had fought and suffered for him
thought that they would recover their estates, and turn out
Cromwell's men, to whom they had been granted. But they were
disappointed. The king found that he could not make so great a
change, without upsetting the whole country, and that an attempt
to do so would cost him his crown; and you may be sure that James
would find an equal difficulty, were he to come to the throne."

"Well, well, your honour, you know more of such matters than I do;
but I have no doubt that you are right. I am sure we don't want
the bad times to come over again, in Ireland."

Three days later, Gerald received a message from Lord Godolphin,
saying that he wished to see him; and, on going to his house, the
minister handed to him the paper with the full pardon, and the
confirmation of his ownership in his father's estates; together
with a letter to the lord lieutenant, and the Lord Chief Justice
Cox.

The next day, he took ship for Dublin, and on arriving there
presented his letters, and was well received by those to whom they
were directed.

The lord lieutenant said:

"It is enough for me, Mr. O'Carroll, that Lord Godolphin speaks of
you in such high terms, and I question not that he has thoroughly
satisfied himself as to your right to these estates. At the same
time, I should be glad if you will give me a brief outline of how
it is that you never claimed them before, though perhaps it is as
well that you did not do so, for, until the passions excited by
the war had somewhat subsided, a friend of the Government would
hardly have interposed for the benefit of the son of one who had
died fighting for James."

Gerald had drawn up three copies of a statement containing a
precis of the case, and he handed one of these to the lord
lieutenant, saying:

"As the story is a somewhat long one, my lord, I have written it
down, in order that you might read it at your leisure."

"I will certainly do so, Mr. O'Carroll. I should like to be
personally acquainted with the details of the matter. It will
doubtless excite a considerable stir. It is, I believe, the first
time that a supporter of the Government has had to defend his
title against one of the family that fought on the other side."

"It is hardly a case of royalist and rebel, sir, but the
deliberate action of a man suppressing all knowledge of the
existence of his own nephew, in order that he might himself obtain
the property of his dead brother.

"I have n