ception of Desmond Kennedy, as a gentleman of
a good family, and as the son of a loyal adherent of the king; and
as such, I think that I can, from what I have already seen of him,
assert that he is one who will be a good comrade, a pleasant
companion, and a credit to the regiment."

The subject of these remarks was a tall and handsome young fellow,
some sixteen years of age. He was already broad at the shoulders,
and promised to become an exceedingly powerful man. He had stood
somewhat behind the colonel, watching calmly the effect of his
words on those whose comrade he was to be, for he knew how
punctilious were his countrymen, on the subject of family, placing
as much or even more value than did the Scots, on points of
genealogy, and of descent from the old families. His frank open
face, his bearing and manner, did as much to smooth his way as did
the speech of his colonel, who, when he had been introduced to
him, two days before, had questioned him very closely on the
subject of his family. It had almost been a matter of satisfaction
to Desmond when he heard, from the colonel, that the officer who
had fallen at Breda was probably the father of whom he had no
remembrance; for, from the time he attained the age of boyhood, it
had been a grief and pain that he should never have heard from his
father, who, it now appeared, had been prevented by death from
ever communicating with him.

The officers received him cordially. They had little doubt that he
was the son of the Murroch Kennedy, of Dillon's regiment,
although, after they separated, some wonder was expressed as to
the reason why the latter had committed his son to the care of so
notorious a traitor as John O'Carroll.

Desmond had been specially introduced to two of the young
lieutenants, Patrick O'Neil and Phelim O'Sullivan, and these took
him off with them to their quarters.

"And what is the last news from Ireland? I suppose that the
confiscations have ceased, for the excellent reason that they have
seized the estates of every loyal gentleman in the country?"

"That was done long ago, in the neighbourhood of Kilkargan, and,
so far as I know, everywhere the feeling is as bitter as ever,
among those who have been dispossessed, and also among the tenants
and peasantry, who have found themselves handed over to the
mercies of Dutchmen, or other followers of William. At Kilkargan
there was not that grievance; but, although they had still one of
the old family a