got stomach
for his food. The Captain has taken away my appetite with his talk, and
the sight of the meat makes me sick;' and then he got up from the table,
and they saw him pacing up and down the garden with his pipe.

Michael got away as soon as possible, and Mr. O'Brien walked with him to
the inn. When the dogcart was brought out, he shook his hand very
heartily.

'Let me know how things go on, Captain, and God bless you!' and then, as
though by an afterthought: 'If the girl gives you trouble, send her to
me, and I will just talk the sense into her.' And then he stood in the
road and watched until the dogcart and driver were out of sight.

Afternoon work had begun as Michael entered Woodcote, but he found Dr.
Ross alone in the study.

'I have only a few minutes to give you, Michael,' he said, looking up
from the letter he was writing; 'I expected you back at least two hours
ago.' Then Michael gave him a concise account of his interview with the
brothers.

'Thomas O'Brien is a grand old fellow,' he said enthusiastically; 'you
should have heard him talk, Dr. Ross; and as for poor Mat, he has the
makings of a good fellow about him, too, only the devil somehow spoilt
the batch. Would you believe it?--the poor beggar wanted to efface
himself--to clear out altogether for the sake of the youngsters, as he
called them. He was not very polished in his language, but what can you
expect? Still, he meant well.'

'I daresay he did,' returned the Doctor with a sigh; 'you had better
keep that paper to show Cyril. I must send you away now, as Carter and
the other boys are coming to me. I will see you later on.'

And then Michael took himself off. He could hear Audrey's voice as he
passed the door of her sitting-room; Mollie was with her. A few minutes
later, as he stood at his window wondering what he should do with
himself, he saw her walk down the terrace towards the gate with Mollie
hanging on her arm; they seemed laughing and talking. 'How long will she
wear that bright face?' he said to himself as he threw himself into his
easy-chair and took up the paper.

He had just fallen into a doze, with Booty stretched on the softest of
rugs at his feet, when there was a light tap at his door, and to his
surprise and discomposure Cyril Blake entered the room.

The visit was so wholly unexpected that Michael stared at him for a
moment without speaking. Cyril had never come to his private
sitting-room before without a special in