spoke, he tried to grasp her hand; but she withdrew it coldly and
slowly, saying, 'I have no fancy to make myself the prize of any success in
life, political or literary; nor can I believe that the man who reasons
in this fashion has any really high ambition. Mr. Atlee,' added she, more
gravely, 'your memory may not be as good as mine, and you will pardon me
if I remind you that, almost at our first meeting, we struck up a sort of
friendship, on the very equivocal ground of a common country. We agreed
that each of us claimed for their native land the mythical Bohemia, and we
agreed, besides, that the natives of that country are admirable colleagues,
but not good partners.'

'You are not quite fair in this,' he began; but before he could say more
Dick Kearney entered hurriedly, and cried out, 'It's all true. The people
are in wild excitement, and all declare that they will not let him be
taken. Oh! I forgot,' added he. 'You were not here when my father and I
were called away by the despatch from the police-station, to say that
Donogan has been seen at Moate, and is about to hold a meeting on the bog.
Of course, this is mere rumour; but the constabulary are determined to
capture him, and Curtis has written to inform my father that a party of
police will patrol the grounds here this evening.'

'And if they should take him, what would happen--to him, I mean?' asked
Nina coldly.

'An escaped convict is usually condemned to death; but I suppose they would
not hang him,' said Dick.

'Hang him!' cried Atlee; 'nothing of the kind. Mr. Gladstone would present
him with a suit of clothes, a ten-pound note, and a first-class passage to
America. He would make a "healing measure" of him.'

'I must say, gentlemen,' said Nina scornfully, 'you can discuss your
friend's fate with a marvellous equanimity.'

'So we do,' rejoined Atlee. 'He is another Bohemian.'

'Don't say so, sir,' said she passionately. 'The men who put their lives on
a venture--and that venture not a mere gain to themselves--are in nowise
the associates of those poor adventurers who are gambling for their daily
living. He is a rebel, if you like; but he believes in rebellion. How much
do you believe in, Mr. Atlee?'

'I say, Joe, you are getting the worst of this discussion. Seriously,
however, I hope they'll not catch poor Donogan; and my father has asked
Curtis to come over and dine here, and I trust to a good fire and some old
claret to keep him quiet for this