very good time of
it, dancing with Ada when Captain Clayton was not doing so. "The
greatest brick I ever saw in my life!"--it was thus Captain Butler
afterwards spoke of Edith, "but Ada is the girl for me, you know."
Had Edith heard this, which she could not do, because she was then on
the boat going back to Morony Castle, she would have informed Captain
Butler that Ada was not the girl for him; but Captain Clayton, who
heard the announcement made, did not seem to be much disturbed by it.

"It was a very nice party, Mrs. D'Arcy," said Edith the next morning.

"Was there a supper?"

"There was plenty to eat and drink, if you mean that, but we did not
waste our time sitting down. I hate having to sit down opposite to a
great ham when I am in the full tide of my emotions."

"There were emotions then?"

"Of course there were. What's the good of a ball without them? Fancy
Captain Butler and no emotions, or Captain Clayton! Ask Ada if there
were not. But as far as we were concerned, it was I who had the best
of it. Captain Butler was my special man for the evening, and he had
on a beautiful red jacket with gold buttons. You never saw anything
so lovely. But Captain Clayton had just a simple black coat. That is
so ugly, you know."

"Is Captain Clayton Ada's special young man?"

"Most particularly special, is he not, Ada?"

"What nonsense you do talk, Edith. He is not my special young man at
all. I'm afraid he won't be any young woman's special young man very
long, if he goes on as he does at present. Do you hear what he did
over at Ardfry? There was some cattle to be seized for rent, and all
the people on that side of the country were there. Ever so many shots
were fired, and poor Hunter got wounded in his shoulder."

"He just had his skin raised," said Edith.

"And Captain Clayton got terribly mauled in the crowd. But he
wouldn't fire a pistol at any of them. He brought some ringleader
away prisoner,--he and two policemen. But they got all the cattle,
and the tenants had to buy them back and pay their rent. When we try
to seize cattle at Ballintubber they are always driven away to County
Mayo. I do think that Captain Clayton is a real hero."

"Of course he is, my dear; that's given up to him long ago,--and to
you."

In the afternoon they went home by boat, and Frank made himself
disagreeable by croaking. "Upon my word," he said, "I think that this
is hardly a fit time for giving balls."

"Ginger should not b