curiously. "If he's
to write to one of us it should be to Ada," she said to herself,
laughing. Then she opened the envelope, which enclosed a large square
stout letter. It contained a card and a written note, and on the card
was an invitation, as follows: "The Colonel and Officers of the West
Bromwich Regiment request the pleasure of the company of Mr. Jones,
the Misses Jones, and Mr. Francis Jones to a dance at the Galway
Barracks, on the 20th of May, 1881. Dancing to commence at ten
o'clock."

Then there was the note, which Edith read before she took the card
upstairs.

"My dear Miss Jones," the letter began. Edith again looked at the
envelope and perceived that the despatch had been certainly addressed
to herself--Miss Edith Jones; but between herself and her sister
there could be no jealousy as to the opening of a letter. Letters for
one were generally intended for the other also.

I hope you will both come. You ought to do so to show
the county that, though you are boycotted, you are not
smashed, and to let them understand that you are not
afraid to come out of the house although certain persons
have made themselves terrible. I send this to you instead
of to your sister, because perhaps you have a little
higher pluck. But do tell your father from me that I think
he ought, as a matter of policy, to insist on your both
coming. You could come down by the boat one day and return
the next; and I'll meet you, for fear your brother should
not be there.--Yours very faithfully,

YORKE CLAYTON.

I have got the fellows of the West Bromwich to entrust the
card to me, and have undertaken to see it duly delivered.
I hope you'll approve of my Mercury. Hunter says he
doesn't care how often he's shot at.

It was, in the first place, necessary to provide for the Mercury,
because even a god cannot be sent away after the performance of such
a journey without some provisions; and Edith, to tell the truth,
wanted to look at the ball all round before she ventured to express
an opinion to her sister and father. Her father, of course, would
not go; but should he be left alone at Morony Castle to the tender
mercies of Peter? and should Florian be left also without any woman's
hands to take charge of him? And the butter, too, was on the point of
coming, which was a matter of importance. But at last, having pulled
off her butter-making apron and having duly patted the roll of
but