"If I stay here much longer there's no hope left. Because I could not go out to fight him, he captured Lyonesse and all my ships. He'll have the yacht next."
"Take me away in the yacht."
"Then what becomes of the public confidence? The people would cry that you had deserted them; they would overwhelm the Government—then chaos! The Queen's place is here, setting an example of unflinching courage to all her people."
"But can't you capture the Dictator, and seize the Government now?"
"With one yacht?"
Margaret's eyes were dark with horror. "Too late!"
"Outside this room I am an outlaw and a fugitive, hunted like a wolf. I dare not even call my yacht lest the Queen should be compromised and attacked. I must go to Tower Hill and signal the Mary Rose."
"And you have lost everything in guarding me."
"What was there to fight for if the Queen were lost? I stayed until I could leave you secure. Now I must fight." He took the aerograph from the desk. "So far as I can see the Queen is safe, and yet—I will leave you this instrument. If ever you are in danger, release this key and touch it so—three sharp strokes repeated again and again. The signal shall be forwarded by my London agents, and the answer will be four double strokes."
"And you will come?"