is quite as likely to be the other way," Captain Davenant said.
"Walter is a good lad, and a brave one, but, with all Claire's pretty
winning ways, I question if the young lady has not more will of her own,
and more mind, than Walter has. I hope they may agree each to go their
own way, and I think that, if they continue to live in this country, they
will probably do so, for here, unhappily, political differences build up
a wall between the two branches of Christianity. But, if it should come
that they should some day leave this unhappy country, and settle in
England, where the same ill feeling does not exist, there is no saying
what may happen."

"Well, at any rate, Captain Davenant, it is satisfactory that our views
on the subject agree, and that we are both willing to make the best of
what we cannot but consider to be a misfortune. But here come the young
people. I have no doubt," she laughed, "that they have been swearing vows
of eternal fidelity."

"Well, we were young ourselves, once, and we are not too old, yet, Mrs.
Conyers, to feel enjoyment in the happiness of these young people."

The next morning, Mrs. Conyers and Claire sailed for England, and the
military events, which shortly afterwards took place, left Walter little
time for thought on other subjects.

On the 21st of September, two days after the departure of Mrs. Conyers, a
heavy cannonading was heard from the forts at the mouth of Cork harbour,
and, soon afterwards, a horseman galloped into the town with the news
that an English fleet had forced the entrance, in spite of the fire from
the forts. This fleet bore five thousand men, under the command of the
Earl of Marlborough.

The English party at court had long been mortified and disgusted at the
manner in which the English had been ignored by William, and all the
military commands bestowed upon foreigners. The discontent, caused by the
want of success which had attended the operations in Ireland, had greatly
strengthened this party, and they had now succeeded in getting an
independent English expedition sent off, under the command of an English
general. William was much annoyed at this, for any brilliant success
attained by Marlborough would have increased the feeling against his
foreign favourites. He had, therefore, despatched the division of General
Scravenmore to besiege the town on the land side, and had placed in
command of it the Duke of Wirtemberg, whose rank as a prince, and as a
general