"He will kill you," said Ha'o once more. "I hope not," was all the reply he got. When the rest heard of his undertaking they also tried hard to dissuade him from it--all except Jean, who sat silent and thoughtful. "It's risky," said Captain Cathie, with a gloomy shake of the head. "Few good things come without risk, captain--besides, I don't believe it's as risky as you imagine." "It's simply suicidal," said Aunt Jannet Harvey. "It's just throwing yourself away, Kenneth, and spoiling all your great plans, to say nothing of Jean's life." "I shall go too," said Jean quietly. "You, Jean?" said Blair, with a catch in the throat and a sudden weight at the heart. "Yes, dear. If you go, I go. If it is death for you it is death for me in any case, and I would sooner it was together." A terrible temptation this to choose the easier path--on her account. What right had he to drag her life into so great a danger? For imminent danger there was, though he had made light of it. He halted, and she saw it, and understood much of what was in him. "Don't hesitate one moment on my account, Ken. I must go. It is possible my being with you may help. It will show them, at all events, that we mean them no ill." "We are in God's hands," he said quietly, but was visibly disturbed at her insistence. Stuart and Evans also strove with him, but with no better effect. "The peace must be kept, if it is possible," he said. "And this seems to me a possible way to it. I would sooner my wife had stopped behind, but I quite understand her point of view. And--we are as safe there as here." "You've no objection to my firing a blank round or two, Mr. Blair?" asked Captain Cathie. "What's the idea, captain?" "Just to impress them with the fact that we're here behind you, sir. A bang or two from the big gun will maybe have as big an effect as anything you can say to them." "Well, I see no objection. All we want is to keep the peace. The big gun may impress them, as you say." "You wouldn't take a dozen of the men with you, would you sir?" asked the captain insinuatingly. But Blair shook his head at that. "That, I fear, would hardly carry the impression that I want to make. I look on all these people as my parishioners. Sooner or later, please God, they will be. But we must win them, captain; we can't force them." He walked the deck alone that night, long after all but the watch had retired, and thought and thought. And at thought of Jean going into the peril of the morrow the temptation was strong at times to find some other and less dangerous way--for her sake. For himself he would not think twice. For her--ah! for her he would think many times. And, after all, had he the right to persist in his own way, even though he believed it to be the right way, since it meant undoubted danger to her?