into his face, and every throb of his beating heart whispered
"love--love."

CHAPTER XVII

_An Incidental Passage at Arms_

There were two entrances to the channel, lying perhaps a half mile
apart, the first the better and more practicable, and certainly, with
the frigate rapidly drawing near, the safer. They were almost abreast
of the first one now. Bentley, who had been observing him keenly, came
up to him.

"We are almost abreast the first pass, Mr. Seymour," he said
respectfully.

Seymour turned as if he had been struck. Was the decision already upon
him? He could not make it.

"We--we will try the second, Bentley."

"Sir," said the old man, hesitating, and yet persisting, "the frigate
is coming down fast; we may not be able to make the second pass."

"We will try the second, nevertheless," said the young man,
imperatively.

"But, Mr. John--"

"Silence, sir! When have you bandied words with me before?" shouted
Seymour, in a passion of temper. "Go forward where you belong."

The old man looked at him steadily: "When, sir? Why, ever since I took
you from your dead father's arms near a score of years ago. Oh, sir, I
know what you feel, but you know what you must do. It's not for me to
tell you your duty," said the old man, laying heavy emphasis upon that
talismanic word "duty," which seems to appeal more powerfully to seamen
than to any other class of men. "Love is a mighty thing, sir. I know
it, yes, even I," he went on with rude eloquence, "ever since I took
you when you were a little lad, and swore to watch over you, and care
for you, and make a man of you--Ay, and I 've done it too--and the love
of woman, they say, is stronger than the love of man, though of that I
know nothing, but honor and duty are above love, sir; and upon your
honor, and your doing your duty, our country depends. Yes, love of
woman, Mr. Seymour, but before that love of country; and now," said the
old man, mournfully, "after twenty years of--of friendship, if I may
say it, you order me forward like a dog.