[Illustration: Nina came forward at that moment]

'Not at once, because there was first of all a sort of account of the
insurrectionary movement here, with a number of queries, such as, "Who is
M----?" "Are F. Y---- and McCausland the same person?" "What connection
exists between the Meath outrages and the late events in Tipperary?"
"How is B---- to explain his conduct sufficiently to be retained in the
Commission of the Peace?" In a word, Miss Kearney, all the troublesome
details by which a Ministry have to keep their own supporters in decent
order, are here hinted at, if not more, and it lies with a batch of red-hot
Tories to make a terrible scandal out of this affair.'

'It is graver than I suspected,' said she thoughtfully.

'And I may lose my place,' muttered Curtis, 'unless, indeed, you would
condescend to say a word for me to Mr. Walpole.'

'Willingly, if it were of any use, but I think my cousin, Mademoiselle
Kostalergi, would be likelier of success, and here she comes.'

Nina came forward at that moment, with that indolent grace of movement with
which she swept the greensward of the lawn as though it were the carpet of
a saloon. With a brief introduction of Mr. Curtis, her cousin Kate, in a
few words, conveyed the embarrassment of his present position, and his hope
that a kindly intercession might avert his danger.

'What droll people you must be not to find out that the letters of a
Viceroy's secretary could not be the correspondence of a rebel leader,'
said Nina superciliously.

'I have already told Miss Kearney how that fell out,' said he; 'and I
assure you there was enough in those papers to mystify better and clearer
heads.'

'But you read the addresses, and saw how the letters began, "My dear Mr.
Walpole," or "Dear Walpole"?'

'And thought they had been purloined. Have I not found "Dear Clarendon"
often enough in the same packet with cross-bones and a coffin.'

'What a country!' said Nina, with a sigh.

'Very like Greece, I suppose,' said Kate tartly; then, suddenly, 'Will you
undertake to make this gentleman's peace with Mr. Walpole, and show how the
whole was a piece of ill-directed zeal?'

'Indiscreet zeal.'

'Well, indiscreet, if you like it better.'

'And you fancied, then, that all the fine linen and purple you carried away
were the properties of a head-centre?'

'We thought so.'

'And the silver objects of the dressing-table, and the ivory inlaid with
gold, and the trifles studde