rhaps have been the man to help
him. They didn't know that Yorke Clayton hadn't been in the county
at that time. They wished with all their hearts that he wasn't there
now, because he was the biggest blackguard they had ever heard tell
of.

Such was the story which was now told to Frank of the examination
which took place in consequence of Florian's confession. The results
were that Pat Carroll was in Galway jail, committed to take his trial
at the next assizes in August for the offence which he had committed;
and that Florian had been bound over to give evidence. "What does
Florian do with himself?" his brother asked.

"I am afraid he is frightened," said Ada.

"Of course he is frightened," said her sister. "How should he not
be frightened? These men have been telling him for the last six
months that they would surely murder him if he turned round and gave
evidence against them. Oh, Frank, I fear that I have been wrong in
persuading him to tell the truth."

"Not though his life were sacrificed to-morrow. To have kept the
counsels of such a ruffian as that against his own father would have
been a disgrace to him for ever. Does not my father think of sending
him to England?"

"He says that he has not the money," said Edith.

"Is it so bad as that with him?"

"I am afraid it is very bad,--bad at any rate, for the time coming.
He has not had a shilling of rent for this spring, and he has to pay
the money to Mrs. Pulteney and the others. Poor papa is sorely vexed,
and we do not like to press him. He suggested himself that he would
send Florian over to Mr. Blake's; but we think that Carnlough is not
far enough, and that it would be unfair to impose such a trouble on
another man."

"Could he not send him to Mrs. Pulteney?" Now Mrs. Pulteney was a
sister of Mr. Jones.

"He does not like to ask her," said Edith. "He thinks that Mrs.
Pulteney has not shown herself very kind of late. We are waiting till
you speak to him about it."

"But what does Florian do with himself?" he asked.

"You will see. He does little or nothing, but roams about the house
and talks to Peter. He did not even go to mass last Sunday. He says
that the whole congregation would accuse him of being a liar."

"Does he not know that he has done his duty by the lie he has told?"

"But to go alone among these people!" said Ada.

"And to hear their damnable taunts!" said Edith. "It is very hard
upon him. I think it is papa's idea to keep him her