limax, Mr. Dillon. Well, good-night. I
hope the friends of Mr. Ledwith will be able to do everything for him."

It irritated him that Arthur carried off the honors of the occasion, for
the young man's smiling face betrayed his belief that the mention of
these noble names, and the fact that their owners were working for
Ledwith, would sorely trouble the pillow of Livingstone that night. The
contrast between the generosity of kindly Englishmen and his own
harshness was too violent. He foresaw that to any determined attempt on
the part of Ledwith's English friends he must surrender as gracefully as
might be; and the problem was to make that surrender harmless. He had
solved it by the time Anne Dillon reached London, and had composed that
music sure to make the Minister dance whether he would or no. In taking
charge of the case Anne briefly expressed her opinion of her son's
methods.

"You did the best you could, Arthur," she said sweetly.

He could not but laugh and admire. Her instincts for the game were far
surer than his own, and her methods infallible. She made the road easy
for Livingstone, but he had to walk it briskly. How could the poor man
help himself? She hurled at him an army of nobles, headed by the
Countess and Lord Constantine; she brought him letters from his friends
at home; there was a dinner at the hotel, the Dowager being the hostess;
and he was almost awed by the second generation of Anne's audacious
race: Mona, red-lipped, jewel-eyed, sweeter than wild honey; Louis,
whose lovely nature and high purpose shone in his face; and Arthur,
sad-eyed, impudent, cynical, who seemed ready to shake dice with the
devil, and had no fear of mortals because he had no respect for them.
These outcasts of a few years back were able now to seize the threads of
intrigue, and shake up two governments with a single pull! He mourned
while he described what he had done for them. There would be no trial
for Ledwith. He would be released at once and sent home at government
expense. It was a great favor, a very great favor. Even Arthur thanked
him, though he had difficulty in suppressing the grin which stole to his
face whenever he looked at his kinsman. The Minister saw the grin
peeping from his eyes, but forgave him.

Arthur had the joy of bringing the good news down to Donegal. Anne bade
him farewell with a sly smile of triumph. Admirable woman! she floated
above them all in the celestial airs. But she was gracious to her