d finding his covered car at the door, got into it without saying
another word to any of the Castle Richmond family.

"Mrs. Jones," said Mr. Prendergast, as soon as Mollett was gone, "I
believe I need not trouble you any further. Your conduct has done you
great honour, and I respect you greatly as an honest woman and an
affectionate friend."

Mrs. Jones could only acknowledge this by loud sobs.

"For the present, if you will take my advice, you will say nothing of
this to your mistress."

"No, sir, no; I shall say nothing. Oh, dear! oh dear!"

"The whole matter will be known soon, but in the mean time, we may as
well remain silent. Good day to you." And then Mrs. Jones also left
the room, and Mr. Prendergast was alone.

CHAPTER XXI.

FAIR ARGUMENTS.

As Mollett left the house he saw two men walking down the road
away from the sweep before the hall door, and as he passed them he
recognised one as the young gentleman of the house. He also saw that
a horse followed behind them, on the grass by the roadside, not led
by the hand, but following with the reins laid loose upon his neck.
They took no notice of him or his car, but allowed him to pass as
though he had no concern whatever with the destinies of either of
them. They were Herbert and Owen Fitzgerald.

The reader will perhaps remember the way in which Owen left Desmond
Court on the occasion of his last visit there. It cannot be said
that what he had heard had in any way humbled him, nor indeed had it
taught him to think that Clara Desmond looked at him altogether with
indifference. Greatly as she had injured him, he could not bring
himself to look upon her as the chief sinner. It was Lady Desmond who
had done it all. It was she who had turned against him because of his
poverty, who had sold her daughter to his rich cousin, and robbed
him of the love which he had won for himself. Or perhaps not of
the love--it might be that this was yet his; and if so, was it not
possible that he might beat the countess at her own weapons? Thinking
over this, he felt that it was necessary for him to do something, to
take some step; and therefore he resolved to go boldly to his cousin,
and tell him that he regarded Lady Clara Desmond as still his own.

On this morning, therefore, he had ridden up to the Castle Richmond
door. It was now many months since he had been there, and he was
no longer entitled to enter the house on the acknowledged intimate
footing of a cousi