ought
to be."'

'There, sir--with the permission of my friends here--I will ask you to
conclude your reminiscences of my private papers, which can have no
possible interest for any one but myself.'

'Quite wrong in that,' cried Kilgobbin, wiping his eyes, which had run over
with laughter. 'There's nothing I'd like so much as to hear more of them.'

'What was that about his heart?' whispered Curtis to Kate; 'was he wounded
in the side also?'

'I believe so,' said she dryly; 'but I believe he has got quite over it by
this time.'

'Will you say a word or two about me, Miss Kearney?' whispered he again;
'I'm not sure I improved my case by talking so freely; but as I saw you all
so outspoken, I thought I'd fall into your ways.'

'Captain Curtis is much concerned for any fault he may have committed in
this unhappy business,' said Kate, 'and he trusts that the agitation and
excitement of the Donogan escape will excuse him.'

'That's your policy now,' interposed Kilgobbin. 'Catch the Fenian fellow,
and nobody will remember the other incident.'

'We mean to give out that we know he has got clear away to America,' said
Curtis, with an air of intense cunning. 'And to lull his suspicions, we
have notices in print to say that no further rewards are to be given for
his apprehension; so that he'll get a false confidence, and move about as
before.'

'With such acuteness as yours on his trail, his arrest is certain,' said
Walpole gravely.

'Well, I hope so, too,' said Curtis, in good faith for the compliment.'
Didn't I take up nine men for the search of arms here, though there were
only five? One of them turned evidence,' added he gravely;' he was the
fellow that swore Miss Kearney stood between you and the fire after they
wounded you.'

'You are determined to make Mr. Walpole your friend,' whispered Nina in his
ear; 'don't you see, sir, that you are ruining yourself?'

'I have often been puzzled to explain how it was that crime went unpunished
in Ireland,' said Walpole sententiously.

'And you know now?' asked Curtis.

'Yes; in a great measure, you have supplied me with the information.'

'I believe it's all right now,' muttered the captain to Kate. 'If the swell
owns that I have put him up to a thing or two, he'll not throw me over.'

'Would you give me three minutes of your time?' whispered Gorman O'Shea to
Lord Kilgobbin, as they arose from table.

'Half an hour, my boy, or more if you want it. Come along with