ur honour, the master, with the lieutenant, is out, but they'll
not be long before they're home," was the answer.

Adair thought the term lieutenant augured ill. Surely the servant would
speak of Desmond as the young lord if he had gained his cause. He,
however, considered that it would be undignified to put the question.

"Are any of the family at home?" asked Jack, as he and Adair tendered
their cards.

"Sure, yes, capt'ns; the mistress and the young ladies are at home, and
they'll be mighty glad to see ye."

"Take up our cards, at all events," said Adair, "and we will wait in the
hall."

The servant hurried off, while Jack and Adair stood waiting his return.
The man soon returned.

"Come up, come up, capt'ns; the mistress will be mighty pleased to see
you," he said, beginning, in a way no English servant would have thought
of doing, to relieve them of their hats.

"Sure, I'll just take charge of these; they'll be after incommoding you
in the drawing-room," he said, taking possession of their beavers by
gentle force.

Adair smiled, but made no objection, although Jack was very unwilling to
give up his hat.

They were ushered into a handsome drawing-room, and the lady of the
house--a buxom dame--came smiling forward, while three young damsels
rose and put down the work on which they had been engaged.

"The Counsellor must have had good hope of success, or he would scarcely
have invited the young lieutenant to remain at his house with three such
attractive girls as those are," thought Jack, as he cast a glance at the
young ladies, while he advanced across the room.

Mrs McMahon received them with Irish cordiality and begged them to be
seated. "I'm expecting the counsellor back every moment, and I conclude
that our young friend, Lord Saint Maur, will return with him; for so I
may call Lieutenant Desmond, as only a few technicalities have to be
gone through before he can properly assume the title."

"Has he really gained the cause?" exclaimed Adair. "I am delighted, and
grateful to Counsellor McMahon, without whose aid he would have had no
chance of success."

"The counsellor has done his best, and his success has afforded him as
much satisfaction as it can any one else," answered the lady, bowing.
"Indeed, it is a pleasure to have been of service to so excellent and
delightful a young man as your nephew, Captain Adair."

Jack looked round to see whether any of the young ladies gave responsive
looks