ad just finished my letter when Bob Mahon drove up, his honest face
radiant with smiles and good-humour.

'Well, Hinton,' cried he, 'the whole thing is properly settled. The
money is paid over; and if you are writing to O'Grady, you may mention
that he can draw on the Limerick bank, at sight if he pleases. There's
time enough, however, for all this; so get up beside me. We've only half
an hour to do our five miles, and dress for dinner.'

I took my place beside the Major; and as we flew fast through the air,
the cool breeze and his enlivening conversation rallied and refreshed
me. Such was our pace that we had ten minutes to spare, as we entered a
dark avenue of tall beech-trees, and a few seconds after arrived at the
door of a large old-fashioned-looking manor-house, on the steps of which
stood Hugh Dillon himself, in all the plenitude of a white waistcoat
and black-silk tights. While he hurried me to a dressing-room, he
overwhelmed me with felicitations on the result of the day.

'You'll think it strange, Mr. Hinton,' said he, 'that I should
congratulate you, knowing that Mr. Burke is a kind of relation of mine;
but I have heard so much of your kindness to my niece Louisa, that I
cannot but rejoice in your success.'

'I should rather,' said I, 'for many reasons, had it been more
legitimately obtained; and, indeed, were I not acting for another, I
doubt how far I should feel justified in considering myself a winner.'

'My dear sir,' interrupted Dillon, 'the laws of racing are imperative in
the matter; besides, had you waived your right, all who backed you must
have lost their money.'

'For that matter,' said I, laughing, 'the number of my supporters was
tolerably limited.'

'No matter for that; and even if you had not a single bet upon you,
Ulick's conduct, in the beginning, deserved little favour at your
hands.'

'I confess,' said I, 'that there you have touched on the saving clause
to my feeling of shame. Had Mr. Burke conducted himself in a different
spirit towards my friend and myself, I should feel sorely puzzled this
minute.'

'Quite right, quite right,' said Dillon; 'and now try if you can't make
as much haste with your toilette as you did over the clover-field.'

Within a quarter of an hour I made my appearance in the drawing-room,
now crowded with company, the faces of many among whom I remembered
having seen in the morning. Mr. Dillon was a widower, but his
daughters--three fine, tall, handsome-lo