: to turn all my strength and
time and capacity into the channel of hate against England. Oh, how poor
are words and looks and acts to express that fire which rages in the
weakest and saddest of men."

He sank back with a gesture of weariness, and found Honora's hand
resting on his tenderly.

"The other fire you have not mentioned, Daddy," she said wistfully, "the
fire of a love which has done more for Erin than the fire of hate. For
love is more than hate, Daddy."

"Ay, indeed," he admitted. "Much as I hate England, what is it to my
love for her victim? Love is more than hate. One destroys, the other
builds."

Ledwith, quite exhausted by emotion, became silent. The maid entered
with a letter, which Honora opened, read silently, and handed to her
father without comment. His face flushed with pleasure.

"Doyle Grahame writes me," he explained to Arthur, "that a friend, who
wishes to remain unknown, has contributed five thousand dollars to
testing my theory of an invasion of Ireland. That makes the expedition a
certainty--for May."

"Then let me volunteer the first for this enterprise," said Arthur
blithely.

"And me the second," cried Honora with enthusiasm.

"Accepted both," said Ledwith, with a proud smile, new life stealing
into his veins.

Not for a moment did he suspect the identity of his benefactor, until
Monsignor, worried over the risk for Arthur came to protest some days
later. The priest had no faith in the military enterprise of the
Fenians, and, if he smiled at Arthur's interest in conspiracy, saw no
good reasons why he should waste his money and expose his life and
liberty in a feeble and useless undertaking. His protest both to Arthur
and others was vigorous.

"If you have had anything to do with making young Dillon a Fenian," he
said, "and bringing him into this scheme of invasion, Owen, I would like
you to undo the business, and persuade him to stay at home."

"Which I shall not do, you may be sure, Monsignor," replied the patriot
politely. "I want such men. The enemy we fight sacrifices the flower of
English youth to maintain its despotism; why should we shrink from
sacrifice?"

"I do not speak of sacrifice," said Monsignor. "One man is the same as
another. But there are grave reasons which demand the presence of this
young man in America, and graver reasons why he should not spend his
money incautiously."

"Well, he has not spent any money yet, so far as I know," Ledwith said.

The