o can talk thus above their breath in a
public inn are not the sort of men that will turn the land upside down.
What would Lord Edward say if he could hear them--or Tim, for the matter
of that?"

It was scarcely eight o'clock next morning when I pulled boldly up to
his honour's pier and moored my boat.

At the garden entrance stood a trooper on guard, who brought his gun to
the port and demanded what I wanted, "I am here to see his honour, at
his bidding."

"What is your name?"

"Barry Gallagher."

The soldier gave a whistle, and a comrade from within approached, to
whom he spoke a few words.

"Wait there!" said the sentinel to me, closing the gate as if I were a
beggar, and resuming his pacing to and fro.

I swallowed my pride as best I could. If I had been fool enough to
flatter myself I was to be welcomed with open arms and made much of for
yesterday's exploit, this was a short way of undeceiving me. For a
quarter of an hour I kicked my heels on the narrow causeway, looking up
sometimes at the windows of the house for a chance glimpse of my little
lady. How would she meet me after all these years? Would it be mere
graciousness to one who had done her a service, or something more? I
should soon know.

The sentinel presently opened the gate and beckoned me to approach.

"Pass, Gallagher," said he, motioning me to follow his comrade.

The latter conducted me up the garden, and round the house to the yard,
where a strange scene met my eyes.

A soldier stood on guard at each doorway. In the middle of the open
space was a table, and at it three chairs, in which sat his honour,
another gentleman, and a choleric-looking man in the uniform of a
captain of horse. Standing before the table handcuffed, and in the
custody of three policemen, stood Flanagan and his comrade, whom I had
last left back to back on Black Hill Road.

His honour recognised my arrival with a cold nod, and Flanagan, who was
apparently under examination at the moment, scowled viciously. The
other prisoner, who seemed as much fool as knave, looked with white face
first at his judges, then at the doors, and finally with a listless sigh
straight before him.

"How many does your society consist of?" his honour's fellow-magistrate
was inquiring of Flanagan as I arrived.

"Och, your honour, there you puzzle me," began the shifty informer; "it
might be--"

The officer brought his fist down on the table with a sound which
brought all th