“There is a further condition,” Norgate proceeded, “though that is less important.  The position in Europe at the present moment seems to indicate a lasting peace, yet if anything should happen that that peace should be broken, you are asked to pledge your word that none of your Nationalist volunteers should take up arms on behalf of England until that bill has become law and is in operation.  Further, if that unlikely event, a war, should take place, that you have the courage to keep your men solid and armed, and that if the Ulster volunteers, unlike your men, decide to fight for England, as they very well might do, that you then proceed to take by force what it is not the intention of England to grant you by any other means.”

Mr. Bullen leaned back in his chair.  He picked up a penholder and played with it for several moments.

“Young man,” he asked at last, “who is Mr. X——?”

“That, in the present stage of our negotiations,” Norgate answered coolly, “I am not permitted to tell you.”

“May I guess as to his nationality?” Mr. Bullen enquired.

“I cannot prevent your doing that.”

“The speculation is an interesting one,” Mr. Bullen went on, still fingering the penholder.  “Is Mr. X——­ a German?”

Norgate was silent.

“I cannot answer questions,” he said, “until you have expressed your views.”

“You can have them, then,” Mr. Bullen declared.

“You can go back to Mr. X——­ and tell him this.  Ireland needs help sorely to-day from all her sons, whether at home or in foreign countries.  More than anything she needs money.  The million pounds of which you speak would be a splendid contribution to what I may term our war chest.  But as to my views, here they are.  It is my intention, and the intention of my Party, to fight to the last gasp for the literal carrying out of the bill which is to grant us our liberty.  We will not have it whittled away or weakened one iota.  Our lives, and the lives of greater men, have been spent to win this measure, and now we stand at the gates of success.  We should be traitors if we consented to part with a single one of the benefits it brings us.  Therefore, you can tell Mr. X——­ that should this Government attempt any such trickery as he not unreasonably suspects, then his conditions will be met.  My men shall fight, and their cause will be just.”

“So far,” Norgate admitted, “this is very satisfactory.”

“To pass on,” Mr. Bullen continued, “let me at once confess that I find something sinister, Mr. Norgate, in this mysterious visit of yours, in the hidden identity of Mr. X——.  I suspect some underlying motive which prompts the offering of this million pounds.  I may be wrong, but it seems to me that I can see beneath it all the hand of a foreign enemy of England.”

“Supposing you were right, Mr. Bullen,” Norgate said, “what is England but a foreign enemy of Ireland?”