other members of his family.

The only occasion upon which he broke through the solitary monotony
of his life was during the continuance of the racing season, and
immediately subsequent to it; at which time he was to be seen among
the busiest upon the course, betting deeply and unhesitatingly, and
invariably with success. Sir Robert was, however, too well known as a
man of honour, and of too high a family, to be suspected of any unfair
dealing. He was, moreover, a soldier, and a man of an intrepid as well
as of a haughty character; and no one cared to hazard a surmise, the
consequences of which would be felt most probably by its originator
only.

Gossip, however, was not silent; it was remarked that Sir Robert never
appeared at the race-ground, which was the only place of public resort
which he frequented, except in company with a certain strange-looking
person, who was never seen elsewhere, or under other circumstances. It
was remarked, too, that this man, whose relation to Sir Robert was never
distinctly ascertained, was the only person to whom he seemed to speak
unnecessarily; it was observed that while with the country gentry
he exchanged no further communication than what was unavoidable in
arranging his sporting transactions, with this person he would converse
earnestly and frequently. Tradition asserts that, to enhance the
curiosity which this unaccountable and exclusive preference excited, the
stranger possessed some striking and unpleasant peculiarities of person
and of garb--she does not say, however, what these were--but they, in
conjunction with Sir Robert's secluded habits and extraordinary run of
luck--a success which was supposed to result from the suggestions and
immediate advice of the unknown--were sufficient to warrant report in
pronouncing that there was something QUEER in the wind, and in surmising
that Sir Robert was playing a fearful and a hazardous game, and that, in
short, his strange companion was little better than the devil himself.

Years, however, rolled quietly away, and nothing novel occurred in the
arrangements of Castle Ardagh, excepting that Sir Robert parted with his
odd companion, but as nobody could tell whence he came, so nobody could
say whither he had gone. Sir Robert's habits, however, underwent no
consequent change; he continued regularly to frequent the race
meetings, without mixing at all in the convivialities of the gentry,
and immediately afterwards to relapse into the se