“And then you cast about in your mind for some other means by which you can make us loyal under subjection. And when there is born to that ‘Queen of Ireland’ whom Ireland never sees--though she can journey far afield to southern France or Italy--another princeling, for whom royal provision must be made out of the pockets of the people, who can scarce find their own children in bread, you say, ‘Go to, here is our opportunity; we will make Ireland loyal for ever by giving this princeling Patrick as one of his many names and by dubbing him Duke of Connaught.’ “But Ireland, graceless, thankless, stubborn Ireland, is not one whit more loyal after receiving this royal boon, for she knows that you rule over her by the coward’s right--the right of the strong to oppress and make subject the weak. “You call her your sister while you seek to make her your slave, even as you call Irishmen your brothers while you have sought to make their very name a reproach and a fitting subject for your sorry jests. “You hold Ireland in the thrall of cruel oppression--for cowardice is always cruel--not because of any sisterly feeling for her or love for her people, whom you hate and who hate you with an undying hate, but because you _are afraid to let her go free_. “But that which you fear shall assuredly come to pass, and Ireland, which might and would have been your friend and ally were she free, is but waiting till you are involved in war to prove herself your deadliest and bitterest enemy and the friend and ally of every country which calls itself your foe. “By order. “CAPTAIN SHANNON.” No more convincing proof that the fugitive in hiding on the “Cuban Queen” was Captain Shannon could be wished for than this document, and the only question I had to consider was how best to accomplish his arrest. I decided that the safest plan would be to signal Hughes to return. He could see the hulk from the top window of my cottage, and I had arranged with him that a red jersey (the men in charge of the hulks wear red jerseys not unlike those affected by the Salvationists) slung over the ship’s side was to be taken as meaning, “Come back as soon as it is dark, and say that your wife is better.”