out as I choose. Then I shall
decide whether I shall commence an action in the courts, or
whether I shall first go over to England, see Lord Godolphin,
explain the circumstances to him, and ask for his protection and
patronage.

"I suppose the case would be tried at Dublin, where the judges are
all creatures of England, and there can be no doubt that a
notification, from Godolphin, that he considered my claim to be a
good one, and was favourable to it, would have no slight influence
with them; and would counteract, to some extent, the fact of my
uncle's being a Protestant, and what they would consider a loyal
man. Before beginning an action, I should certainly communicate
with my uncle, and call upon him to resign in my favour; for I
would avoid the scandal of proving an O'Carroll to be a scoundrel,
as well as a traitor. As it has turned out, the step which he
thought would disembarrass him of me has had the other effect,
for, if I had not gone out to France, I should never have been
troubled by questions about my family; and should not have met
you, Mike, or known of the existence of your sister, the only
person who could clear up the matter.

"I shall begin to think what O'Neil and O'Sullivan used to say,
that my luck would carry me through anything; and certainly, at
present, it has been marvellous."

"Which way will we go back, your honour?"

"Not the way we came, if we can help it. We were nearly a month
coming from Genoa, and might have been twice as long, if the wind
had not been fairly favourable. I think our best plan will be to
take passage by sea to London. There we shall have no difficulty
in finding a vessel bound for Rotterdam, or the Hague. Then we
will buy horses, and ride along by the Rhine. If we can get
through Luxembourg into France we will do so, but I think it will
perhaps be best to go on through Switzerland, and pass the
frontier somewhere near Lyons, where we shall be but a short
distance from Berwick's headquarters in Dauphiny."

A month later, they rode into the duke's camp. They had, on
leaving Toulon, packed up their uniforms and sent them to the care
of a friend on the general's staff. To his quarters they first
went, and having changed his civilian costume for a military one,
Desmond waited on the duke.

"Why, Captain Kennedy," the duke said, in surprise; "I did not
look to see you again, so soon. Have you been over to Ireland?"

"I have, sir, and though there only a few days, g