s moment Edith began to
take the lead in managing her brother.

"You do," said Ada. "How was it done? Who did it--and why?"

"Sorrow a know, I know," said the boy.

"Flory, that is a lie," said Edith very solemnly, looking at him with
all her eyes.

"You've no right to say that," said Florian. "It's just because I've
turned Catholic, and it's all your spite." But the boy blushed ruby
red, and the colour told its own story.

As soon as the news had been announced, Edith had seen the boy's
countenance and had instantly watched him. His colour had not risen
at once; but his lower jaw had fallen, and his eyes had glanced
furtively round, and his whole frame had quivered. Then the rush of
blood had flown to his face, and the story had been told so that
Edith could read it. His first emotion had made it plain even to Ada.
"Flory, you know all about it," said Ada.

Edith got up and went across the room and knelt down at the boy's
side, leaning against his chair and looking up into his face. "Flory,
you may lie with your voice, but you cannot stifle your heart within
you. You have confessed the truth."

"I have not," said Flory; "I wasn't in it at all."

"Who says that you were in it? But you know."

"'Deed and I know nothin'." Now the boy began to cry. "You have no
right to say I did it. Why should I do the likes of that?"

"Where were you at four o'clock yesterday afternoon?" asked Edith.

"I was just out, up at the lodge yonder."

"Flory, I know that you have seen this thing done. I am as certain of
it as though I had been there myself."

"I haven't seen anything done--and I won't stay here to be questioned
this way," said the boy, feeling that his blushes would betray him,
and his incapacity to "lie square," as the Americans say.

Then the two sisters were left to talk over the matter together. "Did
you not see it in his face?" said Edith.

"Yes, I saw something. But you don't mean to say that he knew it was
to be done? That would make him a fiend."

"No; I don't think he knew it was to be done. But when Frank was
teasing him the other day about his Catholic nonsense, and saying
that he would not trust a Papist, Florian took the part of Pat
Carroll. If there be a man about the place who would do a base turn
to father, it's Pat Carroll. Now I know that Flory was down near the
lough yesterday afternoon. Biddy Ryan saw him. If he went on he must
have seen the water coming in."

"What shall we do?" asked A