to leave the
room as Walpole came forward with an open telegram and a mass of papers in
his hand.

'May I have a few moments of conversation with you?' said he; and in the
tone of his words, and a certain gravity in his manner, Kearney thought he
could perceive what the communication portended.

'I am at your orders,' said Kearney, and he placed a chair for the other.

'An incident has befallen my life here, Mr. Kearney, which, I grieve to
say, may not only colour the whole of my future career, but not impossibly
prove the barrier to my pursuit of public life.'

Kearney stared at him as he finished speaking, and the two men sat fixedly
gazing on each other.

'It is, I hasten to own, the one unpleasant, the one, the only one,
disastrous event of a visit full of the happiest memories of my life. Of
your generous and graceful hospitality, I cannot say half what I desire--'

'Say nothing about my hospitality,' said Kearney, whose irritation as to
what the other called a disaster left him no place for any other sentiment;
'but just tell me why you count this a misfortune.'

'I call a misfortune, sir, what may not only depose me from my office and
my station, but withdraw entirely from me the favour and protection of my
uncle, Lord Danesbury.'

'Then why the devil do you do it?' cried Kearney angrily.

'Why do I do what, sir? I am not aware of any action of mine you should
question with such energy.'

'I mean, if it only tends to ruin your prospects and disgust your family,
why do you persist, sir? I was going to say more, and ask with what face
you presume to come and tell these things to _me_?'

'I am really unable to understand you, sir.'

'Mayhap, we are both of us in the same predicament,' cried Kearney, as he
wiped his brow in proof of his confusion.

'Had you accorded me a very little patience, I might, perhaps, have
explained myself.'

Not trusting himself with a word, Kearney nodded, and the other went
on: 'The post this morning brought me, among other things, these two
newspapers, with penmarks in the margin to direct my attention. This is the
_Lily of Londonderry_, a wild Orange print; this the _Banner of Ulster_, a
journal of the same complexion. Here is what the _Lily_ says: "Our county
member, Sir Jonas Gettering, is now in a position to call the attention
of Parliament to a document which will distinctly show how Her Majesty's
Ministers are not only in close correspondence with the leaders of