ove for Miss Kit, or my disgust
for the Republic One and Indivisible.

He heard me with evident disquiet.

"I am sorry about the girl," said he bluntly. "She may be all you say,
but Ireland wants you heart and soul just now. It is no time for
dancing attendance on ladies."

"For all I know she lies buried under the guillotine," said I.

"Oh no, she does not," said Tim. "She and her mother are back at
Knockowen, so I was told a month ago, before we sailed on this voyage."

I seized his hand so eagerly at this news as almost to startle him.

"Watch her helm, she's falling away," said he, almost sharply. "Ay,
she's back, but no nearer your reach for that. I hear Gorman has become
a rich man since. The English estates that belonged to the master of
Kilgorman have yielded a great profit, and besides that he has got hold
of the Lestrange property too. The young lady is an heiress, and this
Captain Lestrange you spoke of, who saved them out of Paris, is not
likely to lose the chance of getting a wife and his family estates back
into the bargain. Don't be a fool, Barry. You and I are only sailor
lads. It does not become us to be hankering after heiresses. But the
freedom of Ireland we may and must strive for; and, Barry, brother,"
(and what a whack he caught me on my back), "we'll get it!"

I turned in that night with my head in a whirl. It seemed as if every
joy I had was destined to crumble in my hand. No sooner had I found my
little lady in Paris than a cruel hand swept us asunder. No sooner had
I found my brother than I found him estranged from me in a hopeless
cause. No sooner had I heard of the safety of her I loved than I heard
she was lifted further out of my reach than ever. I could have wished I
had never met Tim again. I should at least have slept better had I lain
in my bunk with no thought but that of the French coast dropping league
by league astern. Now, even Ireland seemed to have its terrors ahead.

But sleep came to my rescue, and with sleep came courage and hope. Why
should I be afraid? What had I to hang my head at? Was I, who had come
through a reign of terror, going to mope at troubles in advance?
Sufficient unto the day should be the evil thereof!

So I met Tim with a smile in the morning, and asked him to report me to
Captain Keogh.

That worthy officer had quite slept off the debauch of last night, and
was apparently looking forward to the next, for a bottle of rum stood o