"Kate, you are hysterical! Don't you see that a man who is capable of planning a wholesale murder in the night would be quite able to lie to you? No, no! Whatever you do, you must promise me not to speak a word of this to anyone, most of all, to Harrigan."
"I will promise anything—I will do anything. It all rests with you,
Angus."
"And when we strike at the mutineers—if Harrigan falls, will you absolve me of his death, Kate?"
She was terribly moved, standing stiff and straight and helpless like a child about to be punished.
"Angus, for the sake of pity, do not ask me."
"I must know."
"Angus," came her broken voice, "I cannot give up my faith in him."
His face grew as dark as night, but he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder and said: "Your mind is distraught. You shall have time to think this over; but remember, Kate, we must fight fire with fire, and the time has come when you must choose between us."
And then, very wisely, he slipped from the room.