chance on
this occasion, and they have not done any good with it."

CHAPTER XXII.

MORONY CASTLE IS BOYCOTTED.

The men seemed to make a good joke of the afternoon's employment,
but not so the young ladies. In the evening they had a little music,
and Captain Clayton declared that the Miss Ormesbys were grand
performers. "And I am told that they are lovely girls," said Ada.

"Well, yes; lovely is a very strong word."

"I'd rather be called lovely than anything," said Ada.

"Now, Captain Clayton," said Edith, "if you wish for my respect,
don't fall into the trap which Ada has so openly laid for you."

"I meant nothing of the kind," said Ada. "I hope that Captain Clayton
knows me better. But, Captain Clayton, you don't mean that you'll
walk down to the boat to-morrow?"

"Why not? He'll never have the pluck to fire at me two days running.
And I doubt whether he'll allow me so fair a chance of seeing him."

"I wonder how you can sleep at night, knowing that such a man as this
is always after your life."

"I wonder whether he sleeps at night, when he thinks such a man as
I am after his life. And I allow him, to boot, all his walks and
hiding-places." Then Ada began to implore him not to be too rash.
She endeavoured to teach him that no good could come from such
foolhardiness. If his life was of no value to himself, it was of
great value to others;--to his mother, for instance, and to his
sister. "A man's life is of no real value," said the Captain, "until
he has got a wife and family--or at any rate, a wife."

"You don't think the wife that is to be need mind it?" said Edith.

"The wife that is to be must be in the clouds, and in all
probability, will never come any nearer. I cannot allow that a man
can be justified in neglecting his duties for the sake of a cloudy
wife."

"Not in neglecting absolute duties," said Ada, sadly.

"A man in my position neglects his duty if he leaves a stone unturned
in pursuit of such a blackguard as this. And when a man is used to
it, he likes it. There's your brother quite enjoyed being shot at,
just as though he were resident magistrate; at any rate, he looked as
though he did."

So the conversation went on through the evening, during the whole of
which poor Florian made one of the party. He said very little, but
sat close to his sister Edith, who frequently had his hand in her
own. The Captain constantly had his eye upon him without seeming to
watch him, but still