ant to approach him in the right
way, and count every inch of the road that leads to him. We must not
make any mistakes, ye know, if only for Miss Ledwith's sake."

His reward was a melting glance from the wonderful eyes.

"I know the Minister well, and I feel sure he will help for the asking,"
said Anne.

"Glad you're so hopeful, mother, but some of us are not," Arthur
interjected.

"Then if you fail with His Excellency, Artie," she replied composedly,
"I shall go to see him myself."

Captain and Dowager exchanged glances of admiration.

"Now, there are peculiarities in our trials here, trials of rebels I
mean ... I haven't time to explain them ..." Arthur grinned ... "but
they make imperative a certain way of acting, d'ye see? If I were in Mr.
Dillon's place I should try to get one of two things from the American
Minister: either that the Minister notify Her Majesty's government that
he will have his representative at the trial of Ledwith; or, if the
trial is begun ... they are very summary at times ... that the same
gentleman inform the government that he will insist on all the forms
being observed."

"What effect would these notifications have?" Arthur asked.

"Gad, most wonderful," replied the Captain. "If the Minister got in his
warning before the trial began, there wouldn't be any trial; and if
later, the trial would end in acquittal."

Every one looked impressed, so much so that the Captain had to explain.

"I don't know how to explain it to strangers--we all know it here,
doncheknow--but in these cases the different governments always have
some kind of an understanding. Ledwith is an American citizen, for
example; he is arrested as an insurgent, no one is interested in him,
the government is in a hurry, a few witnesses heard him talk against the
government, and off he goes to jail. It's a troublesome time, d'ye see?
But suppose the other case. A powerful friend interests the American
Minister. That official notifies the proper officials that he is going
to watch the trial. This means that the Minister is satisfied of the
man's innocence. Government isn't going to waste time so, when there are
hundreds to be tried and deported. So he goes free. Same thing if the
Minister comes in while the trial is going on, and threatens to review
all the testimony, the procedure, the character of the witnesses. He
simply knocks the bottom out of the case, and the prisoner goes free."

"I see your points," said Art