At that moment Peter was walking off with the leg of mutton, and Ada
had run into the kitchen to fetch the rice pudding, which she had
made to celebrate her brother's return. Edith winked at her brother
to show that all questions as to the tender subject should be
postponed for the moment.

"But is it true," said Ada, "that Rachel is making a lot of money?"

"That is true, certainly," said her brother.

"And that she sings gloriously?"

"She always did sing gloriously," said Edith. "I was sure that Rachel
was intended for a success."

"I wonder what Captain Yorke Clayton would think about her," said
Ada. "He does understand music, and is very fond of young ladies who
can sing. I heard him say that the Miss Ormesbys of Castlebar sang
beautifully; and he sings himself, I know."

"Captain Clayton has something else to do at present than to watch
the career of Miss O'Mahony in London." This was said by their
father, and was the first word he had spoken since they had sat down
to dinner. It was felt to convey some reproach as to Rachel; but why
a reproach was necessary was not explained.

Peter was now out of the room, and the door was shut.

"Rachel and I have come to understand each other," said Frank. "She
is to have the spending of her money by herself, and I by myself am
to enjoy life at Morony Castle."

"Is this her decision?" asked Edith.

It was on Frank's lips to declare that it was so; but he remembered
himself, and swallowed down the falsehood unspoken.

"No," he said; "it was not her decision. She offered to share it all
with me."

"And you?" said his father.

"Well, I didn't consent; and so we arranged that matters should be
brought to an end between us."

"I knew what she would do," said Ada.

"Just what she ought," said Edith. "Rachel is a fine girl. Nothing
else was to be expected from her."

"And nothing else was possible with you," said their father. And so
that conversation was brought to an end.

On the next day Captain Clayton came up the lake from Galway, and
was again engaged,--or pretended to be engaged,--in looking up for
evidence in reference to the trial of Pat Carroll. Or it might be
that he wanted to sun himself again in the bright eyes of Ada Jones.
Again he brought Hunter, his double, with him, and boldly walked from
Morony Castle into Headford, disregarding altogether the loaded guns
of Pat Carroll's friends. In company with Frank he paid a visit to
Tom Lafferty in his o