"Split me, y'are not here to lecture us, Mr. Montagu," cried Leath with angry eye. "Damme, we don't care a rap for your opinions, but you have heard too much. To be short, the question is, will you join us or won't you?" "To be short then, Mr. Leath, not on compulsion." "There's no compulsion about it, Kenn. If you join it is of your own free will," said Balmerino. "I think not. Mr. Montagu has no option in the matter," cried O'Sullivan. "He forfeited his right to decide for himself when he blundered in and heard our plans. Willy nilly, he must join us!" "And if I don't?" His smile was like curdled milk. "Have you made your will, Mr. Montagu?" "I made it at the gaming table last night, and the Chevalier O'Sullivan was one of the legatees," I answered like a flash. "Touché, Sully," laughed Creagh. "Ecod, I like our young cockerel's spirit." "And I don't," returned O'Sullivan. "He shall join us, or damme----" He stopped, but his meaning was plain to be read. I answered dourly. "You may blow the coals, but I will not be het." "Faith, you're full of epigrams to-night, Mr. Montagu," Anthony Creagh was good enough to say. "You'll make a fine stage exit--granting that Sully has his way. I wouldn't miss it for a good deal." "If the house is crowded you may have my seat for nothing," was my reply. Strange to say my spirits were rising. This was the first perilous adventure of my life, and my heart sang. Besides, I had confidence enough in Balmerino to know that he would never stand aside and let me suffer for his indiscretion if he could help it. The old Lord's troubled eyes looked into mine. I think he was beginning to regret this impulsive experiment of his. He tried a new tack with me. "Of course there is a risk. We may not win. Perhaps you do well to think of the consequences. As you say, heads may fall because of the rising." The dye flooded my cheeks. "You might have spared me that, my Lord. I am thinking of the blood of innocent people that must be spilled." "Your joining us will neither help nor hinder that." "And your not joining us will have deucedly unpleasant effects for you," suggested O'Sullivan pleasantly. Lord Balmerino flung round on him angrily, his hand on sword hilt. "I think you have forgotten one thing, Mr. O'Sullivan." "And that is----?" "That Mr. Montagu came here as my guest. If he does not care to join us he shall be free as air to depart." O'Sullivan laughed hardily. "Shall he? Gadzooks! The Chevalier O'Sullivan will have a word to say with him first. He did not come as any guest of mine. What the devil! If you were not sure of him, why did you bring him?" Balmerino fumed, but he had no answer for that. He could only say,-- "I thought him sure to join, but I can answer for his silence with my life." "'T will be more to the point that we do not answer for his speech with our lives," grumbled Leath.