s know too that I love her. But it is ended.
There is nothing more; there never can be now.'

Counsellor put his hand to his head.

'Will you help me? That after all is the question.'

Rallywood looked down at him, and Counsellor fancied there was a shadow
of reproach in the glance.

'For you that is the question, but for me there is another,' Rallywood
said deliberately. 'Until I can resign my oath to Maasau, honour holds
me her sworn soldier.'

'Of all things in the world what is so arbitrary as honour?' cried
Counsellor. 'Honour is a wild flower; God plants it, but man prunes it,
and the devil only can be responsible for the sports one sometimes meets
with. Well, go your own and the devil's way!' The Major turned
irritably round. 'In my creed a man's first duty is to his country.'

'I wish I could see it so,' said Rallywood sadly. Then the hush of the
mighty battle fell upon the little room. The air was stifling to both,
for Counsellor knew what was in his companion's heart and even felt a
far-off pity for him, but no relenting. Rallywood's handsome brown face
had grown suddenly sharp and aged, and his gray eyes contracted to dark
points under their frowning lids. The man was looking on the wreck of
his life, and slowly coming to the conclusion that he must choose that
course which would add the defeat of the land he loved to his own ruin.
He would have died for England, happy in the sacrifice, but to lose all
in her despite was a bitter thing.

'Time's up,' said the Major. 'You have one minute to give me your
decision.'

'A soldier should see no further than the point of his sword,' replied
Rallywood. 'An oath stands between me and my desires. These despatches
may be yours, but you know how they have come into my charge. As long as
I am a soldier of Maasau, my duty to her comes first of all. I cannot
let you go nor can I give up these despatches! Curse you!' a strong
flash of emotion breaking in upon the restraint of his speech, 'why have
you no sword? If you had killed me----'

Counsellor put his watch back into his pocket.

'A man's country should be his conscience,' said the old diplomatist,
as one who pronounces a definite and unassailable truth. Then he waited.

Rallywood stood up.

'I cannot argue,' he said, 'but Major, you will believe me when I say
that I see my duty plainly. I refuse!'

'I have had a great regard for you,' replied Counsellor slowly, 'but if
you were my own son, by Heaven, I'