'It is easier to be loyal to a truth than to a country.'
'You know you are wrong when you say that. Come—we are both unnerved to-night. Perhaps I was injudicious to speak at a time when I should have known that you would be overwrought, but I could not keep back the love which you must have read'——
'Please, Mr. Selwyn, you must never mention that again. I don't want to marry you. I don't want to marry any one. I always said that a women's rebellion would come, and I feel in my blood that it has started to-night. I don't know how, or when, or where, but I am going to join it and'——
'Then you agree with me?' he cried eagerly. 'You feel that the women of this country should rise, and try to prevent this catastrophe?'
'You fool,' she said, half in pity, but with a sneer; 'you poor blind
American! Yes, there's going to be a revolution against conventions,
Society, customs, morality, for all I know. They're all going overboard.
We've hoisted the black flag to-night, but with one, and only one,
object—to help Britain and the men of Britain to fight!'
* * * * * *
And the British Fleet, at the King's command, was steaming out into the night.