"A strike, and especially a strike for political purposes," answered Joe. "General Gough and his officers have struck to prevent Home Rule being placed on the Statute Book. What if a Trade Union had tried to hold up the coontry same road? It's what A've always said," the engineer continued, joyously aggressive. "The officers of the British Army aren't to be trusted except when their own party's in power." The Colonel walked on to the club. There he found young Stanley Bessemere, just back from Ireland, sitting in a halo of cigar-smoke, the hero of an amused and admiring circle, recording his latest military exploits. "We've got the swine beat," he was saying confidently between puffs. "The Army won't fight. And the Government can do nothing." The Colonel turned a vengeful eye upon him. "Young man," he said, "are you aware that Labour's watching you? Labour's learning from you?" "Labour be damned!" retorted the other with jovial brutality. "We'll deal with Labour all right when we've got this lot of traitors out of office." "Traitors!" called Mr. Trupp, harshly from his chair. "You talk of traitors!--you Tories!--I voted for you at the last General Election for the first time in my life on the sole ground of national defence. D'you think I or any self-respecting man would have done so if we'd known the jackanape tricks you'd be up to?" The two elderly men retired in dudgeon to the card-room. "There's only one thing the matter with Ireland," grumbled the old surgeon. "And its always been the same thing." "What's that?" asked the Colonel. "The English politician," replied the other--"Ireland's curse." Hard on the heels of the Curragh affair came the landing of arms from Krupp's, with the connivance, if not with the secret co-operation of the German Government, at Larne under the cover of the rebel Army, mobilised for the purpose. The Government wept a few patient tears over the outrage and did nothing. The Colonel was irritated; Mr. Trupp almost vituperative. "Geddes may say what he likes," remarked the former. "But I can't acquit the Government. They're encouraging the beggars to play it up." "Acquit them!" fulminated the old surgeon. "I'd impeach them on the spot. The law in abeyance! British ports seized under the guns of the British fleet! Gangs of terrorists patrolling the roads and openly boasting they'll assassinate any officer of the Crown who does his duty; and the Episcopalian Church blessing the lot! And the Government does nothing. It's a national disgrace!" "It's all very well, Mr. Trupp," said Mr. Glynde, the senior member for the Borough, who was present. "But Ulster has a case, and we must consider it."